What No One Tells You About Warming Up Your Voice

We all know we should warm up before singing. But what if the way you’ve been warming up is actually working against you?

At Nova Voice Studio, we take a different approach to vocal warm-ups — one that isn’t about “doing scales because you’re supposed to,” but about listening to your body, your breath, and your nervous system.

Not Every Warm-Up Is Right for Every Day

Just like athletes don’t train the same way every session, singers shouldn’t treat warm-ups as one-size-fits-all. Some days your body is tight, or your energy is low, or you’re carrying emotional weight — and a fast-paced, high-intensity warm-up will just create more tension.

What you actually need might be:

• Gentle humming to release the jaw

• A few yoga poses to open the ribs and spine

• Breathwork to calm your system and center your focus

• Lip trills or straw phonation to ease into vibration

Warming up should feel supportive, not performative. It’s less about “checking the box” and more about arriving in your body and voice as you are.

Warming Up Is Self-Connection

A good vocal warm-up doesn’t just prepare your instrument — it brings you into relationship with it.

So before you sing, ask:

• How does my body feel today?

• What’s the quality of my breath?

• Where does my voice feel free, and where does it feel stuck?

That awareness is what leads to real vocal growth.

Want to learn how to build your own customized warm-up ritual?

Join one of our Yoga for Singers classes, book a private coaching session, or explore our workshops at novavoicestudio.com.

Follow us on Instagram @nvs.studio for warm-up ideas and inspiration!