Vocal health tips for singers

Vocal Health Basics How to Properly Care for Your Voice | Disc Makers Echoes Insight for Independent
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Vocal Health Basics How to Properly Care for Your Voice

by Keith Hatschek on January 9, 2012 38 Comments in Business Forum,Fast Forward
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It seems that hardly a month goes by where a top singer isnt forced to interrupt a tour, take a break, or undergo a medical procedure due to problems with their voice. Vocal health is often taken for granted, but once problems develop, they can stop a singer dead in his or her tracks, and in some cases require surgery and a lengthy post-surgery period of rest and recovery. While we dont normally think of singers as world-class athletes, some medical professionals are making the case that the demands put on ones voice when singing one to three hours a night is as intense as those made by an Olympic marathon runner on his body. Additional factors such as nutrition, smoking, drug use, noisy environments, and proper voice training (or the lack of it) all play a role in a singers ability to hit the stage night after night and perform at their best. Like many health-related issues, prevention is much easier and less expensive than having to undergo surgery, so its important to understand how to keep your voice in good health. Superstars Losing Their Voices During the last half of 2011, three major recording artists dropped out of circulation due to vocal health issues. Each developed a slightly different voice problem that required rest and eventually surgery.
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Vocal Health Basics How to Properly Care for Your Voice | Disc Makers Echoes Insight for Independent Artists
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Arguably, the most valuable voice in pop music at the moment, that of the talented British pop singer Adele, whose sophomore album 21 has sold more than 10 million copies worldwide, was silenced when she was required to cancel seventeen US dates mid-tour and have laser surgery due to the condition of her vocal cords. While she is expected to make a full recovery, her condition is just one example of a high profile artist facing problems maintaining their vocal mechanism. Adeles condition, reported in the press as two hemorrhages of the vocal cords (the terms vocal cords and vocal folds are often used interchangeably), was likely exacerbated by the stresses of touring.
Such hemorrhages are often the result of phonotrauma, the physical stresses caused by vocalizing, upon the tiny blood vessels of the vocal fold. Loud singing or pushing the voice when it is tired or if one is ill may predispose a singer to such vocal hemorrhages. The latest news reports suggest that as Adeles recovery progresses, she will start back very slowly taking what she has described as some very basic voice lessons. She will likely take the first half of the year off from performing to help ensure a full and complete return of her famous voice. Aerosmiths Steven Tyler was reported to have struggled with the same condition in 2006, requiring a similar surgical procedure as Adele. Noted voice expert, Dr. Steven M. Zeitels, a Harvard Medical School doctor who practices at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, treated both artists.
Country icon Keith Urban also underwent surgery in November 2011 to remove a vocal polyp, a lump that may develop near the midpoint of a singers vocal cord. (According to the glossary found at voicemedicine.com, a polyp is a specific and clearly demarcated mass the word polyp means lump and does not imply a cancer or pre-cancerous lesion). The midpoint location of such a polyp suggests that it too may be the result of phonotrauma. Urban was ordered to take three months off from singing as his recovery is monitored by a team of health professionals. In the midst of his globe-spanning 2011-2012 Get Closer tour, the country superstars website resumes listing upcoming tour dates with shows in May 2012, a move likely deemed necessary to allow a full recovery of his voice.
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Singer/songwriter John Mayer was another major artist to recently face vocal health problems. Last October, his manager announced that after a series of extended rest periods, Mayers voice was not improving and he decided to have surgery. Mayers condition was described as a granuloma, a benign growth that results from irritation or trauma to the vocal fold. Its often found at the back of the vocal fold, over a part of cartilage called the vocal process, which lies just underneath the membrane covering the larynx. As with Adele and Keith Urban, Mayer stopped work on his new album, taking the advice of his doctors to not resume singing until his voice has fully recovered from the trauma and surgery. At that point, it is anticipated that he should be able to finish his new album and resume performing sometime in 2012. While it may seem like theres an epidemic of vocal health issues affecting the music industry, there are various common-sense factors that play into the increase in high-profile artists addressing these challenges. First, awareness and treatment options have increased dramatically since the 1990s. Dr. Zeitels was quoted in the New York Times as stating that the use of fiber optic cameras to scan performers vocal cords for abnormalities and miniscule injuries has become more common over the past fifteen to twenty years. At the same time, vocalists have become more aware of the possible long term consequences of letting small problems go untreated and now consult more readily with health professionals. Another factor is that, since recorded music sales often represent a smaller part of an artists overall revenue stream, touring schedules have become more extensive. To further maximize touring profits, concerts are often scheduled back-to-back on consecutive nights, placing greater stress on the vocal instrument, which can benefit from having a day or two rest between performances whenever possible.
To prove the point, Paul Stanley, front man for the legendary rock band Kiss, recently had vocal surgery to tweak blood vessels in his vocal cords. Commenting on his forty years of touring in which the bands shows were packed as tightly together as possible to maximize profits, he offered that the nature of rock singing is a strain on the voice, and when you compound that with [the number of shows we play], youre not giving yourself enough time to recuperate and the problem is compounded. I was finding myself working harder and harder to do what was once effortless, and having passed through puberty, I was surprised to hear my voice cracking. How to Properly Care for Your Voice While there is no doubt that singing in front of a rock band requires practice and stamina, vocalists who sing for hours at a time with no amplification, over a full orchestra in a packed house holding 4,000 people, place even
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greater demands on their voices. Enter the opera singer and those who train them, such as Dr. Lynelle Wiens, Professor of Voice at the University of the Pacific Conservatory of Music in Stockton, CA. Dr. Wiens is a former faculty member at the Symposium on the Care of the Professional Voice in Philadelphia, and at the Pacific Voice Conference in San Francisco. She was also a recipient of the prestigious Van L. Lawrence Fellowship that is awarded jointly by the Voice Foundation and National Association of Teachers of Singing in order to foster interdisciplinary education among laryngologists, voice scientists, singing teachers, and speech pathologists. Dr. Wiens has taught aspiring classical singers for more than thirty-three years and offers a number of simple, common sense tips that can help any singer to reduce the risks to their voice. Like any other musical instrument, the voice needs proper care in order to be ready when called upon to perform. Wiens counseled, In order to function properly, the voice needs to be well lubricated. The effects of alcohol, cigarette smoke, marijuana, and other drugs cause dryness of the vocal instrument and can lead to vocal fold edema and inflammation. Wiens advises that Its essential to drink lots of water before, during, and after performances. Its also very important to get plenty of rest and exercise and eat properly between performances. To the extent that is possible, try to avoid noisy places where you will have to shout to be heard. For example, trying to be heard above the sound levels backstage during an opening act or in a typical van traveling for hours on the freeway come to mind as situations that might lead to further strain on ones voice. Dr. Wiens cautions that throat clearing, yelling or screaming, singing too loudly for an extended period of time, singing a song that is pitched too high or too low, or putting too much pressure on your voice, all increase the strain on it. If it hurts, youre doing something wrong. Listen to what your voice is telling you. Over-singing on stage, especially when the monitor situation is not optimal, is another potential cause of vocal strain. Especially for musicians on tour, Wiens counsels, You have to prioritize what you absolutely need your voice for and then make the best decisions to protect it. So if you are out on tour and have been nursing a sore throat, maybe the bands guitar player can give the interview and appear at the local record store for autographs while you stay back at the hotel to rest your voice for that nights show. Wiens added, Taking care of your body and learning to manage your physical and emotional stress are also key factors in maintaining good vocal health. Perhaps the best preventive care is good training. Finding a good coach is the best thing you can do for yourself. Dr. Wiens advises that a singer should seek a professional if they have a concern about their own vocal health. If there is a sudden change in your voice from what is normal, or if you experience persistent hoarseness and/or vocal fatigue for more than two weeks, I would suggest you see an otolaryngologist (Ear, Nose and Throat doctor) who is experienced in caring for singers. Be sure to ask for a strobovideolaryngoscopic examination in order to get the most thorough assessment of the health of your voice. If there has been damage, a singer should ideally be treated by a team of professionals that may include an ENT doctor, a voice teacher/vocal coach that can help a singer avoid any techniques that may exacerbate problems, and if appropriate, a speech pathologist who can assist with proper rehabilitation of the voice. The voice is a delicate mechanism, Wiens concludes, so it makes sense to take preventive measures in order to help ensure a long and productive singing career. More resources Video Stroboscopy of a Singers Vocal Cords
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Seven Techniques to Warm Up Your Singing Voice This article stresses the importance of developing and maintaining a proper warm up routine before singing, much like an athlete stretches before competition, and provides a set of warm up exercises. Special thanks to Casey Newlin for assistance in researching background information for this article. Related Articles: Frankie Negron: The Next Definitive Voice Creating a Great Composite Vocal Recording Pro Studio: Vocal Mics in the Studio Tagged as: how to sing better, singing tips, singing voice, vocal care, vocal health, voice care
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Drink lots of water, absolutely. Also a great many rock and pop singers seem to think that proper vocal training, ie learning to sing from the diaphragm and resonating through the nose instead of putting all the strain on chest and throat, will somehow spoil their style and turn them into would-be opera singers. Absolutely not true. Correct vocal exercises give you more musicality, volume and stamina and you will be a better rock singer. Your tone and expression will change for the better, whatever genre, and your range will improve. The problem with singers like Adele and other young modern 'soul' artistes is that they have learnt to pastiche proper singing, which is convincing to those who haven't heard the Dusty Springfields and Roberta Flacks of this world. But the singers mentioned damage their voices because they didn't start right in the first place. Notice that very overweight people tend to sing better because their lungs are so constricted they have no option BUT to sing from the diaphragm.
1 month ago 12 Likes Like Reply
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Gabriel Kirby
When I was in the 8th grade I was in the Bob Mitchell Boychoir the year they made Going My Way with Bing Crosby. Then for 3 years in High School I was in the Glee Club, directed by Roger Wagner. But I was never given instruction on how to sing. Years later I had a 1-hour lesson with a singing teacher from a local community college. Nearly the whole time was spent on posture, relaxation, and breathing. He told me that if you watch a dog when it is lying down asleep you will notice that its whole abdomen is involved as it breathes. Likewise, our lower abdomen should extend as we inhale, and contract we we exhale. Thus we do not merely breathe from our lungs or diaphragm. Furthermore, he told me, we should not form the sound with our vocal chords. To do this strains the vocal chords, and we will quickly get hoarse and loose our voice. The sound should be formed without strain by the air passing through the vocal chords. Singing this way, he told me, one can be out in the mountains singing at the top of one's voice all day long, and this will strengthen our voice, rather than straining it.
Wicave
Really good, Gabriel!!!! Thank U very much!!!!!!

1 month ago in reply to Gabriel Kirby Like Reply
john evans
All very informative. As a singer for 30 years and trained by the Maestro David Kyle, I find all of this information spot-on. It seems that doctors finally recognize the gruelling, physical regimen of prolonged touring and singing for vocalists. Unlike olympic athletes, vocalists have careers that can span 4-5 decades so the health of the singer is not just something to consider for a short career in their youth. It is a life-long issue of performance. Thanks for such a great article.
Pauline Le Bel
Very helpful posting. One thing, you quote Dr Wiens telling singers to drink water while performing. I wish he would have said warm water. The vocal cords, like any muscle, work better when they're warm.
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It's best to drink herbal teas like ginger or fennel. I bring a thermos of tea to performances. As well as keeping my pipes warm and soothed and moist, it's a great curiosity for the audience. They often ask what I'm drinking. Because I am a mature singer and very energetic, they suspect it's booze. I tell them it's gin (dramatic pause) ginger tea.
Jggucci
I have had laryngitis for over a month and I am a singer can't seem to get my voice back using hot lemon and honey teas what else can I do been on two sets of antibiotics and predozone Olajuwon if anyone can thanks jacqueline
LightfootCorp
Lemon (Citrus) is absolutely the worse thing you can do to treat your laryngitis or for a vocalist to consume especially right before a performance. Lemon/Citrus is a natural astringent and is very harsh on the vocal cords. Its a natural cleanser (great for colds) and usually with cleanse the cords of phlegm but it dries them out at the same time. As a seasoned vocalist keeping the cord lubricated is key to healthy vocals. Try pure honey and ginger or mint teas they will soothe the cords and keep them moist. Also go to you local health food store Whole Foods and get the tea called Throat Coat there is a syrup as well. It will soothe and lubricate and help to heal you vocal cords. Hope this info helps.
1 month ago in reply to Jggucci 3 Likes Like Reply
Pauline Le Bel
Jacqueline, three things you can try: Homeovox - a homeopathic medicine for laryngitis; very hot wet towels around the throat - several times a day; and steam with oregano oil - boil water, pour into a bowl, add 3 drops oregano oil, put a big towel over your head like a tent and breathe oregano oil has really worked for me - it's antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal. And avoid coffee, citrus, dairy, and eating or drinking cold anything. Good luck. I know how frustrating this can be. Pauline
1 month ago in reply to Jggucci 2 Likes Like Reply
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Cartoon Gal
I was singing with a group recently and was told to avoid certain foods before singing -- for example, dairy products supposedly cause the body to produce more phlegm and should be avoided. Any truth to this?
Andre
Indeed. Cheese, milk these are things to avoid before performing.

1 month ago in reply to Cartoon Gal 1 Like Like Reply
Clara Efrona, Ethereal Alternative Rock Grooves - Music for long drives in the desert when your mind
I noticed that I need to avoid other foods too, like popcorn, nuts or seeds. These types of foods can leave little bits in your throat and can sometimes make you cough. If I'm already a little nervous before a gig and I'm eating carelessly, or talking whilst eating, I could start to cough. And if I cough too hard right before I have to sing, it ruins my voice.
1 month ago in reply to Andre 2 Likes Like Reply
LightfootCorp
Absolutely. Consuming too much dairy even days before a performance is a vocal detriment. Almond, Rice or even Soy (if you don't have hormonal issues) is a better option to go with as a dairy substitute.
1 month ago in reply to Cartoon Gal Like Reply
Laura Lamere
This is a well-written, comprehensive article! I've forwarded it to my son who is on tour with his college A Capella group. They don't teach this stuff in school, and he sure won't listen to his mom - so it is a great resource to forward along! Can I cite this link and your website on my blog for parents of creative kids: LauraLamere.com?
1 month ago 2 Likes
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Andre
Hi, Laura. Feel free to point people to this from your website. Glad you liked the article. Andre
1 month ago in reply to Laura Lamere Like Reply
Laura Lamere
Great! Thanks!
1 month ago in reply to Andre Like Reply
Sara
Hey Laura! I'm a voice teacher and we DO teach this stuff in school. Vocal health is absolutely the first thing we teach in voice lessons and voice pedagogy classes. It's by far the most important element in learning how to use the voice properly. Unfortunately, most singers don't feel it's necessary to learn these things. Hopefully these major artists' problem will serve as a lesson... Check out Http://www.SingingTV.com and Http://www.VoiceStudioLA.com for more info.
1 month ago in reply to Laura Lamere 1 Like Like Reply
Laura Lamere
Thanks for the additional info Sara! Hope you'll keep sharing info like this stop by my blog; LauraLamere.com, where I share info with parents.
1 month ago in reply to Sara Like Reply
Hjgrothaus
I used to perform in a band with a Pianist, He would sing maybe two songs a night and then his voice was out for the rest. I would have to sing for the rest of the evening. It was great training. Its like a muscle that gets trained.If I compare it to swimming. If I trained 3 or 4 times a week, it was
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not difficult, but I would be able to tell a difference. Oh, but if I stopped for a week, the first 400meters were killing me. Back to singing. For years I had to perform 4 or 5 times a week. It was my bread and butter. I got better at it. Of course I had to watch out not to lose my voice, people ask me where I learned, studied to vocalise. I never had any singing training, well actually I did have the training of doing it for years. One more thought. If I felt physically tired, I could not sing as good as if I was well rested. Somebody once said, there is nothing worse then a tired musician on stage. How true.
1 month ago in reply to Sara Like Reply
Lisa Mann
Good article, especially for those of us "in the trenches." But someone should speak to the music sweatshop business that too many young, talented performers become subjected to... newly signed talent with hit records on the charts are managed to death. In the attempt to maximize returns from their "property," managers are booking young singers for far too many performances in too short a time. Most stars rise and fall quickly, so they wring every cent out of them they can before the next star rises. They risk losing a swath of bookings this way due to voice loss, so it's a stupid business strategy anyway. Paul Stanley (who naturally has a voice like a tank) has more control over his schedule than most performers. I think it should be law that performers under agency contract who are asked to do too many shows in a row can amend their contracts under the advice of a doctor BEFORE they lose their voices.
1 month ago 1 Like Like Reply
Festymusic
I have stumbled upon a seemingly miracle cure its an old remedy called Bells Bronchial Balsam (Mentholated) this product has saved my bacon on more occassions than I can recall! It is available at http://www.semichem.co.uk/p-17... and no I don`t have any connection with this company It`s a totally impartial opinion... Hope it helps someone else the way it has helped me....
4 weeks ago Like Reply
Jarle Brors
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I have been singing for 30 years and found a diet low in mucus producing foods helps alot The worst is dairy foods The mucus caused by this coats the respiratory tract and and leads to hoaseness and the need to strain in order to produce a clear sound
1 month ago Like Reply
Malan
p.s. they arent vocal CHORDS they are vocal FOLDS

Malan
being a vocal coach, i have been teaching and have written a book regarding the way that the body naturally creates sound. many things factor into proper singing.
Billyryan88s
There was not a single, helpful, non-obvious thing here.

Bodytuningfit
Great article! I have just started to record & get ready for gigging out.....my voice is not conditioned as it has been. Your article woke me up to take special care........thank you Linda
Unclefester69
the style and sound of vocals for today's modern music sounds like damage has already been done....it's a result of competing w/ loud electronic instruments. only operatic performers had vocal problems back in the day...once the microphone was invented, singers were allowed to relax and sing in a natural speaking tone of voice....leave it to the brits to get plowed and scream into a mic while trying to oug gun the marshall amps
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1 month ago
Like Reply
Anthony
Excellent article! I found some great info on all this the chapter "The 8 Pillars of Vocal Care" in the eBook: "Singer's Guide to Powerful Performances" by Jeannie Deva out on all eReader bookstores and her "Deva Method Vocal Warm-Ups and Cool-Downs" CD. www.JeannieDeva.com
Eistein
Cool article! I need more about this tips

Music
Well worth the read!

Randyhammonds
Nice!
Nashvillescout
Thanks for this article. I have been doing many of these things for over 40 years but there are others I had no idea about. So thanks again. Rich
xbj
Wjy 90% of performers today track to tape and mime live. Anyone who's ever tried to sing or even play
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an instrument in an arena with even the best PA would understand why in five seconds. Even Garland and Sinatra had notorious probs singing with a full big band at one-half the volume of today's concerts. Even under the best of conditions you cannot hear yourself. Add to it any running around if your genre demands it, and forget it. Live is only live if the artist and management want to destroy the voice. Not worth it.
Aquajade
Arden Kaywin is great teacher in the Los Angeles area. She basically saved my voice. I had no idea how to really support and was trashing my voice every night out on the road. She gave me some great tools. There's no way I'd still be recording and touring without studying with her - or at least, my voice would definitely not be as healthy and strong. Her website is http://www.ardenkaywinvocalstu...
sharon
This is all very good information. I too have had a vocal cord injury and I see that my doctor, teacher and speech therapist led me the right way. It was very painful and difficult but I did recover stronger that ever. Now I pay very close attention to how I use my voice. For me this is a great reminder
Tarexi
This is new school ignorance blah blah. How come old school singers never had this problem?? How come Tony, Frank, Michael, Marvin, Stevie, Caruso.. etc... sing effortlessly all night, loud, soft or emotional as they want and always in total pitch and control??? Because they sang correctly completely bypassing any strain on their vocal cords. Wheverever there's any stress, tightness or strain... is where you're doing it wrong.
ChrisJazz
Tony Bennett was silenced for two years, due to vocal chord problems. He needed surgery, treatment, and careful follow-up vocalizing training. He's back in shape now and singing, bless
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him. But he freely acknowledges his problem and the help he got.
1 month ago in reply to Tarexi Like Reply
Joey
Because their music style is effortless they are not screaming or growling they are softly speak / singing I could sing that all day with a soar throat no comparison at all I am a singer of all genres and I experience problems as well schooled or not schooled even the ones you mentioned had their problems. When a singer gets sick it goes right to his or her throat!! Why??!! It will for ever be one of those thingsso any tips are most welcome after all even the old time singers were not robots they felt the pain as the new singers do!!
1 month ago in reply to Tarexi Like Reply
Carmenbrown01
If it's not summer always wear a scarf on your neck when going out into the public.
1 month ago in reply to Joey Like Reply
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Vocal Health Basics How to Properly Care for Your Voice | Disc Makers Echoes Insight for Independent

Vocal Health Basics How to Properly Care for Your Voice

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Really good, Gabriel!!!! Thank U very much!!!!!!

Indeed. Cheese, milk these are things to avoid before performing.

p.s. they arent vocal CHORDS they are vocal FOLDS

There was not a single, helpful, non-obvious thing here.

Cool article! I need more about this tips

Well worth the read!

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