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Tips For Keeping Your Voice Healthy - Vocal Health For Singers

 

Breathe.

Wearing jeans/pants that are too tight or tightening your belt that extra notch puts a lot of pressure on your abdomen, preventing it from expanding to its full capacity.

Warm Up

Avoid causing strain by warming up your voice before rehearsing or performing. Recognize that all singers have different needs - some singers take longer to warm up than others and the standard warm-up provided by your choral director may not be enough for you, so always take the time to plan and execute your own warmup.

Don't Cough if You Don't have To

Coughing or clearing your throat may clear the phlegm but also can cause irritation to your vocal cords. Coughing and / or clearing your throat can also become a bad habit. Instead, try swallowing, taking a drink of water, pausing or taking a deep breath. If clearing your throat is the only thing that will work, do it as gently and as quietly as possible.

Stay Relaxed

Being out in the cold can cause you to clench your teeth, causing tension in the jaw muscles. Keep your mouth closed and try not to talk too much while outside in cold weather. Wear a scarf to keep the jaw warm. Avoid talking when overtired (repeat yawning strains the muscles) or when upset. Most people tend to raise their voice when they get agitated or upset, straining their vocal cords. To relax your jaw and throat muscles, take a few deep easy breaths through the mouth, letting the air out with a soft sigh.

Your Voice Is Only As Healthy As Your Body

You cannot expect your instrument to work if you don't take care of it. Make sure you are getting enough sleep, eat properly and keep your body hydrated.

Just Don't....

Smoke, speak in a hoarse whisper, sing after drinking alcohol (your vocal cords have been numbed, and you may not feel their fatigue), clench/grind your teeth.....

Links to More Tips for Vocal Health

Singer's and Actor's Throat: The Vocal Mechanism of the Professional Voice User and Its Care in Health and Disease