If you are serious about a long career in singing, make sure you follow some basic vocal health guidelines. Here are 18 tips from a leading voice therapist, Debbie Phyland (Melbourne Voice Analysis Centre).
- Routinely drink water – 2-3 litres per day if performing.
- Avoid menthol based lozenges as they will dry out your throat.
- Avoid Aspirin within a week of singing due to the increased possibility of capillary hemorrhage. Take paracetamol instead if necessary.
- Do use steam inhalation but not with any additives.
- Avoid throat gargles which anaesthetize the throat as they may dry and/or may mask the effect of an infection or strain.
- If mucous is thick and ropey, consider mangoes or pineapple for breaking down the mucous.
- Avoid caffeine based substances such as coffee, tea and coke (drying effects).
- Monitor fluid levels in general (if urine is pale, then balance is adequate).
- Avoid recreational drugs. Both marijuana and cigarettes can be irritating, burning and drying to the throat causing swelling of the vocal folds.
- Try not to eat late at night particularly spicy foods as this promotes reflux during sleep which can irritate vocal folds.
- If voice has not recovered the morning after your performance, rest your voice completely for that day to speed up recovery.
- Always warm-up before singing and consider warming down after a performance.
- Practice singing in frequent short bursts rather than one long session until you have developed vocal stamina and are vocally fit.
- Consider vocal fitness in the same sene as general fitness: prepare, rest, healthy lifestyle, etc.
- Never push the voice past its limits.
- If experiencing throat discomfort symptoms, recognise these as indications of vocal fatigue and stop singing. If they persis, see a Speech Pathologist.
- Avoid whispering (this is worse than using low volume).
- Nothing is as good for the tired voice as complete voice rest! So put your feet up, relax and turn your voice off!!!