Humming on nasal consonants can be very useful to access more resonance in the openings in the face and head. Because of the way it stimulates the brain as well as other organs and glands, humming also has a great effect on the entire physical and personality system.
[m] helps us feel vibrations in the forward resonators, especially the mouth. It is especially beneficial when the sound lacks brilliance and clarity. In combination with vowel sounds such as [i], the IPA* symbol for a long “ee” sound like in the word “feet” or [a] like in the word “hat” we can learn how resonance adds acoustical efficiency and volume without having to put pressure on the vocal cords. This is a great combination for transforming shyness, sadness or other qualities that cause the voice to be held within and quiet.
[ng] increases sensation and resonance in the throat at the back of the mouth. Accessing the inside spaces behind the larynx, mouth and nose can add more warmth to the sound. We can feel and hear this even more when it is used in combination with vowels such as [o] like in the word “note” or [u] like in the word “shoe.” This is a useful combination to bring calm and gentleness to the entire system, to transform anger or impatience.
[n] is in the center and can be used to bring balance and integration of both front and back resonators. Using it in combination with the vowel [α] like in the word “paw” heightens our sense of activating both front and back resonators together. It is a useful combination for bringing stability and strength to the entire physical and personality system. It is great for accessing qualities like acceptance and endurance.
Working different combinations reveals different ways of transforming and balancing the voice and its effects. Try [m] with [o] or [ng] with [a]. You will find some combinations increase flexibility while others add power. Some make high notes easier to access while others bring more clarity to low notes. The particular combination that is most effective changes from one situation to the next. After a while you will start to have a sense of how the nasal consonants work with you. Until then, it’s valuable to just play around with the different sounds and enjoy what they bring to your expressive artistry.
* IPA stands for International Phonetic Alphabet