Voice Care

Here are some things that you can do to care for your voice.

Be healthy and "wet"!

• Drink lots of water, every day. This helps keep your vocal folds moist. Two litres a day is a good amount, in addition to any other beverages.
• Avoid things that dry or irritate the throat - salty food, coffee, smoke, and perfume. Throat lozenges don't really work except while they are actually in your mouth. A surprising number of people are sensitive to perfumes, lotions and essential oils.
• Do the things that keep you fit, healthy and relaxed. Being healthy is good for your voice. And singing is good for your health.

• Sing with the radio, sing in the shower, sing to your family, sing loud, sing soft, sing in funny voices, sing higher or lower than you usually do, groan and sigh and laugh out loud. Got a melody running through your head? Sing it out loud! Sing by yourself and sing with a friend.
• Give yourself a gift every day - some time to sing and practice your vocal exercises.

• Notice if you are feeling strained when you sing. Keep your shoulders down and back, your neck loose and tall, and your knees soft.
• Be careful not to thrust out your chin and jaw. This puts strain on the voice.
• Breathe. Expand your ribs.
• Don't push yourself too high, too loud or too long. Develop at your own pace.
• Keep your eyes bright, and eyebrows up. This also looks good, and helps you be more present to your audience.

• I always encourage my students to try songs in other languages. Italian is especially good for voice training, because of the clean vowels. And other languages give you a chance to try out songs where you don't have emotional baggage or a fixed idea about how the song should sound.
• Listen to the music around you. Animal sounds, city sounds, rain, wind, the babble of voices in a room or playground. Go down to the beach near a sailing club and listen to the music made by the ropes slapping the masts of sailboats.
• Listen to singers in a new way. What is the singer doing with the vowels? Are they singing in chest voice or head voice - or a blend? Does the voice sound free or are they pushing or straining? Is the sound clear or breathy? 
• Find opportunities to learn about different styles and periods of music. The world has much to offer - your life will be fuller with more sources of pleasure.