Hello Everyone!
I always get questions from potential clients on how best to help their vocal health - especially if they are Zooming all day, or about to give a presentation.
Here are some tips that singers use to keep their instrument in tip-top shape.
I hope you try some of them and that they work for you!
Warm up your voice before you use it. You can do this by using tongue twisters, loosening up your tongue and jaw, vocalize so that you are resonating from your chest and your head, do diction exercises, play with humming and go up and down your vocal range. All of these are good for your instrument. Remember dancers warm up their bodies before they do a performance; athletes do as well. Think of your voice as something that needs to be warmed up before you use it a lot.
Hydrate your vocal chords Drinking room temperature water is great. Add some lemon but not too much - lemon can be drying on your vocal cords. Don't just think that drinking some water before you 'perform' or 'present' is enough. Your vocal cords need to be lubricated throughout the day. There are also a number of great herbal teas that are made just for singers that you can also drink. Just remember they shouldn't be too hot.
Humidify your environment. Many of us live in dry climates and this can affect our vocal health. Invest in a good humidifier to help with lubricating your nasal passages and vocal cords. This should be done in tandem with drinking fluids.
Rest your voice. If possible before doing a lot of speaking either when you are presenting or performing, try to rest your voice for a bit. This will help you not to strain or overuse your instrument. What that means is no talking, singing or whispering before an event. Just be silent.
Lastly if you are a smoker, drink alcohol or caffeine or beverages with a lot of sugar try to avoid doing those things - especially when you are about to speak for a bit. All of those can be detrimental to your vocal health, both short and long term.
I hope this was helpful.
Happy Fall!
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