Anyone use yoga for warming up, releasing muscle tension, etc? I do some stretching exercizes (not yogic, so far as I know), but I'm always looking for ways to loosen my neck and jaw.
Jersey Jack
i have a cd from a instructional dvd with warmups like 'yah yah yah' and 'weee oohh' etc that stretch the throat and jaw...if your BODY is relaxed your jaw should be...so general streching should help.....
i have seen the technique of putting a pencil or finger in your mouth (touching the roof of the mouth) and doing exercises...which stops the jaw moving and stretches teh throat...dunno if its any good for you. i dont do it myself..
does having a loose jaw help the singing really? it would help enuciation but do you open your jaw to its MAXIMUM ever in singing...? i dont... :S
A relaxed jaw is pretty important with singing indeed, not because you need to open your mouth so wide that you inhale your microphone but because your lower jaw is connected to your soft palate... therefore if you jaw is tense your unlikely to have bad control over the palate, meaning airflow is going to be restricted. I usually just pull some funny faces, moving my jaw from side to side and making a face like i'm full blown yawning.... I'm sure i look ridiculous but it seems to work.
I usually do vocal warms ups with a book bought (it came with a C.D.) but they are mainly for the vocal cords... I try to stretch my neck and back and be as relaxed as possible, without being asleep of course :D.
Nath
Absolutely! I do a light yoga routine about an hour before a gig and find it (along with a nap and good hydration) makes a big difference in my vocals. Sometimes a good series of sun salutations (holding each position for a bit) works wonders. Its not just your jaw, neck, shoulders that need loosened up but your entire body. Tightness in your back, stomach, hamstrings, quads (upper and lower), and calves will translate into tension in your voice - its all connected!
For warmups, I like to hum from chest voice on through to head voice for a bit before pushing much air. Then, I find its good to go through the notes on my guitar (freshly tuned) to make sure I'm on pitch. This ritual seems to work for me.
Or you can try to sing like Kurt Cobain for some time. Will do great exercise...Just don't overdo it though or it may result in a sore throat. :mrgreen:
