Every singer experiences that one dreaded moment in their life, which is when they start to sing and their voice feels strained or, god forbid, it cracks, especially in front of an audience. This is where warming up comes in and adds substance to your practice session. We all used to think that warmups were just an additional core that could be skipped, however, that is not the case. Just like tuning is important for instruments and warmups are required before exercising or playing, vocal warmups are necessary before singing. Especially if you plan to expand your vocal range or want to perform or practise for longer periods.
We, at Artium Academy, understand that singing is more than just making pleasing and catchy melodies. At its core, singing is about feeling connected and expressing freely, not just with words but with your whole body. So think of your vocal warmup as an all-encompassing mini rehearsal that gives a heads-up to your vocal cords about what is coming. In this blog, we will share some warmups that have been tried and tested over the years so that you can feel confident and in tune before every performance.
But before that…
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Importance of Vocal Warm-Ups
Our vocal cords are just like any other muscle in your body. It needs proper care and attention to stay strong, and it also needs proper exercises that develop muscle memory. When you warm up, you get a feel of your vocal range, where you can identify any tension points before the performance, and take measures to gain control to sing with confidence.
At the same time, when you set a daily warmup practice routine, you are investing in your long-term vocal health, which can help you build a voice that not only performs well but also remains strong for years to come. Now, we will take a closer look at the seven effective and beginner-friendly warmups to add to your daily routine.
Best Vocal Warm-Ups
- Lip Trills
Lip trills are funny and it might look silly, but this exercise has been a game-changer. Try to make a “bubbly” sound by letting your lips vibrate while humming. By holding out a lip trill, and practising it regularly, you can become better at controlling your breath and staying relaxed. Trilling up and down our range gently stretches the vocal cords without any strain. This can also set you up for a smooth singing session.
- Humming
Humming is also an excellent vocal warm-up technique because it tends to exert minimal strain on the vocal cords. To perform this exercise, you can just place the tip of your tongue behind your lower front teeth. Now, with your mouth closed, you can just hum up and down the major scale. Remember that each note should resemble a “hmmm” sound, including the “h” sound, as it is much less taxing on the voice.
- Vocal Siren
Remember the sound of a siren? Mimicking that “whoooo” from low to high and back down again is surprisingly effective. Practising sirens helps singers hit notes at the edges of their range without any abrupt breaks. Plus, sirens awaken our full range, getting every note ready to shine.
- Vocal Slides
This exercise is one of the best ones for working on head voice. This method is very useful for making it easier to switch between different singing voices, especially when trying to hit higher notes. Practising slides regularly helps you avoid any cracks or breaks, giving us that seamless flow through different parts of our range.
- Tongue Twisters
Warming up before singing is important. We often start with tongue twisters, like “Red leather, yellow leather” or “Unique New York.” These phrases help us focus on speaking clearly. We begin slowly and then speed up. This makes our words sound crisper. It’s fun and prevents mumbling or slurring. Plus, clear speaking gives us energy, which helps us while singing.
- Vowels Exercise
Vowels, or “Ma-Me-Mi-Mo-Mu” exercises, engage a variety of vocal placements, making them a full-spectrum workout for the voice as we make sounds at different pitches. When we do this, we feel how each sound vibrates differently. This is a great way to develop flexibility and tonal accuracy, especially when moving between chest and head voices. After doing this, our voice feels more balanced and stable.
- Yawn Sigh Technique
The yawn-sigh technique is a simple way to relax your vocal cords. You can begin by yawning, then let it naturally change into a sigh, going down in pitch. This exercise helps you relax and opens your throat, making it easier to reach higher notes without feeling tight or tense. We often end our warmup with this, as it’s a gentle way to finish and transition into our singing.
Conclusion
These warmups are some of the core vocal practices that, when added to your daily routine, can greatly benefit your singing. If you are looking to take your singing skills to the next level, then along with these vocal exercises you are also going to need dedicated vocal music classes. Our online vocal lessons can serve as a game changer, as we can help singers of all levels refine their vocal skills.
With the help of our structured vocal classes online, you can not only refine your techniques but also learn new skills from industry experts. Our vocal training courses include Hindustani classical, Hindi film music, Tamil film music, Kannada film music, Malayalam film music, Telugu film music, Carnatic classical, Ghazal, Hindi devotional, Karaoke and also Western vocals.
So book our free trial class today to continue your vocal journey with dedication and get closer to your goals one step at a time.
