Singing is not a natural process; it is a highly skilled art, and requires highly developed muscle reflexes.

Singing does not demand much muscle strength, but it does call for a high degree of muscle coordination. At the beginning of vocal study, establishing vocal freedom is more important than learning to sing high or low. Warmup exercises should start in the most comfortable part of your range. Avoid singing any high notes until your voice is thoroughly warmed up; it is better to start with exercises of limited range and then move to wider and wider ones as the voice becomes more responsive.
~James C. McKinney, The Diagnosis & Correction of Vocal Faults (Waveland Press 1994) pgs.109, 179

Voice Warmup Exercises

POSTURE: Rib cage high throughout both taking a low breath and singing Shoulders rolled back and down (Demonstrate with back against the wall.) Neck long, back, and free. (Demonstrate with lengthen neck, ears over shoulders.) Head lifting up and away from the spine, tipping slightly forward and down. This leaves space for the jaw to release and open the vocal tract as is needed on all vowels, but particularly for those vowels sung on higher pitches. Higher pitches require even more vocal tract space in order to preserve full, beautiful singing. Hips brought forward in alignment with the upper torso while the buttocks are rolled slightly back and down. The singer should find a middle point between a full forward and a full rearward rotation of the hips Take a whole bodied LEAP as if into freezing cold water purpose - Establish watery/fluid structural interrelationships in the body

Reach for apples- breath falls to the abdominal floor between each fragment of the warmup Reach for tall, heavy suitcases- Chest out over toes; top of neck back over seat, shoulders rolled back. purpose- Get body structures and breath foundation as far away from the larynx as possible. ENERGIZE BREATH: Staccato: --- shh shh shh shh shhee he he he he --- (5. 5. 5. 5. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1 --- moving successively DOWN the scale) Purpose- Balance FORCE and FLOW of the breath RESONANCE: --- shay. o---ay---o---ay. o---ay---o---ay. hay. hay! (5. 3---4---2---3. 1---2--7---1. 5. 1.) FACIAL POSITION to achieve resonance in singing and to keep vocal

folds floppy: Lift top of pharynx by lifting the soft palate- Cheeks squeezing your nose off your face To stretch the space open at the back of the pharynx pull lip corners open and forward as if sucking on a large apple. The bottom of the pharynx will open as you release your jaw hinge throughout singing. (The jaw goes down to the devil and the cheeks go up to the angels) Keep your tongue forward as if tasting your bottom, lower teeth (this facial position is not natural, and so your tongue will want to pull back...do NOT let it! DICTION / ARTICULATION: Sing on 5 note scale: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 4, 3, 2, wa, ha...ha...ha...han. (moving successively UP the scale) As pitches rise: REDUCE FORCE as diaphragm continues to fall in the body, but ADD FLOW spitting freely through the lips and tongue. EXTEND VOCAL RANGE: ------she. e,e,e. e,e,e. e,e,e. e,e,e,e,e,e,e,e,e,e,e. e,e,e. e,e,e. e. e. e. e. -----(1 ... 123. .345. .567..... 71234321765 .....543.. .321. 3. 5. 3. 1)
Clayne W. Robison, Beautiful Singing: Mind Warp Moments (Clayne Robison) 2001

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