What is a Vocalise?

Is There Such a Thing as ‘Just’ a Warm-up Exercise?

There are some vocal exercises that are specifically designed to help your voice warm-up. These are great to do anytime, obviously just before you sing! These are exercises that aren’t working on any particular vocal technique, but rather warming and gently stretching the vocal cords preparing them for a more rigorous work-out through singing. A great example of this might be simply humming a five note scale. A great exercise to do early in the morning first, before you move onto to other exercises.

I would still caution you to ‘think’ about what you’re doing when you warm-up. Warm-up is such an important component of proper vocal technique and care, that it must be given the right attention to be done well. That another reason to be sure and have a routine that includes vocalises that are more difficult for you to master as well as ones that are on the easy side to learn. Mix it up when you do a vocal work-out so you don’t get complacent.

What Should I Look For in a Vocalise?

It’s important to look for vocalises that challenge you. Again, if it’s too easy for you, you might become lazy when approaching it. So look for vocalises that address specific vocal needs you have. This is where a qualified teacher would be helpful, but there are also other useful resources. Chris and Carol Beatty are very qualified vocal instructors and have lots of different options to choose from on their website at www.vocalcoach.com . Steve Bowersox is a lot of fun and also extremely qualified and has lots of great stuff too. You can search his site at www.bowersox.net . These are two vocal coach resources that I can recommend without reservation. They teach sound, practical vocal technique.

Start by identifying the issues with your voice that specifically bother YOU. You may be frustrated with your range, breath control, tone quality or your ability to have a seamless voice from the top of your range to the bottom. All of these things can be dealt with through the proper use of vocalises.

Singing well requires an investment of time and work. Anyone or any system that tells you otherwise is simply ‘hype’. As is true with so many things, the work will produce the fruit you’re looking for…in time. Real progress rarely happens overnight and when it does it’s usually the result of a lot of work, work work with apparently ‘no result’ and then-BAM! It happens “all at once”.  It’ll be worth the work in the final analysis, especially when you consider Who it’s all for.

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