[11:00 AM] Welcome, singers!

[11:02 AM] We'll jump into things and if a question arises type it out

[11:02 AM] Today I'm thinking about the roles that vocal exercises have in my life as a singer

[11:03 AM] Often we think of exercises as a means to an end and that end is usually some version of "making my voice stronger/louder/more something"

[11:04 AM] As though the exercises are only a thing that serves our dreams and desires for a future moment

[11:04 AM] And, don't get me wrong, they are that too.

[11:05 AM] But, given that this past week was, well, totally brain exploding and anxiety inducing, I found that my vocal exercises were grounding and ritualistic

[11:06 AM] I was better, overall, about doing vocal exercises than I have been in a month and I think it made the week much easier to manage.

[11:06 AM] So, today, let's do some singing without any expectations or agendas attached. Let's see what happens when we sing along just to be in the present moment of doing it.

I'm going to do some tracks from my website:

Exercises — Molly Zackary Music

[11:07 AM] We'll work with the "Basic Warm-Ups" folder. "Bari-tenor" refers to low voices, or all the baritones and tenors, while "Sopr-alto" refers to all the sopranos and altos of the world.

[11:08 AM] Let's start with track #2. I'm going to start out with a lip trill and alternate with an /ooooo/ vowel. Have fun!

[@J] I'm grateful that you told me how to breathe slowly through the nose to fill up my lungs in between.

[11:10 AM] I love how exercises give me an opportunity to pay attention to how my body is moving in that moment. I close my eyes and "watch" my breathing while thinking about the cycle of muscles releasing and then activating. It feels good to notice this about my own body.

[11:12 AM] Yeah - paying attention to the pacing is also part of the grounding practice @J

[11:13 AM] Let's look at track #4 together. It's the major triad. Try some different vowels. Think about how your tongue and jaw are moving in coordination and serving you through a wide range of motions.

[11:17 AM] Let's try some intention setting through vocal exercises. Cuz, why not?

[11:17 AM] Track #4 has 5 different pitches so it works really well with any phrase that has 5 syllables. I thought of "I have happy feet".

[11:18 AM] If you think of any intention setting phrases that have 5 syllables drop them into the conversation

[11:18 AM] Because sopr-alto voices need to do some serious vowel modification as we go higher I'm only going to sing the words about halfway through the track. I'll stop at about 1 minute.

[@J] I like peach ice cream

[11:18 AM] Lol, I love that @jeanette! b/c who doesn't love all things peach - especially CO peaches!

[@A] I'm not even going to tell you what my five syllables are.

[11:21 AM] lol! you may fill in your intentions as you desire @Audrey :)

[11:21 AM] I started singing "I am full of love."

[11:22 AM] In the vast majority of my singing education vocal exercises have been benign and somewhat removed. For example, in k-12 choir the exercises are something to get over and done with so you can move onto the more important work.

[11:23 AM] But singing is the most personal of all instruments. Our voice is a deep reflection of ourselves and when we sing we are exposing our most intimate selves with the world. It is vulnerable and critical to the human experience.

[11:24 AM] So, when we merge our exercising with our intentions of both sharing our human-ness with the world and also with who we see ourselves, the exercising itself becomes the important work.

[11:24 AM] anyways, i think I'll have my students sing "I am full of love" all next week

[11:25 AM] Let's try track 8 - the 5 note walk down. This track starts high and descends as the track progresses. Start with any mouth position that triggers a release muscularly

[11:26 AM] This could be a lip trill, an /ah/ or even a /ya/ as though you are about to yawn.

[@J] I just remembered that I should sing the exercises softly.

[11:27 AM] @J - did I tell you to do that? I don't remember, lol

[@J] I recall you saying that during the Swallow Hill workshop on voice maintenance.

[11:27 AM] @J Generally I like to use the word "gently" to coach singers for certain exercises or specific functions. Gently can result in softness or quietness, and sometimes not so much.

[@J] Ah, that was it.

[11:29 AM] For example, I'm a pretty loud singer regardless so if I artificially try to make my voice quiet during an exercise I can actually make more problems for myself. But, thinking about approaching and exercise like track #8 gently I'm thinking more intentionally about not having tension.

[11:30 AM] I'm going to do track #9 next. Usually I like to do this one on an /ah/ but you do you.

[11:34 AM] Sometimes with singing adjectives can make a big difference. It can go back to our theme du jour - that of setting intentionality, being present in the moment, and allowing our bodies to merge with our instruments in a grounding practice.

[11:35 AM] I hadn't thought of it this way until just now but perhaps the act of being intentional is what is most effective in eliminating tension.

[11:35 AM] And tension is the worst thing we can bring to singing.

[11:35 AM] I'm going to share a new link to some exercises. [EDITED: I’ve removed the link for this blog post b/c I recommend you buy the book!]

[11:36 AM]They're from a book by Judy Niemack that's for jazz singers, but seriously, these vocal exercises are my FAVES! I still do them frequently, even after 7 years since I purchased the book. {EDITED: Here’s the link to the book: https://www.amazon.com/Exploring-Blues-Judy-Niemack-Hear/dp/1458412032/ref=asc_df_1458412032/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312057344057&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17469369624315232206&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9028749&hvtargid=pla-459929905621&psc=1]

[@J} I like these! Very jazzy.

[11:39 AM] I like track #2. It's sort of like track #8 on my website but with a little jazzy swing.

[11:39 AM] These exercises invite swaying, tapping, snapping, and any other organic movement your body wants to incorporate.

[11:39 AM] track #6 is really hard but super fun!

[@J] Love it!

[11:40 AM] it doesn't matttter if you fuck it up. go with the flow!

[11:42 AM] My absolute fave is track #7. Give it a try and keep your body moving freely while you do it. Find a rhythm in your limbs. Swing, sway and pulse.

[@J] So pretty!

[11:44 AM] this exercise works well with the lip trill too

[11:46 AM] Going back to memories I have of standard vocal education - I remember that in choir experiences, even those from when I was an adult, the expectation was to stand and deliver, so to speak.

[11:48 AM] Good posture sometimes resulted in a rigid frame. And my attempts to avoid locking my knees sometimes caused me stress and anxiety. I would start thinking "Am I doing this right?" while also trying not to draw attention to myself while in the large ensemble.

[11:48 AM] Oftentimes at home I like to put on vocal tracks and sit on my zafu cushion. Here is an example of one: https://www.yogadirect.com/Round-Cotton-Zafu-Meditation-Cushion_p_1120.html?gclid=CjwKCAiAqJn9BRB0EiwAJ1SztT9pUe6o5iu4jg2g0mGAxU1aUT8o_svtUQStPwDA2P8N9IXQ94dB4hoC_vwQAvD_BwE#

[11:49 AM] These pillows open up your hips and provide firm support. That way I can sit and still have an open frame that is conducive to healthy, free singing.

[11:49 AM] They work well on the ground and in a chair.

[11:52 AM] Let's do a couple more exercises. I'm going to go back to the exercises on my website and do track #11 - the sliding perfect 5th. Do a lip trill, sing through a straw or stick to a vowel. While we do this one let's stretch.

[11:52 AM] Any stretch at all! Arms, calves, back, hang upside down, try it all!

[11:54 AM] Again, we are filled with images of vocal exercises being done in rigid positions but that doesn't need to be true in all circumstances. Incorporating movement into our exercises can help free our body and ready it for the day's activities - both singing related and non-singing related.

[11:57 AM] Our goal today is to let go of expectations for the warm-ups. So, when we stretch while singing our sound changes and may or may not be "pretty". But, our goal isn't to achieve aesthetic standards of beauty today. Our goal is to be open, free and in the moment with our voice.

[11:58 AM] So, for the last exercise I'm going to return to track #4 on my website. This time I'll sing "I am alive here."

[11:58 AM] This is to affirm myself and the work I've done today

[12:00 PM] I hope you feel affirmed, encouraged, grounded and ready to move through the rest of your day. Feel free to revisit any of these tactics/strategies in your future warm-up sessions!

[12:00 PM] with love, cheers!