Q&A for How to Warm Up Your Singing Voice

Return to Full Article

Search
Add New Question
  • Question
    What helps your voice before singing?
    Amy Chapman, MA
    Singing Coach
    Amy Chapman MA, CCC-SLP is a vocal therapist and singing voice specialist. Amy is a licensed and board certified speech & language pathologist who has dedicated her career to helping professionals improve and optimize their voice. Amy has lectured on voice optimization, speech, vocal health, and voice rehabilitation at universities across California, including UCLA, USC, Chapman University, Cal Poly Pomona, CSUF, CSULA. Amy is trained in Lee Silverman Voice Therapy, Estill, LMRVT, and is a part of the American Speech and Hearing Association.
    Singing Coach
    Expert Answer
    You can open up your throat with some light physical activity. Try doing some quick exercises, like jumping jacks or a short walk or jog, take a short break, and then do your vocal warm-up.
  • Question
    Is it best to get singing lessons?
    Community Answer
    If you desire to sing, then absolutely. Singing is a wonderful talent for many people to have, and it helps us exercise our muscles. If you get good at it, you will begin to have opportunities to perform in front of others.
  • Question
    Why is my voice croaky all the time?
    Community Answer
    For singers, hoarseness is most often caused by using your voice too much for too long without a proper break, straining your vocal chords, not warming up properly, and using improper singing techniques. You can prevent this by giving yourself a rest when you're practicing and using the right techniques.
  • Question
    Yesterday I hit a beautiful note and got it on camera, but when I try again my voice just can't do it. Why is this and how can I fix it?
    Community Answer
    This happens to me too. It's usually because of the notes that come before and after that note. For example, if I am climbing up to the note, like in a scale, I can hit a high F, but I can't start a song with a high F suddenly. Practice both climbing up and starting with the note. Trust that you will hit the note again, and just keep trying.
  • Question
    I've had a fever the last few days. My voice became bad and I can't reach high notes. What should I do to make it better?
    Community Answer
    Some foods to help your immune system are chicken soup, lemon and honey, and oatmeal.
  • Question
    Is it a must to warm up my voice every single time I want to sing?
    Community Answer
    Yes, otherwise, it might damage your voice.
  • Question
    Where do I do the warm ups so I don't look stupid?
    Community Answer
    Don't worry about looking stupid, you're in the music industry! Everyone understands what it requires to perform well. If they have a problem with it, tell them you're simply warming up your voice.
  • Question
    Do you have to be a kid to start singing?
    Community Answer
    No, people of all ages can begin singing at any time!
  • Question
    I'm recovering from a chest cold and I want to be able to hit the proper notes in a song, is there any way to hit higher notes?
    Community Answer
    Check in with a vocalist or school chorus teacher if you want to try that. It is not good to put strain on your voice if you're getting better. Let yourself fully heal.
  • Question
    What if people laugh at me?
    Community Answer
    Ignore them. You're doing what you need to do to take care of your voice, and that's all that matters.
  • Question
    Is it wrong to take warm water during vocal exercises or during warm up?
    Faith Perez
    Community Answer
    Room temperature water is best! Hot water can burn your voice, while cold can reverse the warm up!
  • Question
    When I'm hitting high notes, my throat suddenly produces a lot of phlegm, and I start to cough when I take deep breaths with my mouth open. What should I do?
    Community Answer
    You drink more water. Also, you should clear your throat heavily before beginning.
  • Question
    How can I extend my singing range?
    Community Answer
    Practice. You can also sing softer if you want to go higher and you can sing deeper songs to get used to singing low.
  • Question
    My voice cracks in the middle when I'm singing. How do I prevent that?
    Community Answer
    Be sure to keep your voice healthy. You're probably stressing your voice too much, so take a few days to just pause singing and take care of your voice.
  • Question
    Can I lose my voice from singing too much?
    Community Answer
    Yes, you can lose your voice from singing. Also, screaming while singing can result in you losing your voice. If it persists, you should seek professional medical advice from a doctor to figure out if there are any other underlying problems.
  • Question
    When I am singing I always sound like I have flu. Why is that?
    Faith Perez
    Community Answer
    You may be too nasally. Look up videos about decreasing nasally sounds in singing!
  • Question
    How do I keep calm while singing?
    Piperh
    Community Answer
    Look in the back of the room, and ignore the fact that there's people there. It's just you. After performing a lot, you start to get used to it, and it becomes fun, so keep at it!
  • Question
    How long should I do breathing exercises and vocal warm-ups?
    Community Answer
    If you are singing for an hour or less, 10 to 15 minutes should be enough, as long as you are focused. If you are singing for longer, 15 to 20 minutes should be good. If you are singing something harder or more intense than usual, use your discretion to decide if you need more or less.
  • Question
    I can't control my breath while singing. What should I do?
    Community Answer
    Use your diaphragm to breathe. To make sure you are doing this, put your hands on your stomach to make sure you feel your stomach expanding as you inhale. If you feel your shoulders moving as you breathe, you are doing it wrong.
  • Question
    My teacher says that I have to sing from my stomach, what does that mean?
    Fantasticemz
    Community Answer
    It just means that you take a breath through your stomach and not through your chest. It makes your breath last longer and the singing will sound better. Ask the teacher to show you how to do this.
  • Question
    Is drinking a cup of unsweetened tea with honey good for the voice? I have heard it helps.
    MooMoo22
    Community Answer
    Warm unsweetened tea with honey can definitely be good for the throat/voice. I have also tried throat-coat tea with honey and it works miracles. I say this because I too am a singer and I completely lost my voice before a concert (as in severe laryngitis). My choir teacher gave me a bunch of throat-coat tea and a bottle of honey and told me to drink 5 warm mugfuls of it throughout the day before the concert. When the concert rolled around, I was able to sing as if nothing had happened.
  • Question
    I have an audition in few days and for a long time I stopped singing for sometime. What should I do?
    KAYDEN REDMAN
    Community Answer
    Warm ups are great to do, but do them longer than usual. Practice singing your song often and by the time you go to your audition, you should be ready.
  • Question
    What if I am shy and don't like singing or warming up my voice in front of others?
    KAYDEN REDMAN
    Community Answer
    Do it on your own. You are more than capable of breaking out of that shell. Start with only doing it around you and/or family members, then work your way up.
  • Question
    When I begin singing I sing very well but in the middle of the song my voice suddenly becomes hoarse and that makes me unable to sing another song. What can I do to improve my voice?
    Community Answer
    While practicing, keep aware of your bodily changes. Do you think a lot as your song progresses? Do you stop breathing with the same intensity as you did at the beginning of the song? Do you not connect to the lyrics or the deeper moods of the songs? Find out what bothers you and work on that. Try strengthening your lungs and not exposing your chest to extreme cold weather. Keep clearing your throat from build up and gargle regularly.
  • Question
    People have told me to sing with my diaphragm a thousand times, but I still can’t get it right! Even when I pinpoint the muscles to use, my singing has nothing to do with them. What to do?
    Anne Ilak
    Community Answer
    This is a usual problem with most beginner singers. First of all, go step by step. Try breathing into your abdomen area so that your abdomen moves up like your chest does when you breathe in deeply. Release the air from your mouth. After doing this for sometime, open up, sing loudly for the first few days of practice and slowly try to control your voice. Be sure not to strain your voice during this practice.
  • Question
    I think I read this article too late and may have already damaged my voice. Is there anything I can do to fix that?
    Shxrk
    Community Answer
    Try having a warm but not hot cup of tea and eating a spoonful of honey. Avoid shouting for a week or two and then hopefully it will get better. Keep in mind that it might take a while to be ready for singing again, so don't rush it.
  • Question
    I've always experience this each time I'm singing, after singing for a while my voice won't be clear again and by then I could not do what I normally do while singing. What am I going to do?
    Roxanne Carlo
    Community Answer
    Start by resting your voice, like not singing for a while. If this persists for more than two weeks, it would be a really good idea if you went to see a vocal doctor, because this could be a sign of something more serious, an example being vocal nodules, which could have a serious impact on your voice.
  • Question
    What if I haven't sung in a really long time and can't get my beautiful voice back no matter what I do? I've tried everything.
    Roxanne Carlo
    Community Answer
    Try singing lessons if you really want to get your voice back. It's a lot better than trying to get your voice back by yourself because you might sing using the incorrect technique, therefore hurting your voice and your chances of reviving it to what it was.
  • Question
    How long should I rest my voice after I do warmups?
    Community Answer
    Rest your voice for about half an hour after warming up.
  • Question
    I have a cough. Is it because I’m singing too much? And I took honey and lemon and it still didn't work. Do I stop singing?
    Community Answer
    It is most likely straining due to overuse. Try to rest it until you feel better and then gradually ease into warm ups. And make sure you don't sing more than you are used to.
Ask a Question

      Return to Full Article