How to Do the "HA" Singing Exercise Going Up

If you enjoy singing, whether in your shower or on stage, you need to constantly make sure to perform vocal exercises. Your singing voice is just like any other muscle in your body, if it is not exercised it will not be strong. The “Ha” vocal exercise is a great way to not only strengthen your voice, but also help control your breathing.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Piano
• Water
• Great Posture

Starting the Vocal Exercise

1. Keep your shoulders relaxed and your head in alignment with your spine. Posture is extremely important when performing this exercise, always make sure your chin is straight ahead, never tilted down or up.

2. Place your hands on your stomach right where your ribs meet your abdominals. When you breathe in, you will want to feel your stomach (diaphragm) expand, and your chest/shoulders staying still. This is diaphragm breathing, which is important to implement when doing vocal exercises as well as when you sing.

3. Sit at your piano, and begin playing the G, F, E, D, C notes one after the other. This makes one complete scale.

4. Take in a low-breath (through your diaphragm) and then sing the word “Ha.” You will not want to extend the note, but rather release it with power. Between each note, take in a small breath through your diaphragm. Your breathing pattern should be: Ha–breath–Ha–breath–Ha–breath–Ha–breath–Ha. This will strengthen your vocal chords as well as help work your diaphragm, which is often under-used during our daily lives. Make sure you keep your hands on your diaphragm so you know that you’re breathing a good low breath, and not a fast high (shoulder/chest) breath.

5. Start off with the beginning scale, and move your way up the piano. You may notice that you are able to go much higher in your vocal range, so don’t be surprised if you begin hitting Mariah Carey notes. But it is very important to never over-extend your voice. Once you have reached the top of your range, you will not want to continue. A great rule of thumb is when you have to strain, or lift your chin to reach the note; you need to start working your way back down the scale.

Tips & Warnings

• Always keep great posture, if you start to slump your shoulders over, you will not be able to achieve the desire results from this exercise.
• Never sing, or perform vocal exercises, until you have hydrated your voice with water. Stay away from thick liquids, coffee, soda and dairy products.
• If you aren't sure that you're breathing through your diaphragm, lay on your back and breath naturally. Place your hands on your abdomen and feel it expand and contract with your breathing and your shoulders/chest never move. This is how you will want to breathe during the exercise.
• If you don't have a piano, there are many resources online that will provide you with scales in the appropriate octave for you to use.
• Once you hit the top of your range, do not try to go any further. Attempting to hit extremely high notes that are out of your range can damage your vocal chords. If you have to raise your chin to hit a note, then you need to start your way down the piano.

Resources

• Vocal Exercises from Vocalist