Warmups
Most people will sing better after warming up their voice. You can use any kind of simple patterns you like in order to do this. Below, you will find some that you could use, along with audio recordings, but you are certainly not limited to these. Use whatever you find works best for you.
If you use any of these recordings to warm up, you may find that they start or end too low or high for you. Feel free to skip ahead on the recording, or stop early to keep everything within your comfortable range.
If you use any of these recordings to warm up, you may find that they start or end too low or high for you. Feel free to skip ahead on the recording, or stop early to keep everything within your comfortable range.
Quick option: When I am in a hurry and want to get things moving quickly, I usually just do some vocal slides throughout my range. Hum or pick any open vowel sound and slide from a low note in your range up through a high note in your range and back down.
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Sing on a pure "oo" vowel with your tongue relaxed in the bottom of your mouth and your jaw released and free.
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The “ng” is pronounced as in the last sound in the word “sing.” Keep air flow consistent and tone relaxed.
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Sing with an open "oh" vowel (round lips). For a variation, try this on buzzed lips.
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Begin moving air through the “v” sound on the first pitch. Maintain a relaxed, smooth feeling through each vowel change.
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Bounce the staccato notes from down low in the body. Keep constant breath pressure from the abdomen.
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Keep the tone forward in your face. Feel it buzz in your nose and cheekbones.
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Keep the tone forward in your face. Feel it buzz in your nose and cheekbones.
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Maintain a relaxed, smooth feeling through each vowel change.
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Use the forward spin and energy from the "Fee" to spring you into the open "Ah" (still keeping the tone forward).
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Crescendo through the top note and then return to original volume. Use air to do this rather than muscle and force. Maintain a relaxed “oo” vowel.
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Range Checks
In order to place you into the appropriate vocal section, it will be important to know what works for you within your vocal range. You can use these exercises to determine the edges of your current range. The recordings will stretch quite low and high, so just stop (or start) where you need to. Male voices may find a spot as you ascend where you have shifted into a pure falsetto sound. You can stop at that point (we don't need to know how high your falsetto can go). Record yourself as you do it and send it to Mr. Riggs for evaluation.
