Vocal warm ups on performance day

vikshut

Hi Guys!!

I have a show coming up in 3 days for which our band needs to perform 3 of our own compositions. It's a very important competition, which we're is hoping to win!!

We have our sound check from 4:30 pm to 5:15 pm and then our performance at 8 pm. All these days, I've been warming up my voice at 6 pm and practicing with the band at 7:30 pm.

Please let me know how I should manage my warm up, sound check and performance on that day.

Thanks!!

highmtn

Number One, don't blow your voice out by over-blowing during warmups or sound checks.

Save your voice for the big show.

Start out slow with warmups, and avoid stretching too much.   Do warmups, not wear-outs.   Warmup to a KTVA Volume that you are comfortable and at ease with.

Ease your way up to higher notes, but don't force them in your warmups.

Pace yourself during the actual show.  Don't do too much difficult singing back-to-back.

Avoid soda and caffeinated drinks.  Drink water, and lots of it.

Once the show begins, enjoy yourself.  Let your training carry you through.

 

Bob

 

vikshut

Hi @highmtn, Thanks for the inputs. I just have one more question - do I warm up before or after the sound check? There's a 3 hour gap between the two.

highmtn

Both.

You want to do gentle warmups on performance day.  Don't just start singing cold for the sound check or you could overdo it.  So do a gentle warmup and then do a safe and sane soundcheck.  Don't wear your voice out on the sound check.  Save it for the show.

It's OK to rev your engines a little during the sound check, but you want to just wake your voice up, and check out the sound system.

Then, before the show, again start gently warming up your voice.  Not too much, not too hard.  Literally warm it up, get the slag off your cords, wake it up again. 

Then, again, pace yourself during the show. 

Good Luck!

 

Bob

vikshut

Thanks for the tips @highmtn!!

Anaam

Ken's tip of inhaling vapors before a gig (I think he recommends a certain tea blend as well) is brilliant! it will surprise you how easily you will be singing the toughest bits in your set....after or before warmup too...either way.

highmtn

Ken talks about using tea tree oil. It helps to kind of "open up" the sinuses.
You don't ingest that stuff, though. You just inhale the vapors.

I got one of those Mypurmist steam masks that Ken shows in his recent "get rid of mucus" video. It has openings on each side of the mask. I can hold an opened bottle of tea tree oil next to the openings on the sides of the mask and immediately feel (and inhale) the vapors from the tea tree oil. It's just wafting the vapors in, I'm not putting any tea tree oil into the steamer.

I used it just before a gig the other night. I've had one of those long-lasting viruses, and the steamer with tea tree oil helped to get my vocal tract cleared out.

Before getting the steamer, I would just boil some water, and put a couple of drops of tea tree oil into the hot water to inhale the vapors. You just take in the vapors to help clear out your congestion.

Bob