Vocal Warmups Book

Ben Colgan
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The "STABLE" Warmup Process

S - Stretch - Lead the ensemble in various stretches. An ensemble member may lead this as well.

T - Talk - If ensemble members are still learning about how to stand, breathe properly, etc., now
is the time to briefly discuss and fix any issues.

A - Alignment - Ask ensemble to stand tall with the chest lifted, the diaphragm engaged and the
neck and upper back relaxed. Encourage them to relax the trapezius.

B - Breathing exercises - Encourage relaxation and keeping the shoulders back and down.
These can be done lying down as well.

-Breathe in for 4 beats

-Suspend for 4 beats (Don't use the word "hold." That is a tense word.)
-Exhale on s, f, sh, etc. for 4
-Repeat, exhaling for 8 beats, then 12, then 16. Make sure that you don't go too
slowly as this will exhaust your ensemble. Ask that they pace their breath so
they use all of their air during the exhale.

L - Lip Trills - Begin with pulses and sirens. One exercise using lip trills can be found below. Some
other exercises in this book may also be done on lip trills.

E - Exercises - Various other exercises are found in this book. Pick a few warmups from the Basic
Warmups, then end with one or two from the Fun Warmups section.

Start in A and ascend to A

Make sure everything is legato and that the breath is consistent

A E A B¨ F B¨ B etc.
4
&4 Œ Œ Œ œ Œ
œ œ œ œb œ œ œ œ #œ œ#œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ#œ #œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ#œ œœ œ œ
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Basic Warmups
Start in A and ascend to C#
Emphasize use of belly pull. Can be done on a lip trill (legato). 8th notes staccato, quarter notes tenuto
A E A B¨ F B¨ B etc.

& œ #œ œ œ œ Œ bœ œ œ œ œ Œ nœ #œ #œ œ nœ Œ œ œ œ œ œ Œ 5
4
Ya ha ha ha ha Ya ha ha ha ha etc.

Start in A and ascend to D

Emphasize use of belly pull. 8th notes staccato, quarter notes tenuto

etc.
A E A B¨ F B¨ B
5 #œ œ œ œ œ ¿ œ œ Œ œ#œ#œ ¿ œ œ Œ œ œ œ ¿ œ œ Œ 4
&4 œ ¿
. œ Œ b œ . . . 4
Ya ha ha (snap) ha ha Ya ha ha (snap) ha ha etc.

Start in E and descend to E

Can be done on a lip trill
E E¨ D etc.
4
& 4 œ œ #œ #œ œ Œ bœ bœ œ œ bœ Œ œ œ #œ œ œ Œ bœ bœ œ bœ bœ Œ
Sigh oh I oh I Sigh oh I oh I etc.

Start in E and descend to E

"Ugly," nasaly, with frontal placement
E E¨ D etc.

& œ- nœ- #œ #œ
- - nœ- Œ bœ- bœ- œ- œ- bœ- Œ œ- œ-#œ-œ-œ Œ bœ-bœ- œ-bœ-bœ Œ
- -
Meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow etc.

Start in A and ascend to G

Use the "z" to jumpstart the breath
A B‹ E A B¨ B¨ C‹ F B¨ B

& œ™ #œ œ œ œ#œ#œ œ œ Œ œbœ ™ œ œ œbœ œ œ œbœ Œ

# œ œ # œ œœ bœ œ œ œ bœ
œ
Zee ah Zee ah
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Start in E and descend to G

If people are having trouble with the lydian mode, have them rise onto their toes on the #4
E E¨ D etc.

& nœ. #œ. #œ. #œ. nœ Œ bœ. nœ. œ. œ. bœ Œ œ. #œ #œ œ œ Œ bœ. nœ œ bœ bœ Œ

. . . . . . . .
. .
Ya ha ha ha ha Ya ha ha ha ha etc.

Start in A and ascend to A

Emphasize articulation, especially consonants.W is pronounced as "double-u"

A E A E A E A E7 A B¨

& Œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ#œ œ œ œ œ#œ œ œ œ œ#œ œœ œ œ
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Start in A and ascend to B

Upbeat tempo, this is an agility exercise

A E A B¨ F B¨ B etc.
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
& Œ Œ Œ œ Œ
œ œ#œ œ œ œ œ b œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ # œ #œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œœ
Ta ta ta ta ta ta ta Ta ta ta ta ta ta ta etc.

Start in E and descend to E

Make sure everyone is matching vowel shapes. Have singers look at one another. For "may," don't close to
the "y" until the very last second.
E E¨ D etc.

& œ œ #œ #œ œ Œ bœ bœ œ œ bœ Œ œ œ#œ œ œ Œ bœbœ œbœbœ Œ 5

4
Mah me may mo moo Mah me may mo moo etc.

Start in A and ascend to G (possibly A)

Emphasize proper articulations
A B¨ etc.
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
5 3
& 4 # œ œ œ. œ. œ. œ œ# œ Œ œ œbœ œ œ œ œ œ Œ #œ#œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Œ 4
œ œ bœ œ œ œ
Zee ah ha ha ha Zee ah ha ha ha etc.
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Start in A and ascend to G (You may go higher or lower depending on the ensemble)
Belting exercise. Have ensemble speek the words in a powerful, resonant manner before adding pitch
A B¨ B etc.
3
&4 œ Œ Œ Œ œ Œ 4
œ #œ œ 4
œ bœ œ
Hey guys Hey guys (etc.)

Start in E and ascend to C

Emphasize breath, using the consonant to propell the air into the vowel
A A B¨ B¨ B
4 Œ Ó 3
&4 œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ bœ Œ Ó 4
œ œ œ #œ œ œ
V Vee V Vee

Start in A and ascend to A

Connecting the different areas of the voice.You may choose to have the ensemble do a 5th or an octave
A B¨ B C
3 Œ bœœ Œ œœ 4
&4 œœ #œœ Œ
œ
Π4
œ bœ œ
Yah hoo Yah hoo (etc.)

Start in E and descend to E

You may want to remind the ensemble to use more air as they sing lower and lower. Can be done on a
lip trill
E E¨ D
4
& 4 œ #œ œ #œ œ œ œ #œ ˙ Ó bœ œ bœ œ œ bœ œ b˙ Ó
œ
Way ah way ah way Way ah way ah way

Start in A and ascend to G

Take it slow and use minimal piano. Focus on the tuning of the notes
A B¨ B
###
& Ó Ó
œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ œ ˙ b œ œ œ œ b œ bœ œ œ b ˙
Oo Oo
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Fun Warmups
Start in A and ascend to C (a minor third above)
-When the ensemble is first learning this exercise, conduct them in a constant tempo very clearly.
-Once they have learned the parts, conduct them slightly rubato and with varying dynamics each time to
encourage watching the conductor.
-When the ensemble is very comfortable with this warmup, simply give them the key and have them do it
on their own (Don't conduct. Tell them to breathe together and listen to one another). They should also
release together. If someone is using hands in the ensemble, tell them not to. Head nods are ok.
-Encourage the ensemble to vary the dynamics as a collective each time.

Make sure that the ensemble is using tall vowels and tuning properly. This is a great exercise for building
a unified ensemble sound, (you may even tell them that that is your goal)and it also makes them less
reliant on the conductor.

Rubato (if desired) Dictated

° ### U U U #3
& œ œ œ œ œ w w w w 4
œ œ œ
Do re mi fa sol la ti do ti do
### U U U #3
&
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ w ˙ œ œ w 4
œ œ
Do re mi fa sol la ti do ti la sol fa mi re mi
### U U U #3
& œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ w w w 4
œ œ œ œ
‹
Do re mi fa sol la ti do ti la sol
U U U U
? ### œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ #3
¢ œ œ œ œ w w 4
˙
Do re mi fa sol la ti do ti la sol fa mi re sol do
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My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean in G Major

-Ask the cast to learn this tune (many will know it already) outside of rehearsal, or have them learn it
during warmup time.
-Once they know it sing it through once normally.
-Split the ensemble into 4 groups. Assign each one of the following:
1. Sing only vowels
2. Sing only words starting with the letter B
3. Sing only words starting with the letter M
4. Sing everything not covered by the other parts (this is the "unlucky group")
-Allow them time to think about it
-Run it through once or twice, then switch up the groups
-The last time, speed up as you go along

This is a good warmup to get your ensemble thinking. Have them try to make the melody sound as
coherent as possible despite it being divided between groups.

Give an intro using

the last 4 bars
G C G A D D7
#3 Ó j
& 4 œ œ ™ œ œ œ œ œ œ˙ Œ œ ™ œj œ œ œ œ ˙™ œŒ œ
œ œ
My Bon - nie lies o - ver the o cean, My Bon -nie lies o - ver the sea; My

G C G C D G
# œ™ j Œ Œ
& œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙™ ˙
Bon - nie lies o - ver the o cean, Oh bring back my Bon-nie to me.

G C D7 G
#
& ˙™ ˙™ ˙™ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ ˙ Œ
Bring back, bring back, Oh bring back my Bon-nie to me, to me!

G C D7 G
# ## 4
& ˙™ ˙™ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙™ ˙ Œ 4
˙™
Bring back, bring back, Oh bring back my Bon-nie to me!
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Start in D and ascend until you feel like stopping

Stress the different articulations in this warmup. Use the staccato notes to jumpstart the breath.
Feel free to vary the style as you go along. People always love this one!

D E‹7 A
## 4
& 4 œ œ œ. œ.
œ. œ. œ. œ. œ œ. œ. œ œ œ
Ho ho ho ho - san - na Ha ha ha - le - lu - ja

D E‹7 A D
#
&# œ. œ. œ. œ. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Œ b
œ œ œ
He he he he saved us Sing in the name of the Lord!

The Fruit Round in F Major

-First teach everyone the three parts of the round.
-Divide the ensemble into three groups and appoint one group leader
-Start everyone on part 1. (Acapella) At the end of each repetition, the leader of each group holds up
the number of the part they want to sing on the next loop. It doesn't matter if every part doesn't
happen each time.

This is a good warmup to make the ensemble more attentive to one another and to just have a good time!
Part I

& b ™™ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ¿ ¿ ™™
Man - go man - go man - go man - go man - go man - go man - go (Clap) (Clap)

Part II

& b ™™ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ™™
Ki-wi ki-wi ki- wi Ki-wi ki-wi ki- wi Ki-wi ki-wi ki- wi Ki-wi ki-wi ki- wi

Part III
j Ϫ ####
& b ™™ œ™ œ œ œ Œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Œ O O O Œ #
J
A - na - nas Ba - na - nas A - na - nas Mmm!
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Exploring Sound beginning in B Major

This warmup works best with large groups, especially in good acoustic spaces.
-Give the ensemble their starting pitches. Have them hold the chord, and then they may switch
pitches to any note they want whenever they want. It does not have to be a note in the B Major
scale.
-Let things play out. Every now and then large dissonances may blossom into beautiful chords!
-Eventually, you may end the warmup.You can indicate with your hands for them to decrescendo,
hold the pitch they're on, etc.Whatever you think is best in the moment.
° #### √
& # w

#### √
& #
w
#### √
& # w
‹
? #### √
¢ # w
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Various Things to Note
The range of these warmups is geared towards high school students and older. If you're working with
a younger group, it is recommended that you reduce the range of the warmups. Be concious that
middle schooler'ss voices will often be changing and their comfortable ranges may be small.

If you're ensemble starts to get bored with the warmups you're using and you've already exhausted
the ones that you have, ask one of your ensemble members or a friend if they know any useful or fun
warmups. You never know what people may have up their sleeve!

If a warmup has only one vowel, you may change it to a different one if you'd like. For example,
the first warmup under "Basic Warmups" may be done on "ye," "yoo," etc. Be aware that some vowels
like "ah" and "uh" make singing up higher in the range much easier.

It is often beneficial to explain to your ensemble why you're doing a certain warmup, as it helps them
focus on a certain goal. If the point of an exercise is to engage the diaphragm, then simply let the
ensemble know. It makes everything much simpler!

Know when to use certain warmups. If your ensemble is vocally tired from having many music
rehearsals, spend more time on breathing, lip trills, and gentle warmups. Pushing your singers too
hard could result in further vocal fatigue or damage to the voice. It is worthwhile to take a few voice
lessons if you've never had one, just so you understand the mechanics and limits of the voice.

Tailor your choice of warmups to your group. If you're working with a large choir, you may decide
to avoid warmups involving belting, and focus more on warmups that involve tuning and tall vowel
shapes.

With any ensemble (especially student groups), it may not hurt (rather, it may be beneficial) to have
a student run warmups from time to time. It is good experience for them and it allows you to take
a step back and conciously observe the ensemble.

While it is good to plan your warmups ahead, it is always good to change and adjust on the fly.
Always pay attention to your ensemble when you're running warmups. You may find that you
need to add in an extra high warmup if they need more. You may even encourage your ensemble
members to speak up if they feel like they need to do additional warmups in a specific part of the
range.

Thank you for reading this Vocal Warmups Book! I hope that you get a lot of use out of the
included exercises, and that you adapt them to make them uniquely yours as well! You're
welcome to use this guide for free; however, if you feel so inclined do donate a few dollars
for the work I put in it would be very much appreciated! You can Venmo me at @bencolgan.

Best of luck in all your musical endeavors!