Pre-Vocal Warm Up To Get You Started Right From The Beginning

A lot of singers don't really know what the exact purpose of a vocal warm up is. Yes, it's to get you to a place where you sing with more control and reach the high notes. But what about the actual tone and ease of singing? There are two types of singing voices, efficient and pressed phonation. Efficient is when the vocal folds are well balanced between breath use and tension. Pressed phonation is when the vocal folds are too tight.

Vocal warm ups should be done in a way that allows singing not only high and loud but with beautiful comfortable tone. This can only be done if the warm ups are done with these goals in mind. If not, you may end up worse than before you started the warm ups.

Vocal warm ups should therefore start with a clear goal in mind. Most singers would answer one or all of the above. Wouldn't the best be exercises that accomplish both?

It makes the most sense to start off as close to the voice that you want from the beginning, the onset. Simply generate a full tone that is comfortable and easy to find.

THE EXERCISE: Find your "natural pitch", the pitch that your vocal folds make when you are totally relaxed. Simply relax your body especially your face including the tongue, jaw and throat.

This is called a "dopey face" for singing. With your mouth closed comfortably humm with a "mmm". If you do this when you are totally relaxed, it should be your "natural pitch". For most men it will be a pitch that's much lower than your speaking pitch. For most women it will be higher than their speaking pitch. Once you know your natural pitch, this is where you should start any vocal warm up. IMO the best warm up from your natural pitch would be slides or sirens where you move or slide smoothly up the scale. Be sure to keep the same comfort and deep relaxed resonances as you move up the scale and also when going back down.

Please book a lesson if you'd like to be sure you're doing this correctly. Please also become a member and "heart" this lesson if you've learned anything.

Thanks for your time and have a greaaat day!

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