The Best Vocal Warm-Up for Podcasters
Just as professional athletes typically stretch before and after physical activity, speaking for an extended period of time requires a warm-up. Below are a series of warm-ups to prepare your voice using techniques from professional singers and TV personalities while also considering your body and mental state.
✴ Physical warm-up
✴ Nourishment
This may seem obvious, but when we feel our best, we perform our best and that confidence can be heard in our voice. Before recording, reduce eating dairy products, especially cheese and milk. Dairy coats your throat and makes you phlegmy. Avoid honey and sugary drinks for the same reason. Come to the recording with a full stomach so your mic doesn’t pick up growling.
✴ Hydration
You will want to be well-hydrated for your recording, which requires upping your water intake the day before. When you’re hydrated, your mouth stays lubricated, which allows you to enunciate your words. Avoid alcohol and coffee as those will quickly undo any efforts you’ve made to hydrate.
✴ Posture and body
Before recording, stretch your rib cage and diaphragm. Put your hands overhead and lean from side to side. Using your chair as an anchor, rotate your torso as far as it will go using the back of the chair as a support. Rotate the other way as well. Roll out your head in small circles both ways to stretch your neck. Sitting in the chair you plan to record in, scoot forward so your feet are flat on the ground. Align your head over your shoulders and your shoulders over your hips. Keep your spine straight and your chin slightly down. Adjust your mic so that you can maintain this posture through the entire recording.
✴ Breath work
Breathing is amazing because it is reflexive, meaning we don’t have to think about it, our body takes the necessary actions to breathe on its own. Our goal is to optimize our breathing even further so we can benefit from the power and oxygen that it provides. Start by focusing on the space in the back of your throat where your tongue sits. Think about opening that space to create the widest space possible and breathe deeply through your mouth. Notice how your stomach expands as well as your chest. It is not actually your stomach that is expanding, but your diagram. This is where your power comes from and the secret for professional singers. Practice control by breathing in for four counts, holding for four counts, breathing out for four counts and holding for four counts. Don’t worry if this feels hard at first, it will get easier with time and will probably contribute to the biggest change in quality of your voice over time.
✴ Vocal warm-up
✴ Range exercise
Make an “ooh” sound, and travel up your range mimicking a siren. Go as high as possible and as low as possible. Try not to yell or push your vocals, just go as high and low as is comfortable.
✴ Range exercise
Buzz your lips and follow the same range up and down, mimicking a siren as in the previous exercise. If you are having a hard time getting the buzzing sound, place your fingers on either side of your lip.
✴ Tongue and mouth stretch
With your lips closed, trace your tongue around the outside of your teeth in a circular motion. After 5 circles, trace them the other direction.
✴ Jaw stretch
Place your tongue on the outside of your lower set of teeth, and with your tongue glued there, push your tongue out as far as you can. Hold the stretch for a few seconds and repeat five times.
✴ Jaw massage
Place your first two fingers at the hinge of your jaw on either side of your face near your ears. Massage the muscles around your joints with your fingertips while keeping your mouth in a neutral position.
✴ Mental warm-up
✴ Meditation
Find a quiet space prior to recording.
Sit in a comfortable and upright position with your feet flat on the floor. Keep your spine straight and support with a pillow if needed.
Close your eyes.
Take 5 deep inhales and exhales to get started.
Return to a normal pace of breathing, and take inventory of your body starting at the tip of your head all the way down to your feet. Scan down noticing various sensations, but not dwelling on them. Just acknowledging the presence or lack of presence of certain physical feelings.
Now turn your attention to your breath. If it helps, you can count them starting with one on the inhale and two with the outhaul. Count to 10 and then start back at 1. Observe the breath curiously. If you notice you have gotten distracted, gently bring yourself back to the breath.
Begin to imagine a glowing orb inside your body in the center of your rib cage. This orb is radiating warm, clear light. As you breathe, imagine the light as it begins to spread outwards towards your legs and arms. As the light radiates, tension is released from these areas and filled with warmth and openness. The light continues to spread down to your toes, your fingertips and the tip of your head until your entire body is filled with this warm light and has dissolved any tension.
Continue breathing with the feeling of fullness, warmth, and clarity as long as you would like.
Once you are ready, begin to turn your attention back to your body. Then to the sounds of your environment, and lastly, open your eyes.
You are ready to begin your recording session with calm and confidence.
For more insight on how to get your podcast rolling grab our free complete podcast checklist here.
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