Week Two: Why You Need to Warm-up First

(This post is part 2 of 10 in my series highlighting my new book, Ten Weeks to a Better Voice, available here .)

"Have you ever noticed that when you try to speak or sing loud first thing in the morning without warming up, it feels (and maybe sounds) like slogging through mud?  Pitches that would normally be easy to reach cause you strain and limit your range.  That's because your voice has been at rest for about eight hours and now you're suddenly attempting to use it to its full capacity.  Your vocal cords are saying, 'I don't think so!' because they are not created to go from no use to full use without some preparation.

That's why it's so important to warm-up before heavy singing (or speaking).  Your voice needs a chance to wake up, just like the rest of your body.  Most people aren't able to pop right out of bed the first time the alarm goes off at 5:30 am.  If you are like me, you start to ease yourself out of bed with a full-body stretch.  If you ease into singing through some gentle vocal warm-ups, your range will reflect it, and you will keep unnecessary tension off the cords. Remember, the goal is to keep you singing healthy now and for the rest of your life.  Warm-ups will serve to prolong your voice, as long as you use them often!" -excerpt from Ten Weeks to a Better Voice

Before going to music school, I didn't think much about warm-ups.  I rarely used them.  Then as I started spending hours a day in a tiny practice room, I started hearing a difference in the quality of my  voice practice when I performed a couple of simple warm-ups.  In fact, I couldn't believe how my range increased and difficult passages in a song became easier after I warmed up.  And it was continued warm-ups that helped me discover the power of my chest voice range.

Warming up is the single most important thing you can do to prolong a healthy singing voice.  And honestly, warming up is fun!  I mean, come on, when else do you get the chance to sing silly, nonsense words in full voice, unless you're an elementary music teacher (guilty as charged!)?

I've worked with a couple of different church choirs in the past couple of years and one of the first things I teach a choir is the process of doing corporate warm-ups.  First of all, it's a great way to start a rehearsal because it breaks the ice and helps people get over their nerves.  And also, it helps everyone get through the next hour and a half of full singing in rehearsal.

And of course, all of my voice students know by now that we will always begin a lesson with warm-ups.  I try to vary the warm-ups we use and tailor them to the needs of my individual students.  If we will be working on a song that uses head voice primarily, I'll include several high warm-ups designed to gently open up the range.  Or if we will be focusing on a song filled with runs, I'll choose a warm-up or two that helps develop agility.

I hope you can see by now the importance of warm-ups.  Here's a little challenge: if you're someone who doesn't usually warm-up before you sing, try adding a few simple warm-ups into your practice beforehand.  If you don't know any warm-ups, search for them on YouTube and choose a few favorites.  OR, if you do warm-up on a regular basis, why not search for and try out a few new warm-ups, maybe some that challenge your voice in different ways.  I will take this challenge with you!  My goal is not only to practice some new warm-ups, but to write some new warm-ups for the upcoming school year.  I'll be sure to share them later on.

As usual, if you would like more information on warm-ups, consider purchasing my new book, Ten Weeks to a Better Voice available on Amazon in paperback and eBook formats.  Thanks for your support!

Happy Singing!

New Experiences

(The live recording of The MOVE, November 2011)

New experiences are scary, but always necessary to keep moving forward in life. This I am finding out first-hand.

It has officially been one month since my last blog post; however, the break in between writings has been packed with a fist-full of musical firsts for me! It's been exhilarating! It's been terrifying.

The first new experience for me was directing my first ever Choral MPA (shorthand for Music Performance Assessment) at the beginning of this month. It was a scary experience stepping onto a large stage with 60 of my high school choral students and conducting six pieces of classical music. I took a conducting class in college, but only because I was required to for my major (secretly knowing I would never use it in the future-ha!). Then several weeks ago, I found myself dusting off the old skill and employing it with all the vigor I could conjure up, while secretly hoping my backside didn't appear overly large to the audience. The experience was so scary to me because I had never conducted choirs before in front of professional classically-trained vocalists. But, I have to give props to the my students who got me through the emotionally-charged day and sang very well in the process. And now I can say I've done it and I know what to expect for next year; that is half the battle!

The other very exciting experience was the release of a cd project from my church entitled The MOVE. This was a project that unexpectedly fell into my lap back in November when I was asked to be the vocal coach for the project. I readily agreed, and soon found myself not only coaching, but also getting to be a part of the live recording and the studio overdubs. It was an experience of a lifetime; one I'm so glad I said "yes" to. The most amazing part was holding the finished cd product in my hand several days ago and seeing my name in print for the first time on a cd sleeve. I will unashamedly admit I hope it's the first of many professional albums I get to work on. The MOVE should be available soon on iTunes. I will be sure to cite that information as soon as I have it.

So even though the new experiences have been scary, I can honestly say that I'm a better musician because of them. I also appreciate the fact that music is such an integral part of my existence. I'm so blessed to get to do what I love on a daily basis.

Here's to the new experiences that shape us and grow our lives in unexpected ways!

Ten Ways to Survive (and Thrive) in Choir Rehearsal

For the last vocal workshop that I hosted, I wrote some new material that I thought would be relevant to choir members of any age. It is my top "Ten Ways to Survive (and Thrive) in Choir Rehearsal". I thought I'd share them here today:

1. On your way to rehearsal, perform several warm-up exercises in your car to ready your voice for singing.

2. Make sure you come prepared with your music in a binder and pick up the music you will need for the evening's rehearsal.

3. Bring a pencil and use it! Make marks all over your music to help you remember rhythms, notes, breath marks, etc. (Note: that's why you use a pencil, so you can erase!)

4. Make sure you sit next to someone who knows the part you are supposed to be singing well, then copy them!

5. Be an active listener and an active learner.

6. Increase your energy by sitting up tall in your chair with feet uncrossed (I know, this takes some getting used to, but I promise you'll be more supported and sing better).

7. Bring water and aim to drink the entire bottle throughout the rehearsal.

8. Ask questions if you're unsure of a certain part.

9. It's ok not to use your full voice for the entire rehearsal. When you're learning your part, sing quietly. When you know your part, then practice in your performance voice.

10. Have fun making a joyful noise unto the Lord!

I hope these tips help you soar through your own choir rehearsal with ease! Happy singing!

Welcome to my Blog!

Wow, it's the very first post of "The Choir Singer"!

This is something I've been wanting to do for a long time, and today 4/21/11, I decided to get this blog off the ground and running!

My name is Kristin King. I am a twenty-something living in Florida and setting out to make my longtime dream of becoming a full-time musician a reality. I've always been a part-time musician, but I'm ready to make music my livelihood!

Currently, I teach voice and piano lessons to some amazing students. I am also a member of one of the best church choirs I've ever heard or had the privilege of singing with. Every Sunday, I sit down at the piano in our choir room and warm up the 100+ sopranos, altos, and tenors. And there's been one reoccurring theme that I've run into with choir members. Most of them love to sing, but they have no idea what they are doing when they sing or how to properly care for their instruments- their voices. Hence the idea for this blog: the Choir Singer!

In this blog, I will address common voice problems, trends, exercises, and questions from viewers. I will also keep you up to date on my journey as a musician and keep you aware of great resources that can help you become a better musician. I hope you enjoy this blog as much as I enjoy this incredible journey!