After having taken over 10 years of voice lessons (including studying as a voice major in college) and teaching voice lessons myself for the past 8 years, I’ve learned a few vocal warm-ups in my time.
I could probably have gone on for another hour, but I decided to spare you of that and just throw out a few favorites ;)
As I mentioned in the video, I would love to hear from you — which vocal exercises do YOU use, whether for yourself or for your students? Please share them in the comments. My students thank you in advance for the fresh new ideas!
Once every few months, I write a song to be used with the instrument being played in the picture above: the tone block. These are a staple in my early childhood music classes, because they are excellent for targeting fine motor skills. They also sound nice and are fun to play!
Ring, ring…that’s the sound of a tone block.
Ring, ring…that’s the sound of a bell.
Ring, ring…that’s the sound that ______ makes.
Ring, ring…that’s the sound that ______ makes.
{Repeat for all students}
Ring, ring…that’s the sound of a telephone.
Ring, ring…that’s the sound of a school bell.
Ring, ring…that’s the sound that we all make,
But now it’s time, to put our tone blocks away.
Very simple, but great for a group setting since it allows for each student to “solo” on the tone block. Before we begin the song, I ask my students to name different instruments and objects that make a ringing sound. They are more creative than I was when writing this song, that’s for sure :)
On Saturday, a few family members and I decided to climb a mountain in Colorado. What we originally believed to be a 6-mile round trip hike turned out to be almost double that, but when we reached the top — as pictured above — all the sweat and achy muscles were worth it.
That last mile or so to the top, I kept telling myself, “Put one foot in front of the other.” Instead of thinking about my goal as one monstrous task, I broke it down. And knowing that as long as I could take another step, I could reach my goal, is the reason I made it to the peak.
This is not unlike the challenges that my students face, whether it’s a music therapy objective to meet or a challenging song to master.
Us music therapists know all too well that progress can be slow, but each milestone is something to be celebrated. I’ve worked with some students on the same goals for years at a time, watching as they take baby steps along the way. Some of my voice students spend months and months learning and refining a particular song, one phrase at a time.
But when the day comes that they can perform that skill or song, every last moment of frustration melts away as they stand at the top of their metaphorical mountain with a huge smile on their face.
What mountains have you and/or your own students conquered lately?
What’s more appropriate for the 4th of July weekend than a baseball game with your family? That’s exactly what I did yesterday. And even though the Rockies — the home team — lost, it was a perfectly patriotic day.
Our last day in Denver will be spent by the pool, eating Chick-Fil-A (!), and soaking up a few more hours with the family before we head back to Illinois.
I hope you enjoy the holiday! Have fun, be safe, and come back here tomorrow for a brand new week of the regular Listen & Learn fare.
Little did I know when I was performing this song in my school musical as a junior in high school that I would still be singing it 11 years later. No wonder Schoolhouse Rock was such a popular cartoon back in its day!
Welcome! I’m Rachel Rambach, board-certified music therapist and creator of Listen & Learn Music — educational songs and musical materials for children. I love sharing my work with you, along with my behind-the-scenes creative process, adventures in business ownership, and life as a mom of two.
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