Vocal Exploration Exercises

Submitted by various Music K-8 Mailing List members

Idea posted November 22, 2005

Each week, I'm hoping to have a different vocal exploration exercise/experience for my students. So far, we've done swoops, whoops, sirens, and saying, "Oh no!" like they used to do on Saturday Night Live with Mr. Bill. (I don't tell them about that part.) The week of Halloween we pretend that we're ghosts and make ghost sounds. One boy suggested being a werewolf, howling, etc. We've said, "What a nice puppy!" in that high voice, and on and on. I've also thought that we could pretend to fall off a cliff.

With 36 weeks in the school year and my brain only capable of so much creativity, I'm not convinced I'll be able to come up with enough. What are your favorites? Any suggestions?

Have your students make their own map on construction paper, then select a few and sing them, or have the students direct the others using their created vocal map.

Also, I make a few vocal maps and "hide" them around the room. (I made them on bright green paper so they could spot them.) When someone finds one, we would all move to that area and try it out. I used different things like: "zzzzzzzzz pst pst pst, oooo, t t t," etc. drawn on paper. For example, low "zzzzzzz" then a swirl up to high "ahhhhh"....falling back down to a "duh," etc. They really enjoyed making these sounds. They also enjoyed the hunting aspect.

I've also gotten out scarves and said, "Sing with the movement of the scarf." When the scarf was up, we sang high (on "ah," or whatever one felt was appropriate). If it went in a circle, we would make our voices follow the movement of the scarf. When the scarf dropped to the floor, there had to be absolute silence. When they got good at it, then I would let a student lead.

We would also use the scarves for other exercises. For example, students had to clap non-stop until the scarf hit the ground or giggle non-stop until the scarf hit the ground, etc.

I call the swoops "doing the roller coaster." We trace our hands in the air up and down, slowly, quickly, in loops, smoothly, jerky, up, down, etc.

You can also do something falling from the sky and splatting on the ground. You could call it a bomb, but I'd rather say it's something funny, like an airplane drops a bucket full of green slime and it comes down:

Each student gets a pipe cleaner and shapes it as they choose. Then we go around the circle and sing each shape.

Also, I have my students stand on the floor facing me. The directions are, "If I do it, you do it." For example, I drag one hand up my side, making an upward sound. I bend over from the waist, making a downward sound. I honk my nose, I ring my ears, and I even do raspberries. Every so often I raise my hands over my head and sing like an opera singer (only in my imagination). They're so engrossed in the game that they mirror me without thinking. Then of course, I stare silently in shock at the beautiful sound. They just beam. They would play this game every class if we had time. When the bus lines get chaotic, I do this with the students waiting in line, and they're absolutely focused. The principal loves it.

I have a beanie "Smiley Guy" that we use for this. As he "flies" from high to low, their voices follow. Sometimes he jumps up out of my hand toward the ceiling, and sometimes he hits the ground!