Have you ever wondered how some of the world’s most famous singers achieved their vocal prowess? A majority of successful singers attribute their vocal success to consistent vocal exercises.
While natural talent and a good ear for music can certainly be advantageous, the truth is that vocal exercises play a crucial role in developing and maintaining a strong, healthy voice.
Whether you’re a complete beginner or a seasoned singer, incorporating the right vocal exercises into your practice routine can help you reach new heights in your vocal abilities.
In this blog post, we’ll explore the best vocal exercises for beginners and how they can help you improve your singing voice.
Can you train your voice by yourself?
One of the main advantages of training your voice by yourself is the flexibility it provides.
You can work on your voice at your own pace, and you can focus on the specific areas that you want to improve. Additionally, self-training can be a more affordable option than hiring a professional coach, especially for those who are just starting out.
Another benefit of self-training is the ability to tailor your approach to your individual needs. You can experiment with different techniques and exercises to find what works best for you. This process can be incredibly rewarding, as you start to notice progress and improvements in your voice.
Should I hire a vocal coach?
With the growing demand for online vocal lessons, you should consider finding a vocal coach or taking singing lessons if you’re serious about improving your voice. A good vocal coach can provide personalized feedback and guidance on which exercises will be most beneficial for your individual voice.
Fiverr has become a popular platform for both beginner and professional singers to find highly qualified and experienced vocal coaches who offer personalized lessons.
The platform also provides a safe and secure payment system, as well as customer reviews and ratings, which can help you make informed decisions when selecting a vocal coach.
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Best Vocal Exercises for Beginners
1. Breathing exercises
Learning to breathe properly is one of the most important aspects of singing, and it’s especially crucial for beginners. Without proper breathing techniques, a singer’s voice can sound strained, weak, or even shaky.
Breathing exercises are essential for beginners because they help to improve their lung capacity and control, which can lead to better tone, pitch, and range. By practicing breathing exercises regularly, beginners can develop the foundation they need to become skilled singers.
One of the main benefits of breathing exercises is that they help to reduce tension in the body, which can often affect a singer’s voice. By focusing on deep, relaxed breathing, beginners can learn to release tension in their muscles and improve their overall vocal performance.
Here are some examples of basic breathing exercises:
1. Diaphragmatic breathing
- Sit or stand with your back straight and your feet flat on the ground
- Place one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach
- Inhale deeply through your nose, filling your lungs from the bottom up, while feeling your stomach expand
- Exhale slowly through your mouth, feeling your stomach contract as you release the air
2. Ribcage breathing
- Stand with your back straight and your feet shoulder-width apart
- Place your hands on your ribcage, with your thumbs on your back and your fingers on your sides
- Inhale deeply through your nose, filling your lungs and expanding your ribcage
- Exhale slowly through your mouth, feeling your ribcage slowly contract
3. Breath control exercise
- Inhale deeply and count to four in your head
- Hold your breath for a count of four
- Exhale slowly and count to four in your head
- Hold your breath for a count of four
- Repeat the exercise, gradually increasing the length of the counts
2. Warm-up exercises
Just as athletes warm up before exercise to prevent injury and perform at their best, singers should warm up their voices before singing to prevent strain, injury, and to achieve optimal performance.
Vocal warm-up exercises increase blood flow and oxygen to the vocal cords, loosen up the muscles used for singing, and help singers find their best singing voice.
Here are some examples of vocal warm-up exercises:
- Lip trills – Lip trills are also effective as a vocal warm-up exercise, as they gently stretch and relax the vocal cords. Begin by blowing air through pursed lips, creating a buzzing sound. Then, hum or sing a scale while continuing to trill your lips.
- Humming – Humming helps to warm up the vocal cords, and is a gentle and soothing exercise for the voice. Hum a simple melody or scale, and gradually increase the range as your voice warms up.
- Tongue twisters – Tongue twisters are a fun way to warm up the voice and help with diction. Try saying “red leather, yellow leather” quickly and repeatedly, or “unique New York” multiple times.
- Yawning – Yawning can be an effective way to stretch and relax the muscles used for singing. Take a deep breath and let out a big yawn, making sure to open the jaw as wide as possible.
- Vowel exercises – Singing various vowel sounds on different pitches can help warm up the voice and improve resonance. Sing “ah,” “eh,” “ee,” “oh,” and “oo” on different notes to stretch and prepare the voice.
By incorporating these and other vocal warm-up exercises into their routine, beginners can prepare their voices for optimal singing performance and avoid vocal strain or injury.
3. Vocal exercises for pitch
Learning to sing on pitch is crucial for any beginner singer.
Pitch refers to the specific note or frequency of sound that a singer produces. Singing off-pitch can result in an unpleasant listening experience for the audience, and it can be detrimental to the singer’s vocal health.
Consistently singing off-pitch can cause strain and tension in the vocal cords, which can lead to vocal fatigue or even injury over time. Vocal exercises for pitch help beginners develop the ability to sing accurately and on key.
Here are some examples of vocal exercises for pitch:
- Lip trills – Lip trills are a great way to start warming up the voice and developing a sense of pitch. Begin by blowing air through pursed lips, creating a buzzing sound. Then, try to match the pitch of a specific note or melody while continuing to trill your lips.
- Sirens – Sirens involve sliding the voice up and down through the vocal range. Start on a comfortable pitch and gradually slide the voice up to the highest pitch you can comfortably reach, then back down to the lowest pitch. This exercise helps develop the muscles necessary for accurate pitch control.
- Solfege – Solfege is a technique where each note of the scale is given a specific syllable (e.g. do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti, do). Singers can use solfege to practice intervals and melodies, helping them develop a sense of relative pitch.
- Pitch-matching exercises – These exercises involve listening to a specific pitch or melody and then attempting to match it with your own voice. They help develop accuracy in pitch and can be practiced with a variety of tools, such as a piano or a pitch pipe.
By practicing these and other vocal exercises for pitch, beginners can improve their accuracy and control over their voice, ultimately leading to better overall singing ability.
4. Vocal exercises for range
Singers with a wider vocal range can sing a broader range of songs, from low to high notes.
This means they can take on a wider variety of genres and styles, making them more versatile performers.
Also, when singers can hit a wide range of notes, they have a better sense of pitch accuracy. This means they are more likely to hit the right notes when singing a song, even if the melody requires a high or low pitch.
Here are some basic vocal exercises for range that beginners can try:
- Lip trills – This exercise involves blowing air through your lips while humming, creating a vibrating sound. This helps to warm up the vocal cords and increase range.
- Sirens – This exercise involves singing a note and sliding up and down the scale, like a siren. It helps to increase the flexibility of the vocal cords and develop range.
- Octave jumps – This exercise involves singing a note, then jumping up an octave and back down again. It helps to strengthen the upper and lower registers of the voice.
- Staccato jumps – This exercise involves singing short, sharp notes in a quick succession, jumping up and down the scale. It helps to develop agility and control in the voice.
- Scale exercises – This exercise involves singing up and down a scale, starting from a comfortable note and gradually increasing the range. It helps to build range and improve pitch accuracy.
With consistent practice, you can develop a strong and versatile vocal range that will allow you to sing a wide range of songs.
5. Vocal exercises for tone
Good tone is the quality of sound that a singer produces when singing. It refers to the overall timbre, color, and texture of the voice, and is an essential aspect of singing.
Developing good tone can help a singer express emotion, convey meaning, and engage the audience.
Tone is often a distinguishing factor between amateur and professional singers, so it is important for beginners to focus on tone as they start their vocal journey.
There are various vocal exercises that can help beginners develop good tone. Here are some examples:
- Lip trills – Lip trills, also known as lip bubbles, are a great warm-up exercise that can help develop good tone. To do this exercise, make a buzzing sound with your lips as you exhale, and sustain the sound for a few seconds. Focus on keeping the buzzing sound steady and smooth, without any breaks or interruptions. This exercise helps to loosen up the vocal cords, relax the jaw and tongue, and improve airflow, which can lead to a smoother, more resonant tone.
- Humming – Humming is another exercise that can help develop good tone. To do this exercise, simply hum a note with your lips together, and then slowly open your mouth while maintaining the hum. Focus on keeping the sound clear and consistent as you transition from humming with your lips closed to singing with an open mouth. This exercise helps to develop resonance in the head voice, and can improve overall vocal tone.
- Vocal sirens – Vocal sirens are a fun and effective exercise for developing good tone. To do this exercise, start with a low note and then slide up to a high note, and then back down to the low note. Repeat this a few times, and then gradually increase the range of the siren, going higher and lower with each repetition. Focus on maintaining a consistent tone throughout the exercise, without any breaks or shifts in pitch. This exercise helps to develop flexibility in the vocal cords, improve breath control, and develop a smooth and consistent tone.
6. Vocal exercises for diction
Good diction is important for singers because it allows the audience to understand and connect with the lyrics of a song.
When a singer enunciates clearly and precisely, it makes the words of a song more intelligible and meaningful.
This is especially important when singing in languages that are not the singer’s native tongue, or when performing songs with complex or poetic lyrics.
In addition to helping the audience understand the lyrics, good diction can also enhance the emotional impact of a song. When a singer uses precise diction to convey the emotions and intentions behind the lyrics, it can create a more powerful and moving performance.
On the other hand, poor diction can detract from the emotional impact of a song, or even make it difficult for the audience to connect with the performance.
Furthermore, good diction is also important for singers who want to work in the recording industry. When recording a song in a studio, every word and syllable is captured by the microphone, and any imprecise or unclear diction can be picked up and magnified in the final mix. By mastering good diction, singers can ensure that their recorded performances are of the highest quality.
Here are some vocal exercises that can help improve diction for beginners:
- Tongue Twisters – Tongue twisters are a classic and effective way to improve diction. They challenge the tongue to make precise movements and can help to strengthen the muscles used in speech. Examples of tongue twisters include “She sells seashells by the seashore” and “How can a clam cram in a clean cream can?”
- Lip Trills – Lip trills, also known as “raspberries,” involve vibrating the lips together while making a humming sound. This exercise can help to relax the lips and tongue and encourage proper airflow, which can improve diction. To perform a lip trill, simply blow air through your lips while making a humming sound.
- Vowel Sounds – Practicing vowel sounds can help to improve diction and clarity. Try saying each vowel sound slowly and deliberately, making sure to form each sound correctly. Examples of vowel sounds include “ah,” “ee,” “oh,” and “oo.”
- Consonant Sounds – Similarly, practicing consonant sounds can also help to improve diction. Focus on making each sound clearly and distinctly. Examples of consonant sounds include “p,” “t,” “s,” and “z.”
- Singing with a Straw – Singing with a straw can help to improve diction by encouraging proper airflow and resonance. Simply take a straw and place it in a glass of water, then sing through the straw while keeping the water level steady.
By practicing these exercises regularly, beginners can improve their diction and become more confident and effective communicators through their singing.
Conclusion
In conclusion, vocal exercises are an essential part of every beginner singer’s journey to improving their voice.
They help to strengthen the muscles used in singing, improve breathing technique, and develop good vocal habits that will carry over into all aspects of singing.
By incorporating the vocal exercises mentioned in this article into your daily practice routine, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a better singer.
Remember, consistency is key. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t see results right away. With regular practice, you’ll begin to notice improvements in your pitch, range, tone, and diction. The important thing is to keep at it and stay committed to your vocal development.
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