Essential Singing Exercises

Humming
M - N - NG HUM

“Everyone around the world hums, regardless of culture or creed. We do not question why we hum any more than we question why we breathe. We just do. This is one of the simplest and yet most profound sounds we can make. We can all hum. The very young can hum. The very old can hum. If you have a voice, you can hum.“

Jonathan Goldman “The Humming Effect: Sound Healing for Health and Happiness.”

What is humming?

Humming is a simple vocal exercise that involves making a nasal sound usually with your lips closed (but you can also do it with open mouth). It is a type of Semi-Occluded Vocal Tract (SOVT) exercise that creates a partial obstruction of the airflow through the vocal tract. This semi-occluded position helps to regulate the flow of air and balance the pressure above and below the vocal folds, making it a useful exercise for improving vocal control and resonance.

To produce the humming sound, we force air through our vocal cords, which vibrate and create sound waves. The frequency of the sound is determined by the rate of vibration of the vocal cords. These sound waves are then amplified by the resonating chambers. Humming resonates the most in the oral and nasal cavities of the head, as well as the chest cavity. But we have to remember that the nasal cavity is essential for humming. If you hold your nose, you simply can't hum!

It’s a safe and simple exercise that can be done anytime, anywhere, making it a great addition to any vocal warm-up routine.

Objectives:

Stretching of vocal folds
Improving mastery of vocal fold function
Balancing the pressure above and below the vocal folds
Improving pitch range without straining the voice
Most importantly: improving the feeling of different resonators in the vocal tract, especially the nasal cavity

Another interesting aspect of humming is the way it can affect our bodies. Research has shown that when we hum a number of beneficial therapeutic effects occur, including:

When to use:

Don’t use:

As a warm-up before singing
As a gentle exercise in the morning or after intense singing
As a cool-down at the end of the day
For maintaining healthy vocal folds or aiding in the recovery of injured vocal folds
To familiarize yourself with a new melody
To work on extending your range
To reduce stress
To meditate, relax and promote better sleep

In general, humming is a safe and beneficial exercise for most people.
However, if you have a serious respiratory infection or vocal injury, it’s best to avoid it until you have recovered.
Once you are ready to resume singing, humming can be a helpful exercise to include in your vocal warm-up routine.
As with any vocal exercise, it’s important to listen to your body and avoid practicing if you’re experiencing any discomfort or vocal fatigue.

How to make it work? | Part 1

Humming is a very natural way of producing sound. Anyone can hum. It doesn’t require a lot of experience but as every exercise it is better to take it step by step.

1.Find a comfortable position. You can stand or sit, it doesn’t matter as long as you stay relaxed.

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Hi! I’m Justine Sounds, a singer, songwriter, and the proud founder of Open Minded Singing. If you enjoyed reading this article, I would greatly appreciate it if you could share it with your friends. Feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions or inquiries. Also, don’t forget to follow @openmindedsinging on social media for more exciting updates and content.
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