”Upprepning är
kunskapens nyckel”
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| Quick Vocal School
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Lesson One: Vocal warm up
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| Photo: JOHANNA REEDER |
[2007-04-27]
Why should you warm up? Many singers have asked that question and there is one definitive answer; it is necessary to be able to use your voice optimally for prolonged periods. Unfortunately rock, pop and soul singers are often sceptical about the benefits of warming up, so to help make the point it is useful to compare singing to other types of physical activity.
There probably aren’t that many athletes who do not stretch and warm up prior to a competition. Even the man in the street has learnt the importance of a warm up before jogging or taking an aerobics class. Skipping it can lead to pulled or torn muscles and even painful joint and muscle conditions. Singers are voice athletes and should train and take care of their voice in the same way that athletes take care of their bodies. We often take our voices for granted; they’re expected to work on demand and ideally be in top shape whenever they are called upon! But singing is no different from any other physical activity and failing to warm up will impair your ability to perform and may even result in injury. In short: warm up your body and voice for optimal performance and to prevent injury.
The strain on your voice will vary from day to day depending on if you use it a lot ( concert, rehearsals) or not at all. This makes it difficult to formulate hard and fast rules for vocal warm ups e.g. how long it should last and at how long it should be performed before singing. There are however, a few rules of thumb that can help guide you to the optimal warm up strategy. For example “short performance-long warm up, long performance-short warm up”. It is also important not to sing louder or higher than you’re voice is prepared for. Singing loudly is the last thing you want to do during a warm up.
I recommend that you warm up a fair while ahead of the performance and that you should be ready approximately 10 minutes before going on. This will allow your vocal folds and other laryngeal muscles to rest before the concert. Using the sports analogy again, most athletes warm up around an hour before a competition and use the remaining time for stretching and mental rehearsal.
We will start with a few exercises that, in my opinion, form a solid basis for a vocal warm up routine without wearing out your voice. This exercise consist of a sound that are produced by constricting the flow of air. When a constriction is created less load is placed on the vocal folds.
Exercise – Universal tool “B”
Jut your bottom jaw out to form an underbite, stick out your bottom lip and “broom” like a car. Until you have mastered the technique it may help to imagine your neck being as wide as an angry cobra and holding your fingers three centimetres over and to the side of the corners of your mouth.
Vocal warm up
Lesson One for the female voice. (mp3).
Lesson One for the male voice. (mp3).
Extracted from the book: Ultimate Vocal Voyage, by Daniel Zangger Borch
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