MODULE FIVE
Songbird Vocal Warm-ups
AFFIRMATION: “I want to sing like the birds sing, not worrying about who hears or what they think.” ~ Rumi
Ok, so here we go with Module 5! You’ve done an amazing job getting here! Pat yourself on the back. No really, I mean it! Pat yourself on the back! Acknowledge your persistence and that you’re investing in yourself. It’s wonderful!
These vocal warmups are going to work many aspects of your voice, and hopefully will be fun for you too! As you practice each one, keep our beautiful, happy friends the birds in mind. They’ve inspired these warm-ups. In fact, I’m going to be introducing you to story that is dear to my heart, about a parrot named Molly I bonded with years ago. She looked so much like the parrots in this photo, and I wish I had a good one of her to display here. (Alas, that was back in the days of disposable cameras and I don’t have a good photo to show you). Anyway, just look at these sweet parrots. Aren’t they so cuuute?! My hope is that thinking of these high-spirited, squawking parrots, plus hearing Molly’s story, will inspire not only some laughs, but much more freedom in your own vocal explorations.
But first, our toning practice! How is it feeling to you at this point? I hope you’re really beginning to experience the benefits in a number of ways. As in Module 4, I invite you to try toning by yourself, for that intimate connection with your own voice. But of course you’re welcome to tone along with me if that feels more supportive. And here we go!
Songbird Vocal Warm-ups
Owls & Descending Hoo
Let’s kick this warm-up series off with some very helpful bird sounds. Because (as new singers often discover), learning to sing involves making all kinds of crazy sounds. There are plenty of barnyard warm-ups I’ve created over the years. This is one of the more tame ones :) Have fun with it and enjoy the enlivening affects on your voice, mood, and spirit!
This one tends to be a fave among clients. It’s just so cute, like a little cuckoo clock. It’s a great head voice warmup to stretch your voice into regions it may not have visited often (or maybe since you were a kid!).
Hey’s (& The Story of Molly the Parrot)
Time for a challenging (and amazing!) vocal warmup. Truly, this will do wonders for your speaking and singing voice if you do it regularly. But first, a little story time! I hope you enjoy, and once you’ve heard the story, you can jump to 4:40 when you are ready to do your vocal warm-up practice. I really hope you enjoy the story of Molly and will keep her in mind, well, forever more!
Bonus Warm-up: Soul Singing Om Shanti Om
This is the only mantra warmup we’ll be doing in this course, and I hope you enjoy it!
JOURNALING
- Which exercise from this module was your favorite?
- Which did you find the most challenging?
- What did you learn from Molly the Parrot? (Lol!). What ways can you take her guidance into your life, to help you “sing like the birds, not worrying about who hears or what they think”?
- How has opening up your relationship with your voice shown up in other areas of your life? Can you feel how learning to sing more harmoniously can translate into learning to live more harmoniously?