Why Warm Up?
Do a Google search for “how to sing” and almost every article you find will include a section on vocal warm ups. Any that don’t aren’t worth the time it takes to read them.
Just like playing a sport, having a consistent warm up routine is the foundation of any good vocal practice.
But why warm up? It’s not like you’re going to pull a hamstring singing, right? While it might not be as obviously physical as something like playing soccer, singing requires you to use multiple muscle groups in challenging ways. There are multiple muscle groups involved in stretching your vocal cords to create pitch as well as doing the heavy lifting of breathing.
Jumping right into a challenging song or even a voice drill without taking the time to prep your body for the work it’s about to do can lead to injury - even a pulled muscle! Surprising though it may be, it is possible to pull a muscle in your throat from straining and could keep you from singing to your fullest for weeks.
“There are multiple muscle groups involved in just stretching your vocal cords to create pitch as well as doing the heavy lifting of breathing.”
In addition to lowering the chance of injury, warm-ups allow you to use your instrument more fully. We recommend warming up a fourth higher than the highest note you expect to sing. Once you actually get down to singing, you’ll already know you can conquer that high note and you’ll find your voice is more agile and easier to control. Much like warming up before a run, your body is better able to push the limits of its abilities when it’s prepped for the basics.
The less obvious reason to make sure you have a warm-up strategy is to maintain and speed up your progress as a vocalist. If you’re spending half your rehearsal just trying to get your voice “woken up” enough to start pushing your limits, you’re wasting valuable practice time. Doing a short, focused warm-up routine lets you spend more of your rehearsal time exploring the exciting edges of what your instrument is capable of.
Want to get started with a warm-up routine? Check out Zelda’s Warm Up recordings and use these five tips below to create a warm-up practice that works for you.
Make sure your warm-ups prep all the parts of your body needed for singing. Be certain to include gentle phonations that focus on breath support as well as gently stretching your facial muscles and voice. Make sure to warm up both above and below the highest and lowest notes you anticipate singing, and the easiest way to do this is with gentle glides.
Make your exercises progressive. Start with gentle, easy sounds such as hums, sighs, yawns and trills and then gradually stretch towards more challenging ones. For example, you may want to start with a breathing exercise to wake up your breath support before progressing to glides that stretch your vocal range. And you’ll definitely want to warm up before you start taking leaps between notes.
Keep it short and sweet. Your warm up shouldn’t be a marathon - or a sprint! The goal is to gently wake up your body before getting down to the hard work of singing. You don’t need to exhaust yourself by spending hours on warm ups; by the same token, you don’t want to rush through your warm ups in an effort to get to singing faster. Remember: warm ups aren’t workouts. There may be days when you choose to work exclusively on exercises and techniques rather than working on a song, and we think that’s great! However, your regular warm up routine should be gentle and brief. A ten-minute voice warm up before any drills or exercises is ideal. If you’re feeling vocally tired or strained at the end of your warm up, it’s time to reevaluate what exercises you’re using and how much time you’re spending warming up.
Stay consistent. Warm ups aren’t just for lessons or before a special performance. We recommend warming up every time you sing and at least once a day as part of a daily practice routine. Maintaining a good warm up routine helps maintain vocal health and develop good singing habits.
Work with an instructor to put together the right routine for you. Not every exercise is right for every singer, but it can be difficult to tell if it’s the wrong exercise for you or if you’re simply doing it incorrectly without some external guidance. A good vocal instructor has a wide range of exercises for you to try that will warm all aspects of your voice and fit different learning styles.
Book a Lesson to Create Your Ideal Warm Up Routine
Whether you’re just starting your journey as a vocalist or have been performing for years, it’s never too late to establish a great warm up routine to protect and strengthen your voice. Already have a warm up routine? Let us know what your favorite exercise is! If you want a head start creating your new warm up routine, check out Zelda’s Voice Warm Ups available for download here and reach out for a free intro lesson to start developing your personalized routine at this link!
If you want to develop a personalized warm-up routine, contact Zelda to set up a lesson today!
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