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Post by oliver101 on Mar 16, 2009 21:52:55 GMT
Hi all
I am not sure if this is the right section to post this but here goes.
As we all get older the physical side of performing gets gradually harder, and over the last few months I have been giving a lot of thought to warming up excercises. I have started to go through a series of physical movements to warm my voice and body up before performing and have started to stick to some rules. Listed below are a few that I implement;
1 - Never eat any food within 2 hours of being on stage.
2 - No fizzy drinks on stage, only fruit juice diluted with water.
3 - Half an hour before going on breath in through the nose and out through the mouth for about 10 minutes, then start gentle windmill circles with both arms, gradually increasing their size (the circles not the arms).
4 - Making circles with my lower jaw and then turning the circles into figure 8's.
5 - Gentle bending over to touch my toes.
6 - 10 minutes before starting try to sit down and relax (and get my breath back)
It is really beginning to reap rewards doing these type of excercises as when I start I am no longer starting cold and I feel as if my body responds better.
Obviously I dont have the time or privacy at some venues but any is better than none.
I would love to hear of any other routines/tricks that people have to aid loosening up. I look forward to your valued responses.
Oliver101
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Post by steveb on Mar 17, 2009 7:34:29 GMT
1. Drinking water throughout the day, hydrating the body.
2. A good night sleep the night before
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Post by weegeo on Mar 17, 2009 12:56:20 GMT
Thats a vigorous routine Oliver, this is my 44th year in the music business and i have been singing the whole way thru it i find a large smirnoff warms me up brilliantly [not being funny] it`s never let me down yet the secret is not to use a mixer in it
weegeo-----------------waiting for the flak lol
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Post by weeo on Mar 17, 2009 13:22:37 GMT
sorry weegeo,but i have a double smirnoff,with coke.In the old days it was a lot more than one double ,but that's when we were all a bit younger and fitter .now we're older and wiser???
I've been lucky,i've never needed to warm up before a gig.
Regards
Eddie
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Post by oliver101 on Mar 17, 2009 15:43:54 GMT
I'm beginning to feel like a weak-livered freak now. Anything more than a shandy and I struggle to remember where I have parked the car let alone sing.
Oliver101
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Post by Tubbs on Mar 17, 2009 19:21:38 GMT
Just done a gig ...(3 till 5.30)...2 pints of smithwicks beforehand and a large Jamesons....have another gig on at 10 o' clock, the same routine....works grand for me!!  (Water during the gig though). Tubbs..........in the corner drowning the shamrock with weegeo!! ;D |
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Post by weegeo on Mar 17, 2009 23:46:13 GMT
lol Tubbs and i are warming up with arm exercises and they are easy to follow lol pint in right hand, bend arm to mouth, open mouth gently pour in the black fluid then gently rest the arm back onto table, for maxium effect repeat this exercise 7/8 times nightly lol lol
weegeo--------------in the corner twisting Tubbs arm to make him buy a round lol
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Post by shyamwestwind on Mar 18, 2009 6:04:30 GMT
George, that was valuable advice, indeed. Though I never do any warming up before I start singing, I agree its a good idea and I'm going to start doing so from now on.
I always have my dinner after the performance. Luckily I have no problems with drinking cold soft drinks and eatting ice cream. As you all know, I dont take any of the hard stuff and when I see people acting silly with an overdose of the stuff I just " SMIRK-OFF" LOL
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Post by Tubbs on Mar 18, 2009 8:52:01 GMT
lol Tubbs and i are warming up with arm exercises and they are easy to follow lol pint in right hand, bend arm to mouth, open mouth gently pour in the black fluid then gently rest the arm back onto table, for maxium effect repeat this exercise 7/8 times nightly lol lol weegeo--------------in the corner twisting Tubbs arm to make him buy a round lol ;D ;D ;D |
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Post by jacqui01 on Mar 18, 2009 13:40:22 GMT
Hi
Interesting to see what warming up methods you all use, I think Oliver seems to be the most dedicated one, I know many of his methods are recommended by singing teachers.
I never drink alcohol when I'm singing, always a soft drink, and a big glass of water too, if I remember and have time I would do a few stretching exercises, but the one thing I always do religiously is a vocal warm up, going through scales with a tape I have, it takes about 7 minutes, I don't think it would feel the same now doing a gig without the warm up as I have been doing it for so long now.
I know there are some foods you should avoid when you are a singer, especially cheese, and spicy food.
I have a friend who does a similar warm up to Oliver, and makes funny faces in the mirror really stretching his face muscles and also pushes his tongue out as far as it will go, bit like Mick Jagger! ;D
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Post by oliver101 on Mar 18, 2009 19:01:03 GMT
I think I will have a go at weegeo and tubbs' routine. If it doesn't aid my body at least I will sleep better that night.
Jacqui - I dont have to pull funny faces in the mirror, God blessed me with one of those naturally, but I think I will try the tongue routine this weekend. Where did you get the scale tape from Jacqui?
Oliver101
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Post by Tubbs on Mar 18, 2009 19:16:31 GMT
Jacqui - I dont have to pull funny faces in the mirror, God blessed me with one of those naturally. Same as me Oliver!! ;D |
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Post by weegeo on Mar 18, 2009 23:22:51 GMT
I`m saying nothing lol lol lol
weegeo
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Post by jacqui01 on Mar 19, 2009 0:22:01 GMT
Just reading through all your posts crying with laughter I've come to the conclusion you're all NUTS! |
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Post by jacqui01 on Mar 19, 2009 10:28:33 GMT
Here is a link to an interesting site for vocalists, there is a whole section of breathing exercises plus lots of other interesting stuff. www.vocalist.org.uk/voicetraining.htmlTo answer your question Ian about the warm up tape, it's one I did with a singing teacher once, she recorded it as I was having a lesson live, so it's tailor made for me really, but I think I have a general one some where I'll see if I can did it out. |
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Post by weegeo on Mar 19, 2009 16:14:25 GMT
Hmmmm very interesting little site Jacqui, very informative and i`m sure a great source of help to aspiring singers, but i still think the old weegeo/tubbs method is probably the best for us old [ok not so old] campaigners
Kind regards and much love xxx
weegeo---------------- still stuck in the corner with tubbs trying to get a drink outta him
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Post by Tubbs on Mar 19, 2009 20:33:03 GMT
weegeo---------------- still stuck in the corner with tubbs trying to get a drink outta him ;D ;D ;D |
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(Water during the gig though). 
