You did not choose me, I chose you and appointed you to go and bear much fruit... — John 15: 16
After singing for more than 3 decades I have come to realize that there are just some things you just don't do with the gifts that God has given you. This includes skipping warm ups that will preserve and protect the one tool that will be used to give him glory and terrorize hell.
Maintaining your vocal health is essential to ensure you can minister at your best. Just like an athlete takes care of their body to enhance performance, singers must prioritize the foundation of vocal care.
Below are some best practices focusing on simple warm-ups.
Warm-Ups: Preparing Your Voice Before diving into singing, it's crucial to warm up your vocal cords. A proper warm-up routine can help prevent strain and injury while improving vocal range and flexibility. Here are some very basic effective warm-up exercises:
- Lip Trills: Start by humming through your lips while making a ‘brrrr’ sound or just put your lips together and blow. This exercise helps relax your vocal cords and eases tension. What I love most is that it doesn't need a musician. Just go as high as you can or as low as you can,
- Humming Scales: Gently hum the DO-RAE-ME scale with a light, relaxed voice. Gradually move up in half steps to stretch your range.
- Sirens: Glide from your lowest note to your highest (and back down) in a siren-like manner. This helps with smooth transitions between vocal registers. Use the long AHH sound.
- Resonance Exercises: Use vowel sounds (like “ma,” “mee,” “moo”) to feel the resonance in different parts of your face and head. This encourages proper vocal placement.
Here is one of my favourite beginner videos for vocal care
Tip: Spend at least 10-15 minutes on warm-ups before any rehearsal or performance to prepare your voice adequately.
Let me know if this was helpful :)
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