Vocal Technique

Warm ups and exercises

Annette Mackey

In the following exercises, every key is represented.

Adjustments higher or lower should be made according to needs of the individual singer.

Lip Tril: vocal conditioning and warm up exercise.

Range: mid low, mid, mid high, high
4 b
& 4 b b b n
b # n # b b b # n n
Lip Trill Breath Trill Breath Trill Breath Simile

? 44 b b b b # n n
b b # n n #
b b

b b n b
& #
b b b b n n b
5

Trill Breath Trill Breath Trill Breath Trill Breath

b b n b
? # b b b b n n b

b n
& b # n

# b b # n # # # ..
9

# #
Trill Breath Trill Breath Trill Breath Trill Breath

b b # n n # b b # n #
? ..

2011 by Annette Mackey

2 Vocal Technique
In the following exercises, every key is represented.
Adjustments higher or lower should be made according to needs of the individual singer.

& b b b n b b
13

b b b # n #
Nasal Hum: Vocal conditioning and warm up exercise.

? b b b
b b b b # n n # b
Jaw relaxed, focused buzzing humm, Range: mid low, mid, mid high

b
& b b b # n n
# b b
16

b
? b b b # n n # b b

b b # n
& b b b b b n n n
b b b b n
19

b n n b b b b b # n n
? b b b b n b

b # #
# b b # n # # n
22

&

b
? # b b # n # # # # n

Copyright 2011 by Annette Mackey

 Vocal Technique 3

In the following exercises, every key is represented.

Adjustments higher or lower should be made according to needs of the individual singer.

Attack and breath support exercise.

. . . b b b . b . . # n n b b
3 3 3
25

&
3 3

#
3

. . . b b . . . n b

b . . .
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha breath Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha breath Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha breath

. . b b b
.
? . . . b b . .
b .
# n n # b
b n
3 3 3
3 3 3

b
b
& b b
n
# n n b b b
3

28 3 3

b
3 ha ha

Ha ha ha ha ha
3 ha ha breath Ha ha ha ha ha
3 ha ha breath Ha ha ha ha ha breath

b b n n b b b
? b # n #
3 3 3 3 3 3

b n b b n
b n n n b b b b # n n
& b b
31

b b n
3 3

b b n n n
3 ha ha ha ha ha
Ha ha breath 3 ha ha ha ha ha
ha ha breath 3 ha ha ha ha ha
ha ha breath

b
b b # n n
? b b n b
3 3 3 3 3 3

b b n
# b b # # n # # .
& .
34

3 3

b b n #
3

3 ha ha ha ha ha berath 3 3

# # n
ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha breath ha ha ha ha ha ha ha breath

# b b #
? ..
3 3 3 3 3 3

Copyright 2011 by Annette Mackey

4 Vocal Technique

Choral unification exercise: Vowel Formation. Although this exercise is exellent for choral developement,
it may also be used to increase relaxation and proper vowel formation within the individual singer.

37 This is a mid-range exercise.

& # # #
Mah May Mee Moh Moo Mah May Mee Moh Moo Mah May Mee Moh

? # # #

etc.
42

& # # #
Moo Mah May Mee Moh Moo Mah May Mee Moh Moo

? # # #

Copyright 2011 by Annette Mackey

 Vocal Technique 5
Resonance, breath control, and attack exercise. This exercise may be helpful in strengthening the
break between the middle and upper middle voice: between c2 and e2 in the female voice. During t
he lower portion of the exercise, the singer should attempt perfect resonance. The goal is to keep

. . . .
that feeling or placement in the staccato segment.

. . . .
47

&

. . . .
Zay Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha Zay

. .
? . .

. b .
.
b . b
b . b . . b .
& b b b b b b b b b b
51

. . b . b . . b . b
Zay Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha Zay

? b b b b b . b . b b b b b
b

. .
. . b n . . b . .
& # #
55

. . . . b . .
Zay Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha Zay

? # . . b n #

. .
. b .
. b . . .
& b b b b b b b
59

. . . b . . .
b . . b .
Zay Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha Zay

? b b b
b b b b

. # . # . . # # . . # . # .
& # # # #
63

.
. # . # . # # . . # . # .
Zay Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha Zay

? # # # #

Copyright 2011 by Annette Mackey
 6 Vocal Technique

Range extension and agility exercise. Each key has been represented. Adjustments lower or higher may be
necessary for individual singer.
This exercise is best utilized in combination with a kinesthetic gesture that adds a punctuation to the
accent, thus freeing the voice. Example: the singer may mimic throwing a Frisbee or shooting a basketball.

> . b > . b b b b

67

& b . b b
.

b > . b b b
Yo - ho Yo ho

> .
? b . b b b
.

> . #
# b > . b b
71

& b . b
.
> . # b > . b
Yo ho Yo ho

? . # b . b b

> . # # # > .
# # b
75

& .
.
> . # # # > .
Yo ho Yo ho

# # b
? . .

Copyright 2011 by Annette Mackey

 Vocal Technique 7

b > . b b b . #
b b b
79

& b . b

b > . b b b . #
Yo ho Yo ho

b b b b
? b .

b. b b . # #
& b b b b #
83

b. b b b . # #
Yo ho Yo ho

? b b b #

. # # b.
# b b b
&
87

. # # b. b
Yo ho Yo ho

# b b
?

.# # # # .
# # 3
&
91

8
.# # # # .

Yo ho Yo ho

# #
? 38

Copyright 2011 by Annette Mackey

8 Vocal Technique

Range extension, agility, and breath support exercise. Although every key has been represented,
adjustments higher or lower may be needed for the individual singer.

3 j 4 > 3
& 8 j j
95

4 8
Bel la sen o ra

>
? 38 j
J 44 38
J
3 j j b j 4 b > b b b 3
98

& 8 b 4 b b b 8

b >
Bel la sen o ra

b b b
? 3 b b J 4 b b b 3
8 J J 4 8

3 j j j 4 # 3
101

& 8 # 4 # 8
Bel la sen o ra

#
? 3 # 4 # 3
8 J J J 4 8
3 j 4 b b b 3
& 8 b j b
104

J 4 b 8

b
Bel la sen o ra

b
? 3 b b J 4 b b 3
8 J J 4 8

3 j 4 > # # # 3
& 8 j # J
107

4 # # 8

> # # #
Bel la sen o ra

? 38 # J 44 # # 38
J
J
Copyright 2011 by Annette Mackey
 3 j j 4 > b
Vocal Technique 9

3
110

&8 J 4 8

>
Bel la sen o ra

b
? 3 J J 4 3
8 J 4 8

> b b b b
3 j b 4 b 3
& 8 b b J J b b b
113

4 8

b > b b b
Bel la sen o ra

b b b b b
? 38 b J b J J 44 38

> #
3 j 4 3
116

&8 J J 4 8
> #
Bel la sen o ra

? 3 J J 4 3
8 J 4 8

j b b > b b
3
& 8 b J J 44 b b b 38
119

b > b b
Bel la sen o ra

b b b b
? 3 b J J J 4 3
8 4 8

> # #
3 j # 4 # 3
122

&8 J J 4 8
> # #
Bel la sen o ra

# #
? 38 J J J 44 38

Copyright 2011 by Annette Mackey

10 Vocal Technique

b > b b
& 38 b J J J 44 38
125

b >
b
Bel la sen o ra

b
?3 J J J 4 b 3
8 4 8

> # # # #
3 # # J 4 # # 3
128

&8 J J 4 8
>o # # # #
# #
Bel la sen ra

# #
? 38 J J J 44 38

>
3 J 4

131

&8 J J 4
>o

Bel la sen ra

? 38 J J J 44

Copyright 2011 by Annette Mackey

 Vocal Technique 11

Using resonance to build a bridge. The singer should try to maintain correct placement as she sings
the different vowels. The goal is to smooth the area between the voices or vocal break. In essence,
for those singers with a hole in the voice, we are trying to strengthen this area through proper resonance,
as if we are building a bridge. This is a mid to upper mid range exercsie.

& b b # #
134

b
Oo ee oo ee oo ee oo ee oo ee. Oo ee oo ee oo ee oo ee oo ee.

? b b b
# #

b b b b
& b
140

b
Oo ee oo ee oo ee oo ee oo ee. Oo ee oo ee oo ee oo ee oo ee.

b b b b b
? b

b b b b
146

&
Oo ee oo ee oo ee oo ee oo ee. Oo ee oo ee oo ee oo ee oo ee.

b b b b
?

Copyright 2011 by Annette Mackey

12 Vocal Technique

Using resonance to build a bridge. The singer should try to maintain correct placement as she sings
the different vowels. The goal is to smooth the area between the voices or vocal break. In essence,
for those singers with a hole in the voice, we are trying to strengthen this area through proper resonance,
as if we are building a bridge. This is a mid to upper mid range exercsie.

The pronunciation of the "n" should resemble the spanish n with a ~ above it. The "a" sound
should be the same vowel as the "a" in cat.

& b b b # # b
152

Nya nya nya nya nya Nya nya nya nya nya Nya nya nya nya nya

b
? b b b
# #

b b b b # # # #
158

& b #
Nya nya nya nya nya Nya nya nya nya nya Nya nya nya nya nya

b b b b b # # # # #
?

# b b

164

&

b
Nya nya nya nya nya Nya nya nya nya nya

# b
?

Copyright 2011 by Annette Mackey