3 Best Ways to Warm Up the Vocal Cords
I’ve received a couple of requests for tips on how to warm up voice for singing, so this week we’re just going to get down to basics on a couple of the best vocal warmups to start with before you move into further exercises and warmups.
Bubbling (Lip Trills)
I’ll be honest, there was a period of time when I thought lip trills were not very useful. But as I have learned more about the voice, I’ve realized their application to even hard rock singing. The most important piece of foundation for singing anything – especially anything loud – is efficient and complete vocal cord connection. If you have “leaky” vocal cord connection – that is, you’re using more air than needed to get a certain volume of sound – then your ability to “lean on” your vocal cords to get more volume is severely compromised.
Lip trills aren’t the end-all solution, of course. And you can do them incorrectly with an airy texture. But they are the first exercise that can help many people relax into a coordination that doesn’t engage the false cords or other extra musculature across the entire range. And you have to be able to do that in order to start working on fine vocal edge connection.
What is it and how do you do it?
The standard “lip trills” vocal warmup has a couple of variations. You can make make the “raspberry” sound, like a young kid might do when mad at or making fun of a classmate, with your tongue extending out a bit between your lips. Or you can keep your tongue in your mouth and just let your lips bubble against each other. In either case, make sure your lips are floppy and loose and making a sound like a motorboat, rather than pursed tightly together and making a buzzing sound like a bee. Once you get it going, explore your entire range with it.
Why should I do it?
It warms you up without strain, allows most people to sing in a connected voice all the way through their range, it allows many people to sing to the very top of their range, it loosens up your lips and mouth, and it’s hard to do without breath support.
Who should do it?
Everyone, from beginners to experts. It’s a great first warmup for everyone.
Creaky Edge
What is it and how do you do it?
The “creaky edge” vocal warmup is the sound of a creaky door of a haunted house slowly swinging open. It helps you learn what it feels like to make your vocal cords connect with each other. As a vocal exercise, start with that creaky edge and turn it into a tone (over a couple of seconds). Once you get it going, play with it throughout your range – especially in any weak areas of your voice.
Why should I do it?
This exercise helps you keep your voice connected all the way through your range, even across your bridge areas. It also provides the foundation for turning falsetto into full voice over time.
Who should do it?
Anyone who has noticeable “bumps” in the bridge areas or a weak falsetto that they cannot turn into a full head voice.
Keeping the Larynx Still
What is it and how do you do it?
Here’s how this vocal warmup goes: Put your fingers gently on your larynx (the front of your neck). Pick a syllable such as “ah” or “uh”. Now sing a 5-note scale. (A 5-note scale might be C, D, E, F, G, and then back down.) Feel with your fingers whether your larynx is going up when your pitch goes up, and vice versa. If it is, then slooooow down and practice changing your pitch without changing the vertical position of your larynx.
Why should I do it?
If your larynx goes up and down with your pitch, you’ll sound squeaky and tight on high pitches, and uncomfortably tense on low pitches.
Who should do it?
Anyone who can’t yet do it!
(c) 2009 Adrienne Osborn
Adrienne Osborn is a vocalist and performance coach based in Colorado. For more free articles and tips, visit https://PerformanceHigh.net.
