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Hum on one note

Closed lips, an “mmm” you feel in the lips and nose. Four seconds, calmly.

mmm
One repetition of the pattern. In the app it is transposed to your vocal range and scored note by note.

A single sustained note, held for four beats at a slow tempo, so about four seconds. There's no interval to find; the whole task is a steady, easy tone. Humming on 'mmm' with closed lips keeps the volume low and sends vibration into the lips and nose, which is the gentlest way to wake up the voice. Each repetition moves the note up a whole step, so you cover four pitches without ever pushing.

How to do it

  1. Press start and listen for the short cue note the piano plays.
  2. Close your lips lightly, teeth apart, and hum the same pitch until the target bar ends.
  3. Watch your pitch line sit inside the green bar; small wobbles at the start are fine.
  4. After each hold, the next cue lands a whole step higher. Four holds in total.

Coach's tip: Lips lightly closed, teeth apart, tongue loose. You should feel vibration on the lips.

What to watch out for

The most common slip is starting under the pitch and sliding up into it. Hear the cue, breathe, then start on the note. If the line drifts flat toward the end, you're running out of air; take a fuller breath, don't squeeze. Clenched teeth kill the buzz, so keep the jaw loose. If your throat feels tight or scratchy on any hold, stop and lower your range in settings.

Who it's for

This is for everyone, from a first-time singer to someone warming up before a rehearsal. Do it first in a session, before anything with leaps or speed. Follow it with Hum 5-4-3-2-1 to add movement while still humming, then Lip trill – siren. It opens the 5-minute warm-up program. Also a good reset when your voice feels tired.

Part of programs: 5-minute warm-up

Practice this exercise

Opens the app in your browser. Free, no account. Put on headphones first.

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