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VOCAL EXERCISES SET 1:
Basics & Warming Up
Set 1 is meant to be done at the very beginning of your practice session as a first vocalization. Doing the
entire set will take about 10 minutes. Patterns are described with numbers, referring to tone 1 of the
scale, tone 2 of the scale, and so on, for those who do not read musical notation. Notation is
demonstrated in the key of C Major but may be adjusted to start in any key.
1. Humm: 123454321. Even though the mouth is closed, keep a nice open yawn space in back,
creating a rich, warm humm sound.
2. Ooh: 13531. Good exercise to use in the middle range and wake up the vocal chords.
3. Ah: 12321. Keep jaw tall vertically, not spread horizontally.
4. Eee: 54321, sustain on 1. This is a good exercise to open up the lower range, in addition to
sustaining the breath by holding out the last note.
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5. Oh: 1358531. This exercise opens up the upper range. The structure of an arpeggio provides a
launching point from which to reach higher pitches easily.
6. Ah, eh, eee, oh, ooh: Sustain on one long legato pitch and practice making pure vowel sounds.
Concentrate on moving the jaw as little as possible, making the lips and tongue do all the work to
change vowel sounds.
7. Eh: 132435421. This is an exercise in vocal agility, making several small interval jumps.
8. Ah, oh, ooh: 123454321 (x3). This is an exercise in sustaining the breath for long phrases.