Thoughts on How To Sing Better - The Importance of Warming Up

It is a well-known fact that professional athletes warm up before any event or competition.  As an example, a soccer player will jog, a baseball player will practice swings, and a dancer will stretch.  Warming up readies the body for what is to come and helps reduce the chance of injury.  For a singer, warming up is just as essential.

Unfortunately, many singers--especially those beginning to sing--sing without a proper warm up.  It is tempting to begin singing without warming up (e.g. while playing Rock Band), but if the singer is dedicated to improving her craft, then remembering to warm up before starting to sing goes a long way.  Warming up doesn't take long, reduces the chance of injury, and has several advantages:

  • The outer muscles of larynx become relaxed, which helps to keep them from influencing the larynx to move out of a level position when the singer begins to sing.
  • The amount of air flow passing through the vocal folds starts off small and gradually increases preventing too much air from forcing through the vocal folds at once (which can result in irritation).
  • The singer becomes accustomed to how her voice is feeling that day.  If needed, she can adjust the amount of warm up time to be sure that she feels ready to sing.
  • It sets the mental focus for the upcoming performance or practice session.

So how often should a singer warm up? Every time she practices and performs--no exceptions.  Failing to warm up can inhibit progress when one is learning how to sing better and can lead to injury.  

Learning how to sing better requires time, dedication, and proper training.  Being sure to always warm up prepares the singer to get the most of out her craft.

About the Author:

Dennis Gray is a singing enthusiast who enjoys sharing info on how to sing better.

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