Warm-up before singing, always. Your vocal chords are similar to muscles, and they need to be loose and warm to stretch to their fullest. Never go into a song or show without at least 5-10 minutes of simple exercises, like these:
- Hum. Humming activates your breath without straining your vocal chords.
- Trill your lips and tongue to warm up your mouth and jaw (ie. roll your r’s)
- Begin with a simple scale, going up and down slowly (doh – mi – sol – mi – doh).
- Begin with the easiest songs you are going to practice, waiting 10-15 minutes to tackle the tougher parts.
