Introduction
Welcome to the second vocal warm-up exercise in our training series. This exercise focuses on humming and lip trills, which are fantastic for rejuvenating your vocal tone, especially when you've just woken up. These techniques help to create room for a more resonant sound, relax your facial muscles, and continue the process of warming up your vocal cords.
Exercise Instructions
Part 1: Humming
- Start with a gentle hum: Begin with an easy, comfortable hum to ease your vocal cords into the exercise. You can start with a mid-range pitch that feels natural to you.
Example:
Hmm...
- Vary your pitch: After establishing your baseline hum, begin to move your pitch up and down the scale, still maintaining the hum. This variation is essential as it helps to warm up all areas of your vocal range.
Example:
Hmm... hmm... hmm... hmm...
- Expand the range: Gradually increase the pitch of your hums to the higher end of your range, and then bring it back down to the lower end. This ensures you warm up the full extent of your vocal range. You might notice a vibration in your nose as you do this—it's a good sign that you're engaging your resonators effectively.
Example:
Hmm... (ascending scale)
Hmm... (descending scale)
Part 2: Lip Trills
- Begin with basic lip trills: With your lips closed, start blowing air out to cause them to vibrate or ‘trill'. As with humming, start somewhere in the middle of your vocal range.
Example:
Rooooo...
- Maintain the trill: Continue this lip trill for about 15 to 20 seconds, or longer if it feels comfortable. You're looking to feel a buzz in the lips, which indicates that you're doing the exercise correctly.
- Incorporate rolled R’s: If you're capable of rolling your R's, incorporate this into your lip trills. This adds another layer to the exercise that can be very beneficial.
Example:
Rooooo... (with rolled R)
- Move the sound: Transfer the point of resonance from the front of your mouth to the back. This part of the exercise works on engaging your entire vocal apparatus, developing agility and control.
Example:
Brrrr! Brrrr! Brrrr! Brrrr! Brrrr! (front to back)
Conclusion
It might look or feel silly while performing these exercises, and you're likely to find yourself laughing if you catch a glimpse in the mirror or have an audience. However, remember that these exercises are designed with a purpose: to restore and warm up your voice effectively.
Repeat these exercises in sequence, beginning with the hums and then proceeding with the lip trills. You should start to feel your vocal muscles loosening and becoming more responsive. Continue to work through these exercises regularly as part of your vocal warm-up routine, and don't be shy to do them in private spaces like your car or shower where you can perform them freely without self-consciousness.
With consistency and practice, you'll find that these warm-ups greatly improve the quality and reliability of your vocal performance. Happy singing!
