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Can Humming Be Used As A Warm-Up?

  • 06-03-2012 11:41AM
    #1
    MarkyMark22
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 554 ✭✭✭MarkyMark22


    Hi All,

    might be a stupid question...

    but here goes...can you use humming as a vocal warm up technique?
    Tagged:


Comments

  • #2
    Lady Chuckles
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,279 ✭✭✭Lady Chuckles


    I wouldn't want to say yes or no to that, I guess it depends on what you hum and how you hum it ;)

    It's probably a good idea to combine it with singing a few vowels for a warm up. :)


  • #3
    Wurly
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,095 ✭✭✭Wurly


    It's better than nothing.. But it's not great. A good warm up (in my experience) should involve breathing, diaphragmatic work, diction, resonance work. All these things involve movement of the mouth. :)

    So it's like saying that a slow walk is better than sitting on your arse at home but it ain't no marathon. :D


  • #4
    sheesh
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,082 ✭✭✭sheesh


    I was doing a musical a few years ago. one of the cast was a vocal coach and used to bring us through a warm up before the shows. he used humming scales to start us off and then we went from that unto singing scales.


  • #5
    Brayden Colossal Key
    Posts: 81,309 CMod ✭✭✭✭ Brayden Colossal Key


    my teacher does it to start off gently, then we move on to the proper warm ups


  • #6
    Jemmaa
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,427 ✭✭✭Jemmaa


    Yes, of course, different types of humming.
    There are seven areas you can use as possible vocal resonators, when you're humming you feel pressure (vibrations); moving vibrations starting with your lips you can explore your tool much better then when when you're singing open mouth.
    Just take a look http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vocal_resonation
    200px-Illu01_head_neck.jpg


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  • #7
    unreggd
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,835 ✭✭✭unreggd


    I've got bad sinuses [partially blocked by too much tissue]

    Do you think I should keep working through it if I potentially need surgery?


  • #8
    Nelly 21
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 629 ✭✭✭Nelly 21


    In my opinion humming exercises are good to start off your warm up. Start with humming notes on a 1 3 1 scale (eg c e c) and work up and down the scale. This should take very little effort. Then you can move on to eg sing the same notes ( 1 3 1) starting with aahs, then oohs then ees. Then try to build up on some more difficult scale and remember you are only warming up!!! Btw, I would always start a warm up by doing some breathing exercises first:)


  • #9
    G.K.
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,704 ✭✭✭G.K.


    In our big choir we start our warm-ups by humming and them move onto many of the things Wurly suggested.


  • #10
    adama89
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19 ✭adama89


    What's your favourite humming noise?


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