In this blog entry, I'm sharing my rules for getting the
best from your voice, whether in performance, recording, or general public
speaking (also a performance!)
SPIRITUAL PRACTICE -
why the heck fine artists tend to be insecure ninnies is beyond me, but it's
true. Most of the singers I know require
an unsustainable amount of external approval and validation. It's like watching a train wreck about to
happen: we end up addicted to drama or substances, or sucked into cycles of destructive
relationships. We waste a lot of time
and effort with all this upheaval; it's totally ridiculous and wreaks havoc
with our vocal instruments. When you
have a talent, it's not about you, or being famous, or better than someone
else. The talent comes from God or the
cosmos or whatever you want to call the dimension of consciousness that
connects us all. It doesn't make you
better than anyone else so stop trying to prove it. You have a responsibility to use your talent to
give people joy, in your own joyful way.
The rest of the emotional baggage that goes along with our insecurities
is basically irrelevant and a complete waste of energy. Keep the energy for your voice by calming
your mind and nerves, and not getting caught up in your insecurities. This makes
for dynamite vocal work!
TAKE IT EASY - if you've got a cough, try to cough as little
and gently as possible. Talk less, laugh less, and read aloud less
close to performance or recording days.
I "dim" myself for a few days prior to a big show. You can
"save" up your voice this way.
That's because we often talk in a guttural way that causes strain on the
vocal cords. When you do a lot of public speaking, or many hours of voiceovers at once, do "diaphragm" speaking so that you take the strain off your voice. Don't hesitate to let your mic do the work for you. If you're a woman, don't try to deepen your voice to sound more authoritative; this puts too much strain on the cords.
NO SMOKING - does this really need explanation? This is a terrible habit for singers and vocal artists, and if
you want healthy, resonant pipes that don't tire quickly, give up smoking. This includes pipes, cigarettes, cigars,
chewing tobacco, weed, etc. Just say no, to all of it. Bleach!
NETI-POT. I love this invention, and am so grateful to
Deepak Chopra and Oprah for exposing me to it.
I first began using it in 2008, and I haven't had a bad head cold or
sore throat since then. You fill it with
warm salty water and dump up one nostril; it drains out the other, along with
the yucky gunk that's stuck up your nose. Gross, but effective.
Use it at the first sign of a cold; don't wait until you're really sneezy
or sore.
SLEEP - you need enough sleep for your voice to be big and
strong, and not quick to tire. If you
travel a lot, or have young children that keep you up at night, you simply will
be tired and will not have as strong a voice as you could. Work it out so you can get enough sleep.
Personally for me, sleep is more important to vocal strength and longevity than
my diet! (Although, I'm not excessive
in my eating)
PRACTICE, PRACTICE! I hear "oh, I just wasn't warmed up."
In fact, an experienced singer or vocal performer needs very little warm up time; you just need to
clear a bit of sludge from the larynx (that's the delicate organ through which air passes
and vibrates to make sound) and phrarynx (that's the resonating chamber of your
nasal passages & back of your throat). What you need is practice, to
develop the muscle memory and confidence.
When you have enough practice, the song or text sits well and you can focus
on the joy of sharing, rather than on the mechanism of delivery.
NO COFFEE & STAY HYDRATED - try to give up caffeine if you can. It creates chronic
dehydration and nodules on your larynx.
You'll hear them if your voice sounds grainy or constantly breathy and
husky. Keep yourself decently hydrated
with water, herbal teas --not juice, which is too sugary, and coats your
larynx. Don't drink too much wine, beer etc; this is very dehydrating. What about hard liquor? Well, if you want to avoid future liver failure, moderation is the best practice!!
WATCH WHAT YOU EAT & HOW MUCH - low-calorie diets and
fasting won't give you the stamina you need for singing and voice-overs, which are actually extremely
physical. If you're not eating enough,
you will make way less volume and you will tire fast. BUT, this doesn't mean you can pig out. Overeating creates residue in your throat that
you can't clear out with warm-up, and also doesn't leave enough room for your
lungs and diaphragm to do their job.
Your guts are just too full of food and poo, and there's not enough room for diaphragm expansion to get a nice deep supporting breath. Avoid dairy and gluten, especially if you're
sensitive to these. I have a lot more
resonance without dairy and gluten, and a lot more stamina. Avoid
too much sugar; it coats your larynx and pharynx with gunk; your voice will not
work well if you are eating too much sugary stuff. Anything that makes your teeth kind of fuzzy
after you eat or drink it will do the same to your larynx and pharynx.
Thanks! I hope this helps.
I love writing about music and singing. For more information about music recording, check out my Cubase,
ProTools and Recording, Mixing & Mastering courses at
www.video-tutorials.net.
Rosanna D
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