Vocal Care: It’s More Than Just Drinking Water

It’s that time of year…

Depending on where you live, you could be experiencing weather changes, allergies, or it’s just dry.  But one thing is for certain, audition season is here and you are stressed.  Then it happens... you wake up with a cold and no voice or you’ve been rehearsing all week and now you’re hoarse or physically and/or vocally fatigued.  Don’t freak out… there are things you can do to get your voice back into shape.

THE HEALTH REGIMEN

• Sleep - a good night’s sleep does a world of good, but so does napping! Acting, singing and dancing require a lot of energy and making sure you rejuvenate is important.

• Hydrate - Room temperature water and tea with honey is a great remedy to soothe a raw throat, but hydrating is not just drinking water. Other ways to hydrate your vocal chords:

  • A nasal rinse (a.k.a. Neti Pot) or saline nasal spray  

  • Take a hot shower.  The hot water will loosen your muscles and the steam will moisten your throat.

  • Purchase a room or personal humidifier. (Note: follow the directions for usage.  Using too frequently or too long can cause burns.)

• Eat well - Don’t skip meals or snacks.  Keeping your energy up and immune system healthy will allow your work to be at its best.

THE DREADED COLD

If you start to feel that tingle in your throat or congestion coming on, here are some other suggested remedies.  

• Gargle warm salt water

• Lozenges - non-menthol for sore throat and dry mouth / menthol is okay to help dry up congestion.

• Emergen-C Vitamin Drink

• Cold Medicine

WARMING UP

Be gentle with yourself and your voice when encountering vocal fatigue. It is important to warm-up the body and the voice to release tension or stress that comes with auditioning and nerves.  Warming up the body allows for ease of breath flow and connection so the voice can function at its best. 

THE BODY

Do these exercises as many times a day as you feel are necessary.  Do not rush, this is for you to have a moment to center yourself and breathe. 

1. Lie on the floor with your back to the ground,  knees facing the ceiling and feet flat on the floor.  Begin by shaking your head “no” gently and slowly.  Stop this movement and then move your arms (resting on the floor) so that the palms roll up to face the ceiling and then down to face the floor.  Finish this movement, and let your legs fall side to side. 

2. Ragdoll position - in a standing position with bent knees, roll the top half of the body down so that it is hanging from the hips. Release the back of the neck and shoulders by shaking your head yes and no. Remember to breathe!

3. Massage the face in a circular motion (from your forehead to above your ears moving down slowly to under the chin), neck and shoulders

4. Stretches - add any stretches that make you feel good.

THE VOICE

You can do any of these exercises lying on the floor, in ragdoll, sitting in a chair or standing.  You may need to repeat the exercises several times throughout the day before you see improvement.

Breath: Place your hands on your abdomen and begin with inhaling through the nose exhaling through the mouth, notice the rise of your abdomen on the inhalation and fall of your abdomen on the exhalation.

Phonation: Start within your speaking range and slide down to a lower note and up to a higher note.

1. Lip trills and/or tongue trills on air (no sound)

2. Lip trills and/or tongue trills with sound.  

3. Humming on “m” or “ng”

4. Sigh on “Ah”, “Eh, “ee”, “Oh” and “oo”

5. Straw - hum or “oo” through a straw

6. Tongue twisters: 

You know you need unique New York

Red leather, yellow leather

Mary gets married on Monday.

SINGERS

If you are a singer, here are some gentle vocal warm-ups. Start in your speaking range and then slowly extend in both directions.  Sing on all vowels “Ah”, “Eh, “ee”, “Oh” and “oo” putting an “M”, “N” or “F” in front of each vowel.  These exercises can be done with 

1. Descending 3 note scale, 3-2-1 

2. Ascending and descending scales, 1-2-3-2-1

3. Descending 5 note scales, 5-4-3-2-1

4. Descending arpeggios, 5-3-1

5. Ascending and descending arpeggios, 1-3-5-3-1

WARM DOWN

If you are speaking or singing a lot in one day, all of the above exercises are useful for warming down your voice.  Warming down is a reset button, leaving you ready to start refreshed the next day.

NOT A PEEP

For the times that you have laryngitis, vocal rest is most important.  This means NO talking for at least a full 24 hours (or perhaps more).  In conjunction with a healthy regimen and body warm-ups you will be well on your way to healing.  

If you lose your voice a few days before or the morning of an audition, reschedule it.  You will not set yourself up for success if you are not able to speak or sing and audition anyway.  This happens to EVERYONE so be kind to yourself if it does.