How to Sing Better
in 3 Minutes



I'm going to give you something that will help you so much—my 3 minute warmup!

The beauty of this warmup is it will help you sing better and better over time. 

If you follow the advice in this tutorial, you'll be able to install a very positive habit that ensures your voice will get to a great space. 

Let me begin by saying this. I've been doing this a long time but STILL if I don't do my warmup, I do not sound great.

And by that I mean I can't work with my clients. And I can't perform. 

The Secret To Star Singing

Click here for The Secret To Star Singing

Click HERE For The Secret To Star Singing

The Secret To Star Singing

Click here for The Secret To Star Singing

Click HERE For The Secret To Star Singing

The No-Excuse Warmup

But sometimes I'm also a little stressed for time. I hear this from my clients, too—that they didn't have time to practice before the lesson.

Which is why I've developed this short, but very powerful routine that gets your voice into a good place. 

The Earlier the Better

A good tip is that it's always better if you do these warmup exercises early in the morning. If you are able to do this shortly after you wake up, you'll be prepared for singing and even speaking for the entire day. 

The reason I'm saying that doing it earlier in the day is better is because you have certain habits that you use in your body all the time.

Most of them are restricting you in some way. So if you go through your day continually using those habits, you're restricting yourself even more.

But do the routine nice and early and you will form new habits in your body. And you will get to a place where you're using your voice correctly as you move through your day. This has a flow on effect into your singing. 

Ok! So let's now take a look at the 3 minute routine that shows you how to sing better! 

First We Hum

The first thing I use is my humming exercise. That's the one to get the swallowing muscles to stay relaxed, to stay out of the way. Follow with me at 2:38. I'll have my thumbs under my jaw to make sure I'm not using the swallowing muscles.

(The video below begins at the correct time for the demonstration) 

And here is the audio file to practice with: 

As you can see I make an expression to help me get my sound forward in my face and not back in my throat. I'm staying closed and thinking down, so I don't push up. I'll do that progression a couple of times. 

Making this expression in your face helps you to keep your sound forward in your head and out of your throat.

Then We Nay-Nay-Nay

Another ugly-face exercise with the same purpose: to make sure that I'm not allowing the swallowing muscles to get in the way, which would restrict me.

Use your thumb to check what's going on with the swallowing muscles. Practice with me at 4:19.

(The video below begins at the correct time for the demonstration) 

And here is the audio file to practice with: 

I do the progression going upwards, and then I repeat it descending. This is important for me since when I get to the lower notes I tend to fall back in my throat. So I'm closing and going up on those lower notes. 

My funny, smiley face helps me to position the sound above my cheeks which is ideal for singing.

If you've had a habit of strain or pushing, typically you wake up in the morning and you need to clear your throat. Doing this warmup, you'll see that it starts to clear out all that phlegm out.

Finally We Trill

Now I'm relaxed and I've gotten things open. But I might have inadvertently picked up a bit of a habit of pushing during the nay-nay-nay exercise.

So now I let myself reverse all of that, and get everything to really relax and be easy. 

So now we can do the exercise again, using the lip trill this time.

Follow from 6:19. Putting your hands on either side of your mouth will help you achieve the trill. For the high notes, remember to think of coming down onto them.

(The video below begins at the correct time for the demonstration)

And here is the audio file to sing along to: 

Using your hands on your cheeks is another effective tool for positioning your sound high in your head.

Your 3-Minute Minimum

There! Now, in 3 minutes you've already gotten that done.

I personally do this and then feel that I can get on with my day. I can go and work with my clients now and feel all right. 

Now of course you could do this for longer than 3 minutes, and do other exercises, and you would be in an even better place.

That's what I always do if I'm planning to do more that day, like if I'm going to record or perform. You always want your voice in the best place possible when you're doing something like that. 

This will help you a great deal, if you use it. And no more excuses—it's only 3 minutes! 

I hope you've enjoyed this tutorial on how to sing better in 3 minutes.

New! Comments

Show me you're alive! Leave a comment below...

About The Author

Roger Burnley - Vocal CoachRoger Burnley - Vocal Coach

Roger Burnley is a vocal coach located in Hollywood, California. He has been teaching singers for over 30 years and singing for even longer than that. 

Notable past and present clients include Macy Gray, Brandy, Ray J, The Beastie Boys, James Torme, Taylor Lautner, Nona Gaye, and many more.

His clients have collectively sold more than 30 million albums, with several reaching Platinum and Gold status. 

Roger has been featured on VH1, TV Guide Channel, TV One,
and MTV appearing as a vocal expert.

About The Author

Roger Burnley - Vocal CoachRoger Burnley - Vocal Coach

Roger Burnley is a vocal coach located in Hollywood, California. He has been teaching singers for over 30 years and singing for even longer than that. 

Notable past and present clients include Macy Gray, Brandy, Ray J, The Beastie Boys, James Torme, Taylor Lautner, Nona Gaye, and many more.

His clients have collectively sold more than 30 million albums, with several reaching Platinum and Gold status. 

Roger has been featured on VH1, TV Guide Channel, TV One,
and MTV appearing as a vocal expert.

Hot Topics

You May Enjoy

You May Enjoy