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These two exercises are both great for teaching our bodies how to release tension in the throat.

The first one is simply a slide from low to high and back again. While you’re doing it, try out some of the ideas from above to stay light and easy, keeping your throat as relaxed as you can.

In second one you’ll sing separate notes. The notes can be from the scale, or they can be 1-3-5 or 1-3-5-8, they can be notes from part of a song you know, or they can be just a little tune that you make up. What you choose to sing doesn’t matter as much as how you’re singing them.

Instead of landing hard on each note, practice landing on them lightly — practically gliding through them. Imagine floating up or down a flight of stairs lightly touching on each step, rather than walking with your full weight on each step.

Doing these exercises for even a few minutes teaches your body a new way of approaching melodies in songs. It’s not that you’d always sing this way — it’s that you’ll have much more access to singing this way so you can choose to sing more lightly when you want to, and develop a habit of not pushing so hard. Great for your throat!