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