Vocal Warm-up Handout

Physical:

Diving Position (Exercise 16, #1)

Teaching Kids to Sing, Kenneth Phillips

Here we are going to mimic the stance of a diver getting ready to dive into a pool. Imagine you are standing on a diving board, with your legs relaxed, sternum elevated and eyes looking straight ahead. Hold out your arms so they are horizontal to the floor. Raise your body up on your toes, hold for a couple seconds, and then return the heels to the floor. Lower the arms to the sides, keeping the sternum high. Note how standing this way feels - this is how you should feel when you are standing ready to sing.

Breathing:

The Foul Shot (Exercise 18)

Teaching Kids to Sing, Kenneth Phillips

This time we’re going to imitate a basketball player making a shot. First, we’re going to bounce an imaginary ball. Relax the knees and inhale as you prepare for the shot. Shoot the ball, moving the torso and shooting arm forward and exhaling audibly. This upward motion will encourage air to be drawn from the diaphragm. 

Resonance: (with piano)

Unison movement (Exercise 53)

Teaching Kids to Sing, Kenneth Phillips

Alternate between vowel sounds “oo, oh, ah, eh, ee” as seen in example 9.13. Being the exercise on different notes. Be sure to keep the jaw open and the tongue forward. Work on making everything very legato. 

Diction: (with piano)

The Tip of the Tongue, the Teeth, the Lips

Tongue twisters are great exercises for diction. We will sing “the tip of the tongue, the teeth, the lips” on a sustained pitch, moving up the scale.

Flexibility: (with piano)

Bumblebee

Bumblebee is one of my favourite exercises so I decided to include it even though it has already been discussed in this class. I also like to do bumblebee on solfege syllables, which adds the extra challenge if you’re working on solfege with your choir. Hand symbols might be helpful.