Warm up your voice
Practice vocal warm-ups and breathing exercises to prepare your voice for singing or speaking, using humming, lip trills, scales, and posture.
Step-by-step guide to warm up your voice
Fun Singing Warm Ups for Kids! Easy Vocal Exercises for Young Singers
Step 1
Find a quiet spot and stand or sit tall with feet hip-width apart to make room for big, free breaths.
Step 2
Set a timer for 10 minutes so you know how long to practice your warm-up.
Step 3
Take three small sips of water to moisten your throat before you start singing.
Step 4
Drop your jaw and do a gentle yawn-sigh three times to relax your mouth and face.
Step 5
Place one hand on your belly and practice belly breathing: inhale for 4 counts hold for 2 counts and exhale for 6 counts three times.
Step 6
Hum a comfortable note for five slow counts while feeling vibrations in your lips and cheeks and repeat this three times.
Step 7
Do lip trills (buzz your lips) and slide from a low note to a high note and back down three times.
Step 8
Make a siren sound on "ng" (like a buzzing "ng") and smoothly glide from your lowest comfortable pitch to your highest and back two times.
Step 9
Sing a five-note scale up and down on the vowel "ah" four times using a relaxed throat.
Step 10
Move your starting pitch up a small step and repeat the five-note scale two more times to gently widen your range.
Step 11
Share your warmed-up voice routine and how it felt by posting your finished practice on DIY.org
Final steps
You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!
Help!?
What can I substitute for a timer or water used in the warm-up?
Use a phone alarm or a watch for the 'Set a timer for 10 minutes' step and, if you don't have water for the 'Take three small sips of water' step, moisten your throat with a sugar-free lozenge or a few gentle licks of your lips.
I'm having trouble doing lip trills and feeling vibrationsâwhat should I try?
If the 'Do lip trills' or 'Hum a comfortable note for five slow counts' steps are difficult, try humming the note first to find the pitch, then blow gently with slightly closed lips for the trill and place a fingertip on your cheek or lips to feel the vibration while using the belly-breathing support.
How can I adapt this warm-up for younger children or older students?
For young children shorten the 'Set a timer for 10 minutes' to 3â5 minutes, simplify the 'inhale for 4 hold for 2 exhale for 6' counts and turn sirens and lip trills into playful animal sounds, while older students can increase repetitions, raise the 'starting pitch up a small step' more often, and extend the timer.
How can we extend or personalize the routine after completing the warm-up?
After finishing steps like the five-note 'ah' scales and moving the starting pitch, personalize the routine by recording your practice, using a keyboard to check pitches, creating a short favorite-song phrase to sing, and posting the result on DIY.org as suggested.
Watch videos on how to warm up your voice
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Facts about vocal technique and breathing
đŤ Diaphragmatic breathing (deep belly breathing) helps singers control airflow and sing longer phrases with less strain.
đ§ Good posture aligns your breath and vocal tractâstanding tall can make your voice sound stronger without extra effort.
đ Humming can increase resonance and vibration in the sinuses, which helps singers hear and feel their tone more clearly.
đ¨ Lip trills are a favorite warm-up because they gently engage the vocal folds and teach steady breath support without pushing.
đ¤ Many professional singers spend 15â30 minutes on vocal warm-ups before performing to protect their voices and improve agility.
How do I warm up my child's voice before singing or speaking?
What materials do I need for children's vocal warm-ups and breathing exercises?
What ages are vocal warm-ups suitable for kids?
What are the benefits and safety tips for children's vocal warm-ups?
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