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Here is a collection of tips and myths to get you started. There are also further resources if you want to dive in deeper to some recommended reading.
Vocal health basics
Hydrate
Your vocal folds collide hundreds of thousands of times every day. They are bathed in mucus, which lubricates and protects them (as long as it remains thin and slippery). If you’re dehydrated, your mucus will be thicker and less able to lubricate.
What does that mean?: If you are dehydrated, it will take more effort to sing and you are less protected.
Solution: Aim to drink at least 1ml of water per calorie burned every day (e.g. if you usually burn about 2000 calories, then drink 2litres of water)
Extra tip: Timing is as important as amount. Try to drink little and often throughout the day.
Prevention
Your body is your vocal instrument’s carrying case; your general health has a direct impact on your voice. Self-care for your physical and mental health will be your best defence.
Solution: adequate nutrition, exercise, rest, and stress-management techniques.
Extra tip: avoid getting sick by practicing good hand-washing habits and carrying a small hand-sanitiser with you!
Warm up and cool down
Give your voice a chance to stretch before it runs a 100m sprint! And make sure to reset it back to neutral when you’re finished.
Always warm up and cool down the voice.
Why?: This will eliminate unnecessary tension, improve flexibility, and improve ease and range of motion.
Not sure how?: Make this the first question you ask your singing teacher, or you can make an appointment using my booking page and I will help you design a personalised warm up and cool down routine.
Vocal pacing
Different types of vocal tasks come with different costs. ‘Vocal pacing’ means learning to balance the amount, type and intensity of your voice use.
Things to look out for: How many hours have you been singing/speaking today? Is it hurting? Is it taking a lot of effort? Have you taken a break recently?
Solution: ‘3 Ps’ - Priorities, Planning, Pauses!
Priorities: Which activities are most important to you?
Planning: Did you plan your practicing well? Did you spread out the high cost tasks?
Pauses: Always include pauses in your plan to let yourself recover!
Rest
Your vocal folds need time to heal and regenerate – this requires silence.
They cannot heal if they’re colliding together.
During the day: take short silent breaks between voice activities (breaks from singing and speaking)
At night: sleep is your best method of voice recovery!
Myths vs. Facts
“Caffeine dehydrates the vocal folds”
Myth!! The evidence does not back up this very persistent myth we are so often told.
“Smoking can damage your voice”
Fact!! The impurities in the smoke irritate the vocal folds (and lungs) causing inflammation and can lead to long-term illness.
“Dairy creates thick mucus so you shouldn’t have any before singing”
Myth!! Again the evidence does not back this up. However, each to their own! If you don’t like singing after consuming dairy, then don’t consume it.
Websites
Books
Lydia Hart & Stephen King: Help I’ve Got a Voice Problem
Scott McCoy: Your Voice, an Inside View
Lynn Helding: The Musician’s Mind
Jenevora Williams: Teaching Singing to Children and Young Adults
Wendy Leborgne and Marci Rosenberg: The Vocal Athlete
Gates, Forrest, and Obert: The Owner’s Manual to the Voice
Morris and Hutchinson: If In Doubt, Breathe Out!