Vocalist.org archive


From:  Lana Mountford <lana@a...>
Lana Mountford <lana@a...>
Date:  Mon Aug 20, 2001  3:15 am
Subject:  Re: [vocalist] group vocal warmup - LONG


Hi, folks!

Michael Eckford wrote:

<< snip >>

> Right... - So, can any of you suggest some very simple and specific
> warmup things I could do with such a group? I guess the other thing to
> consider is, this warmup in its present form is meant to also
> accommodate my own warmup needs, which perhaps makes things a bit
> tricky. It could be argued that I need to warmup up separately, but
> this rather presents logistical problems...

I like your general approach of physical warmup (stretching, easy
slides, etc.). Those kinds of things need to be done anyway. You might
just need to add some new vocal exercises to liven things up a bit.

Here are a few that I use with my church choir, that I learned from a
music director in a local community theater group in Half Moon Bay, CA:

1. Bumblebee --- sung on an eighth-note pattern in 4/4
1-3-2-4-3-5-4-6-5-7-6-8-7-9-8 (ascending)
10-8-9-7-8-6-7-5-6-4-5-3-4-2-1 (descending)
Measure 1 Measure 2
1 3 2 4 3 5 4 6 | 5 7 6 8 7 9 8
Bum-ble-bee-ee bum-ble-bee-ee | bum-ble-bee-ee bum-ble-bee.
Repeat moving up 1/2 step each time.

2. A-B-Cs (this is my choir's *favorite* warm-up of all) --
sung on a 5-pitch eighth-note pattern like so:
1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1-2-3-4-5-4-3 -2- 1- 3- 5- 3- 1
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v double-yoo-x-and-y-and-z
(The "double" in "double-yoo" is sixteenth notes).
Start slow, then increase tempo as you move up the scale 1/2 step each
repeat.
The idea is to distinctly pronounce each letter. This is great for
diction and getting energy up.

3. Eee yaa -- two measures in 3/4 time on the pattern 5-8-5-3-1
quarter half eighth-eighth half
5 8 5 3 1
Syllables: EEEEee Yaaa Yaa Yaa Yaaaaa
Repeat, moving up (or down) 1/2 step each time.
This works pretty well for "stretching" the range, both up and down.

Cheers!

Lana


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