Most actors – from those just starting out in their acting career to seasoned professionals – have heard the expression, “Your voice is your instrument.” If you want that instrument to be a usable and flexible one, then it’s important to prepare it for action. Whether you’re auditioning, self-taping, performing live onstage, or acting on camera, warming up your voice beforehand will not only protect your vocal health, but also help you to deliver a more connected and truthful performance.
The following vocal routine can be used to prepare your voice to perform. It’s worth noting that vocal warmups don’t have to be lengthy; just 10 to 15 minutes is sufficient to get your voice performance-ready.
1. Spinal rolls and body shakes
Integral to a supported voice is a body free from tension. Before you do any vocal exercises “on voice,” it’s important to relax and release. The two components of this exercise (rolling down the body and shaking) will help you loosen up and let go of any tension in your muscles.
Spinal rolls: Stand with your feet hip width apart and your weight evenly distributed. Imagine your head as a bubble of air floating upward, elongating your spine, and then gently drop your chin to your chest. Allow the movement to continue, slowly curving your spine down, vertebrae by vertebrae, until you are folded at the waist with your body hanging over your feet. Use the weight of your hanging body to gently sway from side to side, and then slowly roll back up through the spine, vertebrae by vertebrae, lifting your head last. Repeat one or two more times.
Body shakes: Stand with your feet hip width apart and your weight evenly distributed. Shake your right hand vigorously but easily at your side. Now bring your elbow into it, shaking that too, then the shoulder, and eventually the whole arm. After 10 to 15 seconds, let your arm hang still. Notice how it feels. Repeat the process for your left arm. Next, gently start to rotate and then shake your right ankle. Bring it up to your knee and then your hip until you are shaking all of your right leg. Place it back on the ground and notice how it feels. Then repeat the process with your left leg.
2. Voiceless f/s/sh
Breath is the foundation of a healthy and strong voice. Before you begin voicing any sounds (with the vibrations from your larynx), use this exercise to connect with your breath in a gentle and effortless way.
Stand with your feet hip width apart and your weight evenly distributed. Place your hands on the lower part of your ribcage and inhale steadily through your nose. As you breathe in, notice the expansion of your rib cage outward, into your hands, as your lungs fill with air. As you exhale, make an f sound with your lips, allowing the breath to escape silently out of your mouth, like a whisper. This is known as a “voiceless” sound, and you should feel no vibration from your larynx. Keep your hands on your ribs as you exhale on the silent f. Notice the slow and steady compression of your ribcage as you let the breath out.
Repeat the exercise, switching to make a voiceless s and then a voiceless sh sound. You can also repeat the spinal rolls and body shakes above, using the voiceless f, s, and sh as you roll down and shake different body parts.
3. Splat breath
The following exercise is a good way to practise how to easily and efficiently release your abdomen on the in-breath, and then appropriately engage your abdominal muscles to produce a controlled sound on the outbreath.
Stand with your feet hip width apart and your weight evenly distributed. Place one hand on your lower abdomen, just below your belly button. Take a breath in and, as above, release the outbreath on a voiceless f sound. Keep releasing the breath until you have completely run out of air to expel. Then take a sharp inhale, allowing your lower belly to “splat” out and downward as your lungs refill with air. Exhale again, this time on a voiced v sound (you should feel your larynx vibrating). Notice again how your tummy muscles engage as you produce the sound. Repeat this with a voiceless s, which becomes a voiced z sound on the second outbreath, and a voiceless sh, which becomes a voiced zh sound (as in “measure”) on the second outbreath.
4. Face, jaw, and tongue massage
Much like tension in the body, tension in the face, jaw, and tongue muscles inhibits your voice and causes vocal strain. Relaxing those muscles will bring more ease and clarity to your speech.
With clean hands, use your fingertips to gently massage your temples with small circular motions. Bring your fingertips gradually downward, massaging your cheeks, jaw, and chin. Use your fingers to pull your lips outward and give them a massage. Next, use your thumbs to massage under your chin. That is where the tongue muscle sits, and you can release a lot of tension there by gently massaging. Finally, spread out your fingertips, place them on the top of your head, and gently massage.
5. Pitch glides
Often used in singing warmups but equally great for speech, pitch glides help to activate your vocal folds and resonators, encouraging more vocal flexibility.
On a hum or a voiced v, z, or zh sound, start on a low note close to the bottom of your range and gradually slide up in pitch to a higher note at the top of your range. Use your pointing finger to follow the sound visually up and down as you move through from low to high and back again. It’s very important that you do not push or strain to reach a note at either side of your range. This vocal drill should feel easy and effortless. Some days your range may be narrower than others, and that’s OK! It should never hurt.
6. Lip trills
Lip trills are one of several vocal warmup exercises known as “semi-occluded vocal tract exercises.” That refers to exercises in which the mouth is partially closed, changing the pressure in your vocal tract and allowing the vocal folds to vibrate with less strain. They are a great way to protect your voice as you warm up, particularly if you’re struggling with vocal fatigue or hoarseness.
With your lips closed, push them out slightly and then blow out through them on a “brrr” sound. Your lips should naturally vibrate up and down as you make the sound. Keep everything nice and relaxed as you repeat it, staying on the same note to begin with. Then you can introduce sliding up and down in pitch as you “trill” your lips. You may like to rev an imaginary motorbike with your hands as you do it to aid the connection between your voice and body.
7. Tongue twisters
Actors need to be able to articulate clearly so they can be heard and understood. Tongue twisters help to develop dexterity in the mouth and tongue muscles, which, in turn, supports good articulation.
Repeat a selection of tongue twisters from the below, focusing on wrapping your mouth around the consonants and vowel patterns. Aim to say the tongue twisters and phrases at a speed at which you can still say them correctly. Gradually increase the speed as you rattle them off.
Red lorry, yellow lorry.
Unique New York.
Six sizzling sausages.
How much wood would a wood chuck chuck if a wood chuck could chuck wood.
She sells seashells on the sea shore.
Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear.
Practising these vocal drills daily – not just before an audition or performance – will help you train and strengthen your voice in the long term. Try to set aside 10 minutes a day to give them a go, and you’re sure to notice improvements when the time comes to perform!
