Best Advice before recording?

M

michaelst57

New member
I am a producer and sometimes the singers I work with have never had lessons. What is the best way to warm up before recording in terms of exercises for the voice? Any other suggestions that I can give to singers, especially ones that have a nasally tone?
 
I haven't done alot of "warming up" in my lessons so far but some of the basic tips I've gotten. Have a glass/bottle of room temp water. Just like a muscle drinking cold water will make your vocal chords tense up (or that might not be the correct phrase, but cold water=bad for singing). This one is strange but blow your nose, or make sure you can breath freely and easily. I know there are some other basics she has taught me that I can't think of at the moment but if I remember them I'll post it up.
 
Go up through the scales and exaggerate the facial movements as you do so. Really push and stretch the facial muscles so they feel almost sore.
Then do some yawning or at least opening the mouth really wide and some breathing excercizes. A good one is to breathe in through the nose for 8 seconds, fill the stomach. Hold the breath for 8 seconds. Then expel the air out through tightly pursed lips and clenched teeth ~ it all has to be expelled by the end of 8 seconds. Then extend the expulsion time until they can control it for 24 seconds. The object is to get all the air out by the end of the time.
These should help with breath control and pitching in a pinch.
 
Best advice?

I can't think of anything that's going to easily fix someone's singing problems, specially if singing lessons seem to be what they need. So you can try the suggestions made by others. They will help by warming up the vocal chords and giving them a bit of exercise. The tricky thing with singing is that it's something people do naturally, so often they don't think about having lessons. Then they develop a particular way of singing (e.g. through their nose), which become ingrained, and they can't get out of that habit. Good contemporary vocal teachers will show you how to choose the sound you want, Singing nasally then becomes a choice, not a limitation.
 
Find music in the style/key you like "and sing it" Easy Peesey. Once comfortable, translate the style/energy to the appropriate track.

Oh, and the Scotch helps too...
 
If they have a nasally tone tell them to yawn and keep that sensation in the back of their mouth! They should also do vocal warm ups like singing vowels and holding them. Also tell them to take deep breaths from their stomach!
 
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