Logopedics Phoniatrics Vocology.

2009; 34: 142144

LPV FORUM

Singing warm-ups: Physiology, psychology, or placebo?

STUART BARR

Freelance Singing Coach & Musical Director; Vocal Coach, The Royal Academy of Music, London NW1 5HT, UK; Judge,
BBC Choir of the Year, Broadcasting House, London W1A 1AA, UK
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When I started teaching singers in the mid 1990s, I thought one should warm up by singing very loudly
naively divided those who teach singing or rehearse for a few minutes ‘to blow the cobwebs out’.
singers into two mutually exclusive groups: the The BYTs say that warm-up involves identifying
Dinosaurs, whose approach adhered to principles which muscles you need to sing (abdominal, laryn-
unchanged for decades and for whom the voice geal, and pharyngeal) and then stretching and work-
was a black box; and the Bright Young Things (BYTs) ing them gently prior to exerting them fully in the
For personal use only.

(some of whom, admittedly, were quite old), who lesson/practice/rehearsal/performance. Scales and
based their approach upon the developing under- vocalises (musical exercises set to various vowels)
standing of vocal tract anatomy, physiology, and are ‘work-out’ say the BYTs and thus superfluous to
biomechanics. I was a staunch BYT and joined the warm-up. It is a ruthlessly efficient and effective
chorus of those predicting the impending extinction approach. The engine is ready to be used to its full*
of the Dinosaurs. Fast-forward to the approach of the instrument is ready to be played. However, I
the twenty-first century’s second decade, however, have seen too many dry, ‘efficient’, warm-ups that
leave singers ready to make all the right voice
and not only has the Big Asteroid still not hit, but I
qualities, but not ready to make music full of
now find myself flirting with some of the Dinosaurs’
emotion.
old techniques. Far from being satisfied with the
Furthermore, I have seen inspiring warm-ups that
BYTs’ physiological approach, I now find it wanting
do not target the vocal muscles with anything like the
in a key area: psychology. Furthermore, through
same efficiency but do leave singers in excellent voice
examining the conflict between the two schools of
and full of excitement and determination to learn/
thought we may see a tantalizing glimpse of the rehearse/perform at their very best. For solo voices,
future for voice research. I am referring to ‘superfluous’ activities such as
Nowhere is this conflict better demonstrated than scales, arpeggios, and fun vocalises. For group voices,
in the hotly contested area of how to ‘warm up’. I include diction (humorous tongue-twisters), con-
Whether it is for a singing lesson, personal practice, centration (group focus), fun musical exercises,
with a choir, or in a company prior to a stage breathing, mind games, meditation, and even relaxa-
performance, most people consider a warm-up tion. None of these seem to indicate efficient
essential. Yet an inappropriate warm-up which muscular warm-up (the relaxation aspect could
fatigues the voice through over-singing or forcing even be contradictory to it), but all are fun and full
the air-flow, both of which are more likely to occur in of the joys of being a performer.
singers with poor technique, is detrimental to the I have been left feeling that perhaps the BYTs’
voice. I remember one rehearsal for my Cambridge warm-up is inadequate and that there is some-
Chapel Choir when another choral scholar com- thing to be learned from the non-efficient warm-
plained that the warm-up was inadequate; he ups. The detail seems less important than the

Correspondence: Stuart Barr, Musical Theatre Department, The Royal Academy of Music, London NW1 5HT, UK. E-mail: [email protected]

(Received 1 April 2009; accepted 2 April 2009)

ISSN 1401-5439 print/ISSN 1651-2022 online # 2009 Informa UK Ltd
DOI: 10.1080/14015430902942500
 Singing warm-ups 143

broader perspective here. My observation is that the music that audiences pay for, not pure technical
following benefits might accrue from these non- proficiency.
efficient warm-ups:
1. Psychological. We have a vocal instrument that Conclusions
follows physiological rules, but which is con-
. We must remember that the teacher or con-
trolled by a brain that follows emotional ones.
ductor is in loco parentis of singers’ voices.
As the singer is both the instrument and player,
Singers expect this, even if they do not appreci-
we need to make sure that both are ready to
ate whether the ‘parent’ does or does not know
work. To convey musical or dramatic expres-
what they are doing.
sion to its utmost, the brain must be under
. The ideal warm-up is one that is built upon
emotional control and the voice under sub-
sound physiological foundations, and which
conscious control. To transport an audience,
also uses a psychological approach to prepare
we need to transport ourselves as performers.
the emotional side of the singer. Then both
My experience is that this state of mind does
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body and mind will be prepared for making

not happen automatically: just like the instru-
music.
ment, the brain also requires preparation prior
. The physiological approach in warm-up is even
to performing. I would argue that the non-
more important in less-trained voices. Conver-
efficient warm-ups I have witnessed are actually
sely, I hypothesize that the psychological aspect
warming up the whole performer, not just his or
is increasingly important for the more accom-
her voice. It is both psychological and physiolo-
plished singer.
gical warm-up.
2. The placebo effect? Singers who are enthused by
Forever inspired by talented people around me, I
the person taking the warm-up will trust in the
am still learning how to take the perfect warm-up,
effectiveness of the process. Even though the
mixing the physiological with the psychological.
For personal use only.

warm-up may have been physiologically ineffi-

When working with individual singers these days, I
cient (possibly even anatomically ignorant),
start with the BYTs’ (non-musical) stretches and
because of this trust in the practitioner it could
gentle work of specific abdominal, laryngeal and
still achieve its desired aim. The more fun and
pharyngeal muscles but then move rapidly on to
relevant to music-making the warm-up is, the
vocalises that have a musically expressive dimension
more likely the singer is to place trust in the
to them. With choirs and choruses, I start in a
practitioner, and the more room exists for a
similar fashion, but often finish with a joyous African
placebo effect.
chant performed in six-part harmony and counter-
In clinical medicine the placebo effect is not point. My aim is always to do no more work than is
without controversy (1). At its most effective, how- absolutely necessary to warm up the voice, but also
to focus the performers so that they are ready to
ever, it requires both an expectation that the treat-
make music.
ment will work and trust between patient and doctor.
My observations on conflict between the Dino-
With this in mind, it is possible that the placebo
effect could make a warm-up effective even if it does saurs and the BYTs apply beyond warm-ups, to how
not take the ‘correct’ physiological approach, pro- the voice is trained. Before they become extinct, we
viding that the singer trusts the practitioner and has should embrace what the Dinosaurs can teach us
expectations of effectiveness. and whole-heartedly combine physiological under-
The placebo effect could also provide one expla- standing with emotional and psychological insight.
nation of why good singing teachers existed before Einstein’s Theory of Relativity seemed a complete
the recent advances in voice science. When the explanation of the universe at the time, until
student continues to improve, the teacher is Quantum Theory demonstrated that it was only
regarded as a good teacher! part of the picture. Likewise, we must recognize that
So we can now see what is missing from the dull, the BYTs’ advances in physiological understanding
purely physiological warm-ups: an acknowledgement are just one landmark step on the path towards
that we are human beings, not machines. The bed- enlightenment. The next step is to uncover much
rock of teaching and conducting is not purely to more about how the brain works in singing, and how
convey information. It is to inspire, excite, and we can use this to our advantage to help the next
nurture the mind of the performer. What I now generation of singers.
understand from my Dinosaurs is that they pos- Where the developing understanding of vocal tract
sessed the ability to create great music*and it is anatomy, physiology, and biomechanics has already
 144 S. Barr

revolutionized our thinking, may neuroscience and Reference

psychology be the future. 1. Hróbjartsson A, Gøtzsche P. Powerful spin in the conclusion of
Wampold et al.’s re-analysis of placebo versus no-treatment
Declaration of interest: The author reports no trials despite similar results as in original review. J Clin Psychol.
conflicts of interest. The author alone is responsible 2007;63:3737.
/ /

for the content and writing of the paper.

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For personal use only.