This is How You Craft Your Own Vocal Exercises
May 30, 2024
Welcome to this exciting journey where you'll learn how to create vocal exercises tailored specifically to your vocal needs.
Many beginner singers search for vocal exercises online and practice them without understanding their purpose. They believe they are training their voice, but they lack the knowledge of the intention behind each exercise. Today, you'll gain the power to create exercises that truly benefit your vocal journey.
The Four Main Pillars of Singing
In our Singing Insiders community, we operate from the four main pillars of the Sing Your (Self) To Freedom Formula:
- Mindset
- Vocal Technique
- Creativity
- Connection
Today, we will focus on vocal technique. We will explore four steps to craft your own vocal exercises, with a specific example to guide you through the process.
Step 1: Have a Clear Vision
The first step is simple but often overlooked. You need to have a clear vision of what you want to achieve with your exercise. Do you want to train your mixed voice, head voice, or sing high notes? Maybe you want more stability or a sharper sound. Identifying your goal is crucial.
For our example, let's focus on training the mixed voice. This vision will guide the rest of the process.
Step 2: Choose the Interval
The interval is the distance between two notes. It can be large or small. Depending on your goal, you need to choose an appropriate interval.
To train the mixed voice, you need to activate both the chest and head voice muscles. I chose an interval of a fifth because it provides a wide enough range to engage both registers. Smaller intervals might not activate the mixed register effectively.
If you find this step challenging, don't worry. It's an advanced topic, but understanding it will empower you to craft effective exercises.
Step 3: Select Consonants and Vowels
Different vowels and consonants can help you achieve your vocal goals. For example, the "oo" vowel makes it easier to access the head voice, while the "ah" vowel activates the chest voice. This knowledge comes from experience and training.
For our mixed voice exercise, I chose the "ah" and "oo" vowels. Additionally, you need to decide on the consonant. Consonants like "v" or "z" use airflow, while "b" or "p" are explosive consonants. For this exercise, I opted for no consonant, starting with a glottal onset to bring the vocal cords together.
Step 4: Determine the Range
The final step is to decide where in your vocal range to place the exercise. The goal is to activate both chest and head voice. Placing the exercise in the wrong range won't be effective.
In our example, starting in chest voice, moving to head voice, and returning to chest voice helps develop the mixed voice. Finding the sweet spot in your range is essential for maximum benefit.
Putting It All Together
Let's summarize the four steps:
- Have a clear vision.
- Choose the interval.
- Select consonants and vowels.
- Determine the range.
Crafting your vocal exercises requires a solid understanding of vocal technique. It's normal for this process to feel challenging. The fact that you're learning and finding it difficult indicates progress.
Building Your Vocal Knowledge
To master this skill, you need to build your knowledge and experience. I'm hosting a free training session to dive deeper into vocal techniques, specifically mixed voice techniques for singing high notes easily. You can register using the link in the description below.
Thank you for joining me on this journey. I hope this guide inspires you to craft your own vocal exercises. Let's continue to learn and grow together. See you next week!
If you're ready to up-level your singing, be surrounded by a team of coaches to help you throughout your singing journey and be part of a community of like-minded singers, then the Singing Insiders membership is for you! Click here to join the waitlist: https://www.singinginsiders.com/si-waitlist
Ready to sing high notes easily and expand your range fast? Register for this FREE training walking you through the step-by-step process to develop your mix voice: https://www.singinginsiders.com/shne-training-opt-in-fnl
