Vocal Health and Warm-Up Routines

Your voice is your instrument, and like any instrument, it requires care and maintenance. Vocal health is not glamorous, but losing your voice before a show or during a recording session can derail weeks of work. The good news is that maintaining a healthy voice is straightforward: hydrate, warm up, rest, and avoid the things that damage your vocal cords.

Hydration is the single most important factor in vocal health. Drink 2 to 3 litres of water throughout the day — not just before you sing. Your vocal cords need to be hydrated from the inside out, and water takes hours to reach them. Room-temperature water is best. Avoid excessive caffeine and alcohol, which dehydrate your body. If you perform in venues with dry air or air conditioning, a personal steam inhaler before the show helps keep your vocal cords lubricated.

Warm up before every performance and recording session. A good warm-up takes 10 to 15 minutes and progresses from gentle to intense. Start with humming — it warms the vocal cords with minimal strain. Move to lip trills (blowing air through loosely closed lips while vocalising), sliding from low to high and back. Then do scale exercises through your range, starting quietly and gradually increasing volume. Finish with phrases from your actual songs, building to performance intensity.