Welcome to The Vocal Body E-Course supplemental practice & warm-up page!
Here you'll discover 3 of my personal favorite vocal warm ups, shared to encourage you to develop long-term voice practices of your own!
Practice 1:
The recording below features a classic vocal warmup called "the lip roll" (or what I sometimes refer to as"motor mouth"). Don't fret if you can't seem to get this technique the very first time. Practice slowly and with diaphragm support and you'll eventually find the even, controlled tone which, in essence, will support your consistent vocal power! This is one of those practices that have such depth and resulting effect-- listen to learn more to the exercise .mp3 here!
Here you'll discover 3 of my personal favorite vocal warm ups, shared to encourage you to develop long-term voice practices of your own!
Practice 1:
The recording below features a classic vocal warmup called "the lip roll" (or what I sometimes refer to as"motor mouth"). Don't fret if you can't seem to get this technique the very first time. Practice slowly and with diaphragm support and you'll eventually find the even, controlled tone which, in essence, will support your consistent vocal power! This is one of those practices that have such depth and resulting effect-- listen to learn more to the exercise .mp3 here!
This exercise is popular in the world of vocal warmups and thus, there are SO many vocalists online sharing info on lip rolls! Here are just a couple of links to broaden your lip-roll know-how! You'll notice that these 2 teachers have slightly varied approaches—however, relaxed and consistent tone is the common approach tactic in each video below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lR2S1G-g0c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CK-0PhiTAL8
and better yet--- check out the secret youtube link I made just for members of the vocal e-course to prep you to be able to evenly produce your lip roll HERE or go to this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WShPAZjLQU&feature=youtu.be
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lR2S1G-g0c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CK-0PhiTAL8
and better yet--- check out the secret youtube link I made just for members of the vocal e-course to prep you to be able to evenly produce your lip roll HERE or go to this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WShPAZjLQU&feature=youtu.be
Practice 2:
When it comes to our voices, timing IS everything! Developing this practice of humming through tonal scales to a click track (metronome) is a great way to root vibration downward into the body and learn how to command phrase. I am a GIANT fan of practicing with TIMING. Internalizing your sense of time leads to embodied phrasing!
When it comes to our voices, timing IS everything! Developing this practice of humming through tonal scales to a click track (metronome) is a great way to root vibration downward into the body and learn how to command phrase. I am a GIANT fan of practicing with TIMING. Internalizing your sense of time leads to embodied phrasing!
Practice 3:
This practice was handed down to me by a voice teacher of mine who teaches the South Eastern Indian modality of singing. This is a traditional, focused and powerfully natural way to develop the voice--which also happens to be very meditative and relaxing!
This practice was handed down to me by a voice teacher of mine who teaches the South Eastern Indian modality of singing. This is a traditional, focused and powerfully natural way to develop the voice--which also happens to be very meditative and relaxing!
To download an .mp3 of a tanpura drone in A440 so that you can build your very own "SA" practice (featured in above recording), go HERE
If you would prefer to directly DOWNLOAD these practices, so you can practice them on-the-fly (I love to warm my voice up while going on a jog or relaxing in the park...) please visit this LINK where you can access all practices as .Mp3s
READING MATERIAL:
Learning about the voice can happen through so many mediums! Here are a few books on either the logistics of singing, passionate practice, the essence of music and more.
1. The Yoga of Discipline, by Guru Chidvilasananda (here is the link to her website, but you can find a very inexpensive, used version on amazon if you look!
2. The very utmost book in breathing techniques and "kriya" practices, "Praana Praanee Praanayam". From what I've learned, this book is out of print, but available here for download. A personal favorite of mine, explore these 3000-year old breathing techniques! This supports our voices so well. See link.
3. The Mysticism of Sound and Music by Hazrat Inayat Khan
4. (for music) The Seventh Dragon by Anita Sullivan
5. The left and the Right nostril, as you may have explored in yogic practices, support connecting our left and right brain hemispheres and body conductivity.
Breathing in "pranayama" is supportive for our vocal, expressive wellness. Check
out a deep-dive in this science site link.
Interesting interviews/podcasts/articles:
1. Smithsonian
2. Singing Therapy
3. Interview on NPR (podcast)
4. Debussy NPR (podcast)
5. Frequency Medicine TED TALK
HELPFUL EAR-TRAINING and MUSIC READING sites:
In the case you are interested in growing your THEORETICAL and TECHNICAL tools, here are two sites that are FREE and offer a serious plethora of ear, harmony and notation training.
•Online Ear Training
•Site Reading
Just like learning any language, you will be amazed by how LISTENING to intervals will not only help you sing with clear intonation but also inspire your melodic and expressive creativity! This listening and singing practice is substantial even for those who wish to focus entirely on public speaking. Below, I've embedded an ear-training playlist from Spotify. You can also find substantial ear-training videos on Youtube where you can listen to intervals, specific pitches and more. Ear training is a great exercise, as well as an "innercise"!