Classroom · How-To · Vocals

Warm up before you record

Your voice is your instrument. Ten minutes of warm-up saves hours of retakes and years of strain.

10-minute routine

1. 2 min — Breath — inhale 4 counts, exhale 8. Shoulders down. Feel your ribs expand, not your neck.
2. 2 min — Lip trills / humming — gentle sirens from low to comfortable high. No pushing.
3. 2 min — Range slides — "Nee-nay-nah" on a 5-note scale, slowly expanding range.
4. 2 min — Song fragment — sing the hardest line of your song softly, then at performance volume.
5. 2 min — Rest + hydrate — room-temp water. No ice right before a take.

Recording session tips

• Record in short bursts — 3 takes max per section, then break
• Stand if you can — better breath support than slouching
• Emotion first, perfection second — worship translates when you're present