Designing a daily routine

[DukeOfBoom]

Important matters have taken priority in my life, and I have neglected music.

 

I want to get back into singing. Now as of late and going into the future my schedule is extremely full. I don't have 1-2 hours here and there like I used to.

 

I want to develop an intensive disciplined practice structure 5 days/week that will help me improve. I figure I will do technical stuff for 20 minutes and karaoke for 20 minutes.

 

How would you arrange the technical stuff?

I'm thinking this:

1) 1 min sirens for warmup

2) 5 min vowel ma me mu

3) 10 minute scales over a chord

 

my pitch is the weakest so I need to improve that the most: develop the link between my ear and my voice. I have good relative identification-wise, but there's a disconnect somewhere between my brain and making those {censored}ing intervals vocally.

 

Tips? Suggestions?

 

for 20 minutes of "singing" time: should I do karaoke, or my own songs that I've written? Should I devote the entire 20 minutes to doing it, recording it, and listening back and trying again? Or split up differently?

 

I would prefer only the responses from people who have instituted a similar disciplined approach.

[Masklin]

I was gonna reply, then I read your last line and hesitated, but then I realized that I don't give a {censored} about your preferences!

 

 

 

So my contribution here is that your warmup should include resonance exercises too - i.e. find that sweet spot where you can shift volume up and down without feeling like you're straining more or less, but instead only using more space in your head and perhaps a bit more air.

 

Static can supply details if you're curious. I have video games to play.

 

[davie]

Its good to have a daily routine. Its extremely important I think. It takes A LOT of discipline, more than most people think.

 

I have a daily routine, but I still don't think its sufficient. My routine now consists of an hour of scale work. Usually I'll do 'lip bubbles' (from A2 to E5) first to get the blood going.

The main scale I use for most of my exercises is 1358531 and 13583^ 8531.

 

When working on vocal range I think it might be a better idea to vocalize to 'recorded scales' rather than playing the scales manually. Sometimes being too conscience of the note can cause a 'fear reflex'.

 

I also started to include physical workout as well. I don't do enough cardio workout, but I'm planning to make it more routine. Its good for lung capacity.

Core strength is important too. I usually do like 50 sit-ups before I vocalize. But ideally its good to do ~300 sit-ups per day (which is my goal, lol).

[rodclement]

after huming warm-ups I work only in singing material that I need to work on for the duo, I haven't done a single structured routine in years and I truly believe that once you understand your voice and proper breath control, singing is in itself the best exercise for voice.

 

Rod

[YeahDoIt]

I think warmups have to be performed in early in the morning because I might start singing anytime.

 

I focus on different issues each day. Some days I learn a new song, some days I'm recording, other days I do karaoke or mimic recordings of a celebrity singer.

 

I exercise with my homemade trumpet 10 minutes each day, does not matter when. Trumpet practice may be making my notes more stable, improves my breathing and posture.

 

Possibly my most productive singing practice happens in bed at night when I put the amp next to my head, sing into the microphone. It's only about 20 minutes long, I focus on the sound.

[grace_slick]

Yeah, routines are good. It helps with the muscle memory thing if your body / ears / mind are always "tuned in" to singing on a very regular basis, and it also gets you into a habit...so even if you maybe aren't in the mood to sing one day, you just DO it anyway...

 

I have a routine, but all it is is just singing most days...just cause I want to. No exercises or anything though.

[MikeyParent]

 

for 20 minutes of "singing" time: should I do karaoke, or my own songs that I've written?

 

 

The only valuable input I have on this is: the danger of only singing your own songs is that people tend to write and sing stuff that is in their "comfort zone" and so you may not push yourself enough to improve...

 

Perhaps a mixture of the two?

[grace_slick]

Yeah, very true. When I do my own songs I find I either sound dull cause there's no challenge or I sound good cause it is in my comfort zone, but...I can sometimes sound more dynamic when singing karaoke tracks. And at the same time, my confidence level tends to often go down when singing more challenging karaoke tracks cause it does challenge me...but that's a good thing.