Vocal Practice

Vocal Practice Often I get asked what should be practiced and how long a practice session should last. Regular practice is essential for improvement involving muscle memory. Athletes, dancers and musician must commit to daily practice but with tight schedules, we need to budget our time and practice effectively. The term “muscle memory” is often used when we speak about practice and training. In singing it is the muscle coordination which is trained through practice and let me tell you, we might train very small muscles but they It’s the repetition that will help you break subconscious habits. If you can, practice daily and most importantly, practice focused. Practicing for shorter periods of time more often will help you stay on the right track.

Consider this vocal tip when practicing:

1. Warm up your body

Before starting to sing roll your shoulders, your head and stretch. This will help you to clear your head from stress throughout the day, warm up your whole body and get you ready for singing.

2. Warm up your voice

If you have had a lesson with me you will probably know that my favorite warm up exercise is the “Lip Roll” and I usually choose a 1.5 octave scale to warm up the full length of our vocal chords. The resistance of the bubbling lips helps maintain cord closure which is such an important element of singing. Getting the vocal folds together and keeping an even tension on the vocal string. Other warm up exercises would be a Mmmh with closed mouth or Ng with open mouth. You should feel the resonance moving up towards your Nasopharynx (towards the back of your nose).

3. Don’t waste time

Vocal exercises play an essential part in improving your singing skills. On any other instrument it would be your scales and Etudes, for singers vocal exercises are the base for developing proper technique. Why we exercise mostly on simple syllables has multiple reasons. Each syllable has a different purpose depending on what we want to achieve with the exercise and it is easier to focus on one thing (like for example on keeping an even tone) rather than on multiple things like when we sing a song (there we have to focus on melody, rhythm, vowels, words, emotion etc.)

So practice focused, vocal exercises are not just warm ups, they ARE the practice! “Singing is an exact science” - Rocio Guitard

4. Practice with a purpose

Each practice session should have a goal. Everything does not have to be perfect at once. Some things can wait until the next practice session so you don’t feel pressured to work on too many different things at the same time.

5. You become what you practice

There are two sides to this: if you practice bad habits or practice good habits, you can be sure that they will become part of your technique. “Practice doesn’t make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect” - Mamma Howell

6. Get excited about practicing

Having a positive attitude towards practicing will make things easier. Looking forward to working on a specific song, or exercises, having goals and working towards them should be fun and you will see how much easier practice will be if you don’t see it as work but pleasure and time for own development.

7. Record everything

Buy a digital recorder or use your smart phone's “voice memos” app and record yourself. Listen back to your rehearsal and lessons. You will hear dozens of little things and learn just by listening.

The best musicians not only have the gift, but apply themselves to their art regularly. They form good habits that serve them for a lifetime. The discipline it takes for productive practice is good training for other tasks in life and will pay off in many ways in the future.

Have Fun Singing!