A Guide to Warming Up Your Beautiful Voice

Ever noticed how your voice feels a bit like a musical instrument? Ever realise that some days you are croaky or have poor breath control? Perhaps when under pressure, your voice sounds really weird! Well, just like tuning a guitar or warming up for a run, your voice deserves a bit of care too. In this guide, we’ll chat about the magic of vocal warm-ups and share some tips on how to get your vocal cords and mind ready for speaking up.

Why Warm Up Your Voice?

Hug for Your Vocal Cords: Think of warming up as a warm hug for your vocal cords. It boosts blood flow, making your vocal cords flexible and less prone to stress or strain.
Stretching Your Vocal Cords: A great warm-up routine is like a gentle yoga session for your vocal cords and this enables your vocal range. It helps your voice to reach high and low pitches – which enables you to sound more engaging and express more emotion.
Vocal Brilliance: Warming up isn’t just about preventing injuries; it’s also about bringing out the sparkle and warmth in your voice. It smoothens those vocal transitions, giving you a consistent and fabulous tone. Nothing is worse than clearing the throat and croaking your way through a conversation!
Get Your Head, Heart and Voice ready: While you warm up, shift your mind into a performance ready mode. The warm up routine helps you to move into your confident self. The more nervous you are, the more important your warm up routine is.

Here are some simple, effective warm ups:

1. Take in the Good Vibes with Gentle Breathing

Start your vocal warm up with deep, soothing breaths. Let your breathing muscles work as you take in the good vibes. It’s not just about breathing; it’s about increasing your energy. Relax. Positive thoughts!

Breathing preparation for speaking requires learning how to control your breath. So inhale and then count as you exhale. Focus on clear sound that lasts all the way until 10.

2. Tongue Twisters and Articulation Workout

Let’s talk diction! Tongue twisters and articulation exercises are like linguistic sprinting for your voice and a quick way to wake up your tongue. Click below for a free pdf list of tongue twisters that will help you practice various sounds.

While you do your tongue twisters, check for tension in your body. Listen for that stressed sound in your voice. If you still feel and sound nervous, take deep breaths and focus on relaxing.

3. Vocal Range Check

Take your voice on a musical staircase with scales. Begin with a simple tongue twister and climb up and down the pitch range stairs. It’s a workout for your vocal muscles, making them strong and pitch-perfect.

For nervous speakers and speakers who don’t normally use pitch range in their first language, this is important! Running up and down your pitch range reminds your body to do this when you speak. It helps prevent you from sounding flat and dull.

4. Relax and Stretch

Wrap up your warm up with some relaxation. Stretch your neck, release tension in your shoulders, and give your throat a cozy massage. It’s the perfect end to your warm up.

Before you head off, use a “super pose” to improve your posture, open your chest up and get your eyes looking ahead.

So, there you have it – a simple but effective guide to warming up your voice and setting your mind straight so you can speak up. Please watch the video and give the exercises a try. Press pause and participate.

Whether you’re gearing up for a performance, a heart-to-heart speech, or just want to stand up for yourself… use these exercises to keep your voice feeling ready. Make it a habit, and let your voice shine with warmth and brilliance. Happy warming up!

Here are some Tongue Twisters:

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