As a singer, it is important to maintain good vocal technique in order to prevent vocal problems and to ensure the longevity of your career. Below are a few practical vocal exercises that can be done on a daily basis to help improve your singing voice.
Lip Trills
Lip trills are great for warming up the vocal cords and getting them ready for singing. To do a lip trill, start by making an “O” shape with your lips. Then, quickly blow air out of your mouth while vibrating your lips. You should feel a buzzing sensation on your lips. If you don’t feel the buzz, try loosening your lips or blowing harder. Do 10-15 repetitions of this exercise.
Jaw Release
This exercise is good for relaxing the jaw muscles and reducing tension in the face. To do a jaw release, start by placing your fingers on your jaw just in front of your ears. Then, open your mouth wide and drop your jaw down so that your lower teeth are behind your upper teeth. You should feel a stretch in the muscles of your jaw and face. Hold this position for 5-10 seconds before returning to a resting position. Repeat this exercise 5-10 times.
Tongue Twisters
Tongue twisters are great for improving diction and articulation. Some popular tongue twisters for singers include “Red lorry, yellow lorry, so a red lorry, a yellow lorry” and “How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if the woodchuck could chuck wood?” Choose a tongue twister that is difficult for you to say correctly and practice it slowly at first. Once you can say it correctly at a slow speed, try saying it faster and then faster still until you reach your maximum speed. Take breaks as needed and drink plenty of water to keep your throat lubricated.
Humming
Humming is another great way to warm up the vocal cords before singing. To hum, start by closing your lips and making an “mm” sound like you’re trying to hold back a sneeze. You should feel a vibration in your nose and sinuses when you do this correctly. Next, try humming on different pitches, starting with low pitches and working up to high pitches over the course of several minutes. Drink plenty of water to keep your throat lubricated while humming.
Belly Breathing
Belly breathing is important for singers because it allows you to take in more air with each breath, which gives you more air support when singing those big notes! To belly breathe, start by placing one hand on your stomach just below the navel. As you inhale through your nose, focus on pushing your hand out with your stomach rather than letting your chest rise first like we normally do when we take shallow breaths from our chest cavity. You should feel expansion in both your lower belly and ribs as you inhale deeply. Repeat 10-15 times. drinking plenty of water throughout the day will also help keep those vocal cords hydrated!
Conclusion
These are just a few simple vocal exercises that can be done on a daily basis to help improve or maintain good vocal technique. However, it is always best to consult with a professional voice teacher if you have any concerns about how to properly care for your voice. If you liked this article, please share it with other singers or anyone who might find it helpful!
This article is posted on Local Taste.
