How to Keep Your Singing Voice "Singing"
The more tools you have in your “toolbox” for singing, the better equipped you are for any and every need or opportunity. Hopefully, your vocal teacher will have covered all these areas with you, but just in case, here is a comprehensive list of do’s and don’ts:
• Sleep, Water, and Air – See my earlier post on the 3 Essential Basics for Singing. You are blessed to have a voice, so always make certain to prioritize the things that are most important for protecting and building it.
• Professional Vocal Lessons – Of course, I would love to work with you. Feel free to check out my website at SingitForward.net. However, it is not necessary for you to study with me to find your own perfect vocal instructor and mentor. The most important aspects of this relationship are, not only, a deep well of vocal and performance knowledge, but also, a teacher who you can relate to and who will work hard to present practical, uniquely personal help for you as a singer. Just as no two fingerprints are the same, no two voices are the same. Therefore, you need a teacher who will customize lessons to your individual talents and needs. You want to sing correctly but additionally, build skills in choosing good songs; basic music theory; your range and any areas of weakness in your voice; good presentation skills; confidence building; breathing; exercises; and even dealing with jitters. You need to interview your teacher just as he or she will interview and question you. Good instruction and foundation can make or break a singer’s talents, performance, and self-esteem. Try to find a great one!
• Meow – This area could have been included below but it’s important enough that I wanted to offer if separately. MEOW is diet avoidance for 6-8 hours before your singing. The letters stand for: M – no Milk or Dairy; E – though a great source of protein, EGGS are also, unfortunately, a producer of lots of extra mucus; O – no orange juice or other citrus products; W – no Wheat (sorry but this means no bread, pasta, or many cereals. Why no MEOW? These are obviously, NOT bad foods; they are MUCUS PRODUCERS! We only avoid them before and during singing, so we eliminate one of the major sources of vocal distress while singing…mucus and the inevitable throat clearing that follows. What SHOULD you eat before and during singing (such as while recording in a studio)? My suggestion is raw nuts (such as raw almonds) and dried fruit (such as dried cranberries, raisins, or apricots). These provide long and short-range energy. The nuts are protein, which give you long-range energy; the fruit provides quick, immediate energy. During the day before singing, you can eat meat, all the fresh vegetables and fruit (other than citrus) you want, and rice or potatoes. Just avoid eating too much. It is never fun or comfortable to sing on a full stomach.
• Cool, Comfortable, Commodious Clothing – I love that word “commodious”, except it sounds a little like I’ll be wearing a toilet, oops! You probably didn’t realize there was a correct “uniform” for singing and, of course, there is not per se. HOWEVER, there ARE some powerfully helpful suggestions that will make your vocalizations easier, more comfortable, and less worrisome. NEVER wear new shoes, as your mind will be on your hurting feet instead of your song. If you need to dance in dance apparel, make sure you bring your dance shoes to change into. NEVER wear dance shoes on surfaces other than a stage; this will ruin the shoes for further use. It is wise to take a special bag to such auditions and/or performances, containing water, dance clothes or other clothing changes needed, as well as energy snacks and any other needed items, including your music, resume, and makeup for freshening. ALWAYS wear comfortable clothes, if possible. Obviously, if a costume and/or harness is required, that is an exception but when you have say over your clothes, keep them looser with plenty of freedom for breathing and movement. Remember to keep your throat covered when not actually singing, especially when you are going in and out of air conditioning, or in and out of cold or really hot climates. It’s always good to also keep a light sweater with you, just in case. As a general rule, the clothes should be dressy casual, not “suggestive” in any way (not too short or cut too low). Clothes should be chosen to fit the venue or show. For example, wearing blue jeans to a “period” show audition would be inappropriate but for “Hair”, the jeans would be perfect. Again, wearing a conservative skirt and a high-necked shirt might send the wrong message if auditioning at a hot nightspot. As much as possible, wear appropriate, comfortable clothes to sing.
• AVOID these: No No’s against “Note-able” Singing – Unfortunately, successful singing is not all about Doing things; sometimes, it is avoiding things that might, ordinarily, be a normal part of life but, in fact, are detrimental to good singing. Never fear! Some of these need to be avoided in everyday life BUT some are also things that simply need to be abstained from for a short period of time, and that’s easy to do when you love something like singing. So here goes:
a. NO smoking of anything. Smoking anything is very drying for the throat and almost always leaves chemical deposits in the lungs, which can cause decreased capacity and power in the future. Yes, there have been famous singers who smoked but most of those were before it was fully understood how harmful smoking could be for the human body. Others brought their habit for smoking into their career and found a way to make it work thereafter. Unfortunately, you may be singing in a bar or club where there are smokers and, beyond your own control, secondhand smoke is as bad as smoking yourself. All you can do as the best you can do. If nothing else, walk outside on a break or hang out in the kitchen near steam. Smoking is NOT healthy. It’s not good for the throat, the lungs, and honestly, it’s bad for the body as a whole. Do yourself a favor and stay away from it as much as possible. This is a never, ever avoidance.
b. NO caffeine in any form is only within 6-8 hours before and during a performance. Once again, this substance, Caffeine, dries the throat and can cause issues resulting from that dryness. This means coffee, many teas, and dark Colas. I’m originally from Atlanta, Georgia, the home of Coca-Cola, so I definitely understand caffeine addictions; I would be happy with an intravenous bag of Coke going directing into my vein; I LOVE Coca-Cola! However, it is not my friend when I need to sing. Think about it, most of the time when you have caffeine, it leaves you wanting more. That is not because of some crazy chemical in the drinks; it’s because you are physically thirsty and need to quench that thirst. Save yourself the extra effort and avoid caffeine before and during singing to keep from needing to spend more time and effort to salve your thirst later on.
c. NO cold drinks. This one doesn’t dry you out; it constricts your vocal folds. I know it’s difficult not to want ice water on a hot day but think of it this way. If you were that hot, would you want someone to throw a bucket of ice water on you without any notice? No, it would totally shock you and your system. Eventually, you might appreciate the effect but that first shock would be quite irritating and confusing. When we drink ice water while singing or before singing, we should be warmed up. We’ve spent time stretching and exercising the voice, only to “dump a bucket of ice water” on them. All your hard work warming up goes down the drain, and your voice is “cold” again. Again, save yourself the trouble and drink warm or, at least, room temperature liquids, preferably water, to sustain and hydrate your voice. This way, all your efforts work toward the safe, successful result, a wonderful performance.
d. NO alcohol. This is another controversial topic. There are many performers who believe a “drink” relaxes them and, thus, helps them be more effective. However, this is another drying thing that should really be avoided be provide an optimal performance. It is important to view singing as your profession and therefore, you need to treat singing as you would any other job. What I mean by this is, you wouldn’t drink alcohol on the job if you worked at a corporate job, so why would you drink at a music gig? This is especially true because of the fact that even the alcohol in just one drink will still dry out your throat so that you have to drink even more water to hydrate your voice. You trying to give yourself help, not more work.
e. NO screaming or yelling. This really needs to be a never, ever avoidance as screaming and/or yelling can easily do damage to the vocal folds, unless a singer has been taught to scream or yelling properly, which is not frequently the case. It’s easy to think, it’s just a football or one fight but it is also easy to get carried away, and end up hoarse or worse the next day. When your livelihood depends on your voice, you must value it and treat it with great care. Also, AVOID excessive coughing, as this can damage the voice as well. Try drinking more water or aspirating an “Ah!” forcefully. The point is to try to aspirate the mucus off your vocal folds without hurting them. The vocal folds are strong but they are not rugged, and since they are incredibly important for singing, it’s equally important to treat them well.
Hopefully, this is useful for you. Any questions or comments are welcome below or feel free to contact me through my website at SingitForward.net, I look forward to hearing from you. Below are two other blog posts I recommend on things to avoid or concentrate on. Happy singing!
http://blog.judyrodman.com/2011/01/what-to-eat-before-you-sing.html
http://www.vocalist.org.uk/things_singers_should_avoid.html
• Sleep, Water, and Air – See my earlier post on the 3 Essential Basics for Singing. You are blessed to have a voice, so always make certain to prioritize the things that are most important for protecting and building it.
• Professional Vocal Lessons – Of course, I would love to work with you. Feel free to check out my website at SingitForward.net. However, it is not necessary for you to study with me to find your own perfect vocal instructor and mentor. The most important aspects of this relationship are, not only, a deep well of vocal and performance knowledge, but also, a teacher who you can relate to and who will work hard to present practical, uniquely personal help for you as a singer. Just as no two fingerprints are the same, no two voices are the same. Therefore, you need a teacher who will customize lessons to your individual talents and needs. You want to sing correctly but additionally, build skills in choosing good songs; basic music theory; your range and any areas of weakness in your voice; good presentation skills; confidence building; breathing; exercises; and even dealing with jitters. You need to interview your teacher just as he or she will interview and question you. Good instruction and foundation can make or break a singer’s talents, performance, and self-esteem. Try to find a great one!
• Meow – This area could have been included below but it’s important enough that I wanted to offer if separately. MEOW is diet avoidance for 6-8 hours before your singing. The letters stand for: M – no Milk or Dairy; E – though a great source of protein, EGGS are also, unfortunately, a producer of lots of extra mucus; O – no orange juice or other citrus products; W – no Wheat (sorry but this means no bread, pasta, or many cereals. Why no MEOW? These are obviously, NOT bad foods; they are MUCUS PRODUCERS! We only avoid them before and during singing, so we eliminate one of the major sources of vocal distress while singing…mucus and the inevitable throat clearing that follows. What SHOULD you eat before and during singing (such as while recording in a studio)? My suggestion is raw nuts (such as raw almonds) and dried fruit (such as dried cranberries, raisins, or apricots). These provide long and short-range energy. The nuts are protein, which give you long-range energy; the fruit provides quick, immediate energy. During the day before singing, you can eat meat, all the fresh vegetables and fruit (other than citrus) you want, and rice or potatoes. Just avoid eating too much. It is never fun or comfortable to sing on a full stomach.
• Cool, Comfortable, Commodious Clothing – I love that word “commodious”, except it sounds a little like I’ll be wearing a toilet, oops! You probably didn’t realize there was a correct “uniform” for singing and, of course, there is not per se. HOWEVER, there ARE some powerfully helpful suggestions that will make your vocalizations easier, more comfortable, and less worrisome. NEVER wear new shoes, as your mind will be on your hurting feet instead of your song. If you need to dance in dance apparel, make sure you bring your dance shoes to change into. NEVER wear dance shoes on surfaces other than a stage; this will ruin the shoes for further use. It is wise to take a special bag to such auditions and/or performances, containing water, dance clothes or other clothing changes needed, as well as energy snacks and any other needed items, including your music, resume, and makeup for freshening. ALWAYS wear comfortable clothes, if possible. Obviously, if a costume and/or harness is required, that is an exception but when you have say over your clothes, keep them looser with plenty of freedom for breathing and movement. Remember to keep your throat covered when not actually singing, especially when you are going in and out of air conditioning, or in and out of cold or really hot climates. It’s always good to also keep a light sweater with you, just in case. As a general rule, the clothes should be dressy casual, not “suggestive” in any way (not too short or cut too low). Clothes should be chosen to fit the venue or show. For example, wearing blue jeans to a “period” show audition would be inappropriate but for “Hair”, the jeans would be perfect. Again, wearing a conservative skirt and a high-necked shirt might send the wrong message if auditioning at a hot nightspot. As much as possible, wear appropriate, comfortable clothes to sing.
• AVOID these: No No’s against “Note-able” Singing – Unfortunately, successful singing is not all about Doing things; sometimes, it is avoiding things that might, ordinarily, be a normal part of life but, in fact, are detrimental to good singing. Never fear! Some of these need to be avoided in everyday life BUT some are also things that simply need to be abstained from for a short period of time, and that’s easy to do when you love something like singing. So here goes:
a. NO smoking of anything. Smoking anything is very drying for the throat and almost always leaves chemical deposits in the lungs, which can cause decreased capacity and power in the future. Yes, there have been famous singers who smoked but most of those were before it was fully understood how harmful smoking could be for the human body. Others brought their habit for smoking into their career and found a way to make it work thereafter. Unfortunately, you may be singing in a bar or club where there are smokers and, beyond your own control, secondhand smoke is as bad as smoking yourself. All you can do as the best you can do. If nothing else, walk outside on a break or hang out in the kitchen near steam. Smoking is NOT healthy. It’s not good for the throat, the lungs, and honestly, it’s bad for the body as a whole. Do yourself a favor and stay away from it as much as possible. This is a never, ever avoidance.
b. NO caffeine in any form is only within 6-8 hours before and during a performance. Once again, this substance, Caffeine, dries the throat and can cause issues resulting from that dryness. This means coffee, many teas, and dark Colas. I’m originally from Atlanta, Georgia, the home of Coca-Cola, so I definitely understand caffeine addictions; I would be happy with an intravenous bag of Coke going directing into my vein; I LOVE Coca-Cola! However, it is not my friend when I need to sing. Think about it, most of the time when you have caffeine, it leaves you wanting more. That is not because of some crazy chemical in the drinks; it’s because you are physically thirsty and need to quench that thirst. Save yourself the extra effort and avoid caffeine before and during singing to keep from needing to spend more time and effort to salve your thirst later on.
c. NO cold drinks. This one doesn’t dry you out; it constricts your vocal folds. I know it’s difficult not to want ice water on a hot day but think of it this way. If you were that hot, would you want someone to throw a bucket of ice water on you without any notice? No, it would totally shock you and your system. Eventually, you might appreciate the effect but that first shock would be quite irritating and confusing. When we drink ice water while singing or before singing, we should be warmed up. We’ve spent time stretching and exercising the voice, only to “dump a bucket of ice water” on them. All your hard work warming up goes down the drain, and your voice is “cold” again. Again, save yourself the trouble and drink warm or, at least, room temperature liquids, preferably water, to sustain and hydrate your voice. This way, all your efforts work toward the safe, successful result, a wonderful performance.
d. NO alcohol. This is another controversial topic. There are many performers who believe a “drink” relaxes them and, thus, helps them be more effective. However, this is another drying thing that should really be avoided be provide an optimal performance. It is important to view singing as your profession and therefore, you need to treat singing as you would any other job. What I mean by this is, you wouldn’t drink alcohol on the job if you worked at a corporate job, so why would you drink at a music gig? This is especially true because of the fact that even the alcohol in just one drink will still dry out your throat so that you have to drink even more water to hydrate your voice. You trying to give yourself help, not more work.
e. NO screaming or yelling. This really needs to be a never, ever avoidance as screaming and/or yelling can easily do damage to the vocal folds, unless a singer has been taught to scream or yelling properly, which is not frequently the case. It’s easy to think, it’s just a football or one fight but it is also easy to get carried away, and end up hoarse or worse the next day. When your livelihood depends on your voice, you must value it and treat it with great care. Also, AVOID excessive coughing, as this can damage the voice as well. Try drinking more water or aspirating an “Ah!” forcefully. The point is to try to aspirate the mucus off your vocal folds without hurting them. The vocal folds are strong but they are not rugged, and since they are incredibly important for singing, it’s equally important to treat them well.
Hopefully, this is useful for you. Any questions or comments are welcome below or feel free to contact me through my website at SingitForward.net, I look forward to hearing from you. Below are two other blog posts I recommend on things to avoid or concentrate on. Happy singing!
http://blog.judyrodman.com/2011/01/what-to-eat-before-you-sing.html
http://www.vocalist.org.uk/things_singers_should_avoid.html
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