Coleratura · Free vocal warm-up app
Warm up with me, free.
Coleratura is the practice app I built for my own pupils. Real piano, chords and a gentle beat, set to your voice type or the exact notes your coach gave you. It opens in your browser, so there's nothing to download.
Just your email to get in. No password, no card, no ads, no subscription.
How it works
Three taps and you're singing.
No settings to learn and no account to manage. I built it so a nervous beginner can use it on their phone before work.
Choose how long
A single scale exercise for a quick five minutes, or a full warm-up that takes you from gentle to your whole range and back down again.
Choose your voice
Pick your voice type, from bass to soprano, including head voice. Or type in the notes your coach gave you, like C3 to G4.
Press play
The piano gives you each scale, moves up a step each time, and a chord and a light groove keep you company underneath.
A real grand piano
Recorded piano, not a computer beep. Much easier to sing in tune with.
Chords under every scale
So you hear where each note sits, and the bridges between keys keep things moving.
A groove that fits the speed
Slow swing, bossa, funk or disco, depending on the tempo. Or switch to a simple click, or nothing at all.
Your range, your notes
Set exactly where each exercise starts and where it tops out, using note names or the numbers your coach uses.
Five full warm-ups
Gentle, Daily practice, Everyday, Crossing the break, and Range and agility. Each one is set for your voice type.
Save it like an app
Add it to your home screen and it opens full screen, ready whenever you are.
Why warm up at all?
What the research says.
Your voice is a set of small muscles. Here is what studies of singers have found about getting them ready.
Classically trained singers produced a steadier, less noisy sound after warming up, with more of the ring that helps a voice carry.
Amir, Amir & Michaeli, 2005, Journal of VoiceIn untrained singers, straw exercises lowered the effort needed to start the voice, peaking at around ten minutes. Scale work changed the sound more gradually, over 15 to 20 minutes.
Kang et al., 2019, Journal of VoiceIn a survey of 117 singers, five-note scales, octave scales, arpeggios and slides were the favourite warm-up exercises. Coleratura has the first three built in.
Gish et al., 2012, Journal of VoiceEvery singer in one study reported better tone, control and body awareness after warming up. That matters: confidence changes how you sing.
Moorcroft & Kenny, 2013, Journal of VoiceSingers who added daily voice exercises for four weeks could sustain notes for longer and used their air more efficiently. A group who carried on as normal didn't change.
Sabol, Lee & Stemple, 1995, Journal of VoiceRecordings of real singing lessons found teachers gave instruction, demonstration or feedback on almost every attempt. That's the part an app can't give you.
Crocco, McCabe & Madill, 2020, Journal of VoiceA fair warning: warm-up studies tend to be small, often with fewer than 30 singers, so treat these as good signs rather than guarantees. Short on time? One or two single exercises covers the five to ten minutes most singers prefer. The full warm-ups run about 15 minutes, a warm-up and a practice session in one.
How it compares
A practice tool shouldn't cost a subscription.
Every app below, mine included, is a practice tool. It plays the notes, and some can show you when a note was flat. None of them can tell you why, or how to fix it. Here's how Coleratura compares with four popular ones, including what mine doesn't do.
Swipe the table to see every app →
| Feature | Coleratura | Yousician | Sing Sharp | Swiftscales | Voice Training: Learn to Sing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | £16.99 a month or £99.99 a year (singing only) | £19.99 a month, or £29.99 to £99.99 a year | Free with ads, or £6.99 one-off for Pro | Free with ads, or £29.99 a year |
| No ads | ✓ | Not listed | Free version has ads | Free version has ads | Free version has ads |
| Opens in your browser, no download | ✓ | App | App | App | App |
| Guided warm-up routines | ✓ | Partly | ✓ | ✓ | Partly |
| Scales set to your own notes | ✓ | Partly | ✓ | ✓ | Partly |
| Recorded piano sound | ✓ | Not listed | Not listed | ✓ | ✓ |
| Chords and a groove under the scales | ✓ | Songs only | Drum in rhythm drills | Not listed | Backing tracks |
| Listens and checks your pitch | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | Not listed | ✓ |
| Songs to sing | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | Your own music |
| A real coach behind it, with lessons in London and online | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ |
Prices from each app's UK App Store listing and features from its store listing or official website, checked 26 September 2026. Prices and features change, so check the app before you buy. "Not listed" means I couldn't confirm it either way. All names belong to their owners.
What a year of practice tools costs
The cheapest yearly or one-off price for each app, from its UK App Store listing.
Whatever you pay, you're buying something that plays notes and, at best, tells you when one was off. It can't hear tension creeping in, notice a vowel pulling you off pitch, or change the plan when something isn't working. That's the part that actually moves a voice forward, and no subscription includes it.
So don't spend on a practice tool. Use mine for free, and put your money into the thing an app can't do.
Why lessons are different
No app replaces a teacher. Not even mine.
The app plays the notes. I listen. Coleratura gets you warmed up, but the biggest leaps happen when someone can hear what you can't. Your own voice sounds different from the inside, and no app on your phone can tell you why a note feels tight.
What any app can do, mine included
- Play the notes and keep time
- Show you a note was sharp or flat, in the apps that listen
- Keep you practising between lessons
What I do that no app can
- I hear what the app can't: tension, breath, a vowel pulling you off the note
- I find your real voice type and your break, then set your exercises around them
- I tell you what to practise this week, and why, so every warm-up counts
- I know when to push and when to rest, which is how voices grow safely
Questions
Before you start.
Is Coleratura really free?
Yes. No subscription, no trial that runs out, no ads and no card. I built it for my pupils and I'm happy for anyone to use it.
Do I need to download anything?
No. It opens in the browser on your phone, tablet or computer. If you'd like it to feel like an app, add it to your home screen and it opens full screen.
Why do you ask for my email?
So I know who's using it and can let you know when I add new warm-ups. You choose whether you'd like to hear from me, and you can unsubscribe at any time. There's no password to remember.
What if I don't know my voice type?
Pick the one that feels closest, or start with the Gentle warm-up, which stays in the comfortable middle of the voice. If you have notes from a coach, type those in instead. I can find your voice type properly in a lesson.
Does it listen to me or check my pitch?
No, on purpose. Listening to the piano and matching it trains your own ear. To check yourself, record a warm-up on your phone and play it back, or bring it to a lesson and I'll listen with you.
How long should I warm up for?
Most singers prefer five to ten minutes, which is one or two single exercises. The full warm-ups run about 15 minutes and double as a practice session.
Is it safe for my voice?
Warm-ups should feel comfortable. Stay in the part of your range that feels easy, sip water, and stop if anything hurts or feels scratchy. If you have ongoing hoarseness or pain, see a GP or an ENT specialist.
Who made it?
I did. I'm Coleman James, a London vocal coach and working singer. I trained at Mountview, where I'm now an examiner, and I built Coleratura around the warm-ups I use with my own pupils.
Your voice is ready when you are. Let's begin.
Free, in your browser, set to your voice. Just your email to get in.
Start warming up free