A Quick Warm-Up for Every Morning

Hello Vocalists (which, if you speak, that’s you!)

We’ve all experienced ‘morning voice’, right? That scratchy, hoarse, phlegmy, frog-ish sound. This is quite normal – the muscles of our larynx (voice box) warm up as we speak throughout the day and are one of the last things to relax/cool down once we are asleep. Consequently, they are one of the last things to warm up upon awakening. These quick helps will loosen the muscles and tendons around the mouth and throat to assist with strength and stamina, whether speaking or singing, throughout the day:

First:

Yawn!

Yawn two or three times. A great, big yawn will stretch and open your soft palette (the back top part of your throat) which is essential for singing, particularly higher notes.

Second:

Hum!

Hum anything simple and short. I personally hum “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” or “Happy Birthday”. Hum the whole tune in your lowest register, hum it again in your speaking/middle register, then finally hum it in your higher/highest register. Don’t rush it! Feel the vibration of your humming all through the inside of your mouth. This should also help loosen any phlegm on your throat.

Third:

Trill!

Trilling is vibrating the tongue, The same movement is use to rrrroll r’s in Latin-based languages. Trill up and down the range of your voice, from low to high. This will not only loosen your tongue and the lower muscles and tendons of your jaw, but trilling up and down your range will further stretch and warm up the soft palette without strain.

The only cure for a strained voice is rest, and resting your voice means silence. These three steps should only take 5-10 min and will set your voice up for all your basic speaking or singing needs for the rest of the day. I’d love to know how it works for you!