Hydration, warm-ups, and vocal rest are all important for
avoiding vocal fatigue and keeping a healthy voice. Learn how to take care of
your voice with Usher's advice.
What Exactly Is Vocal Hygiene?
Maintaining healthy habits to support your vocal folds and
ability to sing correctly is referred to as vocal hygiene. Singers must take
proper care of their vocal cords and larynx (voice box) by performing exercises
that warm up the vocal mechanism. Singers can also practice good vocal hygiene
by avoiding inflammatory foods and beverages that cause gastroesophageal
reflux. Sing within your vocal range and avoid overusing your voice to avoid
strain.
Voice therapy techniques can help you improve your
amplification skills and give you the tools you need to fully utilize your
vocal range. Voice disorders and vocal nodules or polyps, benign bumps on vocal
folds that affect your voice quality and tone, can develop over time as a
result of hygiene issues and vocal misuse.
4 Vocal Hygiene Tips from Usher
The voice sings with our entire body. Usher, a Grammy Award
winner, shares some vocal health care tips so you can sing your best and take
care of your voice:
1. Work with a vocal coach to expand your range. You may not
be able to hit every note; this is fine. Sing in a comfortable location so you
can work with a vocal coach to improve your vocal quality and expand your vocal
range correctly. "If you sing really high, you might drop an octave down
and then sing in a lower octave so you can still work on whatever you're trying
to get tight while not straining your voice," Usher suggests.
2. Hydrate before singing. A humidifier, in addition to
drinking plenty of water, can help hydrate your vocal cords. "Be near some
warm water," Usher advises. "Moisture is extremely beneficial and
[nourishes] the muscles in your throat."
3. Avoid irritants prior to singing. Before singing, avoid
eating acidic foods such as citrus fruits and tomatoes. "Anything too
acidic is bad for your voice," Usher says. "It causes acid reflux;
the more acid that comes up from your stomach and then gets that little guck on
your vocal cords, the worse it is." Other irritants that can cause
dehydration and inflammation of the mucous membranes include alcohol, caffeine,
dairy, and spicy foods.
4. Rest your voice. To help your vocal cords, save your
voice or take a complete vocal nap. Usher, for one, warms up his voice after a
performance. "To be perfectly honest, I didn't understand this [until] I
was about twenty-five," Usher says. "I'd heard it and I didn't really
take it [seriously] until I had this grueling schedule, and I'd have to lift my
voice up every day I was on the road. And I'd get hoarse from time to time. I
didn't pay attention to my body. I pushed through it because I was completely
immersed in the moment. You know, if you strain and stress your voice, you're
not doing yourself justice."
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