Tips for keeping the old voice...

[shyamwestwind]

I wish I could keep Vocal zone with me, for those diifficult days. I dont think they are available here in India, though they have tons of herbal stuuf which are real good. However Vocalzone would be easy to carry.

[Steptoe]

gibbo said:

There are a couple of things that REALLY should be noted;
1. The vocal cords/folds are part of the larynx located in the airway of the body. Check out Wikipedia for images of the airways.
2. The epilglotis, situated above the larynx, functions to close off the airway so that food and drink doesn't enter the airway, otherwise you'd choke or drown! (The most common cause of food or drink in the airway is; talking while you eat or drink, hence the number of choking scenes in restaurants).
3. When you drink anything the vocal cords do not get involved, they're simply not part of the digestive mechanisms. It's possible that you could breath in remnants/vapors of the fluid.
4. Many singers swear by their favorite remedies (there are countless ideas about this, sometimes completely opposed to each other), and these things do encounter the back of the throat and can be soothing to that area.
5. The only thing that can touch the vocal cords, apart from air, comes from breathing in vapour/fumes/steam/smoke etc. If you inhale steam, for example, it will bathe the vocal cords. Similarly smoke, alcohol-fumes, menthol-fumes, throat sprays done whilst breathing in, etc. can also reach the vocal cords. Steam is probably the best, we all sing better in the shower, eh?
Try breathing in steam with a bowl of hot water and a towel (as in the old Vicks Vaporub routine) or in the shower and see how that feels. Don't forget the most critical aspect; keep the body hydrated by drinking PLENTY of water, every day but especially when singing.
I'm not being critical of anyone's solutions, I'm just trying to add a bit of clarity to the subject.

Thanks for that information Dave, that really clears up a lot of urban myths about the old vocal chords, point 2 in particular!!

Cheers
John

[shyamwestwind]

Dave, that was very useful information and as John said, it clears up all the urbanmyths about avoiding so many drinks ad food stuff.
When my singer friends used to make a fuss about drinking cold water or having ice creams, I used to tell them to eat the ice creams and scare the sore throat !
Well now I have your notes to prove it to them
I do agree on the vapour and fumes and smoke irritating the vocal chords.

[guilty]

Dave is right - steam is the best. Talking of vapours, I've had ongoing laryngitis for way too long now and noticed it's intermittent. It occurred to me one night that I lose my voice every night I shave before the gig. Did web research and found that many shave creams, aftershaves, mouth washes etc. can cause laryngitis. About 5 weeks ago I ceased using my Gillette aftershave gel and haven't had a problem since. (Apart from a shave rash when loading in)

[shyamwestwind]

Guilty, that sure was a revelation .....never thought of that before !!! Maybe all of us need to get back to ALUM (stuff used over forty years ago)after our shave. Then again how can we go out there without our BRUT after shave and colognes lol.

[dingadong04]

i ve done the same thing Guilty for the last 8 weeks or so the voice is holding out fine ...but for some reason all the punters stay at the back of the hall?

[gibbo]

Could it be because you've stopped shaving and using mouthwash?

[dingadong04]

do ya think gibbo .. i just thought they did,nt want ta be close to the speakers..

[a.j.]

Here's my two-cents worth...this is probably going to be all over the place - I have a couple of points to make (and being a girl, I'm not hindered by logic

The trick is to try and stay healthy in the first place - it's tough if you have to sing after 'flu or a throat infection - nobody ever waits long enough to heal. This time of year, especially (winter here) - I take immune boosters, vitamins, and try to eat properly. Doesn't always work, though - pity.

Gibbo is right about the steam thing, for a couple of reasons.

We have very dry winters in South Africa, and when I was having vocal training (about 20 years ago), I was told to sleep with a humidifier in the room (one of the type that steams) - to keep the nasal passages and throat moist. I read recently that this also helps to increase your immunity - if your sinuses dry out, they are not able to trap airborne viruses as efficiently (and also those kissy-borne ones). I got out of the habit of using a humidifier, but thinking back, I hardly ever got 'flu or a cold when I did use it. According to what I was told, vocalists are more prone to germs because they inhale through the mouth more. This probably sounds a bit over the top, but I try to avoid using anyone else's mic - Gibbo, do you think this one could also be an urban myth, or is there some sense in it?

It differs from person to person, but generally speaking, things like milk, chocolate, orange juice, etc encourage a build up of phlegm (yuck - sorry!) in the throat. I went on a strict diet a couple of months ago and gave up milk in tea and coffee - the unexpected benefit was the difference it made to my voice, so I decided to continue this habit.

I like honey and lemon-juice in hot water - it does relieve a sore throat (honey is very healing), but I'm not sure that it has any benefits for the voice. Fisherman's Friends also work for a sore throat.

Remedies are one thing, but there is also the physical aspect of singing - how to produce the best sound without damaging the vocal chords, which are just delicate muscles, and like any muscles in the body, they perform better when they are in good shape. If you abuse your voice when it is not in top condition, you will cause further damage. Warming up (gradually!) across your entire range is a must - I'm finding this more, as I get older - I will write down my warm up routine some time and post it.

This post is becoming far too long winded, but from a physical point of view, the better your technique, the less stress you place on your vocal chords. There is a lot more to this, but briefly, if you watch opera singers (Jose Carreras is a good example), you will notice that the tongue and lower jaw are completely relaxed (if the camera angle is right, you can almost see what they had for breakfast). The tongue lies flat behind the teeth, giving an uninterrupted flow of air down the throat (and therefore a bigger sound coming back the other way) - you can only do this if you're relaxed. Neck and shoulders should also be as relaxed as possible - you should breathe from the diaphragm and support with your abdominal muscles - if you do this, your shoulders shouldn't move when you inhale (good to practice in front of a mirror - on your own!). I know that it's impossible to think about all this on stage, with everything else that's going on, but if you practice, it eventually becomes a habit.

Never knowingly strain your voice - being hoarse the morning after a gig means that you probably did.

[gibbo]

According to what I was told, vocalists are more prone to germs because they inhale through the mouth more. This probably sounds a bit over the top, but I try to avoid using anyone else's mic - Gibbo, do you think this one could also be an urban myth, or is there some sense in it?

I've never heard that one before AJ and I'm sure you've met plenty of "mouth-breathers" who weren't singers! It sounds like one of those "logical explanations" people come up with to explain life conditions.
That being said, I don't share mics, mouth-organs, sax mouthpieces, etc with anyone... you never know where they've been or who they've been with and I tend to avoid breathing in other people's spit!
We actually carry a can of Glen-20 (antibacterial spray) for disinfecting mics when it becomes necessary.
The bottom line to all this is contained in the main point of your post; the key to a healthy voice is GOOD VOCAL TECHNIQUE and a healthy body in general, singing is work and requires energy.
Everything else is just a matter of hygiene and personal preferences and singers seem to have just as many superstitions as any other occupation; special drinks, lozenges, favourite socks, etc etc. It doesn't really matter as long as it's nothing harmful to the body/voice. A guy actually said to me once, "I need to drink a bottle of Bourbon before I can sing!"... that's just plain idiocy!
Use good technique, avoid bad vocal habits, drink plenty of water, look after your body like an athlete and, most of all, enjoy it!
Thanks for the input AJ, it sounds like you know your voice.
Cheers, Dave.

[Steptoe]

We actually carry a can of Glen-20 (antibacterial spray) for disinfecting mics when it becomes necessary.

I thought I was the only one that used the old Glen-20!

I did a support tour with Jenny Morris back in the late 80's and the sound guy always sprayed the mikes with Glen-20 before the show started.
I've been doing it ever since, (get a few strange looks sometimes!)

[gibbo]

lol... yep, it's an oldie but a goodie and it certainly gets a few odd looks for me too John!
The main thing is that it really seems to work, a cruddy mic-mesh is probably as efficient as a petri-dish for growing bacteria. Prevention beats the hell out of cure any day.
Cheers mate, Dave.

[a.j.]

Hi Dave,

I tend to avoid breathing in other people's spit!

lol - I'm really glad to hear it (cringe) I like the antiseptic aerosol idea, though.

I was very lucky to have been coached by Eve Boswell for a while in the mid-80's and then by one of her colleagues who taught Eve's method, after she retired to Durban. She was well known in South Africa, but less so in England after the 1950's, I believe. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eve_Boswell; www.fabulousfifties.co.uk/showstory.asp?link=showstories&story=184&maincat=49

She was of the era where singing came from the desire to make a beautiful sound.

Eve was a hard taskmaster, but a great teacher - the lessons have lasted a lifetime, and I'm very grateful to have been taken on as one of her students.

[guilty]

Yes....It might be an Aussie thing but I too have been using Glen 20 for years now.

[gibbo]

Maybe we can organise a Glen-20 affiliate sponsorship? We probably did wonders for sales! lol
Yes, AJ, sorry about the rather gross "spit" reference making you cringe, I was just putting it all into perspective... sometimes it pays to actually confront these things! lol
My God, Eva Boswell was one of the great vocalists, you're very lucky to have known and studied with her. I've worked with quite a few Sth Africans and Rhodies over the years, mostly from the 60s and 70s era. I think Eva returned to SA and became a very successful vocal-coach, right?

[a.j.]

Hi Dave,

The spit thing made me laugh - you're right though, let's call a spade a spade.

Eve was a great vocal coach, and a very nice lady. I was in my early twenties when I considered going for voice lessons. My Grandfather (who has been an agent in Birmingham on the 60's) arranged for me to go and see with Eve about lessons one Saturday. I was amazed - there were dozens of people of all ages waiting. Basically I had to audition to get a place with her.

I was coached by her for about a year, after which she moved to Durban (I was in Johannesburg at the time). For a while she kept a handful of Jhb students, and used to fly up one day a week to teach us, but eventually, the travelling was too much, and I spent about 4 years with one of her colleagues, who also taught the method that Eve developed.

I have lived in SA since the late 70's, but I believe that she was immensely popular here in the 50's and 60's. Sadly, the next generation hasn't heard of her.

This has been a good thread for me - there are a couple of habits that I've let slip lately. I don't work much these days (pity), which is even more reason to look after my voice.

[charlie]

Great topic...and very good input from all. First, I must say like Dave said....singing is work and requires energy. I recently joined a gym after I had knee surgery. (playing basketball with teenagers...dumb, right?) The intent was to rehabilitate my knee and keep it working well, so I could depend on it. I started on the tred mill by running 2 minutes...walking 3. Now, I'm up to running 5 minutes...walking 2 minutes...for 5 sets of running 5 minutes. Now that probably doesnt sound like a lot of running, and on a grander scale..I suppose it's not...but the effects of running and exercise just this little has really helped me with singing. I can hold notes longer...and hit higher notes as the night goes on. I dont drink alcohol, but I will have a cigarrette from time to time...I know, I know...it's bad, but smoking does seem to relax me when things get real hectic. Anyway, I believe a healty body means a healthy voice. And before you can say it, let me say it for you....quit smoking..idiot...then you'll really be healthy. LOL