Buzz
The voice is a special instrument that requires practice and training to perfect. Fortunately, there are plenty of exercises available to help improve breathing and vocalization techniques. Whether you train with a vocal coach or practice independently, singers can still use their favorite warm-up exercises. Apply these skills for professional speech and to enhance your singing quality. It is also essential to avoid harmful habits that overstrain your voice, such as excessive shouting, yelling, or coughing.
Steps
Voice Training and Breathing Exercises
Vary your breathing rate to develop better control over your airflow. Begin by breathing rapidly for 30 seconds, then return to a normal rhythm by slowing your breath for another 30 seconds. End with deep and slow breathing for 30 seconds. Changing the depth and speed of your breath will help improve your control over the airflow.
- Feel the air entering your lungs as you breathe deeply.
Practice blowing a strong breath. Learn to take a deep breath before speaking or singing so that you don't run out of breath midway. Extend your arm forward and raise your index finger. Take a deep breath and imagine your finger is a candle that you need to blow out 5 times. Each time you blow, ensure the duration and force of your breath remain consistent.
- Practicing this will strengthen your breath. This helps prevent your voice from sounding monotonous or dull when speaking or singing.
Lip buzzing to prevent overuse of low tones. Frequently speaking or singing in the extremely low range can damage your voice over time. Instead of producing low, hoarse, or guttural sounds in the throat, try releasing the sound through your mouth. Take a deep breath, close your lips, and exhale so that your lips vibrate quickly.
- Buzz your lips across your entire vocal range and experiment with the sounds you create.
- If you're struggling with lip buzzing, try humming. This helps move the sound from your throat to the roof of your mouth.
Articulate vowels before using your voice. Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart. Take a deep breath and say or read "Ma, mây, mi, mao, mu" in a deep tone. This helps to open your voice and relax.
- You should feel your abdominal muscles engage as you sing the 5 words above.
Practice vocal exercises to improve pitch. Most people are familiar with practicing scales up and down with a piano. Start with the C major scale and vocalize "do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti, do" while gradually increasing the pitch. Then decrease the pitch back down to "do".
- Vocal exercises help train your ability to hear and adjust pitch.
Develop a simple vocal warm-up routine. If possible, practice with a professional vocal coach to design a personalized learning method. You can also create your own 10-15 minute warm-up session, including several exercises you enjoy. If you're unsure how to begin, try this simple warm-up method while sitting or standing, relaxing your shoulders:
- Stretch your body (3 minutes)
- Practice breath control (2 minutes)
- Relax your lips and jaw by lip buzzing or humming (2 minutes)
- Move through your vocal range with a few sentences or words (4 minutes)
Enhance Your Singing Voice
Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart. Place your feet apart at shoulder-width and puff out your chest. This proper stance helps the airflow move freely from your lungs through your mouth. A good breath control will make your voice sound fuller and more powerful.
- Avoid locking your knees or tensing your shoulders. Try to relax your body and stay loose as you sing.
Open your mouth wide and push your tongue forward. Stand in front of a mirror and sing a few lines, focusing on how wide you open your mouth. Then, open your mouth as wide as you can and insert the tips of your index and middle fingers inside. Once your mouth is wide open, remove your fingers and stick out your tongue so that the tip of your tongue rests against your lower teeth.
- Practicing this mouth opening and tongue exercise while singing will improve your voice by creating more resonance in your oral cavity, which enhances the sound.
Learn from other singers but remember to stay within your own vocal range. Pay attention to how other singers manage their breath, control their airflow, and adjust their singing. You may pick up useful tips like tucking in your chin when hitting high notes or pushing your chest out to sustain energy. However, it’s crucial to not force your voice to sing beyond its natural range as that can cause vocal strain.
- Instead, focus on improving your tone quality and breath control to enhance your singing.
Breathe using your diaphragm for better sound. Maintain good posture and take deep breaths using your diaphragm instead of your chest. Exhale slowly as you sing. Don’t force your breath or wait until you're completely out of air before taking a breath again. Developing a comfortable and natural breathing technique will improve your singing.
- Always remember, you don’t have to take a full breath before hitting a high note. Focus on breathing properly as you sing high notes to prevent straining your voice.
Pronounce words clearly. Exercises focusing on vowels and practicing scales with consonants will help you sing more distinctly. When you concentrate on delivering the lyrics clearly, your voice will gradually improve and become more articulate.
- When practicing, determine which words need to be emphasized. Essentially, this means taking a breath before stressing the word to give it power.
Maintaining Your Voice
Stay hydrated throughout the day. Drink caffeine-free beverages like water, herbal tea, fruit juice, or decaffeinated coffee. Aim to consume 6 to 8 ounces (240 ml) of water daily. Drinking enough water helps keep your vocal cords moist, which allows them to vibrate more easily.
- Avoid alcohol before speaking or singing because it can stimulate mucus production in the throat.
Avoid straining your voice beyond its natural limits, such as whispering or shouting. Constant shouting or speaking too loudly can damage your vocal cords over time. The cords may become inflamed and swollen, leading to hoarseness or vocal strain. Whispering is also harmful because the vocal cords are forced to press tightly together.
Give your voice a rest. While it may be difficult to rest your voice when you have back-to-back performances, failing to do so can strain your vocal cords and lead to overload. It’s important to reduce vocal usage when you're unwell. Allow your vocal cords to rest by minimizing speaking or singing as much as possible for a few days.
- Plan for vocal rest based on your schedule. For example, avoid talking or singing during lunch breaks or on your commute home.
Drink small sips of water or gargle with salt water to clean your throat. Since coughing can harm the vocal cords and anti-cough medications like sprays can dry out the throat, try drinking small sips of water. You can also try gargling with salt water for about 30 minutes to clean your throat.
- Lozenges or throat drops will benefit your vocal cords, helping to prevent coughing fits.
See a doctor if your hoarseness persists. If you’ve given your voice rest for 2 to 3 weeks and the hoarseness doesn’t improve, it’s time to schedule a visit with a doctor. If it’s not related to smoking or another condition, the issue might be in your larynx. The doctor may refer you to an ENT (Ear, Nose, and Throat) specialist for further diagnosis.
Advice
- Avoid laughing while singing, as it can alter your mouth’s shape and unintentionally affect the quality of your voice.
