This item is not in the library — it is a part of: C. Bergstrøm-Nielsen, Intuitive Music: A Mini Handbook.
Stand in a circle. Stretch hands up in the air, as much as you can … and, when the teacher says to do so and together, let them fall down with a loud sighing. Repeat this several times — and the third time, tell people to continue the sound (before the third time or after the sound has begun). This should be an open, full register one. Use the means you like to make people extend and vary it — movements, verbal suggestions… Then, get into contact with higher registers of the voices in this way: tell people to imagine a large room, like a cathedral, inside their heads, and to make light, “slim” sounds travelling around in that room (you may start yourself to suggest how to begin).
You may at this point try to extend the improvisation already going on, by movement or verbal suggestions or both — this may or may not lead to a new beginning, it could also be signalling “please go on”, but it might well include something like “now, use both kinds of sounds”. You can use any suggestion, according to ideas and resources. In some cases it is needed to provide some to stimulate further imaginative vocalizing, like “Imagine…” — maybe from time to time. End, finally, when appropriate.
It fascinates me that the purpose of “warm-up” so often can act as a simple “cover” or “excuse” for what turns out as a real creative activity.
The wording above is by Carl Bergstrøm-Nielsen, as written in Intuitive Music: A Mini-Handbook, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 (Bergstrøm-Nielsen 2009, 9)
If you prefer video instruction, a similar activity is presented in Pass the Sound's Transforming Breath to Sound.
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