How To Warm Up Your Voice In Less Than 10 min. (For When You’re In A Hurry!)
We’ve all been there — rushing to a gig, belting out our songs in the car to try to warm up beforehand… Unfortunately, there’s never enough time, you don’t have access to a piano, and it’s hard to focus on your singing!
Singers don’t typically have the luxury of warming up in a green room. In fact, I’ve found myself having to vocalize in my car on the way to a gig more times than I can count!
I’ve spent years refining my 10 minute warm-up routine to help with this issue. And, I’d like to share some of the exercises with you!
Before we begin…
This 10 minute routine is not a “cure all” for warm-ups. A complete vocal routine should also involve hydrating several hours ahead of time and include full body stretching/movement exercises. Use this sequence only when you are in a time crunch!
Why Do We Warm Up?
Warming up your voice is crucial to ensure vocal flexibility, prevent strain, and achieve your best performance. Therefore, it is essential to have efficient warm-up routines that — when you’re in a less than ideal situation — can be completed in a short time period.
*Additional Vocal Tip from Your Coach*
I have found that if I am properly hydrated, my vocal warm-up time decreases significantly. So, I try to make sure that I accommodate for my limited time by staying hydrated! So long as you are healthy and hydrated, a 10 minute warm-up that focuses on breathing, stretching, and resonance can be very effective and may be just what you need to start singing.
In this guide, we'll explore a concise yet effective warm-up routine that takes less than 10 minutes, allowing you to optimize your vocal capabilities— even if your car becomes your green room!
Note: I have not listed time lengths for any of these exercises, as it is important to check in with your body and respond to what it needs. There will be some days where you need to spend extended time with a specific warm-up. That’s okay! Tune in with your body and your voice and figure out where your time is best suited.
STEP 1
BREATHING EXERCISES
Nasal and Mouth Breathing
Our lifestyles tend to keep us seated throughout the day. It’s important to connect with your body and get that air flowing! A combination of nasal and mouth breathing exercises can be very useful.
1) Alternating Nasal and Mouth Breathing, with Pulsing Air
Focus on releasing your lower abdominal muscles ( important for guitarists or dancers — who are often told to tighten their core for stabilization — or anyone who plays on benches or stools)
Expand the ribcage, visualizing a 360° range of expansion ( I like to picture a water balloon being filled from the bottom up!)
Release air slowly on an “s” or “sh”
Advanced: pulse in and out quickly on “oo”
STEP 2
STRETCHING EXERCISES
Massaging and Stretching
This is always a crucial step for me as I tend to find boat loads of tension hidden in different parts of my face and neck. I like to spend a few minutes at least on massaging and stretching so that I can identify where I’m holding back and “guarding” my voice.
1) Orbital Bone (Bone above your eye)
Massage the Supraorbital Foramen with thumbs. The SF is found about a half of an inch outward from the bridge of your nose, underneath your eyebrows. This area gives you access to numerous nerves in the face. By massaging the SF, you can very quickly release facial tension.
2) Mandible (jaw)
Massage the Mental Foramen in your jaw. The MF is found roughly an inch to the left and right of the tip of your chin along the sides of your jaw. This is similar to the SF^, which means by massaging gently you can very quickly achieve a muscular release.
3) Cheeks
I like to run my thumbs down the side of my cheeks and along the space between my teeth. Play close attention to the chewing muscles in your face. While this can be very uncomfortable at times, it’s extremely effective at releasing tension in your jaw, cheeks, and mouth.
STEP 3
RESONANCE EXERCISES
Vocalizing
This is a part of the warm up where you begin vocalizing but not yet fully singing. Our goal is to produce clear, easy tones that stretch our range and iron out any of the “wrinkles” between vocal registers.
1) Lip Buzz
Purse your lips slightly, letting them vibrate while you make sound. (I tend to start in small increments by ascending or descending by a 3rd or 5th). Start in a comfortable, middle range first and then work your way outward.
2) Hum
Begin humming somewhere in your middle voice. The goal here is to stretch out the space you will need to resonate properly. Release the tongue and jaw, elongate the pharyngeal (throat) space, and get your voice “ringing”
I typically follow a pattern of a 5th, up or down. You can add in a chewing motion to help keep things moving freely.
3) Sing “Over the Rainbow”
My vocal coach and mentor, Judy Rodman introduced me to the idea of singing “Over the Rainbow” in numerous keys and styles as a sort of litmus test for your warm-up. If you can sing the intervals clearly and with proper resonance, you have effectively warmed up!
I tend to vocalize through the melody with an /i/ vowel ( “ee” as in “heat”), followed by a hum, and then eventually I sing the words.
Final Thoughts
The goal for your 10-minute car warmup:
Personalization: Tailor the warm-up routine to your voice's specific needs. If you have trouble with certain vocal areas, spend more time on exercises that target those areas.
Gradual Intensity: Start with gentle exercises and gradually move to more challenging ones. Avoid pushing your voice too hard in the initial minutes of warming up.
Being short on time, or stuck in your car does not mean you need to sacrifice the quality of your vocal warm-ups. By focusing on mindful breathing, stretching, and vocalizing, you can effectively awaken your vocal cords and sing like a pro!
There’s just nothing like being a part of a supportive community. We’re here to help! If you are a female artist and would love to participate in one of our weekends, please be sure to apply for our next event! Applications are free :)
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Warmly,
Mark