Which Vocal Exercises Are Best to Train Your Voice?

Ever find yourself wondering which vocal exercises actually work—and which are just fluff? In this episode, you’ll learn the top three exercises that can help you strengthen your voice, expand your range, and sing with total ease (without straining or getting stuck). If you’re ready to start singing more confidently, this one’s for you.

Common Mistakes Beginner Singers Make

Before we dive into the how-to, let’s address a few common missteps I see all the time. First up: skipping your warm-up. Jumping straight into a song without warming up is like running a marathon without stretching—you’re setting yourself up for tension and possibly even vocal injury.

Another biggie? Picking exercises that are too advanced for where you are. It’s so important to know your current level—whether you’re brand new, have some experience, or are more advanced. There’s a natural order to vocal training, and skipping steps can leave you stuck.

Lastly, don’t get stuck only focusing on technique. Your voice is so much more than breath control and hitting high notes—it’s about confidence, mindset, and creativity, too. Singing is an emotional and expressive art, and if you’re not addressing the inner work, your technique might not land the way you want it to.

What Sets Trained Singers Apart

Trained singers know the value of warming up. They understand that learning vocal technique follows a specific structure. But perhaps most importantly, they take a holistic approach to their vocal development—balancing technical exercises with creative expression and nervous system regulation. That’s the difference between just "doing exercises" and truly growing as a singer.

Exercise #1: The Lip Trill

Let’s kick things off with the lip trill. This one’s a classic for a reason—it trains your breath support, vocal agility, and vocal cord closure, all at once. Plus, it helps smooth out the break between registers.

Not getting a clean trill yet? No worries. Try placing your fingers gently at the corners of your mouth to help. And remember, if it’s hard, that’s okay—it likely means you’re engaging muscles that need the workout!

Exercise #2: The “Gigg” for Vocal Cord Closure

Next up is one of my favorites for strengthening your vocal cord closure—the “Gigg” exercise. If you’ve noticed breathiness in your tone (especially on high notes), this one’s for you. Using a hard ‘G’ sound followed by an “EE” vowel helps bring those cords together so you can produce a cleaner, more powerful sound.

This also helps you transition smoothly between chest voice and head voice, which can be a tricky spot for many singers. Give yourself a virtual high five when you nail it—it’s a win!

Exercise #3: The Yawn-Slide for Releasing Tension

Our third and final exercise is all about letting go of built-up tension. Starting from a relaxed yawn position, we’ll slide down the scale, keeping everything soft and released. This is especially important when singing in the higher parts of your range—it should feel relaxed, not forced.

Remember: a relaxed voice is a free voice. And when your voice is free, everything becomes easier.

Bringing It All Together

To recap: we’ve got the lip trill to build agility and breath control, the gigg for vocal cord closure and register blending, and the yawn-slide to release tension. These three technical exercises form a powerful foundation for any singer.

But don’t stop here—vocal technique is just one part of the journey. When you combine technique with confidence, mindset work, and creative expression, that’s when the magic really starts. If you’re ready to go deeper…

Ready to Sing with Power & Ease?

If you’re a passionate singer, and you're struggling with hoarseness, tension or straining while singing, despite your best effort to sing certain vocal exercises or try to copy the sound of the original artist, I'd like to show you how to sing powerful high notes and expand your range without any straining, tension or hoarseness so that you can sing all of your favorite songs easily and effortlessly.
Even if you typically struggle to practice and train your voice because of a lack of time because you might have other responsibilities (like a job or kids!).
Grab the free secret Mix Voice Training here: https://www.singinginsiders.com/secret-video-opt-in

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If you’ve ever felt stuck in your singing progress despite regular practice, watching YouTube tutorials, or even taking vocal lessons, you’re not alone. Click here to unlock your true vocal potential, hit high (and low!) notes effortlessly, and sing in public with confidence—without relying on natural talent or years of training.

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If you're ready to up-level your singing, be surrounded by a team of coaches to help you throughout your singing journey and be part of a community of like-minded singers, then the Singing Insiders membership is for you! Click here to join the waitlist: https://www.singinginsiders.com/si-waitlist

Ready to sing high notes easily and expand your range fast? Register for this FREE training walking you through the step-by-step process to develop your mix voice:  https://www.singinginsiders.com/shne-training-opt-in-fnl