Singing Warm-Up Session

Introduction

We're going to start with a singing warm-up so that you're ready to practice. I recommend doing this every session before you start to ensure that you're singing healthily.

Warm-Up Breakdown

Now, we will break this into two parts:

1. Singing Meditation
2. Scales

If you're short on time or don't feel like it, you're welcome to skip the singing meditation. However, I believe getting into your body through this meditation is as important, if not more important, than the scales we'll do next.

Singing Meditation

To start off, find a comfortable space:

• You can lie on the floor
• You can stand up
• You can sit down

Make sure you're comfortable.

Breathing Exercise

1. Feel the floor beneath your feet.
2. Close your eyes and bring your attention into your body.
3. Take a deep breath through your nose, following the air in through your nostrils.
4. As you sigh out, let your jaw drop as if you've fallen asleep. You don't need to open your mouth; just let it drop.
5. Take another deep breath in through your nose, feeling your ribs float upwards, and sigh out again.

Listening Awareness

Keep your eyes shut and note three things you can hear right now:

• Something close
• Something in the distance

When you find your three sounds, try to hear them all at once. They could be:

• Your own breath
• The sound of your clothes on your body
• A passing car

Keep breathing in through your nose and sighing out through your mouth. Each time you sigh out, let all the tension in your body melt away.

Physical Awareness

Now, focus on three things you can feel externally:

• Temperature of the air on your skin
• The feeling of clothing on your skin
• The floor beneath your feet

See if you can feel these three things all at the same time.

Internal Awareness

For the third part, pay attention to anything in your body that your attention is drawn to. This could be:

• Something that is hurting a little bit
• Something pressing on your body, like a chair
• A feeling in your body (e.g., anxiety, excitement, fatigue, joy)

Keep your eyes shut, still breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth.

Body Scan

We will do a very short body scan. This is important because your instrument is your body. The reason we're closing our eyes is to increase our awareness of our body so that we can really feel it when we practice.

Quick Body Scan

1. Top of your head: Bring your attention from your scalp to your jaw.
   • Clench your jaw to break tense muscles there and then let go.
   • Give it a wiggle if you want.
2. Tongue: Feel it lying there, perhaps the tips behind your bottom teeth.
3. Shoulders: Give them a roll if you want to or keep them hanging.
4. Arms and Hands:
   • Take your awareness down to your wrists, hands, and the ends of your fingers.
   • Let go of any tension if you're gripping your hands.
5. Hips:
   • Shake them out or give them a figure of eight.
   • Let go of any tension gripping in those hip flexors.
6. Legs and Feet:
   • Check if you're clamping your knees.
   • Give them a wiggle if they feel locked.
   • Let all the tension melt away through your ankles, feet, and toes.
   • Make sure you're not gripping the earth.

Final Breaths

Take one last deep breath in through your nose, and out through your mouth.

When you're ready, open your eyes and bring yourself back to reality.

Wake-Up Exercise

Let's wake you up to get the blood flowing. I want you to:

• Shake your hands for 12 counts
• Shake your shoulders for 12 counts
• Shake your legs for 12 counts

Count It Out

• Hands: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
• Shoulders: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
• Legs: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Let your head go as well, and your whole body:

All right!