Vocal Strain: What is it? What can you do about it?
What is vocal strain?
The bad news:
- It matters immediately to the quality of your singing or speaking voice.
- It takes the focus off your communication and puts it on the throat discomfort and fear of what that feeling could mean.
- But the most important reason: Vocal strain is cumulative!!
The good news:
- Voice rest. Use the text messager service on your phone, and online (Facebook, etc.) At least severely cut down on the number of times you make any vocal sound. And when you do, make it a clear, bell-like tone. Avoid whispering, breathing tones at all cost.
- Drink like a big fish. Hydrate your cords... this is non-negotiable.
- Sleep. Get 8 hours or more... all week! Sleep is major cell-repair time.
- Practice new techniques to re-train your voice into healthier operation. Get your throat open and relaxed. Learn how to take pressure off your voice when you speak or sing. Learn to use the perfect balance of breath support/ breath control that leaves your throat feeling nothing when you use your voice unless you put your hand on it! Your vocal cords love to be buzzed, they hate to be blown!
What vocal lessons can do for vocal strain:
- Your voice can be assessed for what is causing your vocal strain.
- Vocal lessons can re-train your voice with specific techniques according to your core causes of strain.
- You can tell it's a good lesson if you feel a diminishing of your vocal strain as soon as you apply the better technique. You should immediately experience a lessening of excessive air pressure, a more resonant sound and a healthy release of tension in and around your throat.
- You can be taught some kind of exercise to practice the new anti-strain vocal techniques.
- And finally, vocal lesson re-training should also apply to your speaking voice, because if you're like most people you speak a lot more than you sing.
Labels: Judy Rodman, vocal lessons, vocal strain, vocal technique, what is vocal strain