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Sing along · five notes up and back

Lip trill exercise

Blow through loose lips so they flutter, then let your voice ride the trill up five notes and back down while the keyboard plays them. Each round starts a half step higher, then it comes back down.

How to use it

  1. Pick Low, Medium or High (or Your range, after the range test) and press Start the warm-up. Listen to the first notes, then trill along on "brr", sliding smoothly from note to note.
  2. Tempo, at the top, makes it slower or faster. Under More, Hear it, then sing plays each round before you sing it, and you can set the times through and how far it climbs.

Why singers use lip trills

A lip trill keeps the breath steady and the throat relaxed, so the voice can move through its range with little effort. Many teachers start a warm-up with it, and it is a gentle way back into singing after a break.

If your lips won't trill

Press your fingertips lightly on your cheeks, just beside the corners of your mouth: the slack often lets the lips flutter. Use a steady, gentle stream of air, not a big push. If they still won't flutter, hum the same notes instead.

More warm-ups

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Stackapella recording the alto part of Amazing Grace: each note is a bar with its name, and the one being sung says A little low, go up. Stackapella recording the alto part of Amazing Grace: each note is a bar with its name, and the one being sung says A little low, go up. Stackapella recording the alto part of Amazing Grace: each note is a bar with its name, and the one being sung says A little low, go up. Stackapella recording the alto part of Amazing Grace: each note is a bar with its name, and the one being sung says A little low, go up.
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Questions

What is a lip trill?

A lip trill, also called a lip roll or lip bubble, is blowing through loosely closed lips so they flutter while you sing. It sounds like "brr", a little like a motorboat, and it can slide up and down through notes.

What are lip trills good for?

Lip trills warm the voice up gently, with steady breath and little strain. They help you move smoothly between low and high notes, which is why many singers do them first.

Why can't I do a lip trill?

Usually the lips are a little too tight, or the air isn't steady. Relax your lips and jaw, press lightly on your cheeks beside the corners of your mouth, and blow gently. If it still won't come, hum the same notes: the humming scale is just as gentle.

How long should I do lip trills?

One time through is under two minutes at the usual tempo, and that is enough to start. Add a time through under More if you like, but stop before your lips or breath feel tired.

Should lip trills make me dizzy?

They shouldn't, but a trill uses a lot of air, so some people feel light-headed at first. Breathe normally between rounds, use less air, and stop if you feel light-headed or if anything tightens.

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