Vocal Health Basics
- Use your voice correctly.
- Learn to maintain a flexible, well-balanced neck posture
to minimize tension around the larynx.
- Control your voice with breathing muscles of the ribcage,
back, and abdomen, so that the vocal folds receive an efficient,
controlled stream of air pressure.
- Relax your tongue and expand your throat to create a generous
resonating space, then focus the tone into the front of your
face for natural amplification.
- Individual training is recommended for those who rely on
their voices professionally.
- To get started with warm-ups, see Singer's
Tune-Up, in the Archive.
- Use your optimum pitch.
- Speak and sing in a pitch range that fits your own vocal
instrument.
- If you wish to increase your range, do so gradually on
a foundation of healthy technique.
- Avoid inflammation.
- Protect the lining of the respiratory tract by avoiding
smoky, dusty, and chemically toxic environments.
- Get help for respiratory allergies.
- Don't smoke.
- Keep the vocal tissues hydrated.
- Drink a minimum of two quarts of water per day to keep
the body and voice healthy.
- Don't go by sensations of thirst or wait until your throat
feels dry.
- Avoid or limit beverages that are diuretic (water-expelling)
in nature, including alcohol, caffeine, and many "diet formulas."
- Warmup your voice regularly.
- If you don't know how, invest in a few private lessons
to learn a routine.
- Add additional warmup time before performances or other
demanding situations.
- If you have temporary laryngitis, do a silent, mental warmup.
- Soothe your airway with steam.
- Spend extra time in the shower or steam-room when your
voice is tired or you are fighting a cold or other temporary
irritation.
- Avoid unnecessary yelling, screaming, and throat-clearing.
- Especially avoid loud talking or singing when your voice
is inflamed.
- Avoid situations when you must talk or sing over background
noise.
- Repeated throat-clearing can also hurt your voice over
time. Explore whether this is a nervous habit or a genuine
response to extra secretions.
- Get help for heartburn.
- The upper entryway of the larynx lies within a few millimeters
of the entrance to the esophagus. When heartburn or gastric
reflux (GERD) are present, acidic material from the stomach
can "spill over" onto the vocal folds, leading to chronic
inflammation and hoarseness.
- Avoid all throat lozenges that promise to relieve pain, unless
prescribed by a doctor.
- Most over-the-counter cough drops and lozenges contain
chemicals such as menthol that dry out the mucous membranes
in your throat and larynx, making the vocal folds more vulnerable
to irritation and infection.
- Pain-killing lozenges also mask the early signs of illness
or vocal strain, increasing your risk of overuse injury.
- Instead, glycerin-based lozenges or sour-flavored hard
candy can help stimulate saliva and keep your mouth and throat
comfortable.
- Make vocal health a priority.
- Most voice problems are related to improper voice use and/or
life stress.
- Taking care of your voice means taking care of yourself.
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