Vocal Warm Ups

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Vocal Warm Ups

• Prepared by
• Alan Lytle alytle_at_otac.org
• Oregon Technical Assistance Corporation

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Use your voice correctly

• Learn to maintain a flexible, well-balanced neck
  posture to minimize tension around the larynx.
• Control your voice with breathing muscles of the
  ribcage, back, and abdomen, so that the vocal
  folds receive an efficient, controlled stream of
  air pressure.
• Relax your tongue and expand your throat to
  create a generous resonating space, then focus
  the tone into the front of your face for natural
  amplification.
• Individual training is recommended for those who
  rely on their voices professionally.

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Use your optimum pitch

• Speak in a pitch range that fits your own vocal
  instrument.
• If you wish to increase your range, do so
  gradually on a foundation of healthy technique.

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Avoid inflammation

• Protect the lining of the respiratory tract by
  avoiding smoky, dusty, and chemically toxic
  environments.
• Get help for respiratory allergies.
• Don't smoke.

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Keep the vocal tissues hydrated

• Drink a minimum of two quarts of water per day to
  keep the body and voice healthy.
• Don't go by sensations of thirst or wait until
  your throat feels dry.
• Avoid or limit beverages that are diuretic
  (water-expelling) in nature, including alcohol,
  caffeine, and many "diet formulas."

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Warm up your voice regularly

• If you don't know how, invest in a few private
  lessons to learn a routine.
• Add additional warm up time before performances
  or other demanding situations.
• If you have temporary laryngitis, do a silent,
  mental warm up.

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Soothe your airway with steam

• Spend extra time in the shower or steam-room when
  your voice is tired or you are fighting a cold or
  other temporary irritation.

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Avoid unnecessary yelling, screaming, and
throat-clearing
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Get help for heartburn
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Avoid all throat lozenges that promise to relieve
pain, unless prescribed by a doctor
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Make vocal health a priority

• Most voice problems are related to improper voice
  use and/or life stress.
• Taking care of your voice means taking care of
  yourself.

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HYDRATE!!

• Vocal folds work best when their surfaces are
  kept moist and the mucus in the vocal system is
  thin.

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Physical Warm Up

• Stretch to the sky
• Shake it out!
• Shoulder shrugs
• Stretchy face

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Breath Warm Up

• Big Yawns
• Hissing

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Voice Warm Up

• Wheee!!!
• Sirens!
• Vocal fry

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Diction Warm Ups

• The lips, the teeth, the tip of the tongue
• You know I love unique New York
• A box of biscuits, a batch of mixed biscuits

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Diction Warm Ups

• Cinnamon aluminum linoleum
• Many an anemone sees an enemy anemone.
• I slit the sheet, the sheet I slit, and on the
  slitted sheet I sit.

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Thank You!