1 - Descending Fifth 2:16

This is ALWAYS my first vocalize because it focuses on breath control and tone support. It is done slowly and held as long as you can to empty the air completely. The air is then PULLED IN deep into the lungs by the action of the diaphragm. This is your FIRST and most important objective in warming up your voice.

Performed in the middle register it avoids straining muscles. Do it as long as it takes until you feel the action of the diaphragm. Not too high, not too low in the range.

• Push into the ground
• Hold pelvic floor engaged
• The sound must be clear
• Initiate the sound and feel it sitting ON the breath
• Glissando between each note

2 - The Staccato 3:10

The staccato is a great exercise that allows the singer to observe the initiation of sound, the attack. Put a silent H in front of the vowels so you do not crack the sound in what we call the glottal attack. The vowels SIT on the diaphragm.

• Open the space behind the sternum
• Relax the shoulders and jaw
• Keep the pelvic floor engaged
• Clear Sound
• Light but clear sound
• Silent H on each vowel

3 - Flexibility 2:23

The lalala exercise is to relax the jaw and bring the tongue forward in preparation for great pronunciation. The tip of the tongue is extremely instrumental in relaxing the throat and freeing the vowel.

• Keep the head, face and neck relaxed
• Move hips and hold pelvic floor engaged and shoulders relaxed
• keep moving
• The jaw should not move up and down
• The air is pulled in quickly by the diaphragm

4 - The Chest 2:42

The chest resonating area is not a place where you sing. It is where the beautiful rich colors of the voice vibrate. We awaken the space by going to the lower register and observing and feeling it vibrate.

• Lift the palate and make space
• Don’t push
• Explore and observe
• Get excited and appreciative of the amazing body you have

5 - The Mask 3:07

Yawning is a great exercise to open the space at the back of the throat and relax the jaw. Brrrr or Drrrrr is very difficult for some people and easy for others. Try it and have fun.

We awaken the mask area that is the mouth, palate, teeth, tongue including the space behind eyes to bring brilliance and sharpness of the tone. The mask that is well developed is an expression of who we are and what we show to the world.

• Keep the tongue forward
• Do the exercise very Legato
• The tones are suspended in the body
• Observe and enjoy

6 - The Head 2:48

I always awaken the Head Resonating Area at the end of a workout because we need to have GREAT breath control, flexibility of the voice box and all muscles involved.

We must open the space behind the hard palate, while standing the tone or pitch or sound DOWN on the diaphragm and keep mask and chest resonant also while not pushing.

• The sound must be clear and open
• Explore the space behind the eyes and between the ears
• Relax the jaw, shoulders while keeping the pelvic floor engaged.