Why Traditional Vocal Warm-Ups Might Be Wasting Your Time (And What to Do Instead)

Be honest—warming up your voice can sometimes feel as exciting as folding laundry.

You hum, you trill, you run through scales like some kind of human siren… 

And by the end of it all, you’re wondering if you actually needed to do all of that or if you just wasted 30 minutes of your lunch time. 

And if you’re anything like most singers, you’ve probably asked yourself:

Do I really need to do all this just to sound good?

The short and skinny of it? 

NOPE.

Why Traditional Warm-Ups May Not Be Helping You as Much as You Think

For decades, singers have been taught that warming up means running through a laundry list of boring “one-size-fits all” exercises for at least 20-30 minutes.

But here’s the thing—most “traditional warm-ups” may not actually prepare your voice for singing. 

Here’s what I’ve seen happen:

• You waste time on exercises that don’t actually translate to your songs.

• You reinforce tension instead of releasing it.

• You leave your warm-up feeling just as tight as when you started.

And if you don’t feel (or sound) noticeably better after your warm-up, what’s the point?

A Faster, Smarter Way to Warm Up

Instead of spending 30 minutes exhausting your voice with random exercises, you can wake up your voice in just a few minutes with the right tools.

That’s where the Singing / Straw™ comes in.

Why the Singing / Straw™ Is a Game-Changer for Your Voice?

Unlike traditional warm-ups that just throw exercises at you and hope something clicks, the Singing / Straw works with your voice to give you exactly what you need, without all the extra noise.

With the Singing / Straw, you can:

✅ Encourage healthy phonation—so your vocal folds stay happy and efficient, not overworked
✅ Improve breath control—so you’re not over-blowing air and making your voice work harder than it needs to
✅ Find your best sound—without pushing, straining, or guessing
✅ Warm up faster—because your voice doesn’t need to feel exhausted before it’s ready

And the best part? 

You can do it anywhere, anytime. (And without worrying about making a ton of noise!)

No piano? No problem.
No time for a long warm-up? 5 minutes is all you need.
No privacy? Hop in the car and warm up while you drive.

You don’t have to be in a perfectly quiet practice room with an hour to spare.

You just need the right tool to get your voice moving.

The Warm-Up Routine That Actually Works

If you’ve been relying on old-school scales that don’t address your voice’s specific needs, it’s time to switch things up.

That’s why we created the Singing / Straw Warm-Up Bundle—a set of downloadable warm-ups designed to get your voice where it needs to be, in less time and with better results.

So before you waste another 30 minutes on warm-ups that leave you feeling just as stuck as before…

Grab your Singing / Straw, check out our guided warm-ups, and experience how effortless your voice can feel when you warm up the right way.

Your not-so-basic vocal coach,
Whitney Nichole