Vocal Playbook
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Ad Libbing
(verb): to improvise spontaneously; to perform complementary parts to a song’s written composition
How to Do It:
Sing in the “rhythmic pockets” (where you would otherwise take a breath)
Sing synonyms for each phrase / line
Use open vowels (”oh,” “hoo,’ “ae”, etc.)
Agility
(noun): the ability to quickly and accurately change between pitches, tones, and vocal registers.
How to Do It:
Soften your consonants
Practice at slower tempos first
Consider your voice placement (forward, mid, or back)
Blend
(noun): the unified nature of multiple, individual sounds
(verb): to mix individual sounds (i.e. tone qualities or accents) into one sound
How to Do It:
Add breathiness
Change your vowel shape
Replicate their vibrato speed
Practice in unison, a cappella with other distinct voices
Breath Control
(noun): one’s ability to manage the placement and timing of their breath
How to Do It:
Breathe while squatting on a wall or laying a floor mat
Keep your neck / shoulders rested, your back straight, and knees unlocked.
Inhale 10 seconds. Then, decrease your inhale time while achieving that same fullness. (Fullness, not just tightness.)
Sing with an open palm ✋🏽, and gradually close it by end of the phrase ✊🏽. Don’t take a breath, until your palm is closed.
Brightness
Definition:
(noun): the harmonic frequencies that resonate from one’s voice
How to Do It:
Say “I” to raise the soft pallet
Place your voice foward, between the nose and mouth (or between the eyes)
Ear Training
Definition:
(noun): Learning to identify pitches, chords, rhythms, and other musical elements by hearing.
How to Do It:
Use song association to memorize different areas of music theory.
Apps
insTuner for Ear Training
Head Voice
Definition:
(noun): The resonance that occurs after the modal voice (around C5 for men and G5 for women)
How to Do It:
Make a siren sound on lip trills
Visualize your sound between your eyes / forehead
Larynx Position
Definition:
(noun): the vertical height of the voice box, which naturally rises and lowers with pitch
*A raised larynx is typically associated with straining, tension, and flat pitch*
How to Do It:
Place two fingers on your larynx to monitor its movement
Start a yawn to lower the larynx
Say “mum” or “gug” with a relaxed tone to lower the larynx
Mixed Voice
Definition:
(noun): The area between “chest” and “head” resonance (after Eb4 for men and Ab4 for women)
How to Do It:
Sing high notes with the “relaxed feeling” of lower notes
Cup your mouth and say “wow” with a high, surprised tone
Sing arpeggios through your “flip” with high vocal fold closure
STEAMING
What is it?
A therapeutic method using water vapor to soothe the vocal tract and mitigate some upper respiratory congestion.
Vetted products for singers include steam inhalers, facial steamers, vaporizers, or nebulizers.
After hot steaming:
❌ Don’t speak for 10-15 mins after steaming
Then, warm up gently and gradually
Straw phonation
Definition:
(noun): A semi-occluded vocal tract (S.O.V.T.) method in which you sing (phonate) through a straw.
How to Do It:
Use thin straws to add more back-pressure on the vocal cords
Phonate in a cup of water, creating steady bubbles through your range
syncopation
Definition:
(verb): De-emphasizing strong beats and emphazing weaker ones.
How to Do It:
Sing the solfege, skipping every other note. Then, switch.
Use a metronome to learn different rhythms and practice your timing.
throat care
Definition:
(noun): Methods to mitigate throat dryness, soreness, or inflammation due to overuse or sickness
How to Do It:
4 S’s - Silence (vocal rest), Sip (water), Steam, & Sleep.
USE NeilMed Sinus Rinse to clear post-nasal drip
USE Ginger / Turmeric Teas for inflammation (thinly sliced, boiled for 10mins, add honey)
❌ AVOID coughing or clearing your throat excessively. Instead, hum, swallow, and calmly breath to pass mucus until it’s ready to expel.
❌ AVOID menthol (Halls, Ricolas, vapor pads) or excess sugar (ginger chews, Starbucks Medicine Ball, etc.) which can cause irritation and inflammation.
Vocal [cord] Health
Definition:
Noun: The condition of the voice and vocal folds; Vocal pathologies (vocal hemorrhage, vocal nodes, vocal polyps, vocal paralysis, etc.).
How to Do It:
Train weekly with a certified Voice Coach
Visit an ENT (with a voice center) at least twice a year
❌ Do NOT use Aspirin products (which thin blood) before heavy singing or speaking
vibrato
Definition:
(noun): rapid fluctuation in pitch (around a central pitch)
How to Do It:
Move between two semitones, slowly on an open vowel. Gradually speed up.
Sing a straight long note, then relax into vibrato. Then, do the opposite.
Vocal Fold Closure
Definition:
(noun): vocal cords pressed together, allowing less air and sound through; audible friction in the voice; adduction
How to Do It:
Hold your breath, then release the note
Make a crying / creaking sound (vocal fry)
Use sounds with hard syllables like “bup” or “gee”
vocal regimen
Definition:
(noun): A regular set of vocal practices and workouts to improve your vocal ability and care for your voice.
How to Do It:
REST & RECOVERY
E.N.T. Evaluation, Prayer, Deep Breathing, Cool-Downs, Affirmations, Steam, Silence, Sleep
EAR-TRAINING
Intonation, Number System, Echoing, Riffing, Ad Libs, Improvising, Scatting
GENRE-STUDY
Songs of various styles and vocal techniques (Tempos, Languages, Scales, Keys)
INTERACTION
Direct Feedback, Constructive Criticism, Shedding, 1:1 Coaching
MIXED-VOICE METHODS
Transition Zone, Warm Ups, Coordination
EXERCISE
Show-Day Work Outs, Aerobics, Stretching, Myofascial Massage, Diaphragmatic Breathing
NUTRITION
Hydration, Meal Plans, Healthy Snacks
Vowel Modification
Definition:
(noun): Shifting the sound in your vocal tract to improve pitch, tone, register transition, and resonance.
How to Do it:
Identify your current vowel sound and replace it with its alternative (open, semi-open, or closed).
Open sounds:
Back - augh
Front / Central - a (“at”)
Semi-Open sounds:
Back - aw, ugh
Central - er
Front - ay, eh, ih
Closed sounds:
Back - oo, or
Front - ee
how to choose a Warm UP
A ”Warm Up” is an exercise to prepare your body for a particular use, often by releasing muscle tension in the jaw or larynx.
“B.E. S.M.A.R.T”
Body Awareness
Emotional Awareness
Slides (S.O.V.T.)
Modal Scales
Arpeggios
Riffs
Trouble Spots
Should I use youtube Warm-ups?
Ask yourself these vital questions, when trying any warm-ups on your own:
“What does my body / voice need?”
“How do I know if I’m doing this exercise correctly?”
“Is it working for me, in my music?”