by Gina Ronat

Created on: October 16, 2008   Last Updated: April 24, 2009

Tips For Taking Care of Your Unique Instrument: Your Voice

As a vocalist, you have a very unique instrument to maintain: your voice. You need to take care of your instrument. Just as a musician performs regular maintenance on her cello or guitar or saxophone, you have to keep your voice lubricated, clean, in tune, and in good working condition to get the best possible quality when you need it. The food you eat, liquids you drinks, and other products that you use on a daily basis can affect your voice.

Every singer probably knows the basics of voice maintenance. Don't smoke. Cut down on caffeine and alcohol. Drink plenty of water to keep the vocal folds hydrated. These are well-known rules that are part of the adage, "You get out of it what you put into it." But if you do a little extra digging you may find that there are some products you use/consume on a daily basis without even thinking about it, that can greatly affect your voice. There are all kinds of great information out there if you just take the time to look. Here are just three bits of information on voice problems that I have found to be quite valuable. Not everyone will react the same way to everything, but one or more of these may surprise you.

1. SORE, IRRITATED THROAT

You're fighting a cold, constantly coughing and clearing your throat and it hurts, so you reach for your trusty cough drops for some relief from the irritation. You may want to stop and think before you do that. Some of the most popular throat lozenges on the market today can actually contribute to problems with your vocal chords. Check the lozenge before you take it. Many contain a drying agent such as menthol, to dry up excess mucus and clear the breathing passages, but which can also overdry your vocal folds and make them more irritated than ever.

Some lozenges and throat sprays advertise pain-killing anesthetic agents. While this sounds like a perfectly lovely idea, these products simply mask the symptoms of your illness or vocal strain and make it more likely that you could overuse and damage your voice. Instead, try a glycerine-based lozenge, or a hard sour candy, since it is the formation of saliva that naturally lubricates the throat and vocal folds when you swallow.

2. CONGESTION

When you are congested due to an allergy or a cold, think before reaching for the antihistamine or over-the-counter cold remedy. Both contain agents that can dry out your vocal folds. Try a nasal spray instead to relieve the symptoms without the drying

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>