Hi, June, Did you check out the thread called "Vocal techniques"? I listed the other thread titles discussing this singing topic. There are URL's that you can click on to go to information in the thread called "Help!My singing voice is dying!" You can use the handy forum search that Max has provided to find old thread titles.

Here is part of my message, copied and pasted from the "Help!" thread:

For those who are not squeamish, you can see photos of vocal chord nodules, cysts, etc. at the University of Pittsburgh Voice Center website. They also discuss reflux and other causes of hoarseness. Photo page is
http://www.upmc.edu/upmcvoice/Photos.htm

The U.of Pittsburgh Voice Center also has a page of Dos and Don'ts for Singers.
http://www.upmc.edu/upmcvoice/Dos.htm

If you explore all the links I gave earlier, I think there are descriptions of warm-up techniques. If you have never sung in front of a full length mirror or watched yourself sing on video, then it would be helpful to look in a mirror and check your posture. Since your whole body is your instrument, there are lots of muscles involved in producing and supporting and affecting the sound. Your posture should be balanced and relaxed, not rigid and tense or slumped over. Relax your face and neck muscles. Massage them if you have to. Drop your jaw and let it go slack, roll your head around to relax your neck. Loosen the tension in your lips. When you take in a breath, your shoulders should stay down and relaxed. If you are holding down the muscles of the floor of your abdomen, more air can expand down there, and you will see your belly expand out, and your ribs and chest expand as the air comes in. Training those muscles to support your air flow will help alot in keeping the vocal chords healthy. The air going through the vocal chords is what makes the sound, so if you can control the airflow, then you won't be straining and blasting air when trying for more volume or a longer note. Start in the speaking range (the note you make when saying a hummm of surprise) and begin singing by humming or singing 'oooh' or 'aaaah' in short scales. Your face muscles, forehead, jaw, etc. should remain relaxed, not tense. Start an easy song, not loud, and then build to songs with more range and volume. You can do this in the car on your way to your sing-along or choir practice. Alot of information is on the links I provided above, but there is no substitute for a GOOD teacher.,BR>

happy (and healthy) singing...

alice in montana