Many of us choir leaders are constantly on the look-out for new warm up ideas.
Whenever I look on the internet, I always come across sheet music for vocalises. But these are only a small part of what a warm up should be.
Vocalises are songs without words, chosen for their value as exercises in vocal technique. They date back to the mid-18th Century.
But a vocal warm up is supposed to be a series of exercises that prepare the singer and their voice before singing.
Exercises for vocal technique have their place in a warm up, but not until the singer has prepared their body, mind and vocal mechanism.
Imagine a cold, rainy night. One of your singers has rushed from a busy day at work and stumbles into the rehearsal room a little late. Also probably stressed, tense and cold.
They’re not going to want to launch straight into a vocalise!
- A singer needs to be relaxed, with little tension in their body.
- They need to find balance, both physically and mentally.
- They need to be focused and alert and ready to concentrate.
- They need to widen their awareness to take in all the other singers in the room and the sounds they are making.
- They need to literally warm up their body and vocal mechanism by starting with gentle sounds, all supported by the breath.
- They need to leave behind any worries from their regular life and work and move into a creative state.
- They need to re-sensitise their listening ability after being bombarded with the sounds of the city.
- They need to pay attention to the choir leader.
This is the minimum preparation needed before singers start vocalises and then move into learning and rehearsing songs.
Next week I’ll be collecting five relevant posts from the past which look in more detail at warm ups.
Chris Rowbury
Get more posts like this delivered straight to your inbox!
Click to subscribe by email.
… found this helpful?
I provide this content free of charge, because I like to be helpful. If you have found it useful, you may like to ...
... to say thank you.