So Christmas is a few days away and worship leaders are gearing up for extra church services that always occur this time of the year. My church has an extra 3 services PLUS 3 carol singing sessions. For many churches there can be DOUBLE that depending how big the church is. So I've been thinking about the best items I need to have to hand to get through the next 2 weeks. The items need to be: - handy and be able to fit in my pocket or handbag. - accessible and does not need any technical expertise; simple to use and store With these pre-requisites in mind these are the 7 items in my Christmas Vocal Toolkit 1 Pack of Vocal Zone
A Warm Up Checklist![]() Having a warm up check list can help to remind you to prepare the voice before singing. Create a list of the exercises that work best to quickly warm up your voice. It could look something like this Exercise Time Neck Rolls 1 min Shoulder Rolls 1 min Jogging on the spot 2 min Humming 2mins Sirens 1 min Lip trill 1 min Tongue Trill 30 secs The above list is just an example. You can use any exercise that works for warming up the body and voice as long as it does not put excessive strain on the voice box. A Pack of Ear Plugs![]() Our mouths are in front of our faces and our ears and team members are to the side. The monitors are also in front of our ears, so there is a lot of excessive 'noise' when singing that can make it difficult to hear your own voice. A nice pair of ear plugs helps to cancel excessive 'noise' so you can hear your own voice clearly. When you can hear you own voice, it reduces the need to shout which puts strain on the voice box. Ear plugs discreetly fit into the ear so you can keep them in during rehearsals and worship service.
Bottle of Water![]() A handy bottle of water keeps you hydrated. Drink lots of water, preferably room temperature--as cold water tends to "freeze" the vocal cords, which will affect your ability to sing--with lemon in it, to cut through phlegm in your throat. Also you may want to try drinking hot tea with lemon or honey; this usually has the same effect. A Pack of Juicy Sweets![]() Yep, a nice packet of juicy sweets that make you salivate and smack your lips! Salivating is nature's water hose for your voice box. My favourites are Haribos or Starburst. But there are also, Fruitella, Love Hearts,Juicy Fruits, Sherbets and Lollypops. In fact any sweet that makes your mouth water is fine. Be sure to avoid anything that drys out the voice, like mints for instance, and do not eat whilst singing in case it flies down your throat!! What will you have in your vocal toolkit this Christmas?
Do you have a really good warm up routine or a favourite sweet? What would you add or take away from the list? Share your thoughts and comments below. Have a great Christmas. (Remember Jesus is the reason we are celebrating) To Your Vocal Success Dionne |
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