The Complete Choral Warm - Up Book

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A Sourcebook for Choral Directors
Russell Robinson
Iay Althouse
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Photos: Ray M. Carsory University of Florida
Interior design: Bruce Goldes
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ISBN 0-88284-657-4 Copyright O MCMXCV by Alfred Publishing Co., Inc.
. All rights reserved. Printed in USA. tE"l
HowtoUseThisBook. .........9
WhyWarmUp?.. .......b
Warm-up Considerations for Different Age Groups .....T
Children'sChoirs .....7
MiddleSchoolChoirs. .......7
HighSchoolChoirs .........8
/
ChurchYouthChoirs. .......9
AdultChurchandCommunityChoirs .....10
The Warm-up Before ttre Performance
ProceduresandPrecautions. .......11
RestandtheVoice. .....13
PhysicalWarm-ups .....15
VowelFormation .......22
Warm-upstoBeginttreRehearsal ... ........25
Ttansitionalwarm-ups ........35
Warm-upswithFunTbxtsandSyllables ......51
ChordalWarm-ups .....65
JustforSSAChoirs ........84
JustforThree-PartMixed/SABChoirs .....88
JustforT\¡¡o-PartChoirs ....9O
Warm-upsFeaturinglntervalTtaining .......97
JazzlPoplSwingWarm-ups ... .......111
JustforChurchChoirs .......118
Rounds ... ... .722
Index. . .126
SuggestedWarm-upSequences ......128
2 The Complete Choral Warm-Up Book

or too many years we have seen too many Now, about tJre warm-ups themselves... We've
choirs sing too many warm-ups without a pur- organized them into several categories:
pose. And if this book has a single message, it . Ularm-ups to Begin the Rehearsal
is this: every warm-up must have a purpose.
Use ttrese warm-ups to get your choir
Therefore, this book is not just page after page . singing as a group at the beginning of the
of warm-ups. Most of the 211 warm-ups we've rehearsal. Most are u¡rison warm-ups but
includ.ed have accompanying information sug- we've included a few simple two-part warm-
gesting ways to perform the warm-up, its use, ups as well.
its purpose, and things to work on while
o Tha¡rsitional Warm-ups
singing it. We've tried to present this informa-
tion in a simple, uncluttered manner, with the Ttrese transitional warm-ups are more spe-
warm-ups usually shown on the right facing cific in purpose than those used to begin the
page and ttre accompanying text on the left rehearsal. Use them to increase vocal flexi-
facing page. The "Lay-flat" binding makes the bilit¡a to develop consistent vowels, and to
book easy to use in a rehearsal and easy for ' expand the voca,I rang'e. They're excellent
you to see, at a glance, both the warm-up and for work on rhythms, breath support,
the accompanying retrearsal suggestions. d¡mamics, and phrasing. You can also use
warm-ups ttrroughout the rehearsal.
But don't jump right to page 26, where the .ttrese
warm-ups begin. Take the time to read the . Warm-ups Fun lbxts and Syllables
introductory information on pages 5 through Fun warm-ups should be a part of every
23. Included in this portion of the book are warm-up sel¡rence. They're excellent for
sections entitled: vocal flexibility and for work on consonants.
o \ñnry Warm Up? . Chordal V[Iarm-Ups
Included are eight primary reasons to This section includes warm-ups for SATB,
include warm-ups in your rehearsal. I SSe, SABlthree-Part Mixed, and TWo-Part
. Warm-up Considerations For choirs. Chorda,I warm-ups help your choir
Different Age Groups develop many ctroral skills, including choral
This section contains specific information blend, tone production, unification of vow-
for singing warm-ups with children's els, dynamics, phrasing, and intonation.
ctroirs, middle school choirs, high school . Warm-ups Featuring Interr¡al Thaining
choirs, church youth choirs, and adult We've included an abundance of warm-ups
church and community choirs.
featuring all intervals from a second to an
o The Warm-up Before the Performa¡rce: octave. Many of the warm-ups in this
Proced.ures and Precautions section are very melodic in nature and can
That final warm-up before the concert can be used for many general and specific pur-
be crucial, and its purpose is a little differ- poses, including vocal flexibility, intona-
ent than the warm-up that begins your tion, and unification of vowels.
rehearsals.
. J a"zzlP oplSwing lltlarm-ups
. Rest a¡rd the Voiee Ttrroughout the book we've included many
Warm-ups won't do any good if singers warm-ups which are ideal for use when
misuse their voice. your choi.rs are singing pop music. Ttris
. Physical Warm-ups section features warm-ups designed exclu-
Singing requires the use of many muscles. sively for this purpose
Just as an athlete warms up before his per- o Just for Church Choirs
formance, so should a singer. This section
This section includes warm-ups primarily
includes dozens of excellent photographs.
for adult, SAIB sacred choirs. Many, how-
We've also ineluded photos of, among other "ever, have optional texts and can be used by
things, good and poor posture and good'
other choirs as well.
and poor vowel formation. We thank the
models, Druery DeVore and Colene Be1iste, . Rounds
for their contribution. Both do a great job Rounds are excellent warm-ups and we've
in demonstrating proper vocal techniques. included seven of the best here.
The Complete Choxal Warm-Up Book 3

That's 211 warm-ups, each one with a purpose. the sake of simplicity, we have notated all warm-
IIere are a few general comments about the ups with a range of a fifth in the key of F (with
warm-ups we've included and how to use them a rang'e of F to C) and all warm-ups with a rarrge
in your rehearsal. of an octave in C (with a range of C to C). Ttre F
to C range in the key of F generally is a good
First and foremost, we strongly recommend that 'starting point for boys with
changing or lirnited
warm-ups be taught by rote arrd sung from
range voices in middle school julior high
memory. Most are guite brief and easily learned,
choirs.
but even the longer single-line warm-ups should
be taught by rote. When choir members sing HOWEVER, YOU CAN START AIVY WARM-UP
from memory, they are more likely to focus on IN THIS BOOK ON ANY PITCH, depending on
you, the director. ConseguenU¡r, you can get ttre range and age of your choir. A warm-up
moreout of the warm-up when the choir's atten- must be notated somewhere ort the sta.ff and we
tion is directed solely toward you. made our choices. But that doesn't mean you
can't put them in a different key and we encour-
Tba,ching chordal warm-ups (that is, three andz
age you to do so. SATB choirs, for example,
four part warm-ups) isn't difficult; give it a try. might want to start warm-ups with the range of
Here's trow to do it. First, play it ttrrough once
a fifth in C instead of F (if you're moving up
or twice on the piano. Then play the first chord, chromatically). Z-Part ctroirs might begin in D.
grüng eactr voice part its pitch. IIave the choir
sing that chord. Now move on to ttre second, Most warm-ups can move up chromatically
then the third, and so on. Every few notes, go and many can also move down chromatically.
back and sing it all from tl.e beginning. Finatly, We've i¡rücated the direction you can move
sing it all the way through without the piano. with arrows:
Many of the chordal warm-ups we've included TJ
have less tJ:an eight chords arrd the average
If youre working on a warm-up specifically for
choir can certainly learn an eight-chord passage
its connection to a certain piece of music, begin
by rote. the warm-up a few scale degrees below (or
Once the choir has Iearned a chorda,I warm-up, above) the starting key of the piece, and move up
sing it again at the next few rehearsals. Refresh (or down) until you reach the starting key.
the singers'memories by playing it once or Ttren begin retrearsal of the music.
twice through on the piano. Ttren sing it with- Don't feel the need to move every warm-up up or
out the piano. down. Chordal warm-ups, especially, may work
Alternatively, you can teach a chordal wafln-up best if sung several times over in the same com-
by writing it on the blackboard. For some of the fortable key.
Ionger chordal warm-ups, we have no objection Note that many of the warm-ups in the first sec-
to your copying them and handing them out to tíon, Warm-ups to Begin the Rehearsalbegin
your singers. (We got our publisher's OK for with a high note and move down. These are par-
this.) But remember, that's only for learning the ticularly effective warm-ups because ttreir pur-
warm-up. Once they've learned it, sing it with- pose is to bring the "head voice" down. Starting
out the music. Remember, wtren warming up, on a lower pitch and moving up sometimes
the choir's focus should be on you. You don't results in singers (especially female singers)
want them looking down at a piece of paper. singing in their "ctrest voice" and forcing it up.
Although we've notated most of the warm-ups I:r general, the texts of the warm-ups in this
with tirne sig:ratures and bar lines, you need not book are just suggestions. You can substitute
aJways perform them in strict tempo. Conduct other syllables or make up your own.
some in a rubato manner, holding some notes
One final admonition: sing warm-ups without
Ionger than others. Ttris is particularly usefu-l
the piano. Every choral techlique we've tried
in the interval warm-ups. Or you can perform a
to present, from intervals to tone production, is
warm-up as if it had a fermata above each note.
better learned and reinforced without the assis-
Try that with some of the chorct'll warm-ups.
tance of the piano. Choral singers must learn
A note about the ranges of the warm-ups in ttris not to rely on the piano. As we suggested
book: we formd that many warm-ups fall into above, you can teach a chordal warm-up with
one of two categories, those with a range of a the piano, but once it's learned, sing it without
fifth and those with a ra"rlge of an octave. For the piano.
4 The Complete Choraf, Warm-Up Book

re warm-ups important? Tb that ques- \üarm-ups Establish Focus
tion, most choral directors would answer, Everyone comes into a rehearsal from a differ-
"Yes." But the real answer to this question can ent path. with a different set of joys and con-
be found only in the choir rehearsal. Many cerns; however, everyone needs to come togeth-
choral directors utilize warm-ups with little er mentally early in the rehearsal. (Have you
connection to the choral rehearsal and some eveí felt like there are some individuals in your
may use no warm-ups at all. Here's an analo- choir whose minds are sti.ll somewhere
gy: Do you believe that routine maintenance is else...who never quite got there?) An effective
an important part of keeping a car in good warm-up or series of warm-ups brings the
running condition? Again, the answer, most choir's thinking into focus and irnmediately
Iikely, is yes. However, do we change the oil in establishes the unity of the group in the
our car every 3,OOO miles, as recommended? rehearsa,I. Encourage your singers to "Leave
With ourchoirs as with our cars, we do what your troubles at the door. Come in with a fresh
we think is important. attitude, and perhaps you won't want to pick up
your trotrbles when you lea,ve."
Often we don't recognize the importance of
warm-ups until we realize that our choir just ItrIarm-ups Prepare the
doesn't blend or sing in tune like it should. Voice for Singing
Similarly, we don't realize ttre importance of Tb simply jump right in to singing without a
regular oil changes until our car's engine warm-up can be as damaging to the voice as
needs a major overhaul. exercising without a physical warm-up. The
vocal instrument must be prepared to retrearse.
So, we all saythat warm-ups are important. When we warln-up, we concentrate on the
However, if they are not a regular part of each instrument...not on the repertoire. If we imme-
rehearsal and have "connectivity" to the üately begin rehearsing without a warm-up, Iit-
rehearsal or eventual performance, then what Ue thought will be given to vocal production or
we say and what we do may be two different the sound of ttre vocal instrument. The pitfall,
things. What we must do, then, is to establish in this case, is to just "sind' the music and not
(or re-establistr) the importance of choral to make beautiful sounds with the vocal instru-
warm-ups in the rehearsal. Choral warm-ups ment. Furthe¿ without warm-ups, the tendency
are necessary for the following reasons. for bottr young and rmtrained adult singers is to
immediately sing in the "speaking" or "chest"
1. Warm-ups establish focus. voice. So warm up, and get physically ready to
sing properly.
2. Warm-ups prepare the voice for singing.
Warm-ups Allow Singers to llear
3. Warm-ups allow singers to hear them- Themselves and Each Other
selves and each other. Choral singers frequently have difficulty
hearing their own voices in relation to other
4. Warm-ups establish physical readiness singers in their section or singers in other
for singing. sections. The ability to "hear" chorally canbe
learned and developed in the warm-up. A
5. Warm-ups establish proper breathing choir achieves proper balance when no single
habits. voice sticks out. Often in the midst of the
rehearsal, and eventually in the performance,
6. Warm-ups achieve unification of vowels. there is a singer or singers who do not bal-
ance or blend properly because they seem to
7. Warm-ups establish intonation melodical- hear only themselves. These singers, as weII
Iy and harmonically. as very soft singers, need to develop the abili-
ty to hear themselves in relation to the rest of
8. Warm-ups establish a connection with the the group. This canbe established effectively
music to be sung in the rehearsal. in the warm-up.
The Complete Chora,l Warm-Up Book 5

\lllarm-ups Establish Physical Work carefully in warm-ups on the "oo" vowel,
Readiness for Singing the troublesome "aw" vowel, and the "ee" vowel
The warm-up is the place in the choral to avoid spreading the vowels. Then transfer
rehearsal to emphasize every physical aspect that work to the rehearsal.
of singing, from the breathing and facial mus-
To put it simply, if you have not concentrated
cles to correct posture and standing position.
on vowel production in th.e choral warm-ups,
Encouraging singers during the warm-up to
you will not have consistent and unified vow-
sit and stand with correct posture will "con-
els in the rehearsal or performance.
nect" these good habits to the actual rehearsal.
Most choirs sing the way they look. If they Warm-ups Establish Intonation
Iook better, they sing better. Melodically and Harmonically
The major-scale steps from 3 ta (mita fa) and
Never do the identical set of warm-ups in two
7 to A $i to do) often cause intonation problems
consecutive rehearsals. You can repeat some
individual warm-ups, but don't have the sa¡n€ for choral singers. Frequently when singers go
routine from rehearsal to reheaxsal. Keep up a scale passage they don't make these haJf-
your singers gaessing. steps big enough. Conversely, when they
descend they make them too large. These are
natural tendencies but must be avoided. Work
Warm-ups Establish Proper Breathing Habits on ttrese half-steps as we}I as other intervals in
One of the most important skills involved in warm-ups.
singing is the ability to breattre adequately to
support a free and resonant seund. Singers Still another problem: the intonation of differ-
sound strained and breathy when they do not ent scale tones within the context of a chord.
have enough breath. Conversely, they sing Work on intonation of scales and chords slow-
with a more free, unforced sound when they Iy in warm-ups. Then gradually increase the
.take a full and deep breath. Warm-up is the tempo to lock in the proper intonation.
time good breathing habits are learned,
acquired, and When changing styles from one piece to
practiced. With proper breathing techniques another within the reheaxsaf,, interject a
your choir will take an important and funda- short stylistic warm-up in the new style.
mental step toward better singing.
Warm-ups Establish a Connection with the
Remember: Before you sing, you must
breathe and breathe properly. Music to be Sung in the Rehearsal
Often choir directors wtro routinely use warm-
ups overlook the area of style in selection and
Warm-ups Achieve Unification of Vowels use of their warm-ups. If you are retrearsing a
One of the major problems with choral blend is "classical" selection, some of the warm-ups
the lack of unified vowels. There are many the- should reflect this style. This would be much
ories on how to unify vowels. In our opinion, different than a warm-up to prepare ttre
however, the best way to do so is to form vowels singers for a Renaissance madrigal or a pop
"vertically," that is, with the corners of the ballad. Much can be taught and learned about
mouth in. A lack of attention to vowel produc- stylistic interpretation through warm-ups.
tion will result in a choir with a lack of blend.
Genera)ly the style of the ffust piece to be
If you wait until you're rehearsing music to rehearsed should be reflected in the last
work on vowels, it's too late. Emphasize vow- warÍn-up before rehearsing that selection.
els in warm-ups.
6 The Complete Choral Warm-tlp Book

Children's Choirs 2. Work on breathing, keeping the voices
fffiorking with children's ctroirs can be a supported, but never over-sing.
fl§lrewarding experience for the ctroral 3. Keep warm-ups and rehearsal positive.
director. However, planning and care must be
Remember, most of the children Liked
taken to make warm-ups and retrearsals rele-
music before they started singing in your
vant to this age group. One ofthe greatest
choir. Make sure they lea,ve with a better
challenges with children's choirs (for the pur-
poses of this discussion, children in kinder-
attitude toward singing as a result of your
garten through fifth or sixth grade) is that instruction.
often chitdren in the choir have a wide range 4. Keep the warm-ups fast-paced, leaving
of abilities and talents. fhe advantage with IitUe room for boredom or idle chatter.
this age group is that habits are forming and
5. Tty new warm-ups and new ideas. If
bad vocal habits have not yet been established.
they are presented well, there will be very
Still another advantage is that all singers can
sing the same treble part. Although some , little questioning by the students.
boys'voices may start to change in fifth or 6, Build sound vocal fundamentals and
sixth grade, the boys' changing voices do not habits that will remain throughout the
become a real ctrallenge for choral teactrers students' singing development in middle
until ttre middle grades. school, high school, and throughout
In grades K-6, most students are in the devel- their adult lives.
opmental stage that noted French psychologist
Jean Piaget would call the "concrete opera- For childxen's choirs, select music with fun
tions" stage. At this stage most learning is texts or texts that are immeüately under-
immediate and not questioned...no "Why are stood by the students. Avoid heavy, philo-
we doing this?" that teaclrers often hear in the sophical texts. ChiJdren want to know what
middle school grades. Some fourth and fifth they are sing'ing about.
grade boys, trowever, may be reticent toward
singing. This is why a positive attitude
toward singing must be established early in Middle School Choirs
ttre elementary grades. The middle school and junior high years carrbe
the most challenging age group for any choral
Tbachers at all levels must make a conscious ürector. However, many choral directors find
daily effort to be positive. Don't treat the ulti- working with this age group tobe greaily
mate performance as "life itself." Rathet rewarding.
emphasize that singing is a "part of life."
Especially at the elementary level, choral Unfortunately, the general public (and even
teachers need to be organized and stay up-beat our profession sometimes) expects very little
and cheerful throughout th.e retrearsal. from junior high and middle school choirs.
Selecting appropriate warm-ups and reper- Sometimes, it seems, aII that's required is for
toire reinforces singers and makes rehearsals a middle sctrool group to stand (or slump) in
and performances more enjoyable. When place and get through the music. IIowever,
starting a children's choir, begin with fun students of this ag'e can, in fact, sing magnifi-
song's (i.e., folk song:s, action songs, partner cently if they are given sound vocal funda-
songs), and then prog'ress into two-part and mentals and appropriate repertoire.
possibly three-part repertoire. In addition, Ttrat's why it's often easier for teachers (especial-
incorporate some songs with movement. ly beginning teachers) to achieve success in the
Here are some specific suggestions for warm- middle sclrool than at any other level.
ups with children's choirs:
However, the middle school years are a crucial
1. Start ttre rehearsal with some action, time in the development of young singers. At
such as physical movement or call-and- this age they are not really children and not
response patterns. yet teenagers. Many are not yet sure wtro or

what they are. These years are also a time of part down an octave. Singing the alto
ultimate peer pressure. Furthermore, all of part down an octave wiII take them out of
their maturational and biological changes their range. (Perhaps this sounds like
make this a very "high energy" time of their common knowledge, but we frequently
lives. So why is this such a great age group to hear two-part choirs with the boys
tea,ch? If you, as a creative and energetic singing the alto part down an octave and
teacher, can get ttrese students to'1cuy in" to
the notes just aren't there.)
what you're saying, they will do virtually any-
thing for you. 6. Recognize that healthy and fun singing
are your goals at this age. No yelling or
Middle school students truly want structure,
screaming allowed. Sing songs with
organization, and fun, all at the same time.
texts the singers can relate to and strive
They do not respond to serious, stuffy presen-
to actrieve musical success in a relatively
tations of learning material.
strort amount of time.
Middle school boys are generally in one of .
three stages: If you have unchanged male voices singing
1. Their voices have not changed. sopra;no, do not seat tkose boys right in tke
midüe of the girls' soprano section. Seat a,11
2. Their voices are changing. of the boys together. We prefer a seating of,
3. Their voices havejust changed. from left to right, soprano, baritone, alto, with
the unchanged boys on the left side of the
This is a most uncomfortable time in a male's ma,le section (next to the sopranos) a,nd the
singing development. (Believe us, we remem- boys with clnnged voices on the right side
ber!) A generation ago, there was very little (next to the iltas).
repertoire or pedagogy for dealing with the
boy's changing voice. Tbday there's a wealth
of music for mixed voices that's much more High School Choirs
comfortable for the boy with the changing or Tbaching at the high school level presents its
just-changed voice. The main caution to mid-
own special considerations, problems, and chal-
dle school choral directors is this: don't focus Ienges. Generally, by the ti-rne students get to
on or isolate boys at this age. There is nothing
trigh school their values and attitudes are form-
more frightening to a middle sctrool boy with
ing. They have usually decided whether or not
an uncomfortable and unpredictable voice than
they like to sing, whether or not they üke
to be thrust into the spotlight.
sports, etc. In addition, the high school teacher
Here are some tips for warm-ups and rehearsal is dependent upon the quality of the feeder pro-
in the middle school choir: gram. Howeve¿ you should never look on the
1. Select warm-ups that are in a comfortable quality of the feeder prograrn as the sole deter-
rang'e for both the girls and boys. mining factor in your prograrn.
2. TYy to keep the distance of the melodic Recruiting, especially boys, can be a challenge
warm-up within a fifth rather than an for high school choral teactrers. Quality gen-
octave. erally breeds guality. If you establish a solid
3. Keep the warm-ups and the class moving. choral prograrn from the beginning, with good
Don't do any one warm-up or song too choral tone and repertoire, students in the pro-
long. The attention span at this age is gram wiII be your best recruiters.
relatively short. Stay on one thing too
Iong and the students will mentally leave "I remember my first high schol choir. We
you and discipline problems will start. had 27 students...2O g:irls and seven guys, six
4. Don't try to match the students'energy, of whom thought they were basses. After four
but be enthusiastic and energetic. years we had. 25O ir1 the choral program...in a
high schal of 45O. Singingbxante apopuJar
5. When doing two-part music, generally thing to do." Robinson
have the changed boys sing the soprano -Russell
8 The Complete Chora) Warm-up Book

All high sctrool choirs should be able to sing Church Youth Choirs
SAIB literature. If yours is a group just start- In today's churctr scene, youth ctroirs take vari-
ing out, or a ninth grade or beginning ctrorus, ous forms, ranging from a traditional group (a
SAB literature may be appropriate. The diver- young chancel choir) to pop or rock ensembles.
sity of the literature high school choirs can As with all choral groups, fund.amental choral
sing is atnazing. There is much quality music singing is essential. Warm-ups can be extreme-
for high school choirs (as well as a lot of poor ly important for ctrurch youth choirs because
quality music) and the ambitious choral direc-
rehearsals are generally in the evening or at a
tor should have little problem finding appropri-
time when the singers have come from all sorts
ate music each year.
of other activities. After introductory remarks
The following are some considerations for or a prayer, get the students right into warm-
high school groups in warm-ups and ups that relate directly to the pieces you'Il be
rehearsal. retrearsing.
1. Over-plan your retrearsal so that ¡rou .
have the flexibility to move to different Repertoire for church youth choirs can be
parts of a lesson. And always have your much more fun and thematic in nature than
plan written down. school repertoire because the academic rigors
2. Write the planned songs and warm-ups and the performance or repertoire standards
on the board. are not as pressured as in ttre public school
environment. With these groups, tours, spe-
3. Emphasize correct posture. Given the
opportunity, high school students will cial church concerts and activities are as much
slump or slouch in their chairs. a part of establishing high morale as anything
you do. Often the youth choir wiII be the most
4. Have a routine for getting focus at ttre sigrrificant recruiter for ottrer ctrurch activi-
beginning of the retrearsal so the stu-
ties. Here are a few suggestions for warm-ups
d.ents know that class begins on time
and rehearsals with church youth choirs.
and with a musical task.
5. Use physical warm-ups. However, avoid 1. Get into a warm-up routine as quickly as
overuse of having the students touch possible, recognizing that the singers
each other. have not been in a "school" situation
6. Remember that the guys'voices are only when they come to you. Get ttrem
recently changed, and are still in a focused early in the rehearsal.
changing stage. Tteat the male voices
with care so their voices aren't pushed 2. Choose repertoire that has a wide variety.
and forced. Don't hesitate to use a rhythm section
and/or a horn section.
7. Establish small ensemble experiences
that allow for those students who want to 3. Make the musical experience fun, yet
excel individually and independently. make sure students sing in a healthy
8. Establish an esprit de corps with such manner.
morale builders as student leaders, some
elected, some appointed. Many high 4. Remember that some of the students may
school students have strong leadership be there because they have to @arental
potential just waiting to be developed. pressure, etc.). Your goal is to get them
9. Remain positive and never lose your to sing because they wantto.
enthusiasm in front of your students. 5. Don't permit the group to perform at a
Remember: their attitude can never be
Sunday service or a concert unless and
better than yours!
until they are well prepared.
Dont start your rehearsa,ls by taking ro11.
Appoint a secxetary or student helper to do Although some singers in a church youth
that ta.sk or have some other means of taking choir may be pushed to participate by their
attendance. Beg"in your reheatsal with a parents, they need to become self-motivated
musica,l event. for the group to become successful.
The Comp)ete Chora^I Warm-Up Book I

Adult Church and Community Choirs weII on its way to a good choral sound. (By
There is one distingrrishing factor about adult the way, vowel production is much easier to fix
church choirs and community choirs that sets in adult choirs than uncontrollable vibrato.)
ttrem apart from all the previously mentioned
Ilere are some considerations when working
choirs: the singers are there because they want
with adult church choirs and community
to be. Or, to put it conversely, they don't have to
choirs:
be there if they don't want to! And how those
singers feel about wtrat they're doing has every- 1. Keep rehearsals cheerful and allow for
thing to do with how the rehearsals and perfor- humor and spontaneity.
mances should be organized. Ttris is not to say
that rehearsals should be so lax that the direc- 2. Focus on vowel formation in warm-ups to
tor sounds more like a referee than a conductor. achieve consistent vocal production that
But there is more room for levity in rehearsals will carry over into the rehearsal.
with adult volunteers.
3. Continue to emphasize vocal fundamen-
Another difference with adult groups is the ' tals throughout the rehearsal through
wide range of vocal qualities within the group.
modeling.
By adulthood both good and bad singing habits
are weII established. Tb get the "warbling"
4. Don't expect the sound to change immedi-
soprano(s) to blend with the "strident" tenor(s)
ately. Realize ttrat some of the incorrect
presents a challenge to all directors of these
singing you hear may have been estab-
groups. Establish proper habits in your warm-
lished decades ago.
ups and the sound will be better in the
rehearsal. Still, you must continue reinforcing
good singing habits throughout the rehearsal.
5. Remember that ttre singers in adult
groups are there because they want to
Most of the problems with blend in adult be and not because they have to be.
choirs are caused by inconsistent vowel pro- Choose literature that "connects" with
duction. Once this is cured the group wiII be them, yet challenges them.

Procedures a¡rd Precautions Your final warm-up before the performance is
ffio* many times have you thought you extremely important and can set the tone for
L&lwere directing one group in rehearsal for everything that follows. IIere are some trelp-
days, weeks, months, only to find that when ful hints for that final, pre-performance warm-
you reached the performance it seemed like up.
you were conducting a different group? In
performance yo:u are directing a different 1. Do not vary your warm-up routine from
group! normal rehearsals.
What are the variables that contribute to the 2. Work on deep breathing, i.e., in slowly
changes that occur on stage? Are there proce- through the nose, out through the
dures and precautions we can take to bridge mouth.
the gap between rehearsal and performance?
3. Encourage proper posture but not rigid
First, we all know that the body releases posture.
adrenaline as a response to stimulation in
times of stress. On stage, singers react to 4. Remind singers that the knees should be
adrenaline in widely varying ways. In the slighily bent but not locked.
excitement of performance some singers do
things they have never done before: 5. If the singers need to move something on
stage, encourage ttrem to wiggle their
r They may decide to sing out for the first toes inside their shoes.
time in their lives.
6. Remind them to breathe and to avoid fid-
o They may decide to improvise on their geting or playing with hair, nose, etc.
we1l-retrearsed part.
7. Don't talk about passing out! Our experi-
r They may get "cotton mouthed" and ence points to a high correlation between
change from a supported sound to a stri- speeches about passing out and the num-
dent or airy sound. ber of students who begin to drop during
o They may decide to watch individuals in a performance.
the audience rather than the conductor. 8. Make lots of positive statements about
o They may pass out! your repertoire. Let the singers'know
what you think will go well, not what
So, what can be done to avoid these dilemmas you think will go wrong.
and maintain consistency between rehearsals
and performance? 9. Encourag'e singers to enjoy ttre perfor-
mance and look like they áre enjoying it.
Most importantly, do not create more anxiety
Isn't this what music is all about?
in the singers than that which already exists.
Singers should perceive performances as a nat- 10. Don't take the singers on stage too early
ural extension of and progression from the before they perform.
rehearsal. Tbo often we, as conductors, imply
that the performance is the most important ele- 11. Some self-actualization or visualization
ment in the choral program (or in life itself!). techniques are a big plus. For example:
Instead, emphasize that performances are the Have the singers form a circle, join
inevitable and comfortable "payoff'for all the hands, close their eyes, and mentally
hard work in rehearsals. In addition, try to think about the performance. This tech-
create performance practice in the rehearsals. nique works quite well, even wittr
Your singers will then perceive less difference junior high groups, to calm the effects
between rehearsals and performance. of adrenaline.
The Complete Chora,I Warm-Up Book 11

If singers are proud of what they are doing, Always rehearse the performance sequence
they will look proud. If they look like "the before a rehearsa,l. Have your singers Jine
best choir in the world" they will have a up and walk on stage (prefexably in the con-
much better chance of sounding good than cert haJl, but if not, in a,nother auditorium or
if they are slouched and slumped. How they even in the rehearsal room) and actua)ly go
look has a lot to do with how they sound. through the performance with very few
stops. Then exit. This will not ottly g'ive you
an idea of how the performance will sound,
but it will then be easier for your students to
Performances should be an enjoyable experi- uisua,lize and actua,lize the performance if
ence for ttre choir. If the director is organized, they have rehearsed the scenario.
positive, and the performance (including the
entrance and exit) is thoroughly rehearsed, the
pre-performance warm-up should simply be a
Whenever possible, do a sound check of the
time of getting the voices ready to sing and '
acoustics of the concert hall before your per-
giving positive reminders to the group. Life is forma,nce. This is especially helpful prior to
fuII of anxieties; alleviating them with organi- your first performa,nce in a rTew or unfamil-
zatíon and preparation makes for a more enjoy- iar concert ha.Ll or location.
able ctroral experience.
LZ The Complete Chord Warm-Up Book

FF'
mtv, I
§l,¡l¡|"t y of the vocal problems that singers AIso, tell singers to bring pillows. And
and choirs encounter are due to a lack of rest don't allow singing on the bus until after
for the voice. Although the effects oflack of the performance, if ttren.
rest can show up at any time, they frequently
2. If youhave a choice of when to perform,
occur in two specific choral scenarios:
schedule your performance shortly after
1. Adjuücation or Evaluation Festival you arrive, i.e., the next morning. This
Performances, and way, your activities, such as a trip to a
theme park, wiII be after your perfor-
2. Honor Choirs or Camps.
mance. When we judge groups, we can
Adjudication or Evaluation Festival usually tell by listening and looking at
Performances them whether this is the end of their trip
These performances include district or state or ttre beginning.
adjudications or out-of-town performances for 3. Make the students' "caIL" for bed one
private, national, or regional festivals. In . hour earlier ttran usual the night before
such situations singers frequently travel long your performance. For example, if you
hours, usually on a bus, and sometimes want them in bed by 11:OO the nighb
spend the night before the performance in a before a performance, have them in ttreir
motel. Students might go to activities such rooms by 1O:OO. A voice cannot perform
as theme parks and get very little sleep. on less than four hours'sleep. Tty to get
After these exhilarating and tiring experi- at least eight hours before the perfor-
ences we ttren expect them to sing at their mance.
optimum level of performance. In these situa-
tions the voice gets very little rest and is 4. Encourage students to drink plenty of
most fatigued at the time of the performance. water. Have water on the busses and in
the warm-up room. Water is the voice's
Remember, the vocal cords are nothing more Iubricant; without it, the voice wiII
ttran muscle which is stretched and pulled become scratchy.
each time we talk, sing, or yell. As with any
other muscle, overuse or lack of rest causes Ifonor Choirs and Camps
fatigue and poor performance. Without rest Ifonor choir rehearsal sctredules (all-state, dis-
and adequate recovery time the voice cannot trict, and all-county choirs, etc.) can be gruel-
perform at its best. ing. We usually require that these highly
The following'are a few suggestions which can auditioned singers have the music learned or
help (notice we did not say grrarantee) the even memorized before showing up at the
voice get as much rest as possible prior to event. Then we rehearse them six, eight, or
adjudication and festival performances. more hours a day for two or more days and
expect them to sing at their best at the culmi-
1. If traveling by bus, try to rent busses nating concert. UsuaIIy the group reaches its
with a video system so that the singers optimal performance level in the middle of the
have ttre option to watch movies while second day of rehearsals. The rest is overkill.
traveling. Encourage them to bring
playing cards, personal stereos (with Everyone involved in these festivals wants the
headphones), other games and activities. best from the singers, not worn-out and abused
Given nothing to do on the bus, junior voices. As conductors we must continually
high and high school singers wiII opt to encourage vocal healttr throughout these festi-
talk loudly and perhaps scream. vals.
Remember, they are talking or yelling The choral camp is anottrer area in which both
over the sound of a bus engine which is students and teachers are involved during the
why they can't speak softly to be heard. summer months. At these camps and work-
Rather than getting into a "Stop talk- shops the schedules are frequently planned
ing!" or "Stop yelling!" mode, have activi- with little consideration for the voice. Often,
ties planned to keep students occupied. students sing for three hours in the morning,
The Complete Choral Wa,rm-Up Book 13

four hours in the afternoon, and sometimes 3. In camp situations, alternate singing
have evening rehearsals as well. With a sched- with other activities as mentioned
ule like this, the voice can't function by the above, with no more than two sessions
fourth or fifth day...the day of the final concert. of singing back-to-back.
Most students attending tronor ctroirs and
camps are highly motivated and, given the 4. The day's first rehearsal should include
opportunity, will sing "aII out" aII the time. an extended warm-up to establish or
So, what can we, as directors, do in such re-establish blend, balance, tone, diction,
cases? and focus. The first rehearsal after
Iunch or dinner should include some
First, if you have any input on ttre planning of
energetic "wake-up" t¡pe warm-ups to
such festivals or workshops, includ.e other
avoid boredom and fati.grre.
activities in the schedule. Special interest ses-
sions (such as conducting, theory, technology,
careers) and recreational breaks should be . 5. Encourage students to drink plenty of
built into each day's schedule. water during breaks.
In rehearsals, conductors should be sensitive
and pay special attention to vocal problems. 6. Involve the students in some "mental"
These problems tend to surface about the end rehearsal when vocal rehearsals are
of the second or third day. Encourage light extensive. An example might be to trave
"head" singing where ttre concern is precision the accompanist play through with the
ofentrances, releases, text, and notes. Allow music with director conducting and the
students to mentally sing the music and mark singers mouthing the words or mentally
their scores or review their scores after memo- rehearsing the music.
rízation.
7. Always encourag'e vocal health. Remind
The following'are some considerations for rest
students about the use of proper breath
and the voice in honor choir and camp situa-
tions. control and vowel production. Advise
them not to over-sing. With choirs of 15O
1. Encourage students to get the rest or more voices, it's rarely necessary to
necessary for good singing. This is sing Iouder than forte.
fundamental.
2. PIan breaks every sixty to ninety min- I{onor choirs and choral camps are wonderful
utes. If the first rehearsal block runs musical experiences for young singers...expe-
from 9:OO to 11:3O, rehearse from 9:OO to riences they will remember for the rest of their
1O:15, then take a fifteen minute break lives. Conductors mr:.st make every effort to
before returning for the final hour. insure that stud.ents'voices are in top shape
Never run your longest rehearsal at the for the concert and guard against peaking too
end of a rehearsal block. early in the retrearsal schedule.
L4 The Complete Choral Warm-up Book

q
§.I
ffihysical warm-ups are an essential part of each rehearsal. They allow the singers to get
focused before singing. In addition, physical warm-ups can serve two other functions:
1. Relieve tension that may be brought to the rehearsal.
2. Stimulate the bodies if singers are lethargic. Make physical warm-ups a part of each
retrearsal, but don't overdo it. Physical warm-ups should be limited to no more than five
minutes of the rehearsal.
Arm Stretches
This physical warm-up can be done very easily within the choral rehearsal. Have the singers
lock their fingers and stretch forward, up, ba.ck, right, and left. You might have singers shake
ttreir hands out at the end. This gets the rib cage and waist flexible for singing.
Reaches & Climb the Ladder

Have the singers reach to the sky and look up, then "climb the ladder" with open hand. Then
hold the rung of the ladder and pull down as the other hand goes up and repeat. This will help
get the body in alignment for singing. The director should call out, "Grab with the right hand.,
Ieft hand, right hand and, stretch," and so on.
The Complete Choral Warm-Up Book 15

Bend Over and
Gradually Come Up
Singers should bend over aII
the way to the floor and
shake out the hands. Over a
count of ten, have the
singers gradually come up to
a "singing" position. The
gradual rise over a count of
ten is related to the concept
of a gradual crescendo.
Puppet Posture
In this physical warm-up, singers should stand erect as if suspended fr:om the ceiling. Have
them bend all the way over, putting their hand in front of their head as if pulling a string.
Keeping the body straight from the waist up, rise up while continuing to pull on the "string."
When the singer is erect, the "string" is holding the head up. This prevents ttre singer from hav-
ing a head that tilts to one way or the other.
16 The Complete Choral Warm-up Book

Shoulders ln,
Shoulders Back
This exercise will help your
singers get their shoulders
relaxed. Have them put the
right shoulder forward and
then back. Repeat with the
left shoulder. Note the feet
remain facing front.
Elbow and Arm Stretch

This will stretch the triceps
and increase blood flow.
Have ttre singers pull their
right arm back with the left
arm. Tty to touch the center
of the back with the right
palm. HoId the right elbow
with the left hand, pulling
down and stretching. Repeat
with the left arm.
The CompLete Chora,l Warm-Up Book L7

Head Tilt
This exercise relaxes the
neck for singing.
Remember, when singÍng
there should never be any
tension in the shoulders or
neck. Breath comes from the
abdomen and pitch comes
from the vocal cords. TiIt the
head forward, then right and
straight up, then left and
straight up.
Posture
Posture is an important prerequisite to good singing. The breathing mechanism must be
allowed freedom to take full, deep breaths. The body must be in proper alignment so that the
head rests on the shoulders and tension is not created by compensating for poor posture.
Besides, good choirs always look good! We have never seen a ctroir of high quality that did not
make good posture a habit both in rehearsal and performance. Since a picture is worth a thou-
sand words, take a look at this concept of good posture, both standing and seated.
18 The Complete Chora.I Warm-Up Book

Good Poor
Standing Posture
Without Foldet-Front
When standing, singers
should strive to have their
chest high, the feet slighUy
apart, the hands comfortably
to the sides, and the head nice
and ta.il (as if a string is
pulling it to the top of the ceil-
ing-see "puppet posture,"
p. 16). The hands shouldbe
relaxed and loose if not hold-
ing music. The music should
be held by one hand, atlowing
the other hand freedom to turn
pages. Ttris postr-rre promotes
proper breathing and ease of
singing.
Good Poor
Standing Posture
Without Foldet-Side

Good
Standing Posture
With Folder-Front
Good Poor
Standing Posture
With Folder-Side
W.:.á
§_ §,4{
é:W

Good Poor
Seated-Front
When seated, singers
should sit tall" with the
back away from the ctrair,
feet flat on the floor with
one foot slightly in front of
the other, Ieaning slightly
forward. An "eyebrows
up" approach gives a look
of interest. HoId the music
with one hand (we prefer
the ieft), which allows for
support and page turning
by the ottrer hand. Never
(and that's an absolute)
rest the elbow on the knees
when singing. This will
create rather than alleviate
tension in the body.
Good Poor
Seated-Side
The Complete Chora,l Warm-Up Book 2t

horal blend is made up of two ingredients: (1) Vertical Vowel Formation and
(2) Balance-both within and among sections. Tb put it another way:
Blend = Vertical Vowels + Balance (within and among sections).
Vowel formation and unity of vowels among your singers is of utmost importance. The "vertical
vowel" concept makes sure that all vowels are sung'with the corners of the mouth in, as if every
vowel is derived from the "oo" vowel.
Let's take each vowel separately.
"oo"
The "oo" vowel should be
formed with a nice, pure "oo", or
tiny "o" on the tips of the lips.
,,AHU
Good Poor
This vowel should be formed as
an"aw" to keep ttre corners
pulled in. It is impossible to
blend a spread vowel, and
singers can easily transfer the
"aw" concept to beautiful vowel
production.

,,EEU Good Poor
This vowel should always be
formed with an "oo" on the tips
of the lips and an "ee" inside.
This wiII physically stop the
vowel from spreading. Terms
like'bright," " dark," "round,"
and even "vertical" are mean-
ingless unless we tell singers
trow to physically produce and
form the sound.
,,EH' Good Poor

The "eh" vowel is best formed
when the singers conceptualize
it as an "ehw" sound. This
technique wiII allow the
singers to physically produce a
vertical "etr" without siipping
into an "ey" sound.
"oH" Good
The *oh" vowel can only be
formed with a pure round "o"
on the lips. AU vowels should
be formed with a relaxed jaw.
The Complete Choral Warm-up Book 28

Warm-Ups to Beglin the Rehearsal
Your first warm-ups in a rehearsal have several limited purposes:
r First, and foremost, to get the choir singíng, not as individual
singers, but as a group.
. To begin to warm up the muscles of the jaw, face, neck, and., of
course, the muscles of the breathing apparatus. Singers frequently
need to be reminded about breath support.
. To begin work on tone quality.
Start your retrearsal with unison warm-ups featuring eighth or quarter
notes at a moderate tempo. Note that many of the warm-ups in this section
begin on a moderately high note and move downward. This allows the
"head voice" to come down. If you start with warm-ups which move up
from the starting pitch, your singers, especially your female singers, wiII
often force their "chest voice" up.
Next, you might move on to some simple Z-paxt warmups such as

Warm-ups 11 and 15.
Complete this sequence of warm-ups with exercises d.esigned to focus on

pure choral tone, such as Warm-ups 5, I and 19.
You can begin to expand the vocal range of the warm-ups by moving
up and down chromatically. At this point, don't stretch the ranges
too far. That comes later in your warm-up sequence.
The Comp)ete Choral Warm-Up Book 2ó

This warm-up will focus the ah (aw) vowel and help get it consistent throughout the
choir. It also helps to bring the head voice down. Tty using it with other vowels, such
as Yoo, Yoh, Yee, and Yeh. The "y" allows for a good natural attack. Avoid using any
e><plosive or stopped consorrants; the purpose of this warm-up is vowel focus, not dic-
tion.
This exercise uses a combination of vowels in a descending scale. Single vowel warm-
ups are fine, but eventually we mrlst move on and combine several vowels in one warm-
up. Like Warm-up 1 above, the "y" is a good natural attack. Tty singing this one in a
stightly d.etached maffrer (perhaps with an accent on ea,ctr note), and then do it with
smooth phrasing.
This fun warm-up serves the purpose of bringing the head voice down. It uses a varí-
ety of vowels with the explosive "p" to start each one. Strive to sing the half step
between "a" and "pot" in tune. Ttre alternate text is used also in Warm-up 53.
This one rea1ly works the tongue. Form the "wee" with an "oo" on the lips and an
"ee" inside the mouth. Once you've mastered that, aII that should trappen is that the
jaw and tongue drop to form the "oh" vowel. The outside of the mouth, other than
the dropping of the jaw, changes very little. Hint: pay close attention to the "ee"
vowel formation, and the "oh" should take care of itself.
This is a good warm-up to begin your rehearsal. It brings the tread voice down on the
"oo" vowel and witl avoid pushing the chest voice up. You can then incorporate other
vowels or you may begin on a hum. Remember when humming to keep the teeth
apart inside the mouth with the lips closed.
26 The Complete Chora,l Warm-Up Book

yawm, yawm, 1l
yah. I J
l. Pa - pa - pa - pa picked a pot of peas.

Z.Ma- ma made me mash my M &, M'S.
Wee - oh, wee - oh, wee - oh, wee - oh wee.
l. Noo noo noo noo noo.

2. Noo naw noo naw noo.
3.Mm
The Complete Choxa,l Warm-Up Book 27

This warm-up forces th:e tip of the tongrre to be placed ürecUy behind the bottom
teeth and th:e back of the tongrre to be raised. Starting with the "k" consonant will
also allow the jaw to drop between the "ee" and "ah" vowels. T?y other vowels such as
"Koo, koh, koo, koh, koo," "Koo, kee, koo, kee, koo," and "Koo, kah, koo, kah, koo."
Young singers Like this one a lot.
Here's a good one to use at the beginning of your warm-up sequence. It should float
genUy and bring the light head vpice down. Remember to keep corners of the mouth in
on ttre "ee" vowel.
If you have singers with "Iock jaw," ttris warm up may cure the problem. What hap-
pens when you begin the "ah" vowel with a "y"? You are really beginning with an
"ee"! This foxces thejaw to drop on eactr note. Younger singers (and older singers
with bad singing habits) often prefer to sing with a rigid jaw. Once a singer feels tbe
sensation of a relaxed jaw he will begin to change and loosen the jaw.
On this exercise go to the "ng" of "hung" immediately, then open up to the "aw"
vowel. This warm-up is excellent for placement of the "aw" vowel and for improving
air flow. The "aw" is perfecily placed when singing the "ng." Ail the singer needs to
do is drop the tongue in the back of the mouth and release the air for the "aw." You
don't have to sing this one in strict rhythm. In fact, you might want to conduct it in
a rubato manner, making sure your singers aII keep their eyes on you.
This warm-up is similar to the one above. Its purpose is to bring the head voice
down rather ttran pushing the chest voice up.
2a The Complete Choxal Warm-Up Book

kee. I J
Me - oh, me - oh, me - oh, me - oh, me-oh, me-oh *r.I I
l.Noo noo noo noo noo noo noo noo noo. I I

2.Noo naw noo naw doo bah doo bah doo.

A basic introductory warm-up used for flexibility and ex¡randing range. Wtren
descending, high voices may sing the cue-sized upper notes. IIo work on swing
rhythm, sing the eighth notes in a swing style, slightly emphasizing the second of
tl.e two eighth notes. You can sing this warm-up with virtually any two syllables.
Whatever syllables you use, make sure they're used with a purpose.
Use this warrr-up to develop a nice, resonant tone quality. T\vo groups of vowels are
suggested but you can try some of your own.
re
Orre of the mostbasic of warm-ups, this one r¡ses five main vowels and any consonant
you wish. Ttre director speaks ttre next group of syllables on beats three and four of the
second mea"sure: '"Iee tay tah," or "vee vay vah," etc. Good for diction or just simply to
get the jaw moving.
We talk about warmirrg up our voices. Here's an exercise that might be better described
as warming down, even though, it ascends in half step. This warm-up brings the head
voice down instead of pushing the chest voice up. T?re "oo" vowel is best to use with this
t¡pe of warm-up because it helps to focus ttre sormd. Begin with "noo" then move to
other syllahles. Strive fo: good tone quality and blend on ttre final note.
AO The Complete Chor4 !-=-Up look

Doo bee doo bee doo bee doo bee doo bee doo bee doo bee doo.
bee doo bee doo bee doo bee doo bee doo bee doo bee
l. Ee- oo- oo- ee.¡ I

2. Ee- eh- oh- oo-
Mee man mah moh moo moh mah mat¡ mee. tay tah." ,rc. I I
l.Noonoo noo noo

2.Noo aw noo aw
noo
n00 ":; ?,ZZ:.
T
The Complete Choxa,lWarm-tlp Book 31

Singing this warm-up is a good way to move from unison warm-ups to choral warm-
ups in two or more parts. Sing it first in unison to improve vocal flexibility as the
voice descends the scale and then ascends. Strive to sing it with very little, if any,
vibrato. After singing it in unison, divide into parts, having eactr part (use as many
parts as you wish) enter as the previous group begins the second measure. Make
sure the singers hear the chord produced on each beat. You may hold any chord,
adjusting and improving your intonation and blend. This is also an excellent warm-
up when you're studying vocal jazz styles.
Strive for a pure choral tone on this simple warm-up. To work on dynamic levels,
sing it fírst piano and then forte: Yott may also sing a separate syllable on each note.
Another exercise designed to bring the head voice down instead of pushing the chest
voiceup. fhis one has a range of a sixth. Substitute any syllables.
A brief warm-up for flexibility. It works especially well with young, two-part choirs.
You may also sing the first five notes slurred on one syllable.
This warm-up serves several purposes. First, ofcourse, it works on crescendos and
decrescendos. Secondly, it forces the singers to watch the director. You, as the direc-
tor, control the crescendos and decrescendos. Stop part way in the middle, hold a
certain dyrramic level, and then move on, making sure all singers have their eyes on
you. Thirdly, make sure the crescendos build with a warm, full choral sound.
Singers should not force theír foxtes arrd fortissimos. Finally, it helps you learn
what dynamic levels you can get out of your choir. Sing a full octave.
AZ The Complete Chora) Warm-üp Book

Doo baw doo baw doo baw doo baw doo baw doo baw doo baw
Nee- nay- nah- "-J

no_ noo noo noo noo noo. t J
noo.- Let us sing.

Transitional Warm-Ups
After your initiat warm-ups, move on to warm-ups with more specific
purposes. The benefits of these transitional w¡,rm-ups are as follows:
¡ To increase vocal flexibility. Tty Warm-ups 20 and 21.
. To expand the vocal range of the singers, both up and down.
See Warm-ups 4l and 42.
. To work on rhythms. Warm-ups 26, 27,39, and 40.
. To work on intervals. (See the separate section on intervals, page 97.)
. To continue to develop breath support and an awareness of the
diaphragm as it relates to vocal production. Warmups 24,26,29,
32 and 36.
. To begin work on phrasing. Warm-ups 39 and 40 are very melodic
and well-suited as exercises for phrasing.
During this period of transitional warm-ups, you might also begin to

work on dynamics. As you move up or down chromatically with a
warm-up, sing it alternatively forte t}:ren piano. Or practice crescendos
and decrescendos. Good warm-ups for dynamic work are Warm-ups 28,
29, 3t,34, and 35.
The Complete ChoralWarm-Up Book 35

Ttris is a familiar warm-up and flexibility exercise for instrumentalists which works
well for singers, too. Perhaps more importantly, however, it helps ttre ear to develop
knowledge of intervals. If your choir is having trouble with a particular interval in a
piece, sing through this warm-up and stop on the interval that's causing the problem
Do it right in the middle of the rehearsal if you have to.
,,
*¿;ffi11iljw¡ill{ffifl1ffi§i]€¡}lx§:ils§$::i¡{!]#l§it:*§il*iii}*!}$ .::.iir*d]}*llilffi#1*t]{!lrwnsili]ititl§t§:::s1,;*iiiiffif]
Here's another warm-up that's especially good for interval training. It requires a little
more concentration than Warm-up 20 above. But like Warm-up 20, it also gets the
voices flexible and in tune in a legato setting. Pay very close attention to the intonation
in the last four measures, and sing the sixth and seventh scale degrees accurately. Sing
this warm-up in various keys and see if you notice a difference. You may also have
singers rra"ssage the sides of their faces as they do this warm-up.
i111Hllffiffia*.:ls§'*!lll§§ii:la*rllli3ilffi*ii*g§ff¿j{f*§i}utIl§rlEéSllllllllllil3llsu::mlllillilllllllllulllurirrr::!:ii§§:{lif4e
The combination of the "oo" vowel and the "h" and "y" to get the vowel started wiII
help to achieve a focused quality in your choir and a connection to the breathing
mechanism. Make sure you sing lightly. Hint: keeping the eyebrows up helps in
singing lightiy.

Aw- aw- aw_ aw_
(or any vowel)
aw.
Aw eh ee oh oo.
(May be sung slurred with any vowel.)
Yoo hoo yoo hoo noo. I I
The Complete Choral Warm-Up Book 8?

Ttre purpose of this warm-up is to achieve unified placement on the different vowels.
The only thing that should happen between "ho" and "ha" is that the jaw simply
drops. Going from "hoo" to "hee" requires only that the "ee" is formed insj.d.e the
mouttr with the "oo" still on the lips to keep the vowel from spreading.
Ttris is another excellent warm-up to work the sound of the "ee" vowel and bring the
head voice down. ffou can imagine or hear in your mind what would happen if we
reversed ttris exercise and ascended it.) When coming down on ttre "oo" vowel the lips
should remain the same and form the "ee" inside. T?y this with various vowel combina-
tions to achieve uniforrnity of verticar vowels. Examples: "Bah, bah, bah, boh,,,..Bee,
bah, boh, bee," "Bee, beh, boh, boo."
Don't begin your warm-up sequence with this warm-up. Irowever, after you've
sung'a bit, this exercise is an excellent way to increase the top range and make it
comfortable. It will also assist in intonation, since ascending scales frequenily
want to go flat, especially between the third and fourth, and seventh and eighth
scale degrees (i.e., mi-fa and ti-do).
This warm-up will get the sound connected to the breath with a gentle popping of
each syllable. Make sure that there is a deep, fuII breath before the phrase so that it
is not popped from the throat, but from the diaphragm. work on the intonation of
the triad and the descending scale.

Ho ho ha ha hoo hoo hee hee nee. I !
l. Bah bah bah uán. t 1

2. Bee bah boh bee.
k.:...:::..:]',.:]::,:j*]1|.]i*.l!lkr.*É;=.::ii1ffi::=:ffi:§ffiE.§',§*¡ffi9'::!iñii]]*w]]]W|u:#]]]+
A A
l. Yoo hoo hoo hoo hoo. Yoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo
2. Aw aw
Yoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo. Yoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo.
aw aw
i¡ii::ffiii}ill1§wt'¡§*,;s1]§l@s§ire:iit*§.liiil§:ii::ffi*:ffi]i*#ni!';.#*ffil§6#ü]ii]*ffi..ws!ffi3
Hip hip ho ho hohohohono.Il

Often the dotted-eighth/sixteenth rhythmic pattern is difficult for singers to articu-
Iate. In classical ctroral music it is articulated precisely, exactly as notated. In pop
music, this rhythm is usually performed as a triplet. Either way, this exercise will
isolate the rhythm and at the same time reinforce intonation and vowel placement.
Alternate texts are "no, ah, nee, atr, noo" and "nah, netr, nee, noh, noo.,,
This warm-up encourages flexibility in the jaw and allows the mouth to relax as each
eighth note is articulated. You may use alternate vowels such as "ya, ya, yoo, yoo,, or
"yoo, yoo, yee, yee" or "ya, ya, yoh, yoh." T?y different combinations for variety.
ffifáffiia§i:*et{ ffi§!**i¡s
A warm-up sung all on the same note allows singers to listen to the vowel formation
alone. Isn't it interesting how the choir solrnds lovely on one vowel but does not
blend on another? why? Inconsistent vowel production. This type of exercise wiII
isolate and, hopefully, fix the problem. Remember to keep the throat area relaxed
and the corners of the mouth in and rounded. Go up or down in ha,1f or whole steps.
Substitute any syllable.
This warm-up should not be sung first in your warm-up seq¡rence. use it, instead, to
bridge the low voice to the high voice as singers go to the "nah" over the break. Tty
to sing this with as much warmth and as full a tone as possible.
40 The Complete Choxal Warm-lJp Book

r-31 r-3-----¡
OR,
ahno ahno.l ! No ah no ah no.l !
i1:i§{i:::#]}8ll#llilllli}¡€ffit:i*§í§::::E*]l]]]]]]]]]]+*r:4}lw#]4EE!}t}§*it!t$üreffi:4üllls§:::!E!t*ffi§t{W{ilBllire§l*iffi
,
la loh too. I !
ffi :ffi $§*f#lluulllffi sG!:41;r¡!il
Nee eh nah. nee neh nah noh ,oo. I I
The Complete Choxal Warm-Up Book 4l

Another "therapeutic" warm-up to smooth out the sound from low to high. Make
sure that the "ah" vowe1 is not attacked but sung as a gentle "aw," as opposed to
the previous "eh." Then, when singing the last half of the warm-up (the arpeggiated
I chord) make sure the "singing" voice remains intact, without going into the
"chest" voice.
This exercise really uses the aafnragm with the gentle explosions of the "hee" and
"haw." It also gets the singers aware of the beauty (or lack of beauty) in the "aw" and
"atr" vowels. The difference is in the vowel placement, vertical or horizontal. Sing
ttris warm-up in a detached manner.
This is a popular warm-up that can be done several different ways. For example:
start by having aII singers sing the entire exercise twice through. Then, have
sopranos and altos begin with tenors and basses entering at @. Next have sopranos
begin, tenors enter when sopranos reach @. Repeat, ad lib. AIso, try to have eactr
voice part crescendo as it ascends the scale and decrescendo as it descends.
Singers need to hear the diatonic intervals that they sing frequently in rehearsal.
This two-part exercise can be done in four parts, having two voice parts start and the
other two enter when the first two voices get to @. For example, have all ladies sing
the top part and men the bottom part. Next, have sopranos and tenors start and
altos and basses enter wtren the sopranos and tenors reach @ . Some of the intervals
or chords will have more tension than others, but make sure the singers listen and
tune their notes throughout. You can also sing this warm-up on different syllables,
such as "noh" or "nee."

Nee neh nah noh noo. I +
l.Mee hee haw haw haw haw haw haw haw haw haw haw haw. +
ha ha ha ha ha. I
I
2.Mee hee ha ha ha ha ha ha v
l. Noo naw
2. Doo bah
etc.
etc. II
Noo noo etc.

This is ttre same as Warm-up 34 , above, for two-part treble choirs. Mixed ctroirs can
also use it by having the sopranos and tenors sing one part and the altos and basses
the other. Tty it with the sopranos and tenors on the bottom part and the altos and
basses on top.
This is a good exercise to do toward the end of your melodic warm-ups. It can really
open up the back of the throat, especially on the first note. Be careful that young
singers do not over-reach for the first note. Encourage them to drop the jaw irnmedi-
ately and keep the throat area very relaxed. Start on a comfortable pitch and work
up or down in half steps. Use any syllable.
This exercise will help with the clarity of repeated notes on the "ah" as well as
incorporating both triads and scale-wise passages. It wiII also work on the simi-
Iarities, differences, and consistency among the choir members between the "oo"
and "oh" vowels.
Use this for a flexibility exercise (not your first warmup, please!). Strive for precision,
especially on ttre second beat when singing the "ee" vowel on the first two notes of the
second triplet. Ttris is an excellent warm-up to teach the similarities between the *oo"
and "ee" vowels.

Noo noo etc.
Pa- pa- pa. Loo oh loo oh loo oh loo oh
l.Loo ee loo ee- loo ee.

2.Nee oh nee oh- nee oh. 1 !

A great warm-up for developing and rehearsing the "swing" style. Make sure the
*dot's" are strort (staccato) and that the rhythms are performed in correct swing style
(quarter-eighth triplet). You can sing this in a variety of keys and tempos. Tfy start-
ing slow, then getting faster and cleaner. And be sure to sing the intervals perfectly
in tune. Don't rush the rest in the final measure; think four steady beats.
An excellent warm-up to bring the head voice down while emphasizing breathing,
th.is exercise wiII keep your singers from pushing the chest voice up. Make sure all
singers take a big breath (from the bottom up). Go up or down in half steps. T?y dif-
ferent vowels and consonants once you've learned ttris one. It's also a good exercise
for rehearsing the difference between even eighths and the dotted-eighth/sixteenth
rhythm. In this case, the dotted-eighth/sixteenth rhythm is performed precisely, and
not in the "swing" style. Once you've learned it, move the dotted-eighth/sixteenth
rhythm to a different beat.
Here's a super flexibility exercise to stretch the voices. The greatest challenge with
this warm-up wiII be to make the sixteenth notes clear and accurate in the second
measure. Also, make sure the "ee" vowel is formed with an "oo" on the lips for a
good vertical vowel sound. At first, you might add an "h" in front of the "aw" for
better articulation. Then, just "think" the "h," and finally, remove it entirely. Sing
this warm-up in one breath.
This one's a variation on Warm-up 41 arrd REAILY stretches the voice a fu-II octave and
a half. The challenge of singing the sixteenth notes is even greater. Make sure ea,ch
note is carefully articulated. "Ttrink" the chord tones . . . the last four sixteenth notes
are aY7 chord.
46 The Complete Chora,l Waxm-Up Book

r3-
swingtJl=l )t
CDm
Doodot doo- ba dot doo dot doo- ba dot doo dot d.oo- ba doodot. I
doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo be doo.l I
Zee-

The Next Four Warm-ups Feature Physical Activities
In this exercise, as the arpeggio goes up, the singers gently bend the knees, rising
again on the descending arpeggio. It's the opposite of what you'd expect. But this
will help the singers get the feeling of coming down on the notes instead of reaching
for them. It also promotes relaxation in the throat area by focusing on the knees
being bent.
This warm-up allows ttre muscle focus to be on the arms and hands. Palms are
together (in a praying hands fashion) in front of the body. Raise ttre hands to a
peak in the first measure. Let the trands come apart on the first beat of the second
measure, allowing the hands and arms to faII. The palms come together again as
you complete the exercise. The result will be a great feeling of relaxation. This
exercise also works on the I and V7 chord. Pay close attention to intonation in the
second measure.
Here's a warm-up for increased awareness of dynamics. Begin with arms at sides
(standing or sitting). Raise arms with palms up during crescendo and lower arms
during decrescendo.
Do your singers need more breath support? Tby this warmup. Begin with arms
above head. Sing one note, without breathing, counting each second. As the seconds
pass, singers should lower their arms in front of them (lalms down) until they run
out of breath. At that point singers should lower their arms completely and lower
their head. Strive to increase breath control from rehearsal to rehearsal. See which
choir member lasts the longest.

Stand tall. Gradually bend knees on first measure, then straighten ttrem on the last
measure until standing taII again on the last note.
Palms raise Palms

together, hands. together.
J=uo
three, four, five,
The Complete Choral Wa.rm-Up Book 49

60 The Complete Choral Watyn-tlp Book
Warm-Ups with Fun Texts
and Syllables
There are probably more "fun" warm-ups than any other kind. It seems
Iike we've heard hundreds of them. But they're not aII included here.
Why not? Because many of them, to be blunt, seem to serve no purpose
other than to have fun. And as we've already said several times, every
warm-up must have a musical purpose. So, stick to these warm-ups and
you'Il have flon and work on making music.
The two best reasons to work on "fun" warm-ups are:
o To work on consonants. In general, most "fun" warm-ups are not
good for work on vowels. But they can be extremely useful for work
on "trard" consonants like B, D, P, and T, as well as the sibilant S.
. To increase vocal flexibility and emphasrze t}:.e lips, tongue, and the
muscles of the jaw and throat.
Some of ttre warm-ups in this section are among: the longest in the book.
As with aII warm-ups, we recommend they be taught by rote.
You've probably heard and sung dozens of other "tongue twister" and
fun warm-ups. Don't hesitate to use them in your rehearsal, BUT choose
them carefully. Certainly we can have fun in the choral rehearsal and
while warming up. But the choir must understand that the rehearsal is
first and foremost a place for musical learning and study. Find the right
"fun" warm-ups for your choir and you can do bottr.

This is an excellent warm-up for learning the interval of the ascending fourth. It's also
effective for working on final consonants such as the "t" in "hat" and"cat." T?y to
achieve nice, Iong, vertical vowels on'board" and "Lord." Don't sing it too fast, though
a.fter you've learned it you rnight want to increase the tempo as a motivational tool.
This is an excellent warm-up for ear training work on major triads. Notice the I triad
in the first mea,sure, the IV triad in ttre second measure, the I triad in the second
inversion in the third measure, and the diminished vii triad in the fourth measure.
Sing this to the choir and see who can sing it back on the first hearing. This really
gets their attention and improves their tona,I memory.
For this warm-up, try to get ttre consonants forward with a lot of accents on the
"Zing's." Ttre tendency here, especially with young or untrained singers, will be to
run the four syllables into each other. Each syllable must be articulated with clarity.
Make sure good articulation skills carry over into your rehearsal.
62 The Complete Choral Warm-Tfp Book

wore a hat and the bee had flea and they
C#
jumped oh my Lord. The cat etc.
Zoo ma zoo ma zoo mn ma, zoo ma zoo ma zoo ma ma,
zoo ma zoo ma zoo ma Ína, zoo ma zoo ma zoo ma ma
Zing-a- ma-ma, zing- a- ma-ma, zing- a- ma-ma, zing-a- ma-ma, zing zing zing. t 'f
The Complete Chora] Warm-T.Ip Book ó8

Here's an excellent flexibility exercise with a nice subliminal message built in. It also
works that lovely word "Iove," which seems to occur frequently in choral music
texts. The words "I" and "love" should be quite similar.
I = aw(ee). Actually, you really don't have to worry about the secondary vowel
(the "ee") because it takes care of itself when going into the next word.
Love = lawv.
Sing "sing" with an "oo" on the lips.
Make sure the singers do not Iunge into "Iove." A nice deep breath before the first
note should carry them right over the top.
Much the same as the previous example, this warm-up contains two elements not
found in Warm-up 5O. First is the full arpeggio. Tb sing this in tune with correct
diction is a lesson in itself. Don't go too fast, and try to sing each of the notes right
in tune. second is the vowel on "today." Tty to keep the long "a" from spreading and
you'Il hear a difference in your group. carry this over into ttre rehearsal.
This fun, nonsensical phrase helps not only with the "ch" but also the vowels eh, ee,
ah, and oo. T?y to get the singers to de-emphasize the "ch" and keep the words crisp
and clear. You can make up other tongrre-twisting texts for this one.
wm*
This is a popular warm-up. It's terrific for reinforcing the "m" consonant, and just
fun to sing. And, because it descends, it's a good one to start or use at the beginning
of your warm-up sequence in your rehearsal. close to the "mm,, on the 1ast syllable.
54 The Complete Chora,t Warm-Up Book

to sing. t J
I love to sing- to- day. t J
Ches - ter chee - tah chewed a ched - dar cheese. t J
Ma - ma made me mash my Iv|s. t J

use this warm-up with any age group to rei¡rforce any vowels you wish. There are
several variations on this warm-up; make up your own and modulate to any keys
that are appropriate. You don't necessarily need to go up by halfsteps. Just give the
starting note and off you go.
This fun exercise helps with the intervals of a diatonic scale, and especially with the
descending thirdbetween ttre second and seventh scale degrees. The faster you sing
it, the more your diction will improve (assuming, of course, you concentrate on dic-
tion and don't just simply sing it for the fun of it-which is always a danger with
"fun" warm-ups).
Another warm-up (Iike warm-up 50) that has a subliminal message. This one
reminds you where to place your consonants.
56 The Complete Choxal Warm-tlp Book

I like to eat, eat, eat ap-ples and ba - na-nas. like to
ttL
eat, eaf, eat ap- ples and ba - na- nas. I like to na- nas. I like to
I just want to sing to - day and sing correct - ly all the way be -
c7 F
smg correct - ly is the way to sing. t J
r_J-_r r-3--t
Tip of the tongue, the teeth, the llps. | {
'g' I3l
Three-part mixed choirs: omit bass part
I\ro-part choirs: sing soprano and alto parts
SSA choirs: altos sing tenor part
The Complete Chora) Warm-Up Book 67

This is a fun, nonsensical warm-up that's full of consonants and vowels. singers of
all ages love it. start slowty when learning it (quarter note = 9o). Then speed it up
as motivation for clear and crisp diction. Sing it in any key.
ffi$§:affi¡1irT§11$*e19:i¡1!:::::§RrE=it§rr !ffi]w§;ffi
A simple descending major scale, with lots of explosive "B's". But don't make them too
explosive. Make up new texts, with words emphasizing one consonant. Concentrate
on intonation.

If I want to ioin the choir- I must learn to sing much high - er.
D7 /Fi Gsus4
Lis - ten smg
now that have joined the choir- havelearned to sing much high - er.
Gsus4
sing
bet - ter than bet - ter ls brg. 4

I

This may look odd, but it's not nearly as difficult to learn as it looks. Just sing the
Ietters. It's fun. The singers should slightly separate eactr note and concentrate on
the distinct consonants. Additionally, it's a good exercise to work on scale passages.
Another brief warm-up using alliteration (the repeated use of the same consonant).
lf you're having trouble with a certain consonant, make up new words for this one
using that consonant, then carry it over into the rehearsal. It's also good for work
on thirds, especially that first interval of a major third, which can sometimes be diffi-
cult to sing in tune.
60 The Complete Chora.l Warm-Up Book

BDFLMNPT
See the swim- mer swim- ming in the deep blue r"u. 1
The Complete Chora,l Waxm-Up Book 61

On this exercise, work to keep the consonants forward and make the words as clear
and crisp as possible. Separate each of the triplets.
ffi : §¡llffiJ{H§
The same as Warm-up 61, sung on a chord.
The same as Warm-Up 62, but this time the chord changes.
A warm-up for that problematic "s" consonant. Have the choir listen to the sound of
the "s." Each time you sing it, try to sing it with less of an "s." In the meantime,
you're also working'on a diatonic scale.
62 The Complete Choral Warun-Up Book

done with the the tongue and the
is done with the tip of the tongue and the t+

AI
Three-part mixed c}¡oirs: omit bass part
done with the tip of the tongue and the teeth. ti
Syl- la-bles, sylla-bles, sylla-bles, sylla-bles, sylla-bles, sylla-bles,
syl - la- bles, sy1 - la- bles,
The Complete Chorail Warm-Up Book 63

64 The Complete Chora,l Warm-tlp Book
Ghordal Warm-Ups
when your choir begins to warm up in parts they move into the realm of
true choral singing. With chordal warm-ups you can work on:
. Choral blend
o Tone production
. Unification of vowels .
. Dynamics
. phrasing:
o Developing a harmonic vocabulary
. Suspensions
. Intonation
Choral singers have so many things to think about. The list above
includes some of the most important. As a director, don,t try to work on
or improve all of them at once. Emphasize only one choral technique per
warmup. Don't work on choral blend. and intonation at the same time.
Pick one, and focus on it while singing a particular warm-up. Then move
on to another warm-up and isolate another technique or problem.
singing in a choir is like swinging a golf club. There are many things to
remember and failure to execute any of those things can cause a problem.
But most golf teachers advise their students to focus on just one thing
during the golf swing. Prarctice that one thing until it becomes second.
nature, then move on to another. Do the same with your warm_ups.
Remember, you don't have to do chordal warm-ups (or any warm_up, for
that matter) only at the beginning of the rehearsal. you can do them in
the middle of a rehearsal, between rehearsing two numbers...anytime.
Most of the exercises in this section are written for sArB voices, but-
many can be sung by SAB or Three-part Mixed choirs by omitting the
bass part. For additional chordal warm-ups for Ttrree part Mixed and
ssA choirs, and for Tko-Part warm-ups, see the special sections devoted
to warm-ups for these choirs.
As with aII warm-ups, we recommend that the choir sing them from
memory rather than reading a printed page. Tb teach chordal warm-ups,
we suggest you write them on the blackboard where the choir can read
the notes. Repeat a few warm-ups in this manner at several rehearsals
until they're learned. once they're learned, you can refresh the singers,
memory by playing the warm-up at the piano once through. Then give
the starting pitches and off you go.

A familiar chordal warm-up that is extremely effective in helping your choir to sing
in tune while achieving choral blend and consistent vowel formation.
often with younger choirs (and with older, adult choirs), the sopranos can be a bit
strident or shrill. This warm-up is similar to \[Iarm-Up 65 but puts the sopranos in a
more comfortable range. T?y both this warm-up and warm-up 6b in a comfortable
starting key and move up or down in haJ.f steps, ending in the key of your starting
selection.
This exercise assists with intonation as well as hearing and ba.lancing chord tones in
a rear harmonic context. You can sing this warm-up several different ways.
1. Sing it as written, moving up or down after the fina.l held chord.
2. Resolve measure 4 into riVarm-Up 65, using nah, netr, nee, noh, noo. Then go
up or down in half steps.
3. Sing it as written, moving direcUy into rli/arm-Up 6b after the final held chord.
66 The Complete Chora] Warm-tlp Book

Ilro-part ctroirs: sing soprano a,rrd alto parts u
Three-part mixed clroirs: omit bass part

I\ro-part choirs: sing soprano and alto parts
SSA choirs: altos sing tenor part
Just for SATB
Noo naw noo naw noo naw noo noo naw.

AA
naw noo naw noo naw noo naw
The Complete Choral W"y!! l""k_ 67

This chordal warm-up can be used when performing a contemporary piece or one
with lots of suspensions. Remember to have the altos and tenors de-emptrasize the
second note of their suspensions. Always perform this warm-up in a musical con-
text for sensitivity. Make sure the first note is a good unison before moving on to
the second note.
similar to warm-up 68, but for Ttrree-part ctroirs. (SATB choirs can use it, too!)
Another good warm-up for working on suspensions. In this case, the sopranos hold
the suspensions. Good for Three-part or SAIB choirs. When singing the next to last
note, make sure the choir "hears" the upcoming unison before they sing it.
68 The Complete Chora.L Waxm-tlp Book

,?
\--l
noonoo- noonoo. _
)
l--,
1. JA
\-/ v+
| l.--/
noonoo- noo.
,--> {€>
lt----,
Noo noo_
r--..
I\nro-part choirs: sing soprano and alto parts

This page shows one warm-up in verslons for SATB, treble voice, and three-part
mixed choirs.
SATB-For convenience this warm-up is notated in the key of C. If starting in this key,
it's best to move downward in half-steps because the tenors are already starting on a
high G. (f.et them begin by singing sotto voce or half voice, and gradually moving into
a full voice.) If you want to move up in harf steps, you might begin in G or F major.
TREBLE-An excellent warm-up to enrich ttre sou¡rd of women's choirs. Even if you're
only singing in two parts, try dividing each part into two and attempting this four-
part warm-up. Begin in c to move up in half steps or G to move down in half steps.
THREE-PART MIXED-A variation on the above which works well for middle school
choirs or any SAB choir.
7O The Complete Choral Warm-üp Book

Noo noo
Noo noo
Noo noo noo noo noo
Noo noo noo noo noo noo noo
noo naw noo.
The Complete Choral Warm-Up Book 7l

Many warm-ups can incorporate or isolate a portion of a text from a piece you're
rehearsing. This warm-up can stand alone or you might sing a text line such as
"Ave verum corpus." FeeI free to change the rhythms as need.ed.
For example: ,
a.
I
Sing
)i
an al-
J
le
))
Iu - ia.
]J J,N
Glo - ri ainex
))
cel - sis.
Similar to Warm-up 74,blut for mixed voices. Thio-part choirs can sing any two parts.
This warm-up allows the singers a chance to hear their part in relation to the other
parts in a chord or triad. This can be sung by like voices (aII men or all women) or
by mixed voices. Make sure that the singers go to the "mm" immediately when they
sing eactr note, and that the teeth are open behind the lips. Imagine forming an"a]n"
vowel inside the mouth.
72 The Complete Chora.t Warm-IJp Book

For SSA Voices
Na na na n(l na na na na
(Opt.) A - ve ve - rum cor - pus. A- ve ve-rum cor - pus.
Na na na na na na na na
(Opt.)A- ve ve-flrm A - ve vé- rum
bm.
SAIB a¡rd three-part mixed choirs: men sir:gbottompart, as writüen. Ttropart choirs: sjry toe two
lines.
Thé Complete Choral Warm-up Book Zg
Tty this warm-up with any choir or any combination of voices. It's particularly
effective when you're working on a madrigal. Singit lightly, and you might sing
aII guarter notes staccato.
If your group is performing a number witn' jazz or contemporary harmonies, this

warm-up will get them into the harmonic style. It's quite easy to sing. Note the
descendÍng half steps for all parts in the second measure. In the third measure ttre
men descend in half steps while the women stay on the same note. Don't go too low
on those half steps...keep the chords in tune.
Ttris is another warm-up that ailows the choir to start on a unison---often our most dif-
ficult interval to sing in trme. On the resolutions of the suspensions in measures 1 and
3, strive for a decrescendo. Resolutions ofa suspension should neverbe performed
with a crescendo or with an accent. Practice that concept in this warm-up and then
transfer ttris skill to the music you're performing.

SSA choirs: Altos sing tenorpart
Iko-part choirs: sing soprano and alto parts
Three-part mixed choirs: omit bass note
Three-part mixed choi¡s: omit bass note

Another warm-up with lush harmonies and suspensions which you can use when
working on a contemporary pop ballad or a, ja,zz piece. This time the suspensions are
in the alto and soprano parts; the final measure includes a double suspension with
the sopranos and altos. Tty this in ascending or descending halfsteps, ending in the
starting key of the piece you're working on. Good for church choirs, too.
Here's a short, two-measure warm-up with suspensions in the soprano and tenor
parts. Watch those half steps! This will be a "quick learn" warm-up, but there is a lot
of musical learning in these two measures that can be transferred to your retrearsal.
This brief exercise works on parallel harmonic movement. Crescendo slightly to the
first beat of ttre second measure, then decrescendo to the third measure. Good for
use with contemporary and pop music.

noo- noo_ noonoo._ tü
) .G>
Ttrree-part rnixed choirs: omit tenor part

Í\ro-part choirs: sing soprano and alto parts .
SSA choirs: Altos sing tenor part
For mixed choirs For two-part choirs
noo-noo. noo_ ,ooi* noo. I
lhree-part mixed choirs: omit bass part
The Complete Chora.l Warm-Up Book 77

fhis page includes several four-part choral warm-ups which can be used in conjunction
with various styles of ctroral music. Tb.e first one would be appropriate with Baroque or
Classical ctrora,I music. Ttre text, of course, is the phonetic pronurrciation of the Latin
"Alleluia." Emphasüe, without accenting, the third syllable, "Ioo." Sing this warm-up
forte, then pia.rto. Note the suspension in the next to last measure in the soprano line.
Warm-up 84 would be useful in the study of Renaissance choral music or with

chorales such as those of J.S. Bach. The text, Iike the one above, is the phonetic
pronunciation of the Latin "Alleluia." It's used because it presents the choir with a
good opportunity to work on choral blend. Here the suspension occurs in the last
measure in the tenor part.
T?y this warm-up wtren studying Classical choral music. Sing it brightly and perform
the rhythms precisely, especially the dotted eighth/sixteenth rhyttrm. Make sure all
the vowels are sung vertically.
Here's a brief, easily learned warm-up in a t¡rpical eighteenth- or nineteenttr-century

choral style. The altos get the suspension here, in the Iast measure.

Three-part mixed ehoirs: omit bass part


I\uo-part choirs: sing soprano a,rrd alto parts
,+
\-.1

This warm-up is usefr¡l when your choir is working on contemporary pop balfads or
pieces wltb jazz trarmonies. Sing it relatively slowly and tu¡re each ctrord before going
on. Pay particular attention to the aJ.to part, which has the "color" tone of each chord.
Tty this warm-up in several keys, ending in the key of the piece you're rehearsing.
Like lt/arm-up 87 above, this exercise features jazzlpop harmonies moving in parallel,
though not in step-wise, motion. Again, tune each chord before moving on to the
next. Note the suspension in the bass part in the last measure.
Here's a good warm-up featuring a rock feel. It has the added advantage of work-
ing on a forte-piano followed by a crescendo, a vocal technique found frequently in
contemporary pop choral music. Sing this warm-up first at a forte dynamic level,
crescendoing back to foxte. Then sing it piano, making sure not to crescendo
beyond piano. The bass part is important here; it provides a solid foundation for
each chord. And don't forget to observe the staccato markings.
aO The Complete Chora,l Warm-Up Book

fpalr. fp<.
'--- 7 7
Doot doot doo doo doot doo- doot doot doo doo doot doo-
Í
: ), ^ -a lP7< fp<
-- _-16.
fp
Three-part mixed choi¡s: omit bass part
The Complete Choral Warm-üp Book al

sing this rock-style warm-up at a moderate tempo, moving up or down chromatically.
End in the key of piece you're rehearsing. you could add, a forte-piano with a
crescendo on ttre Iast note, like Warm-up 89. Observe the staccato marks, especially
the one on the second eighth note. Note: you can also sing this warm-up in swing
style, swinging the eighth notes. sing it lighily when singing it in swing style.
Here's a warm-up highlighting close harmonies. The chords are contemporary pop
in style, but you can use ttris exercise any time you're working on a piece with close
harmonies. AII voices start on a middle C; make sure the unison is in tune before
moving on. Note ttre suspension in the tenor part in the final measure. Tienors
should gently ease in to the final note; don't stress or accent it.
Tttis warm-up, for Three-Part Mixed and SAB choirs, features both parallel and contrary
motion between ttte female and male voices. The first four notes in the men's part are
critical for intonation. Make sure these half steps are not too wide. Come together on
the finar note with a good unison. Instea.d of performing this in a strict tempo you
might want to conduct each note, carefully tuning each chord before moving on.
82 The Complete Choril Warm-tlp Book

,+
\-.1
noo_ noo_
":- l'-.¡
¿.¿
lhree-part mixed choirs: omit bass part
Wfrt t!*§ffii:*li$}É sffii
T\ro-part choirs: sing soprano and alto lines
The Complete Chora"l Warm-Up Book 83

This brief warm-up is a simple I-V-I cadence with a suspension in the second soprano
part. The first measure consists of three inversions of the tonic chord. Each chord
should be carefully tuned before moving on to the next.
Descending half step movement in the second soprano and alto lines highlights
this exercise. Don't make ttre half steps too wide. Sopranos should ease in to their
suspensions in the first two measures. Sing it slowly. Strive for a pure "oo" vowel.
Develop phrasing with this warm-up. Crescendo slightly through the first measure
and decrescendo through the second. This is especially important for the second
sopranos, who hold an F for five beats. The descending half steps in the alto line
should not be too wide. You may also sing a separate syllable on each beat.
Like many of the beginning warm-ups earlier in this book, this exercise starts high
in order to bring the head voice down. It's a simple I chord in various inversions,
moving up chromatically. Catch a breath at each modulation, or stagger breathing.
If you choose to stagger breathing, you might want to sing this entirely slurred
instead of singing ttre second "noh" on the second measure.

The Complete Chord Wa.rm-Up Book 86
Most of the other warm-ups in this section for SSA choirs feature close harmonies.
In this one the harmonies are much. wider. ljt/ork on phrasing and intonation, mak-
ing sure the third of each major chord isn't too low. The choir comes together for a
unison D on the final chord. This warm-up can move up or down chromatically.
However, if you start in this key, move up. Moving lower would take the altos too
Iow. Tb move down chromaticallSr, start in F major. You can also perform this warm-
up in cut time...one beat per chord.
ffi §r§:::::!+giulllllrr{@t*i]*]]iw¡w*#t||l!§ffi@*ffi a*
a
sing this warm-up once through with only the sopranos. sounds simple, doesn't
it? Now add the altos. The alto suspensions change the entire character of these
three measures. Altos love to sing lines tike this one. Make sure they ease in to
eactr suspension; the last one, especially, should be performed with a slight
decrescendo. Sing it slowly and make it musical.
Here's a light, pop-sounding warm-up. The eighth notes may be performed straight
or you can swing them. sing it lightly, but with a litile drive, at a moderate tempo.
Sing the notes staccato only where inücated.
A slight change in the soprano part @b instead or a Bh) distinguishes this warm-up
from the one above. Hint: Don't do one of these right after the other un-Iess you want
to try it as an ear training exercise with older choirs. once you've got the sound of
one in your ear, it's hard to hear the other. So do them on different days.
86 The Complete Choxd Warm-Up Book

naw_ naw_ naw_
doo- doo doo
doo doo doot.
The Complete Choral Warm-üp Book 87

The next eight warm-ups are adaptations for Three-Part Mixed or SAB choirs of the eight
warm-ups for SSA voices. Refer to the perform€Erce sugg'estions in the SSA section.
88 The Complete Chora.L Warm-Ilp Book

,C 7T
\,1 \--l
Naw naw_ naw_ naw_ no.. I I
Doo doo doot doo- doo doo irr.
il-oo- doo doo doot.
The Complete Ohoral Wam-Up Boók gg

This warm-up emphasizes both rhythmic and note changes between the two parts.
Sing it slowly and use any syllable you wish. Make sure the octave at the end of
the first line is in tune before moving on. The rang'e is the same for both voice
parts; so you can switch parts on this one, putting your low voices on the top line
and the high voices on the bottom line. Make sure your singers hear each suspen-
sion. Each tied note in the top line can be sung with a slight crescendo.
Ttris simple ?-paú exercise can move up or down chromatically and can use any
syllable. You can also sing a separate syllable on each note. Any tempo is fine.
Actually, this is an all-purpose z-part warm-up.
Sing this simple warm-up slowly. Work on phrasing with the bottom line. Add a
slight crescendo to the high C, then decrescendo back to the final note. You may
sing this slurred, aII on one syllable, if you wish.
90 The Complete Choral Warm-üp Book

Naw naw- naw_ naw_ naw_ naw_ naw_ naw naw
A
naw naw- naw- naw- naw- naw- naw- naw naw.

A
The Complete Choraf, Warm-tlp Book 91

This warm-up presents typical choral harmonies. It's excellent for young Tlvo-
part choirs moving from singing part songs into soprano/alto music with diatonic
harmonies. It's useful for more experienced ctroirs, too. Although this warm-up
can move up or down chromatically, young treble choirs should only move up to
help develop the head voice.
This exercise is similar to Warm-up 112 above, but it's in a minor key. If you need
another warm-up in a major key,"just ignore the flats in the key signature and
sing it in C major. But occasionally warming up in a minor key is always a good
idea. See the section on Interval Warm-ups for rnore minor key warm-ups.
Another good warm-up to develop independence of parts. This one works especially
well with mixed choirs with the high voices on ttre top line a¡rd low voices on the
bottom. But beginning treble choirs will find it useful, too.
Here's another warm-up to develop a good harmonic ear in young choirs, especially
those moving from partner songs into soprano/alto music.

Maw- maw- maw. t J
Maw- maw- maw maw.
e- <>
Noo noo noo noo noo noo noo noo noo-
Noo noo noo noo noo_ noo noo.
la.
The Complete Choral Warm-tlp Book 98

This exercise features independence of rhythms as well as diatonic harmonies.
Note that the bottom line moves above the top line on the second note of the first
measure. This is a good concept to reinforce with young choirs. Feel free to
substitute any syllable.
Here's a simple warm-up using thirds. Slightly stress the first of each pair of
eighth notes. It may be sung in a legato fashion or with a slight break between
each pair of eighth notes. Use it with mixed voices as weII as treble choirs of any
age. Tb work on swing style, swing the eighth notes. For Renaissance or Baroque
music, articulate the eighths as a dotted-eighth/sixteenth rhythm.
This exercise is designed to move up chromatically. sing it in a very legato style.

Alternatively, you carl sing a separate syllable §rour choice) on each note. T?y to per-
form this warm-up in a very musical marurer, payrng careful attention to phrasing.
Sing this warm-up slowl¡ making sure each note is in tune (especially the
opening fifth) before moving on to the next. The intervals are wid.e except for
the second on the first beat of the third measure. It's a good exercise for any
choir, mixed or treble, especially if you're working on music with lots of open
harmonies. T?y to sing it with as little vibrato as possible.
94 The Complete Choral Warm-Ifp Book

nah-
Noo- noonoo- noo_ noonoo. ¡ I
Noo- noonoo- noo_ noo- noo_ noo.
The Complete Choral Wa,rm-Up Book gó

Warm-Ups Featuringf
lnterval Trainingl
one of the best reasons for warming up is to work on specific intervals,
If you're rehearsing a piece in which certain skips or Ieaps are giving
your choir difficulty, sing a warm-up or two that isolates that interval.
Anticipate interval problems by singing warm-ups featuring specific
intervals at the beginning of the rehearsal. or do it right in the middle
of the rehearsal when a certain interval is causing problems for your
singers. Even if only one voice part is having trouble with a skip or a
leap, have the entire choir sing the warm-up.
This portion of the book features warm-ups designed to focus on every
interval of an octave or less. Most are very brief, quickly Iearned by
rote, and can ascend or descend in half steps. you can use virtually any
syllable. slur these warm-ups in any manner you wish. That is, you can
sing a separate attack on every note, every other note, or simply attack
the first note and sing the entire warm-up in one slumed. phrase.
Don't rush these warm-ups, however. They,re best sung slowly, since the
purpose is for the singers to "hear" the interval before singing it.
Remember, the warm-ups in this book all have a purpose. Each of the
intervals is isolated within the warm-ups at various places within the
diatonic scale. For example, the warm-ups for the perfect fifth include
Ieaps of a fifth from the first to the fifth scale degree, the second to the
sixth, the third to the seventh, and so on. others feature the descending
leap from the sixth scale degree to the second, the fifth to the first, etc.
Remember that seconds, thirds, sixths, and sevenths can be either major
or minor.
The specific intervals are always identified in the warm-up with a ,,\ .
Except for the warm-ups featuring seconds, a1I are written in major
keys, but we've identified those which can also be sung in minor keys,
utilizing either the flatted or raised seventh scale degree. As always, the
warm-ups are notated in either C or F major, depending on their range,
but you may begin any warm-up in any key. Ascend or descend in half
steps.
NOTE: MANY OF THE WARM-UPS IN THIS SECTION ARE VERY
MELODIC IN NATURE AND ARE THEREFORE EXCELLENT "GENER-
AL PURPOSE" WARM-UPS. Just add your own syllables and use them
for work on intonation, vowel production, phrasing, or virtually any
other choral technique. Ttre warm-ups for sixths, sevenths, and octaves
are especially useful as flexibility warm-ups.
The Complete Choral Warm-tlp Book g7

The simplest and one of the best warm-ups for interval training is to start on the first scale
degree (do) and sing each diatonic interval above it: do-re, do-mi, do-fa, etc. Sing it on a neutral
syllable, such as "yaw" or you may use the musical syllables do, re, mi. You may also sing it with
the scale degree numbers, "one-two, one-three," etc.
Yaw yaw yaw yaw etc.
You can do the same thing chromatically. This exercise encompa,sses every interval from a minor
second. to an octave.
Yaw yaw yaw yaw etc. etc.
§
Now sing it with descending diatonic major scale degrees. Use a neutral syllable, musical sylla-
bles, or numbers, as above, *
And, descend chromatically.
You can also sing Warm-ups 12O and 122 irt minor keys.
98 The Complete Chora,l Wa,rm-IIp Book

Seconds
The second, both major and minor, is the interval singers encounter most often. SingÍng seconds
with incorrect intonation (especially the minor seconds between the third and fourth and seventh
and eighth major scale degrees) is a major cause of out-of-tune choral singing. Here are a few
scale warm-ups you can use to work on good intonation of seconds.
A simple major scale. Singing it slowly in three forces the singers to think before they move on
to the next scale d.egree. Use that "thinking" time to "heaf'the next pitch correcUy in tune.
Watch the half steps, especially when descending.
You can, of course, do the same thing with minor scales. Here are the three most familiar minor
scales. Sing them ascending and descending with the same rhythm used in Warm-Up 124.
Natural Minor Scale
Melodic Minor Scale
Ilarmonic Minor Scale

Thy warming up on an entire octave of half steps. Don't sing with the piano and strive to be in
tune. It's not as easy as it seems to sing an entire ascending and descending scale of half tones
perfectly in tune. THINK before you sing each note.
ah- etc.
.a
Then
descend.
Or sing a whole tone scale. Every second is a major second in this one. In terms of intonation,
this might be the most difficult warm-up in the book.
Then
descend.
IOO The Complete Choral Warm-üp Book

Thirds
¡ffe often associate the interval of a
third with the third. degree of the major scale wtrich, wtren
sung flat, contributes greatly to out-of-tune choral singing. The major ttrird from the fourth to
the sixth and the fifth to the seventh scale degrees are often sung flat, too. These warm-ups fea-
ture both major and minor thirds. Use them in your rehearsals when intonation is a problem.
The thirds are marked with a ,'\ .
rv\Iarm-Ups 13O, 131, 133, and 134 rrray also be sung

in minor keys, using either the flatted. or
raised seventh scale degree. Remember, you may sing any syllable, slur it any way you wistr,
and ascend or descend in half steps.
This warm-up uses ttre pentatonic scale.
The Complete Charal Warm-tlp Book 1r}1¡

The Perfect Fourth
Singers encounter the interval of a perfect fourth frequentty. It's especialy common in bass
parts. Many meloües begin with the interval of a fourth with a teap up from sol to do. Thus the
sound of a fourth should be locked into every choral singer's ear. These warm-ups featuring a
fourth will help. AII fourths are marked with a zz\ .
warm-ups 736, 737, 138, 139, 147, 142, and 148 may be sung in minor keys, using either the
flatted or a raised seventh scale degree.
These two warm-ups are t¡pical bass lines, but sing them with the whole choir.
LOZ T'Ite Complete Chora.l Warm-tlp Book

The Perfect Fifth
The perfect fifth is a familiar interval to choral singers. IIere are twelve warm-ups using the
fifth in varying positions within the major scale. Warm-Ups 144, L46., 14A,1b4, and 155 can also
be sung in minor keys, using either the flatted or raised seventh scale degree. All fifths are
marked with a ,r\.
The Complete Chora) Warm-Up Book 1OB

A typical bass line:
LO4 The Complete Choral Warm-Up Book

Sixths
The sixth is a large interval and thus requires a certain amount of flexibility to sing. AII of these
exercises featuring sixths can also be used as vocal flexibility warm-ups. Warm-Ups 156 through
165 ca,Il also be sung in minor keys, using either the flatted or raised. seventh scale degree. AII
sixths are marked with a ,'\ .
TE
First sing: Then sing:
I@
The Complete Choral Warm-up Book 1O5

This is a good flexibility warm-up:
1o6 The Complete Choral Warm-tlp Book

Sevenths
Both the major and minor sevenths can be tricky intervals to sing. Occasionally one or the other
pops up in a piece of choral music. Use these warm-ups to d.evelop your singers' ears to hear the
interval of a seventtr. AlI sevenths are marked with a ,1 .
TE
M
tfr
The Complete Choraf, Warm-up Book LOz

The Tritone
The tritone (or augrnented fourth or dirninished fifth) is perhaps the most difficult of all intervals to
sing. It is found infrequently in choral music; most choral writers avoid its use. But it does occur
now and then, especially in Romantic choral literature. IIere are a few warm-ups you can use to
work on this tricky interval. The tritone is indicated. with a z'\ .
1O8 The Complete Chora"l Warm-Up Book

The Octave
The octave is not a particularly difficult interval to hear but sometimes, within the context of a
piece of music, it can cause problems for the singer. Here are a few warm-ups isolating ttre
octave. These can also be used as flexibility warm-ups or to extend the choirb range. All octaves
are marked with a ,1 .
TE
E@
The Complete Choral Wa,xm-up Book LOg

LLO The Co¡mplete Chora,t Warm-üp Book
Iazz/PoplSwi ngf Warm-U ps
The next few pages present warm-ups specific to jazz, pop, and swing
choral styles. The biggest problem with these ítyles is that choral
singers frequently don't "feel" the style. Or perhaps they ..feet,, it but
can't execute it. In any case, warm-ups are a good way to present brief
stylistic examples of pop choral styles.
The swing style is probably the most difficult for choral singers to feel.
sing some of the warm-ups in this section first with even eighth notes,
then with "swinging" eighths. Remember, in swing style, the eighth
notes are performed as if they were quarter/eighth triplets. They are not
executed as dotted eighth/sixteenth. Tbday it is customary to notate
swing style with even eighths with a written indication that they should
be performed in swing style.
For additlonal JazzlPoplSwing warm-ups see the Index.
llllrrriuir,:rr?:@::rririirililli:rrrrrrl
W,áK§
:,ffi1§*¡z;

Warm-ups 184 and 185 are probably the easiest way to introduce swing style to a
choral group. First sing Warm-up 184, carefully and precisely executing the
triplets. Don't rush this exercise; sing it at a moderate tempo. Next sing Warm-up
185, which is the same as Warm-up 184 except that the second note of each triplet
has been deleted. Other than that, perform Warm-up 184 the same as \trarm-up 185,
and with the same "swinging" triplet feel even though Warm-up 185 is notated with
even eighth notes. You may also perform ttris exercise with even eighth notes.
Warm-ups 186 and 187 should be performed the same as Warm-ups 184 and 18b.
They have a more limited range and thus may be better suited for younger choirs.
112 The Complete Choral Warm-lJp Book

I
Doo- bahdoo- bahetc.
3
Doo bah doo- bah etc. doo.l t
r3¡
tt\
Swine (.i l=) ))l
Doo bah doo bah
doo. | +
doo. I J
rBr
swing 1J J=i )r
doo. 1I
The Cómplete Chora.I Warm-flp Book 118

Warm-up 188 presents several common vocal jazz stylings: the staccato dot at the
end. of a group of eighth notes, the anticipation, and tl::e forte-piano followed by a
crescendo. Emphasize the staccato dots and stress the anticipations. . . they're
indicated with a stress accent. The forte-piano followed by a crescendo is often a
difficult thing for choirs to master. Work on it carefully. Sing this warm-up
lightly and at a moderate tempo.
Ttris warm-up includes the vocal faII, another common vocaliazz styling. Make
sure the fall ends precisely on ttre fourth beat. Don't rush ttre four beats of rest in
the finat measure. "Think" the new key, a half step higher.
Warm-up 19o introduces the flatted third, common in vocal jazz. Make sure
singers don't make the half step from A natural to A flat too big. Slightly stress
the dotted quarter note in the first measure and don't forget to observe the staccato
dot on the last note.
r*.Y.w §#ffiffi]
This warm-up features both the flatted seventtr and flatted ttrird scale degrees. As
with Warm-up 19O, stightly stress the dotted quarter note in the first measure and
observe the staccato dots. Make sure the F natural to E natural in the first measure
is a small tralf step. The singers must hear the üfference between the E natural and
the E flat.
Another warm-up highlighting the seventh scale degree. The first four notes ouUine
a seventh chord. Carefully observe all stress accents and staccato marks. Sing this
exercise brightly; it may be srmg at a more brisk tempo than the warm-ups above.
LL4 The Complete Chora,l Warm-Up Book

Swing
Doo bah doo bop. bah doo bop.
fe
dwee-
Swing
Bah bah doo bow.- Bah bah doo bow-- Bah bah doo bow- doo bop. I
Swing
Doo bah doo bah doo bah doo bah doo bop. 1 J
Doo bah doo bah doo bah doo top.I I
Swing
Bah bah doo bah- bah doo bah_ bah doo bop.
)ü
bah doo bah bah doo bop.
The Complete Chora.l Warm-tJp Book 115

Ttris exercise can move up or down ctrromatically equally well. The range is a
seventh, yet it is comfortable to sing. Thus, it is weII suited to three-part mixed
choirs with males moving into the baritone range. Don't take this one too fast, but
sing it in a somewtrat driving manner, with slightly explosive "d's" on each syllable.
This swing warm-up starts high and moves lower, ending with an upward slide, or
glissand.o, of an octave. Add a little crescendo on that glissando. Ttre tempo might
tend to increase as you sing tMs one. Keep it steady.
AII voices start, and medium and high voices move up on the second two measures.
On the final phrase, high voices sing the top part, medium voices the middle part,
and low voices the bottom part. This exercise works very well with any three-part
choir, including SSA choirs. For three-part mixed and SAB choirs, men strould
sing the top part, altos the low part and sopranos the rniddle part.
This warm-up includes both the flatted third and the flatted seventh degrees, conunon
in both jazz and pop styles. Feel the pulse of ttris exercise as you sing it, and move up
in half steps.
ILG The Complete Choral Warm-Up Book

Doo doo doo doo- doo doo doo doo doo doo ¿oo.- I I
Swing
Doo dot doo- bah dot doo dot doo- bah dot
Nah nah nah nah nah nah
nah nah nah etc.
Even eighths
nah nah nah nah nah nah nah nah nah.-
The Complete Choral Warm-Up Book lLz

Just for Ghurch Ghoirs
The next pages present a few warm-ups specifically designed for church ctroirs. Secular SATB
clroirs can use them as weIL Many of these exercises are adapted from Worship Meditations
by Jay Althouse, a collection of introits, offertories, responses and benedictions (A1fred
Publishing Co., Inc. #4942).
Perform this warm-up with a slight crescendo to the half note in the second measure,
then decrescendo to the end. Basses should proüde a firm harmorric foundation
throughout. You can replace the text with any syllables.
This warm-up introduces quarter note duples within 6/8 meter
Sing the long melisma in the first measure in a musical fashion. Slightly crescendo
to the third beat, then decrescendo into the second. measure. The two eighths in the
tenor part on the second beat of the second measure should be sung lighily.
Here's a minor-key version of Warm-Up 199, above.
1L8 The Complete Chora,l Warm-up Book

o
Make make a joy-fulnoise, make a joy-ful noise to the I-ord. t J
al-le-lu ta. I
¡-2-- -2---¡
(opt.) This is theda¡

A tSrpical descending bass line highlights this warm-up. Make sure the half step in
the bass part (from F to E) is not too big. Basses should "think high" as ttrey descend
step-wise. Conduct this warm-up and hold each chord for the singers to hear before
moving on to the next one. T?y to sing it with as litile vibrato as possible.
Tlenors should "think high" as ttrey ascend, especially to the B on the first beat of
the second measure. Altos should sing the suspension in the third measure light-
ly. Basses provide the trarmonic foundation with a typical do-soL-do line. Sopranos
should work on phrasing the melody as it ascends and ttren descends.
This four-measure warm-up featuring full, rich harmonies is a typical hymn-tike

cadence. Ibnors have the third of the chord in the first measure (the A) and altos
have it in the second measure (the D). Make sure these notes don't go flat.
The most important note in this warm-up is ttre unison C on the first beat of the
second measure. You might sing this one very slowl¡¿ as if each note had a fermata.
LZO The Complete Choral Warm-tlp Book

(opt.) 1. Lord, have mer - up-on

2. Christ, have mer - up-on
Three-part mixed choirs: omit bass part T\ro-part choirs: sing soprano and alto parts
<>
noo noo noo
.-,--
(opt.) 1. Lord. haVe mer cyup-on us.

2. Christ, have mer cyup-on us.
Three-part rnixed choirs: omit bass part

The Complete Choral Warm-Up Book 12L
Rounds
A round is a simple, effective, and useful choral warm-up for any age choir, including high
sctrool and adult choirs. We recommend you sing a round (or two or more) at the end of your
warm-up period. This allows the singers to begin thinking about performing and rehearsing
choral music as opposed to warming up.
Rounds should be taught by rote and sung from memory. That way, the singers can focus on
something other than a printed piece of music. You, as the director, can direct ttrat focus. 'vVork
on choral blend, intonation, or phrasing. Or you might have them keep their eyes locked on you
as the conductor. Then conduct the round in a rubato manner, making sure the singers follow
you. This is good practice for the choir and for you.
As with a,Il warm-ups, a round must have a puq)ose. Don't just sing it for the sake of singing.
Virtually any round will do, of course. But included below are a few rounds which we consider to
be quite "choral" in nature. None, except for the last one, are particularly "childlike" in nature, and
thus are well suited for any age choir. AII but the last are ttrree-part rounds, wtrich are excellent for
virtually any choral group, regardless of size or ag'e. TWo-part choirs should have no problem
singing a round in ttrree parts. Ald mixed choirs (SATB, SA3, or Three-part mixed) can divide into
high, medium, and low voices or soprarro, alto, and men.
This is a famous and often-sung "music" round. The drop of a seventh down from Bb to C is good
interval training. Sing it lightly at a moderate tempo.
Anonymous
All things shall pet ish from der the
Mu slc lone shall live, slc lone shall live,
slc shall live,

This round has two distinct elements which make it an excellent choral warm-up: the dotted-
eighth/sixteenth rhythms (which must be performed precisely to contrast with the even eighth
notes), and ttre descending scale from sol to soI.
Anonymous
Engüsh words by Jay Althouse
long.
scend - end rng
'W'e've
borrowed this round fxom Classic Canons, an excellent collecüion of masterwork canons
edited and arranged by Patrick M. Liebergen (Alfred Publishing Co., #42:¡8). It consists mainty
of the first, third, and fifth scale degrees. Emptrasize proper tuning of these pitches.
Antonio Caldara
English words by Patrick M. Liebergen
Sing togeth ef, la, 1a, la, sharing laugh - ter, love and song.
Fa, fa, Ia,

1a, fa, la, love and song.
Fa, la, la, fa, la, la, love a¡d song.
The Complete Choral Warm-ttp Book 12A

Sing the rhythms precisely, in Baroque style, in this Mozart round. Tfy singing the first ptrrase
forte and the next two phrases piano. Slightly emphasize the third syllable of "alleluia."
IñLA. Mozart (1758-17s 7)
AI le- lu al le- lu le - lu- ia.
ia, le- lu - ia, al le - lu- ia.
Ttre wide skips and leaps in this famous round make it a good ctroice for a warm-up exercise.
Anon¡rmous
\t
Do- na bis cem, pa - cem. Do na_
*
bis pa bis pa- cem,
bis- pa - cem. Do na bis
L24 The Complete Choral Waxm-tlp Book

The next two rounds come from 'Round We Go!, by Elizabeth Gilpatrick, a collection of 4O rounds
with activities for young singers. We recommend it highly for young and developing choirs
(Alfred Publishing Co., Inc. #7993).
This next round, however, is definitely noú just for children's choirs. It's a four-part round that's
perfect for choirs of any age. Sing it lightly and concentrate on pure vowel sounds. Some choirs
may prefer to sing it up a whole step, in G major.
Elizabeth Gilpatrick
Sing al lu, al le lu, al Ie lu ta.
Sing, sing, sing aI le- lu ia, sing.
I'm Happy To Meet You is an ideal round for children's choirs. It's a two-part round and features
both ascending and descending major scale passages.
Elizabeth Gilpatriek
hap - pv meet you; I'm glad that you If
The Complete Choral Wa,rm-Up Book 126

Use this index tofind warm-ups for specific purposes. The numbers after
each category refer to the number of the warm-up, not the page number.
Breath support
15, 19, 23, 24, 26, 29, 32, 36, 40, 41, 42, 44, 45, 46, 55
Choral Blend
1,9, 12, 14, 16, 17, 79,20, 33, 34, 3:o,66, 68 through 73,92
Chords
(The following warm-ups contain melodies with broken chords. See
also the section on chordal warm-ups.):
t,24, 26, 27, 30,3,, 36, 3a, 39, 41, 42, 43, 44, 4A, 50, :D|, 76,93, 96,
101, 104, 130, 140, 147,752,158, 162, 16,4, t6:a,167,169,77C,773,
775, 792,195, 209
Consonants
3, 6, 10, 13, 74,26, 36, 37,39,40,4a,49,50,52,53,54,:r5,56,57,
58, 59, 60, 61, 62,63,64,
Dynamics
16, 19, 28,29,31, 33, 34,35, 44, 45,83, 89, 109, 111, 188, 208
Flexibility
11, 18, 20,21,26,2a,47, 42,50, 51, 55, 59, 93, 96, 1o^7, tO4, 120, 127,
722, 723, 130, 134, 135, 151, 156 through tZ', tzq,1aO, 181, 1a2,
183, 189, 192, 194, 20:a, 209, 21O
Head voice, developing the

1, 3 through lO, 14, 17, 40,96, L72, 1tA, 141,160, 161, 168, 194
Intonation
a, 77, 12, 20, 21, 22, 26, 43, 48, 51, 58, 60, 65, 66, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79,
80,81,82,87,88,91,92,94,97,98,102, 105, 106, 109, 115, 119, 120,
135, l'79 through 183, 195, 2O1,2O2,2O5,z)a, ZO9
Musical Styles:
Chorale Style
65, 66, 68, 69, 74,75,80, 83, 84, 86, 106, 201, 203
Classical:
t7, 27, 40, 41, 42, 65, 66, 74, 75, 77, 79, 83, A4, 85, 86, 1 12, 1 13,
1 15, 155, 199, 200, 207, 203, 20,4, zCA
Contemporary:
57, 67, 68, 69, 70, 77, 72, 73, 78, 80, a2, 90, 91, g2, 105, 109, 111,
174, 119, t97, tgA, 202
JazzlPop/Swing
11, 15, 27, 33, 39, 67, 68, 78, 80, 82, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 99, 100, 10?,
1O8, 184, through 196
Madrigal
70, 26, 40, 4t, 42, 47, 49, 5:o, 74, 77, ttz, 155, 2C6, 2C.7, zC,A
t26 The Complete Choral Warm-TJp Book

RenaissancelBaroque
10, 26, 40, 74, 81, a3, a4, 86, 106, 113, LL7, 203
Romantic
40, 47, 42, e-9,68, 69, 70, 75,80, 83, 44, 45, 115, 119, t55, 176, t77,
178, 199,2o0,207,2o4
Phrasing
21, 31, 34, 31o, 37, 39, 40, 43, 44, :D5, 57, 59, 60, 68, 70 through 76, A1,
a6, 88, 97,98, 105, 106, 11O, 111, tt7, 7tA, t32, 133, 134, 135, 185,
792, 797, 198, 199, 2o0, 2C2, 2o,4, 20a, 209
Range, developing
t7, 20, 21, 24, 25, 33, 41, 42, 50, 57, 58, 59, 64
Rhythms
10, 18, 26, 27,36, 38, 39, 40, 4t, 42, 49, 50, 51, 54,55, 56, 58, 61, 62,
63, 64, 74, 75, a5, 89, 90, 99, 100, 107, 108, 184, 185, 186, 187,
188 through 196, 198, 206,2O7
ScaIes
2,20,33,34,35, 47,58,59,64,67,92, lO9, 1L4, 117, 124, 125, 126,
127, tza, 129, 135, 179, 780, 184, 271
Suspensions
67 ; 6A, 69, 70, 71, 77, 79, AO, 81, 83, 84, 86, 8a, 93, 94, 97, 98, 101,
toz, 1o3,105, 106, 709, 716,202
Vowels
1, 2, 4through 9, 11, 72, 13, 14, 76, 77, 19 through 25,
27 through 37,34,35, 38, 52,65,66 through 73, aO, Al, A2,1O9, 11O,
118 through 123
lf,Iarm-ups for Other Than Unison Voices:

2-Part
17, 15,33, 34,35, 56, 65, 66, 70,74,76,77,80, 81, 85, 92,
1O9 through 119,2O2,2O5 through 211
3-Part/SAB
15, 33, 34, 56, 62, 63,65, 66, 69,70,73 through 92,
101 through 1O8, 195, 197, 199 through 21O
SSA
15, 33, 34, 56, 66,72 (ssAA), 74,76,77, 80,83, 84, e3, 94,
95, 96, 97, 9A, 99, 100, 195, 2o5, 206, 207, 20A, 209, zto
(Certain 3-Part/SAB warm-ups will also work for SSA choirs if you
move ttrem up a few steps.)
SATB
15, 33, 34, 35, 56, 62,63, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 75,
77 through 91, 797, 198, 199, 2OO,zot,2O3, 2o4,2lo

Following are four suggested warm-up sequences for various t¡pes of
choirs. In general, they are organized in the following ord.er: a beginning
warm-up, a warm-up to emphasiz,e vowels, a warm-up to emphasize conso-
nants, a warm-up to emphasize phrasing, and a chordal warm_up. you
might want to finish your warm-up seqFence with a warm-up in the style
your first rehearsal piece. The numbers refer to the warm-up number.
SATB School Choir

1 -20-39-4t-77
7 - 25 - 54 _134_ 56
11-31-58-68_65
l5 - 34 - 62¡- 67 - Az
SATB Church Choir

9 -35-63-34_66
7 - 22 - 64 - 45 _2C.2
17-25-13-7s7-207
19 - 9 - 74 -79A_ 79
SAB/S-Part Mixed
5 - 23 - 49 - 133_101
6-29-52-37_73
7 -30 -53-69_92
76-22-60-70-103
ssA
74 - 36 - 49 - 135_ 76
77-29-50-35_93
18-30-74-37_96
4 -2a-36-47_97
2-P art Children's Choir

17-38-40-35_109
7 - 28 - 49 - 55 -t74
8-77-26-60_117
13 - 30 - 13 - 43 -118
Show Choir/Jazz Choir

15-11-58-39_67
9 *1A4- 49 - 185- 78
10-188-48-45_89
11-27-64_68_88
To vary your warm-up sequence, simply select one warm-up from each
column. For example, another sequence for sArB school choirs might
be; 11-2O-62-134-65.
128 The Complete Choril Warm-up Book

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ALFRED CHO RAL EÜ

2 The Complete Choral Warm-Up Book

The Complete Choxal Warm-Up Book 3

4 The Complete Choraf, Warm-Up Book

The Complete Chora,l Warm-Up Book 5

6 The Complete Choral Warm-tlp Book

The Complete Chora,l Warm-Up Book 7

8 The Complete Chora) Warm-up Book

The Comp)ete Chora^I Warm-Up Book I

10 The Complete Choral Warm-Up Book

The Complete Chora,I Warm-Up Book 11

LZ The Complete Chord Warm-Up Book

The Complete Choral Wa,rm-Up Book 13

L4 The Complete Choral Warm-up Book

Reaches & Climb the Ladder

The Complete Choral Warm-Up Book 15

16 The Complete Choral Warm-up Book

Elbow and Arm Stretch

The CompLete Chora,l Warm-Up Book L7

18 The Complete Chora.I Warm-Up Book

The Complete Choral Warm-Up Book 19

20 The Complete Choral Warm-up Book

The Complete Chora,l Warm-Up Book 2t

Let's take each vowel separately.

22 The Complete Choral Warm-tlp Book

,,EH' Good Poor

The Complete Choral Warm-up Book 28

Next, you might move on to some simple Z-paxt warmups such as

Complete this sequence of warm-ups with exercises d.esigned to focus on

The Comp)ete Choral Warm-Up Book 2ó

26 The Complete Chora,l Warm-Up Book

l. Pa - pa - pa - pa picked a pot of peas.

Wee - oh, wee - oh, wee - oh, wee - oh wee.

l. Noo noo noo noo noo.

The Complete Choxa,l Warm-Up Book 27

2a The Complete Choxal Warm-Up Book

Me - oh, me - oh, me - oh, me - oh, me-oh, me-oh *r.I I

l.Noo noo noo noo noo noo noo noo noo. I I

The Complete Choral Warm-Up Book 29

AO The Complete Chor4 !-=-Up look

l. Ee- oo- oo- ee.¡ I

l.Noonoo noo noo

The Complete Choxa,lWarm-tlp Book 31

AZ The Complete Chora) Warm-üp Book

Nee- nay- nah- "-J

noo.- Let us sing.

The Complete Choral Warm-Up Book 88

During this period of transitional warm-ups, you might also begin to

The Complete ChoralWarm-Up Book 35

36 The Complete Choral Warm-tlp Book

Yoo hoo yoo hoo noo. I I

The Complete Choral Warm-Up Book 8?

88 The Complete Choral Warm-tlp Book

l. Bah bah bah uán. t 1

Hip hip ho ho hohohohono.Il

The Complete Choral Warm-up Book 39

40 The Complete Choxal Warm-lJp Book

ahno ahno.l ! No ah no ah no.l !

ffi :ffi $§*f#lluulllffi sG!:41;r¡!il

Nee eh nah. nee neh nah noh ,oo. I I