Many singers aren’t very good at recognizing about how they could better support what you C-E-G-C… hold briefly then legato back down
their own voice in a mix. This is in part because do and help protect your voice, what would you to G -E-C). If you need help with a warm-up
many singers aren’t familiar enough with their say? routine or overall training try my DVD Warm-up
own voice outside of their head. So often the
and Work-out: (also available for streaming).
only things they know to say are, “I need more [Sheri] Please listen more than you play or If you feel the need for a cool down, do a gentle
me in the monitor” or, “My voice doesn’t sound sing. Be mindful of what everyone else is doing hum on several 5 note scales downward to
right”. These are not particularly helpful. at all times. settle your voice back into a ready to speak
position (there is no research showing any
I would suggest thinking through the situation [WM] Can you walk us through a great warm efficacy for a vocal cooldown other than
before approaching the sound tech. What you up and warm down regiment for worship team psychological).
do hear in your monitor or the house and what vocalists as well as any vocal products you’d might be too loud? Often, it’s more a matter suggest using and stocking in the green room?
of turning something down than it is turning
My favorite green room products are: lots of
water, Throat Coat Tea (Traditional Medicinals)
you up. Also, get more familiar with what your [Sheri] Warming up is vital for health, elasticity, Halls Breezers (throat drop without Menthol),
voice sounds like through a speaker. Listen flexibility and strength for vocalists. The vocal Throat Saver Spray (the absolute best!) and
to recordings of yourself singing to familiarize cords are muscles (encased in membrane) Vocal Rescue (for a little extra help). It would
yourself with your own voice. Then, during and need to be gently stretched. A minimum nice if green rooms were equipped with warm
rehearsal, if it doesn’t sound right, describe it of 10 minutes of warming up will greatly help air vaporizers as well.
to your tech. Saying, “My voice sounds thin” or, you on your way. Start with gentle humming (on “My voice sounds brassy” can help alert your an “N” or an “M”) on a 5 note scale up and sound tech as to what adjustments he might down in legato. Add some diaphragm kicks try to solve the problem. In a perfect world, by changing to staccato and giving a good [Sheri] If at all possible get vocal training
your sound techs would be familiar enough diaphragm punch on each note. Move on for you and your team. Training can go a
with your voice to recognize the issues without to holding one note while going through all 5 long way toward not only getting the sound
being told, but this is not always the case. vowels (Ah, Oh, Ooh, Ee, Ay) then lastly add you want, but keeping you and your team
some stretches by doing some triads to the vocally healthy!
[WM] If you were to write a ‘love language’ octave - staccato going up and legato going
letter as a vocalist to the other team members down (ex: staccato with big diaphragm kicks
January 2019
[WM] Is there anything else you’d like to add?
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