> What is the purpose of warming up your voice before you sing? Why do you sing more clearly and controlled, and why are you able to sing both higher and lower notes when your voice is warmed up?
>

*impersonating one of those PBS narrator voices*

The vocal folds (or chords) are quite resislil ... reslisel ... erierj; ... they're really tough, but they are quite capable of being injured in the same way one pulls, strains, or even tears (though tearing is quite rare, and hard to do) any other of the body's muscles. Just as one should stretch before exercising the body, so one should warm up before exercising the voice.

In regard to the lower notes of one's vocal range, those should come easier early in the morning and on humid days (as with stormy weather), because the larynx is more relaxed under such conditions. Relaxed larynx = lengthened vocal folds = lower overall sound.

Warming up is not always essential. I have found (speaking as a bass, but not the fish) that my voice is warmed up suffiently at the end of the day, so i don't warm up as much when rehearsing at night.

Having to perform vocally before 11am is evil and inconsiderate. Just ask Platypi 007, if you catch him in chat (a rare thing), about his ordeal singing for Easter sunrise service. Not pretty.
> I suppose the answer lies here, because the inverse should be true, too: After several hours of not using your voice, it will be even less usable than normal.
>

Like i said, just treat it like you would any other muscle you want to work out.

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