Indie Music

christineanderson

Tricks For Bringing Back Your Voice

Ah-ha! Now I gotcha. Okay, here are a few sore throat remedies that help with laryngitis, too.

1. Gargle with hot salt water. Specificially, fill a 12 oz. cup 1/3 full of pure table salt. Then get your sink to run really hot (boiling water will burn your mouth) and fill the glass the rest of the way with hot water. Stir that puppy up and take a big swig. DO NOT SWALLOW! Just gargle. Isn't it yummy? Okay, do it again, and I'm not talking about a little sip... I mean an enormous mouthful of salt water. Now tilt your head back and gargle some more. Do it again until the cup is empty. Usually there's salt stuck on the bottom of the glass. Don't worry about that. When you're done with the salt water, rinse your mouth out and drink a nice big glass (or two) of slightly cool or room temperature water. Cold constricts your throat more, so pass on the ice water.

2. Throat Coat Tea. Check your local supermarket. This stuff is good with honey and a little lemon. Citrus dries some people out, so be sure to stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water in addition to the tea.

3. Licorice Root. You can find these weird but yummy little sticks at health food stores and the like. You chew on them and it really helps to bring a voice back. Some people say they catch a little buzz off these, but I've never really noticed it.

4. Avoid Whispering! This can be hard, but whispering hurts your voice.

5. See a Doctor. If her voice doesn't come back, see a doctor. Who knows what kind of grossness she could have inhaled. Insulation, asbestos, there's all sorts of bad stuff out there. And even dust by itself is full of gross things, so it may be worth a quick trip to the doc for a Z-Pack or something, if she doesn't get better. Just to be safe, ya know?

Again, I hope this helps. Very Happy

Christine Anderson
www.christineanderson.net

niecierocks · Posted: Fri Sep 29, 2006 10:19 pm Post subject: Vocal Health

Everything that has been mentioned is great! As a singer, I have to say that knowing your voice, breath control, warming up your voice, and practicing every day is key. Basically I treat my voice like an instrument...I make sure it's in tune before I play it...and I've worked very hard over the years, training my voice and getting to know my voice. Getting a vocal coach is a good way to start...but there are many books, cds and videos out there that can help...

There is a great book that I recommend for every singer by Lis Lewis called "The Singer's First Aid Kit" (there is one for the female voice & one for the male voice)... Lis has been singing her entire life & has coached some of the best singers in out industry! This book include a warm up cd and focuses on warming up your voice, increasing endurance & range, correcting bad habits, sing longer & better and there's even a chapter on vocal health. Here are some quotes from her book:

" Our body is an instrument, your voice is an instrument...

Treat your voice like an honored guest. Sleep, diet, exercise are essential:

-Exercise will increase you air control, power & energy.
-Diet- a singers voice needs to be wet, several things cause dryness: caffeine, alcohol, smoke, a salty diet, antihistamines or decongestants, diuretics, allergies, dairy (makes your mucus thicker)
-Water: make sure your body has lots of water

Get plenty of practice...sing all the time...practice every day...if you stop practicing, you will notice that you start to lose muscle tone just like an athlete. if your voice is tired, give it a rest...for serious vocal problems, you may need to see a doctor...if your voice is hoarse, give it a two or three day rest. Make your voice strong by training it and warming up before performing...get to know your voice.

Breath Control:
Breathing is the single most important element in singing. In order to control your voice you have to put out exactly the amount of breath you need for the sound you want. How you exhale controls the quality of the sound, the volume, and in part controls the pitch and tone. How you inhale governs how you exhale."

This book is great! If you want to learn more about it, go to
http://www.thesingersworkshop.com
Lis also has other books on her site and sells products like "Sinus Rinse", "Thayers Dry Mouth Spray", "Boiron Homeopathic remedies, and even a pocket tone pitch pipe. Hope that helps!
Peace, Love, Rock & Roll
Denise Vasquez
http://www.musicforte.com/member/niecierocks

sivan · Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2006 5:06 am Post subject:

First, I have to say that this forum must be unique in one way. Here, it seems like poeple really and honnestly want to share their knowledges with others.... That´s great! After more than 11 years on the
net I´ve discovered many bad forums where people only make jokes to others, harassing people and many
other bad things too. Sad

You are all right about loosing voice. To be given the gift and the knowledge of singing is something special not all people get. And you have to treat your gift (which I haven´t done all times) I don´t practice as much as I would need of many reasons. Lazy? Well, I don´t think so but my life and what has been around me before has not treated me good and the last years I´ve tried to change many different things, but it takes time.

To use honey is very good for the voice, one of our biggest artists here in Sweden, with an excellent voice (CAROLA) is using it often as it seems on the news we are reading here.

Last I have to say that there are probably many many good books, many advices you can take into consideration within the music industry, but as always it´s a question about money. Everything costs and it´s probably worth it all but first you have to survive, pay your bills and depts and after that use what you´ve in your pocket. (mostly nothing at all) Thats 2006 for many many people. And, if you have kids they have to go as NO: 1

So...its not just about buying for everyone and that´s why I think Internet is a good portal for information because its free and you can share/give thoughts, tips e t c, and you only pay for what you would have done anyway. (broadband)

Thank you all for a good forum

/Sivan

Reconsiderate · Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2006 9:55 am Post subject:

sivan · Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2006 11:52 am Post subject:

niecierocks · Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2006 8:50 pm Post subject: Yes...

I love musicforte! This is the best site I've been on & it's so refreshing to have interesting, intelligent, actual enlightening conversations! Whew! Smile

Thank you all for sharing yourselves...it's beautiful!

"Be the change you wish to see in the world"!!!

Peace, Love, Rock & Roll
Denise Vasquez
http://www.musicforte.com/member/niecierocks
http://www.denisevasquez.com

dannyfrederick · Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2007 11:35 am Post subject:

i lost my voice at our gig the other day within the first song. i have had a cold for a week now and i lose my voice at work and home sporadically. there's nothing worse than losing your voice within the first song at one of your shows, so i toughed it out until finally asking someone from the audience to take over for me. He didn't know the words, but he did a damn good job improvising.