Build Your Own Warmup

Establishing Balance Length of Time Starting Pitch Pitch Pattern

ex: 4 min, 6 repetitions ex: speaking range, ex: see examples page
Walk around the room and ask:
high/middle/low range
“Can I tell if I’m leaning?”
“Is my weight over my leading foot?”
“Where do I sense the bottom of my torso?”

Imagine dribbling a basketball out in front of you.

Where do you feel your center?

Notice the pressure your feet exert on the ground,

and that the ground exerts on your feet.

Notice if your head is free to move, your ribs

move easily in all directions, your hips feel open
and supple, your weight is equal across your feet.

Other:

Stretching Length of Time Starting Pitch Pitch Pattern

ex: 4 min, 6 repetitions ex: speaking range, ex: see examples page
Strech arms up to the ceiling and notice rib
high/middle/low range
expansion
Meet hands behind back, notice chest expansion
Hip circles
Bend to the floor roll up slowly
Neck semi circles

Other:

Breathing Length of Time Starting Pitch Pitch Pattern

ex: 4 min, 6 repetitions ex: speaking range, ex: see examples page
Feel your throat open on inhale and exhale
high/middle/low range
Imagine releasing a bowling ball or frisbee
while exhaling on a shhhhhhhhhhhh
dddddjjjjjjjjjjjjjj
ssssssssssssssss
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Inhale for 4 counts, suspend the breath for 4

counts, release the breath for 4 counts

Pulse the breath on a quick shhh, ssss, or ffff

Sigh out with open throat and slowly add sound

Release air on a long wwwwooooahhhhh

Other:

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Connecting Spoken Phrases Length of Time Starting Pitch Pitch Pattern
ex: 4 min, 6 repetitions ex: speaking range, ex: see examples page
Well, Well, Well
high/middle/low range
Whoooo arrreee youuuuu
Mmmy Mmamma Mmmakes Mmmuffins
Name that tune
Late for class
Once upon a time
Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii
But I don’t waaaaanna
Other:

Massage Length of Time Starting Pitch Pitch Pattern

ex: 4 min, 6 repetitions ex: speaking range, ex: see examples page
Chewing muscles, Temples
high/middle/low range
Tongue thrusts, Tongue curls
Under chin
Imagine chewing gum
Sides of hyoid bone and thyroid cartilage
Scrunch nose and lips together, spread far apart
in wide yawn and smile
Other:

Semi-Occluded Length of Time Starting Pitch Pitch Pattern

ex: 4 min, 6 repetitions ex: speaking range, ex: see examples page
Sing through a straw
high/middle/low range 54321
Alternate every other pattern with the straw and 5-1
then a vowel 1-8-1
Start the onset of the pattern on a straw then 123454321
open up to a vowel 1356531
Lip trill, Tongue trill, Raspberries 534231271
MMMMMMM, NNNNNNNN, LLLLLLLLLL 158531
NNNNGGGG, ZZZZZZZ, VVVVVVVV, DJJJJJJ other:
Other:

Focus the Sound Length of Time Starting Pitch Pitch Pattern

(easy adduction) ex: 4 min, 6 repetitions ex: speaking range, ex: see examples page
Tiny whimpers high/middle/low range 54321
Puppy whines 5-1
MmmiamMiamMiamMiam 1-8-1
123454321
MiuMiuMiuMiu (kitten-like)
1356531
MoneyMoneyMoney 534231271
GaNGGaNGGaNGG 158531
NweedoNweedoNweeedo other:
Toddle whines ‘I don’t wanna’ ‘Aww Maaan’
Vocal fry while breathing out & breathing in
messa di voce
Other:

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 Onsets Length of Time Starting Pitch Pitch Pattern
ex: 4 min, 6 repetitions ex: speaking range, ex: see examples page
While lip trilling, alternate air only and pitch
high/middle/low range 54321
Alternate SSSS to ZZZZ, SHHHH to DJJJJJ, and 5-1
FFFFFF to VVVVV 1-8-1
Alternate WhyWhyWhy and AiAiAiAi and 123454321
HaiHaiHaiHai 1356531
Start AiAiAiAi with a puppy whine 534231271
158531
Start AiAiAiAi with vocal fry
other:
Lightly say “Uh-Oh” and “oops”
Staccato Ng and B combined with a vowel
(e.g. Ng-Ah, Ng-Ih, Ng-Oo, B-Ah, B-Ih, etc.)
Staccato Ih Uh and [ə] (schwa)
Other:

Tongue Independence Length of Time Starting Pitch Pitch Pattern

ex: 4 min, 6 repetitions ex: speaking range, ex: see examples page
Tongue thrusts with and without sound
high/middle/low range 54321
Slides with tongue completely out of mouth 5-1
Raspberries 1-8-1
NNNGGGG ---> AAAAAA 123454321
ZZZZZZ -----> EEEEEEEEE 1356531
EEEEEEE-----> AAAAAAAA 534231271
YaYaYaYaYa and KaKaKaKaKa (with jaw still) 158531
GangGangGangGang and MingMingMingMing other:
Other:

Whoop Resonant Strategy Length of Time Starting Pitch Pitch Pattern

ex: 4 min, 6 repetitions ex: speaking range, ex: see examples page
Cop Car whoop WHOOP high/middle/low range 54321
Siren WeeeUUUUeeUUUU 5-1
Like on a swing WEEEEEEEE 1-8-1
123454321
Imitate a ghost hoooOOOO
1356531
Slide on Whoop, Wheep and Whaaap 534231271
Octave glide on ooo-oh-ah, changing vowel 158531
slowly across glide to match the “whoop” boost other:
Other:

Hey Resonant Strategy Length of Time Starting Pitch Pitch Pattern

ex: 4 min, 6 repetitions ex: speaking range, ex: see examples page
Call out ‘Hey’ to get someone’s attention
high/middle/low range 54321
Call out ‘Hey’ as if annoyed 5-1
Hey STAY AWAY 1-8-1
Slide on Hey 123454321
Octave glide on eee-eh-ae, changing vowel slowly 1356531
across glide to match with the “hey” boost 534231271
Other: 158531
other:

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Same Shape Resonant Strategy Length of Time Starting Pitch Pitch Pattern
ex: 4 min, 6 repetitions ex: speaking range, ex: see examples page
Glide on Nur (vowel closest to the “ou” in “would”)
high/middle/low range 54321
Stacatto and legato alternating N-ur and Nur-Nur 5-1
Same exercises without the “r”, only “Nu” and 1-8-1
allow the jaw greater freedom 123454321
To achieve middle belt (G4-D5) think a little more 1356531
“aw” in the “ou” 534231271
Other: 158531
other:

Stability Across Vowels Length of Time Starting Pitch Pitch Pattern

ex: 4 min, 6 repetitions ex: speaking range, ex: see examples page
Neutral Vowels: Ihhhh (bit), Uhhh (bull), and [ə] high/middle/low range 54321
(schwa=but). Use “bit, bull, but” 5-1
Apply stability to other vowels by keeping the 1-8-1
neutral vowel feeling with speech-level vowels: 123454321
Aaa([ə])-eehhh(Ih)-eee(Ih)-00hh(Uh)-uuuuu(Uh) 1356531
Mmaaa Mmehh Mmeee Mmooo Mmuuu 534231271
Slide low to high eeeeee - ihhhhh 158531
Other: other:

Vowel/Consonant Combos Length of Time Starting Pitch Pitch Pattern

ex: 4 min, 6 repetitions ex: speaking range, ex: see examples page
Let the consonants lead and the
high/middle/low range 54321
vowels energize the consonants 5-1
Louie Louie Louie Louie Bwe Bwe Bwe Bwe 1-8-1
Boi Boi Boi Boi Boi Bee Bo Bee Bo Bee 123454321
AngAngAngAngAng Gi ko Gi ko Gi 1356531
Zingy Zingy Zingy Zing Lee lo Lee lo Lee 534231271
Ai yai yai yai yai Vee Veh Vee Veh 158531
New New New New New other:
Speak words from a song or monologue
“The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog”
Other:

Bringing Attention Outside Length of Time Starting Pitch Pitch Pattern

ex: 4 min, 6 repetitions ex: speaking range, ex: see examples page
Walk around the room
high/middle/low range
Notice 5 things you see, 4 you touch, 3 you hear,
2 you smell, 1 you taste
Imagine tossing a ball
Bring your hands out by your ears, notice their
presence with your peripheral
Create choreagraphy for each warm-up
Create a horizon with your hand under your eyes
Sing each warm up with an emotion in mind, and
notice how you feel and sound differently.
Angry Jealous Depressed
Annoyed Flirtatious Maniacal
Joyful Cheerful Suprised
Sleepy Perky Mischevious
Other:

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 Explanations and Examples
The primary goal of any warm up is to stretch and unpress the vocal folds. There are many other goals after
that, however, and knowing the reasoning behind individual warm ups, and in what order you perform them,
can be a key factor in their success. The key to utilizing the direct benefits of each one rests in tracking the
sensations that you feel when performing them, and attempting to recreate those sensations when singing.
Remember these helpful hints:

Warm Ups have specific purposes Only YOU can warm your voice up

Many warm ups serve the same goal, pick what You have as much information as anyone about
works for you your voice

Centering, Stretching, and Breathing

Aligning your body eliminates tensions that can cause vocal strain. The key to body alignment rests in noticing. We habituate
posture in daily life in ways that puts undue stress on muscles throughout the body that we are often unaware of. Focusing
your attention on certain muscles and muscle combinations, and noticing if they feel strained or not, provides the first
important insight into your voice. Always inhale and exhale while performing these warm ups, to connect your breath to
your body alignment.

Spoken Phrases
Speaking allows the singer to align the vocal tract and breath without the added challenge of sung pitch. Focus on a relaxed
inhale, and sustaining long (or extra-long) vowels while increasing vowel energy into consonants such that the consonant
is energized by the vowel. This process sets the voice up nicely for singing by helping the vocal folds coordinate the breath
pressure and vocal fold onsets with vocal tract consonants.

Massage
We tend to engage some muscles in perpetual tension when our bodies are out of alignment. Finding the ones that are
significantly contracted and rubbing them while breathing and asking them to release can become an important aspect of
body alignment. This will be particularly important with smaller muscles in the neck and face.

Semi-Occluded
The principal benefit from semi-occluded exercises is the positive back pressure provided by the smaller aperture that helps
the vocal folds vibrate and “gear shift” easily. After that, each SOVT has slightly different functions. The straw elongates the
vocal tract, giving even more back pressure (try it with an [b] vs. a [m] and notice how the soft palate responds). Lip trills,
tongue trills, and raspberries each require coordination with the lips/tongue and vocal folds, but be careful of jaw tension.
When relaxation is achieved, they provide a positive coordination between the vocal tract and vocal folds that is unique
each unto itself. Each of the sustained consonants ask for a different vocal tract position, and as such, can be used to create
specific desired habits. The [z], for example, each requires the tongue to be in a forward position, and create a specific
sensation that people can remember when singing. The [n], [ng], and [r] each help to create a more refined aperture
opening between the throat and mouth.

Focus on the Sound

Laryngeal registration (i.e. which laryngeal muscles are used in what configuration at any given moment) is critical to how
we sound, yet, very difficult to perceive given the fact that we can’t feel those muscles. This is further complicated by the fact
that we can feel the muscles surrounding the larynx, which confuses our sense of perception. Larygeal registration targets,
therefore, need to focus on a relaxed/open, or “nothing”, sensation around the larynx, and specific vibratory sensations
in the vocal tract that reflect the nature of vocal fold adduction. Each of these exercises encourages clean adduction and
active/easy “gear shifting” of the laryngeal muscles. Focus on the vibration sensations in your face and mouth while doing
them.

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Onsets
For maximum usefulness, the vocal folds need to come together with even, easy onsets. Hard onsets, by contrast, can cause
disruption to vocal tract stability, and auditory perception of sound. Listen for smoothness in the sound, rather than the
tell-tale “pop” of the hard onset, and try to feel as if your airflow is even and “pouring” through the sound. Easy onsets can
take some time to coordinate with some singers.

Tongue Independence
The tongue is a massive player in the vocal tract, and difficult to coordinate. One of the primary sensations that we try to
habituate is a forward, rounded tongue position. Each of these exercises help in this habituation process, and each creates
noticeable sensations that can be recreated when singing.

Acoustic/Resonant Strategies: Hey, Whoop, and Same Shape

These three large-scale resonant strategies helps to define tone color, and create stability. In particular, they can each
be used to access certain stylistic traits that can be otherwise difficult to achieve. The Whoop strategy, which boosts the
first harmonic, can be very useful for training a Western classical style of singing, particularly in the upper ranges (~D4
and higher), and can be helpful in training men to sing in a lighter, choral sound in their middle range (~A3-A4). The Hey
strategy, which boosts the second harmonic, can be useful for training CCM styles of singing including pop, country, folk,
music theater, and gospel. It is particularly useful in the lower to middle parts of the range. Above B4, the Hey strategy
encounters challenges that make it less useful. You can feel both of the Whoop and Hey strategies in specific places in
your face/head. People tend to feel the Whoop strategy more upward and back (near the ears and top of the head),
and the Hey strategy more forward (near the upper teeth and nose). The
Same Shape strategy, which maintains a similar shape throughout the
range, and therefore boosts whichever harmonic it happens to be nearby,
is more difficult to feel and habituate. In the middle range (G3-G4) it can
be very helpful in western classical singing, as well as certain CCM styles
like gospel and the music theater legit sound. It is also essential for finding
stability in the elusive middle belt range (G4-D5). The most challenging
part of the Same Shape resonant strategy is maintaining independence
between the mouth and the throat shapes even as interdependence is
developed. People tend to feel the sound move around their face, moving
from forward (low pitches) to upward (high pitches).

Stability Across Vowels

We have a range of vocal tract adjustment choices available to us when shaping every vowel. The
less the vocal tract has to move, the more easily stability is achieved, making the vocal folds more
efficient, thereby helping with breath regulation and sound output. Learning to hear vowels as a
complex of tone color rather than a singularity is a key to targeting stability. Using “neutral” vowels
as a replacement for “pure” or “speech-level” vowels helps singers avoid radical adjustments (e.g.
use [I] for [i] and [ae], [U] for [u] and [o], and [ə] for [a] and [c]). Using vowel glides helps to
habituate sensations associated with subtle shape changes, and can be used with neutral vowels
to help create Same Shape and Varied Shape (Whoop and Hey) resonant strategies.

Vowel Consonant Combos

These are pretty self-explanatory. You might want to start them by stretching the tongue, jaw,
and lips while avoiding tension in the larynx area. The “bite an apple” inner smile sensation can play a role in freeing the
tongue and jaw as well. As you sing the warm ups, pay attention to what the tongue, jaw, and lips are doing to create the
consonants and vowels. Also notice if the general volume of your sound changes, as this would suggest that your adduction
is changing, which may point to the fact that the change in vowel/ consonant combination is destabilizing the vocal folds.

Attention to the Outside

With all of the noticing and target creation that goes on in our singing practice, the singer’s brain can get wrapped around
itself, causing new roadblocks to form. These exercises can be used throughout the warm up process to help the singer focus
their attention more generally on their bodies. The key is to commit to the task. A half-baked attempt will collapse on itself.

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Musical Exercises
There are endless variations you can use for note patterns, each with their own benefits and challenges. We have offered
five basic ones.

123454321

This exercise is great for middle range singing. The step-wise motion and limited range help singers feel smaller adjustments
over time. Try starting on the top note to focus on other resonant strategy approaches and vowel needs.

53421

Equally good for middle range singing, the relatively small leaps are good for developing vocal fold
“gear shift” coordination. Try using them on alternating vowels in order to develop vowel stability and lengthening. Use
similar vowels at first like [a] [o], and then move to more different vowels like [e] [o]. Consonants can be added for further
coordination challenges, and vocal tract benefits. The “bit, bull, but” neutral vowels are very effective on this exercise. You
can also extend it by adding 3-1-2-7-1 (G-E-F-D-E-C-D-B-C).

54321

The simplicity and brevity of this exercise makes it nice for approaching range extremes. Starting on the highest note helps
singers develop their body setup, prephonatory tuning, and easy vocal fold onset.

1-8-1

This exercise is wonderful for laryngeal muscle “gear shift” coordination. Try it with semi-occluded exercises, vowel and
vowel/consonant combinations, etc.

58531

This provides singers with a nice approach to notes in their upper range, and helps create vocal tract and laryngeal stability,
as well as establishing sensations associated with large-scale resonant strategy adjustments.

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