We want to discuss a great article we came across while looking for tips and exercises to keep our vocal cords healthy. Here, Dr. Wendy LeBorgne, voice pathologist and singing voice specialist, shares some exciting tips. So, we wanted to share the most relevant with you to help you take care of one of the most valuable instruments we have: our voice!
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November 9th, 2021
1. Train your voice and body just like an athlete trains their body!
Learn proper singing techniques, don’t overuse the voice, get plenty of rest, and have a healthy diet.
It is also essential to maintain a disciplined practice schedule with rest and recovery intervals to perform at an optimal level, regardless of genre or age.
2. Let your voice shine
Attempting to imitate someone else’s voice or singing style can require you to sing or do things outside your comfortable physiologic range or current vocal skill level. As a result, you might damage your cords.
So, explore your style and do not overdo it! Plus, you want to be the next star, not a copycat or second-rate version of someone else.
3. Pace yourself
When you are preparing for a show or audition season, you must pace yourself and your voice. You would not think of going to the gym for 5 hours to make up for the other days of the week you did not go! The same goes with your voice. Instead, sing and practice in smaller increments (30-45 minutes) each day, gradually building muscular skill and stamina.
As you improve, you should be able to increase the time and the difficulty of vocal skills.
4. Avoid yelling, screaming, loud talking, or singing too loudly
When you increase your vocal loudness, your vocal folds bang together harder. After some time, your vocal folds begin to react to the impact by becoming swollen and red.
Long-term phono-trauma can lead to vocal fold changes such as vocal fold nodules.
5. Adequate hydration
Drink plenty of non-caffeinated beverages throughout the day. Although nothing you eat or drink gets onto the vocal folds, adequate oral hydration allows the mucus to act as a lubricant instead of glue.
This article is a re-post, with minor modifications, of “Five Tips to Keep Your Voice Healthy,” an article published on majoringinmusic.com
