Simple Vocal Exercise - The ‘Siren’
This is a simple exercise that my friend, and impromtu vocal coach and producer, imparted to me one night while working late in the studio. The purpose is to help improve the natural transitions in a singer’s voice, particularly from chest voice (normal voice) to falcetto (high pitched and less deep), till they are seemless and smooth. The benefits of this to singing in the long term are practically limitless. Crucially, it helps to develop control over one’s voice, so that when you ‘go for it’, notes come out just the way you expect.
The exercise is simple to learn. Sing or hum as low a note as you can manage. Then slowly and continuously slide the note up until you get to the highest note you can realistically manage, and then, once again, slow and controlled, bring the note back down again to where you started from, hence replicating a siren. Make sure you do it slowly- doing it quick defeats the point. Relax and listen carefully as you do it. The goal is to make sure that as the note slides up or down, there are no ‘jumps’ as your voice transitions, and the movement is perfectly smooth and silky.
Once gain, this takes practice but the improved control is well worth it.