Helpful Hints

These Practice Plans contain the vocal cry exercises as presented in exercises 20-22. Here are some things to remember:

• It is vitally important to avoid holding your breath as you initiate the cries.

• Make sure that you are producing an even siren quality. Some may have trouble at first with the final notes skipping a bit. If that is the case, go back to a faster execution of the fifth cry. If it continues to elude, make a sound like a fire truck siren to experience the natural progression of pitches. Then return to the cry exercises and fit that into the cry vocalization.

• When you reach the last pitch, sing it completely, release it properly, and continue stretching your lips until after you release the breath.

• Make sure you are observing and adjusting your mouth movements with a mirror.

• The speed of the cry is not as important as the singing of the glissando evenly. The vocal cords and laryngeal muscles will move the same amount regardless of the speed. As you improve, you will be able to slow down the cry to gain more benefit from the exercise.

This Practice Plan is a bit longer, and is approximately eighteen to twenty minutes in length. Even though this is appropriate for all intensity levels, you may omit one track from the list if you are following the Low Intensity Level and prefer a shorter practice session.