ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho C D E F G F E D hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo , etc C D E F G F E D
4 . BREATH CONTROL Breath control is almost as mental as it is physical . Simply going through your songs ahead of time and deciding when it make sense to breathe and actually practicing the song ahead of time with your breathing choices will make all the difference in being able to properly sing the phrases the way you want to . Beyond that , you can also increase your ability to maintain good breath control - which is being able to apply your breath in the way you want to : slowly and powerfully , by practicing a few simple exercises .
First start by simply “ hissing ” and time yourself . After you get a base time , see if you can beat it by altering how hard you push the air out . Notice that you can control how long you are able to hiss by how much air you push through : less air flow = longer time . Once you have a good grasp of the concept then move on to speaking the alphabet . This will enable you to articulate vowels and consonants , which is much more like actual singing . See how many times you can speak through the alphabet on one breath . Obviously , how quickly you say the letters will affect how many sets you can do . But you are only “ competing ” against yourself . Try to beat your own score !
The other warmups you have can double as breath control exercises as well . Simply try to focus on breath management while you are doing them . See how many reps you can do in one breath and try to increase the number over time !
5 . STRETCH Because the vocal folds are muscles , they can stretch . In fact , the way we make different pitches is by stretching ( lengthening ) and shortening the cords according to the sound we are looking for . For most singers , increasing vocal range is a coveted objective . It ’ s quite common for students of voice to find that their vocal range increases by about an octave just through proper training . Overall , the vocal cords can be stretched and conditioned through consistent practice and working out . The more you practice and stretch , the more flexible and strong your voice will become .
Many people have a very limited vocal range simply because they underestimate what they are actually capable of . Growing your range can happen slowly but surely with consistent work - but you have to “ push ” yourself ( gently ). This is important , because you can ’ t increase your range if you don ’ t try . Here is one of my favorite exercises . It has many uses , but gently stretching your range is one of them .
Once you are warmed up , start this exercise in the lowest part of your range . This exercise spans an octave so you need to start low . Using a simple triad to the octave ( C-E-G-C ) sing with a staccato tone and big diaphragm kicks up to the octave , then connect the notes and sing legato back down ( singing the triad notes C-G- E-C ). Try various vowels to find which you are able to go highest on !
Sheri Gould Sheri is an internationally acclaimed vocal coach . She ’ s been helping artists and worshipers find their voice for over 40 years . For help and resources visit her site . www . SheriGould . com