What a warm-up is and isn’t

Do you ever feel like you’re supposed to just know what a warm-up is, and what it contains?

Do you find that if you’re told to ‘go and warm up’ or ‘arrive warmed up’ there’s an expectation that you know how to do that, and that you are unable to ask questions about why you need to warm up, what you should be doing and how to make sure it’s effective?

If so, I’m here to help.

What a warm-up isn’t:

  • singing songs at full voice

  • going as loud/strong/high/low as you can straight away

  • unchanging and unadaptable

  • skippable 😉

What a warm-up might be:

  • musical

  • non-musical

  • physical

  • psychological

  • relatively quiet

  • different every time you do it

  • something you consider a ‘necessary evil’ 😆

What a warm-up is:

  • preparation for the singing that comes next

  • beneficial in lowering vocal fatigue and improving vocal performance

  • adaptable for differing vocal/physical/psychological needs

What a warm-up should be:

  • performed before most intense vocal usage

  • a consistent part of your vocal routine/practice

  • an efficient and sustainable length of time

  • enjoyable (or at least not un-enjoyable!)

If you would like to know more about warm-ups, and work out some options that work for you, take a look at my ebook - it will help you work through your current routine and work out what barriers you have (if any) to warming-up, and how to navigate them.

Alternatively, you can book a session with me where we can chat about your approach and plot a journey to a more efficient, effective and enjoyable warm-up.

 
 

For more singing practice tips you can follow me on social media @TessaSmithMusic, or explore thesingersguide.com where there are resources all about optimising your singing practice.

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