Belt Your Face Off!

Vocal Warmup Log

Here are all the warmups and exercises performed in BYFO! along with
notes on where to find them for your reference.

First, a quick refresher on how to structure your belting practice (learn

more in the Notes on Daily Practice lecture). This is designed
specifically for belt work.

1. Always start with a physical stretch

2. Activate the breath
3. Transition next into a tonal warmup (one that uses your voice)
4. Reawaken your open "elevator" passage with some basic "ah" or
similarly derived warmups that you'll find in the Tongue and Palate
unit. Layer on melodic variations.
5. Begin to shift resonance forward
6. Continue to activate your belt
7. Relax your larynx
8. Work on minimizing your vocal break in order to access your blend or
mix
9. Belt!
10. If you feel strain, either stop altogether or go back a few steps,
relaxing your larynx and activating breath.

NOTE: In general, it's best to progress through each warmup by

sampling from the different lectures in the order with which I've
presented them. If you're not working on a specific assignment or
homework exercise, after number 3 you can sample from the warmups
chronologically, forming your 15-30 minute practice session.

STRETCH IT OUT

1. Physical stretch in Lecture 1 at 4:54

2. Tongue stretch in Lecture 6 at 6:28

BREATH EXERCISES
1. Slow inhale/exhale on 5 (or more) counts in Lecture 2 at 6:03.

2. Basic lip trill (1 5 1 8) in Lecture 3 at time 2:09

3. Test how many times you can lip trill (1 5 1 8) in Lecture 5 at time
2:40

4. /Ah/ (soft, loud, soft) in Lecture 5 at time 4:50 (with a shorter version
at time 5:40). You can try this on several held notes throughout your
mid range

BASIC WARMUPS ("GET YOUR JUICES FLOWING")

1. Lip trills in Lecture 3 at time 2:09

2. Single /ah/ held for 8 counts, in Lecture 3 at time 3:45. Reinforces

tongue and palate space and getting the breath going.

3. /Sh/-/sha/ (5 5 5 5 5 4 3 2 1) in Lecture 3 at time 5:56

4. /Ah/ melody (1 2 3 2 1) in Lecture 7 at time 1:50, ascending then

descending.
Reinforcing tongue and palate space.

OPENING TONGUE AND PALATE EXERCISES

1. /Guh/-/gah/ (5 5 5 5 5 4 3 2 1) in Lecture 7 at time 5:48, ascending

then descending. Tongue and palate meet at the voiced /g/ then open
to neutral relaxed position.

2. "I am what I am" (non-masky) (1 8 5 3 1) in Lecture 7 at time 9:30

3. /Ah/ /oo/ /ee/ (5 5 5 4 3 2 1) ascending in Lecture 8 at time 11:33

Working on darker tone to stay open. Regression from open space to
less open space; modification from /ee/ to /ih/, /oo/ to /uh/ (maybe
even /aa/ to /uh/).

4. /Ee/-/ah/ (5 3 4 2 3 1 2 (7) 1) in Lecture 8 at 1:00

Reinforce sensation of openness.
BODY RELAXATION EXERCISES

1. Swaying arms in Lecture Release Tension at 3:15

2. Squat to activate diaphragm and stay grounded in Lecture Release

Tension at 4:20

3. Wall push in Lecture Release Tension at 5:27

4. Stroll in Lecture Release Tensionat 6:10

PREPARATION FOR BELTING - RESONANCE

1. /Hoo/-/ah/ (5 8 5 3 1) in Lecture 8 at 3:33, ascending. Descending at

7:05.
Stay supported. Try to feel a sensation of floating -- of the "laser beam"
of small sound. Good for gradually expanding your range and
awakening upper register. Highest note in our warmup is a G, but

2. /Gnah/-/gnaa/ (1 2 3 2 1 2 3 2 1) in Lecture Resonance Practice at

1:12
Moves resonance into the mask. Don't get too nasal or constricted, just
let the resonance hit the mask. Use the "gn" sound to circulate the
sound. Think /aa/ as in "apple."

3. /Gnaa/ (5 4 3 2 1) in Lecture Resonance Practice at 4:55

Reinforce the mask sound. Embrace the nasty! Transition into head
voice where appropriate; nastier forward sound.

4. "I am what I am" (arpeggio) (1 8 5 3 1) in Lecture Resonance

Practice at 8:29
Go through first switching to forward head voice (don't attempt a belt
at first; transition into a forward head voice).
5. /Gnaa/ (1 2 3 4 5 4 3 2 1) in Lecture Resonance Homework at 0:47.

6. "I like bananas" (arpeggio) (1 3 5 8 5 3 1) in Lecture Resonance

Homework at 3:25
Don't attempt a belt at first; transition into a forward head voice. Pay
attention to the resonance moving up from chest into the mask, and
ultimately into the head when we reach the higher range (ending on a
G). Always support with breath!

7. "Hand me my hat" (nasty sound!) in Lecture Resonance Homework at

6:24
at first, transition into head voice, guys stay supported. Eventually,
later on in the warmup sequence, we belt this.

ELIMINATING BREAK AND DEVELOPING MIX

1. Vocal siren in Lecture Vocal Mix Practice at 4:00

Mental image of gradually shortening cords as you get higher.
Add a little bit of breathiness to the sound to use less of your cord;
imagine there is a subtle H at the beginning of the /ah/.

2. /Yuh/ (1 2 3 4 5) at Lecture Vocal Mix Practice at 6:05

Helps to relax the larynx as you traverse your break or passaggio.
Visualize the shortening of the cords as you get higher.
Keep palate lifting; feel free to add some breathiness to help you.

3. /Hun/-/gee/-/ha/ (1 1 2 2 3 3 2 2 1) at Lecture Vocal Mix Practice at

13:00
Relaxed larynx traversing your break into a head voice. Pay attention
to the forward placement encouraged by the "gee" part of the warmup
and embrace this place of resonance. First time through, transition
naturally into head voice. Second time through, repeat with a chestier
sound, thinking hun-"geh" more than hun-gee

PREPARATION FOR BELTING - LARYNX

1. Butt clench in Lecture Release Tension at 2:18

2. Vocal Fry in Lecture at 10:40

3. Inhaled vocal fry in Lecture at 13:30

BELTING BEGINS! LAYERING ON A CHESTY SOUND

1. "Hand me my hat" layering in chest at Lecture Vocal Mix Homework

at 3:34
Incorporating a squat to stay grounded on the hat.
Remember visualization of cords becoming shorter, placement staying
forward.
Counteract tension by thinking down anytime you have to go up.
Belting is a full body experience! Check out the video on Relaxation
Techniques if you're not yet ready to do this as a belted warmup.

2. "Hey hey hey" 13543431 (minor) in Lecture Advanced Techniques at

15:20
Remember your cord is shortening, really aim for forward resonance
and internally small to place sound in the mask.
Incorporating a squat to remember to stay grounded
**Nothing should hurt!**
Mental game; don't be afraid! You have nothing to fear in belting but
fear itself! Don't tense, always be aware of using enough breath.

3. /Boo/-/hoo/ (sobbing exercise) (12321) in Lecture Advanced

Techniques at 9:10
Open throat, naturally incorporated head voice.
Subtly layer on "uh" vowel into the /oo/ so your larynx stays relaxed
Listen as your mix naturally comes out
4. /I am what I am/ (18531) in Lecture Advanced Techniques at 19:10.

Everything is assimilated! Same cues as above. Really create

openness, drop your jaw, resonate in the mask, and support with tons
of breath!