Introduction to biomechanics


How To Warm Up And Cool Down When Singing

Warming up and cooling down before and after
singing is crucial in preserving a healthyAll well trained singers develop their own
singing voice. If you don't warm up and cooldistinctive warming up routines best suited
down your voice, you risk damaging your vocalto their own personal requirements. The
cords  and  sometimes  permanently  so.routines may vary with changes in physical,
mental  and  also  emotional  state.
All athletes know that an effective warm up
is essential for optimal athleticMost good singers begin by warming up their
performance. But you say, singers are notbody first with light physical exercises.
athletes, so why should singers warm up theirThis is done to reduce the muscular tension
singing  voices?so that the singing voice will not sound
strained or tensed. Furthermore, light
Singers who are dinner guests are often askedexercises helps to stimulate deep breathing
to perform impromptu entertainment by theirwhich  is  essential  for good voice support.
host after the dinner to entertain other
guests. The wise singer will politely declineIt is vital to start vocalizing in your
the request rather than singing raw which iscomfortable vocal range so as not to strain
further  complicated  by  a  bloated  tummy.your vocal cords when it is cold. You can
then gradually move on to the higher and
A proper warming up before a singinglower extreme notes. Some recent
performance lets the singer to get in touchbiomechanical research have shown that
with the singer's inner self physically andsinging at the extremity of both the higher
psychologically since self awareness is theand lower notes of the vocal range can strain
foundation  of  good  vocal  techniques.the laryngeal muscles, and can result harmful
patterns of muscle tension. It goes on to say
All good singers know that there is athat thus it is good common sense to avoid
co-ordination of many muscles parts andthe extreme pitches whether they are high or
therefore warming up before singing should below notes until your voice is warmed up
an unhurried and a leisurely self-explorationappropriately. Most singer's warm up is
that allows enough time for the loosening anddevoted to the goals of obtaining a beautiful
coordination of the muscles that assist voicevoice timbre through the use of various vocal
production. Warming up your voice should beexercises.
an enjoyable experience because as you warm
up, your voice begins to sound better,After a singing session, the singer should
effortless and a sense singing freely iscool down the voice with exercises that
felt.soothe the vocal cords such as soft
descending scales on the "oo" or the "ee"
Unfortunately, most of the time, the singervowel. If the singer does not cool down after
is warming up while rushing to a rehearsal ora sing session, the vocal tension will stay
as a last minute preparation before takingand the vocal cords remain tensed and this
the stage. The pressure of a hurried warmingwill lead to further voice complications. So,
up may cause physical and mental tension andto maintain and preserve a healthy singing
as such, the warming up may prove to bevoice, adequate warm up and cool down is a
ineffective  or  worse,  counter-productive.must in any singer's inventory.



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