My Favorite Warm Up
Over the years, I’ve tried countless vocal exercises, and I’ve taught many of them to my students. Some exercises focus on improving range, others help with pitch accuracy, while some work on breath control. But there’s one exercise I find myself returning to time and time again, no matter the student’s skill level or vocal style: the lip trill.
It may sound simple, but there’s something magical about the lip trill that works wonders for both beginners and seasoned singers. It’s one of those exercises that I swear by for its versatility and its ability to get results without any risk of strain or discomfort. So today, I want to share why the lip trill is my favorite vocal exercise—and why it should be in your routine too.
What Is a Lip Trill?
Before we dive into the benefits, let’s break down what a lip trill actually is. Simply put, a lip trill is when you blow air through your closed lips while producing sound, creating a fluttering or vibrating effect. The trick is to keep the lips relaxed and allow the air to create the vibration, without any tension in the face, jaw, or throat.
Imagine the sound of a motorboat or a horse trotting—it’s that kind of “brrrrr” sound. Once you get the hang of it, it’s surprisingly easy to do and incredibly effective.
Why I Love It
1. A Relaxed, Effortless Start
One of the first things I notice when working with students is how much unnecessary tension they carry in their body when they sing. This is particularly true in the throat and jaw. We’re all guilty of holding tension, especially when trying to hit those high notes or power through a difficult phrase.
The beauty of the lip trill is that it encourages a relaxed approach to sound production. It’s almost impossible to tense up while doing a lip trill. The gentle flutter of the lips forces you to engage your diaphragm and breath support, rather than relying on your throat muscles. This makes it an excellent exercise for training the body to release tension and use the breath for sound rather than straining the vocal cords.
For beginners, this means that the lip trill helps build a solid foundation of vocal habits—something that will benefit them for the rest of their singing journey. And for more advanced students, it’s a great way to reset the voice and eliminate any tension that might have built up after a long practice session.
2. Helps with Breath Control
Breath support is the cornerstone of good singing, and I always tell my students that they need to “breathe life” into their sound. The lip trill is one of the best exercises for developing breath control.
When you perform a lip trill, it’s essential to use your diaphragm to push the air out steadily, allowing the lips to flutter without interruption. This engages the lower part of the body, helping to develop a stronger, more consistent airflow. The longer you can sustain the trill without running out of air, the better your breath support becomes.
I like to use the lip trill to work on long, sustained notes as well. By holding the trill through different vocal registers—whether it’s in your chest voice or head voice—you start to build stamina and control in the breath. Plus, because the trill is a relatively low-pressure exercise, it’s easy to keep it gentle and steady, avoiding strain.
3. Smoothens Transitions Between Registers
One of the trickiest parts of singing is navigating the transition between vocal registers, particularly from chest voice to head voice (or falsetto). The lip trill works wonders for smoothing out those transitions.
The exercise allows the voice to move freely between registers without any interruption or “breaks.” This is because, when doing a lip trill, you aren’t focusing on producing a specific tone or volume—you’re simply allowing the air to move the sound through the different registers. It’s like a bridge between chest and head voice, helping the singer find a smooth connection from one vocal placement to the next.
For students who struggle with vocal breaks or find it difficult to transition smoothly, the lip trill is a game-changer. It trains the vocal cords to blend seamlessly across registers, making it easier to sing high notes without that “choppy” feeling.
4. Expands Vocal Range Gently
While it’s true that lip trills are often used as warm-ups, they’re also a fantastic exercise for gradually extending your vocal range. When you practice trilling through a scale or arpeggio, you can gently extend your range in both directions—higher and lower—without the risk of straining your voice.
Since the exercise is so low-impact, you can push your voice to explore new notes without worrying about hurting your vocal cords. I always recommend trilling through your full range, starting from a comfortable middle note and working your way up and down. Over time, this helps expand your range, as the exercise strengthens the vocal folds and teaches them to vibrate freely across a broader spectrum of notes.
5. Improves Tone Quality
A lip trill can also help you fine-tune your tone quality. When you’re singing with tension, it’s easy to produce a harsh or breathy sound. The lip trill, however, encourages a smoother, more even sound by requiring a consistent and relaxed airflow. This can help refine your vocal tone, making it more even and resonant across your entire range.
I like to use lip trills to help my students focus on a clean, clear tone. As they trill, I ask them to think about keeping their sound as smooth and steady as possible. Any breathiness or wobble can be a sign of air leakage or tension, so the exercise helps them identify and correct these issues.
How to Do a Lip Trill
If you're new to the lip trill, here’s how to get started:
Relax your face and jaw: Make sure your lips are soft and not pursed. You don’t want to tighten your lips or clench your jaw.
Breathe deeply: Take a deep breath using your diaphragm (your stomach should expand as you breathe in).
Start trilling: Gently blow air through your lips, letting them flutter. You can try starting on a simple note and then gliding up and down in pitch, or you can try trilling through a scale or arpeggio.
Focus on keeping the airflow steady: Don’t force the sound; let the air do the work. Keep your breath flowing evenly and relax into the trill.
It may take a bit of practice to get the hang of it, but once you do, it becomes an incredibly effective part of your daily vocal routine.
The Takeaway
For me, the lip trill is the ultimate vocal exercise because it helps build strong, healthy vocal habits while also being gentle and effective. It addresses a wide range of vocal issues, from breath support to range extension to register transitions. And the best part? It can be done anywhere—no fancy equipment, no complicated technique. Just you, your breath, and a bit of air through your lips.
So, next time you’re about to warm up, take a few minutes to incorporate lip trills into your routine. You might be surprised at how quickly they transform your voice
