Because singing engages a variety of muscles, including the vocal folds, it is just as important for a singer to warm up before a rehearsal or performance as it is for a quarterback before a football game. Here are four warm-ups that will help get your voice going.

1. Gently hum. As you hum, gently separate the upper and lower jaw, creating a feeling of "tallness" inside the mouth. Start in the middle range and hum downward in pitch.
   
   
2. Open your mouth, continue on a "ah" vowel. This should sound like sighing. Keep your jaw relaxed and open.
   
   
   
   
   
3. Sing a downward five-note scale (sol-fa-mi-re-do) on "mee."
   
   
   
4. Try other vowels like "may," "mah", "moh," and "moo."