Are you lip buzzing wrong?

If you've ever had a voice lesson or sung in a choir, you've probably done this vocal warmup: the lip buzz (or lip trill). 

However, I can confidently say that when I do this exercise with new students in a voice lesson, nine times out of ten they are doing it wrong!

And when you're doing it wrong, you're not getting the benefit out of the exercise. 

Don't waste your time doing this common vocal exercise incorrectly, instead use these two tips (every time you do it, not just once or twice!) and your lip buzzing will feel more easy, relaxed, and resonant. Try it!

My two tips for lip buzzing correctly!

1. Gently push up your cheeks with your fingers at the level of your jawbone. This lifts the weight of your cheeks and makes it easier for your lips to "trill" with less air pressure and effort.
2. Underneath that buzz, imagine that you’re saying/vocalizing on the word “UH.” You can think of the UH sound being a little little "dopey" or "dumb." This encourages your larynx (voice box) to remain in a resting and flexible position, instead of rising or straining unnecessarily. 

That's it! Pretty simple right? Give this a try right now and leave us a comment if it made a difference in how you vocalize on this exercise!