Whole Body Stretch

• Stretching the body first will relax neck, back and chest muscles, allowing for better breathing and breath control. Start with the "rag doll." Bend forward at the waist, letting the arms and head hang loosely, then gently swing from side to side like a "rag doll," do this a few times. Next, stand up tall, arms at your sides, take a deep breath as you raise your arms above your head. Reach for the ceiling, then slowly exhale while bringing your arms to your sides.
  
  

Lip Roll --- The Buzz

• This exercise warms the lips and throat. Exhale through puckered lips while creating a sound like a motorboat, do that a few times. Then do the buzz slide between tones. The base tone, up a fourth, and back to the base in C major, (do-fa-do). Sounds like "ee" or "oo." Move up a half step each time to D,G and E. This forces good breath support.
  
  

The Fifth Slide Warm-Up Scale

• Next is the fifth slide warm-up. Start on the fifth tone with the syllable "wee" and slide down to the base, (so-do), in C major again. Repeat on the same tones with "zoo," then move up a half step and repeat, "wee-zoo." Continue moving up in half steps.
  
  

Five Tone Scale Warm-Up

• Start on the fifth tone and descend by steps to base: so, fa, mi, re, do. First do the syllable "na," then "nay," "noh" and "noo" move up a half step and repeat the scale on each syllable. Move up a half step with each repeat. Follow that with a descending arpeggio: do, se, mi, do on the syllable "nah." Repeat on "nay", "nee," "noh" and "noo," then continue to move up half steps and repeat on each syllable again.
  
  

Octave Slide Warm-Up

• Use the Buzz and start on the base note; slide up an octave and back down to the base: do, do, do. Repeat "oo," move up a half step, do the buzz, and "oo." Continue up half steps. Done properly a good warm-up will prepare you for your singing practice.
  
  

Benefits and Consequences

• Warming the vocal cords prepares them for strenuous activity. Vocal cords are like muscles, they need blood flow, relaxation and air flowing smoothing over them, to prepare them for singing. Plus, warm-ups train the vocal cords and strengthen them for a stronger voice. Damage to the vocal cords like a sprain or strain can occur, which can lead to swelling and hoarseness if you force them to sing before they are warm.