IN THIS LESSON

Build safe, effective vocal warm-up habits

Goal: Wake up the voice, build breath control, and stretch the vocal range

✅ Body & Breath Prep

(5–7 minutes)

🧘 Relaxation Check

  • Release tension in shoulders, jaw, neck, and face

  • Shake out your arms and roll your neck

  • Reminder: If your voice starts to hurt, stop and rest.

💨 Diaphragmatic Breathing

  1. Stand tall, shoulders relaxed

  2. Place a hand on your belly

  3. Breathe in deeply for 4 counts

  4. Hold for 4, exhale for 6 on a soft “sss”

  5. Repeat 3–5x
    ➡️ Visualize breathing into your toes—chest stays still, ribs expand

💬 Bonus Tip

Singing quietly actually requires more control than singing loudly.

1. Diaphragm Basics

(3 minutes)

🧠 Quick Talk:

  • Your voice comes from your vocal cords

  • Your diaphragm is the muscle that powers your breath

  • When you breathe correctly, your belly moves—not your chest

2. Hiss Breathing Exercise

(5 minutes)

How-To:

  1. Stand tall, shoulders relaxed

  2. Inhale deeply for 5 counts – belly expands

  3. Exhale slowly on a hiss “ssss” for 9 counts

  4. Repeat 3 times
    ➡️ Challenge: Try 7-in / 12-out as you improve!

3. Vocal Warm-Up Circuit (10–12 minutes)

🎵 Do each for about 1 minute unless noted.

  • Yawn-Sigh: Fake a yawn with mouth closed, sigh gently through your nose

  • Humming: Hum “hmmm” up and down a major scale

  • Lip Trills: Make a “brrrr” sound with lips while sliding pitch up and down

  • Straw Phonation:

    • Hum a scale through a straw

    • Bonus: Blow gentle bubbles into a glass of water while humming

  • Tongue Trills: Roll your R’s and slide pitch up/down (if you can!)

  • Jaw Loosening:

    • Trace jaw from chin to ear

    • Fake a yawn to feel the natural drop

  • Two-Octave Pitch Glide: Glide through “eeee” or “ohhh” from low to high and back

  • Vocal Sirens: Smooth “oooo” sound, like a siren, from lowest to highest note

  • Vocal Slides (Portamento): Slide slowly between two notes, no breaks in sound

✅ Finish with 1–2 full singing lines from a song to test your voice