David Sanchez 9/11/2019

Routine

1) Beginning warm-up:

a) Physical:
Head Rolls: Release tension in the neck circling your head in both directions very slowly.
Shoulder Rolls: Release tension on the upper back and shoulder by rolling your
shoulders up to your ears and coming back, then reverse directions.
Rib Stretch: Stretch the rib muscles allowing the ribcage to expand easily. Stand with
your feet wide and reach to the ceiling with one arm leaning to the opposite side of the
arm, then change sides.

b) Vocalizations:
Slides: Good starter to release tension. Find the middle range of your voice. Start with a
hmm slightly above your speaking pitch and let your pitch slide down slowly and
smoothly and keep starting at a higher pitch.
Lip trills: Start tone production, relax jaw. The most important step is trying not laugh
while you do it. Start by blowing air over the lips letting them vibrate, add pitch and
slide around the middle range of your voice.

2) Vocal Technique:
Legato Flex Exercise: Good exercise for flexibility, moves around the vocal range a lot.
Extended Five-Note Pattern: Another good exercise for flexibility and breath. The trick is
being very aware of your breath and managing it.
Octave Arpeggio: Increases range and flexibility
Major/Minor Triple: This exercise not only increases flexibility but also helps develop a
sense for Major and Minor scales, so it also helps ear development.
Two Fives and a Nine: One of the best to finish with for me because it improves
flexibility, range, and breath.

3) Song Study:
Although the outline in the book is pretty good. I already have a method to study in a
more personalized way.
If it’s sheet music, I first analyze what it has, tempo, long sustained notes,
articulations…etc. Play the song in my head, I see the melody written and start to in my
head imagining how it would sound like. I start humming the song with the melody and
rhythm. After I already have an idea of how the song is like, I look for the original song
being performed and multiple covers. I sing or hum over the covers and original song.
Then I usually use and instrument, like a guitar, uke, piano, bass to do either an
accompaniment or play the melody so that I keep a good pitch. After I figure out all the
articulations and little things in the piece, I add lyrics which I learn by just multiple
times. I also think about what the lyrics mean, what can I add or take away to make it
more authentic, to give it my own feeling.