In my near 15 years of being a vocalist, I have learned certain dos and donts that I would like to share with some of my Facebook friends. I am certainly no expert or anything, but I can honestly say that these are things Ive learned from personal experience that I TRULY believe all singers should know and practice. Believe it or not following these tips can really make a huge difference in your overall sound and performance! So without further adieu, here are my tips for all of you aspiring vocalists out there! 1.) Avoid dairy i.e. milk, milkshakes, lattes, coffee with heavy cream, etc. on the set day of recording or performing. It leaves a film within your throat and can coat your vocal chords with phlegm (such a gross word) which makes them not function quite as well as they could. 2.) Avoid smoking anything for as long as possible prior to your performance. Smoking cigarettes has never been good for anyone, period. With that being said it does nothing but harm to your voice as well. If you can quit altogether, then do it! Also, when it comes to smoking...the other stuff... well, the constant hacking and coughing that is a result is very rough on your vocals chords as well. The smoke can also can cause a mucus-y build up in your throat that coats your vocal chords. If you must, save the celebration until afterwards. 3.) Avoid any type of cold drink, especially anything with ice for the few hours leading up to your performance. Luke warm water and warm tea are your best friends. Theres a reason why when Aretha Franklin packs out auditoriums she makes them cut off the air conditioning. Drinking cold fluids (and sometimes even just being in very cold environments) can cause your vocal chords to tighten up. You want them to be lose and functioning top-notch, but do keep your throat hydrated! 4.) Got allergies? A mild cold? Avoid constantly clearing your throat. Its only banging your vocals chords together which makes them sound rough and raspy. (Unless thats the type sound youre going for). Pick up some non-drowsy antihistamines or decongestants to clear that up. Whatever works for you. Just make sure its NON-DROWSY! Which brings me to: 5.) Lemons. As gross as this sounds, lemons are very acidic, and so sucking on a lemon will help cut through and diminish that nasty stuff thats built up in your throat. Ive even been known to take shots of lemon juice prior to performing. Not so delicious, but, hey, whatever works! 6.) Its ALWAYS important to warm up prior to any performance or before recording. Dont get on stage and make the mistake of not warming up prior. You will find yourself halfway through your set with your voice cracking, getting hoarse and going out on you. Think of it like limbering up and stretching before and intense workout or physical activity. Same thing applies to your voice. I like to warm up a little throughout the day and then a little about an hour or two before performing if I can, then I allow my voice a little time to rest before I hit the stage. MAKE SURE however that you do not over-use or strain your voice the day of! Keep your warm ups short. As I said, these are just tips that I, myself have found to be useful. I hope some of you will also find this helpful! Much Love!
Posted on: Wed, 16 Oct 2013 21:37:47 +0000
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