I just received a comment on one of my articles about the jaw. Here’s the question: “I am 13, and do a lot of singing. My jaw always pops in and out of place when I’m singing recently, and my voice is getting really tired. Is my jaw the cause of my voice feeling tired?”… Read More » about Jaw Popping, Tired Voice? Here’s help
Vocal Health
Should You Eat Before You Sing?
I got a question in last week’s comments about eating before singing. The short answer: Yes, and No. The longer answer: Yes, you can eat before singing… if you haven’t eaten enough. You need to eat an easy-to-digest but nutrient-packed meal or snack, or you will not have the breath support or energy you need… Read More » about Should You Eat Before You Sing?
Singing and Speaking Loud Without Vocal Strain: The Double Secret
To sing or speak at a loud volume without straining your voice, you must put two things together: Form and Strength. FORM: You must know how to use your voice as efficiently as possible, with the least effort necessary. And you must know this BEFORE trying to increase your volume, so that singing loud is… Read More » about Singing and Speaking Loud Without Vocal Strain: The Double Secret
Vocal Strain – Top 15 Causes
You have come to an old post… please click here to find the 2023 updated one on Vocal Strain. Thanks!
Vocal Health: The Most Important Nutrient For Your Voice
As singers, we can buy throat sprays, suck on lozenges, drink special teas that are supposed to coat the throat. We can drink peppermint to calm jittery stomachs, or have a beer because we think it will relax our throats. We take vitamin and mineral suppliments and avoid dairy to keep from coating our throats…. Read More » about Vocal Health: The Most Important Nutrient For Your Voice
Singers: What To Do When The Flu Is After You
OK, admit it (check title)… I’m a poet! H1N1, H3H4H5abcdefxy, whatever the name of the dang flu bug trying to jump on you, if you need to use your voice, your fear and justified paranoia is the same. I have it this week; you don’t want it. (Don’t worry, you can’t catch it from a… Read More » about Singers: What To Do When The Flu Is After You
Spasmodic Dysphonia: What Treatment Options Are Working?
For my last post in this series on Spasmodic Dysphonia, I will report on treatment options and currently available, controversial alternative viewpoints and will offer my further thoughts as a vocal coach: WHAT ARE THE TREATMENTS FOR SPASMODIC DYSPHONIA? The first thing we need to know is that medical treatments now available will only manage… Read More » about Spasmodic Dysphonia: What Treatment Options Are Working?
Spasmotic Dysphonia: Causes and Diagnosis
So how do you get spasmodic dysphonia? How is it even diagnosed? There are currently unsolved mysteries in the answers to both these questions. WHAT CAUSES SPASMODIC DYSPHONIA? Here’s the current state of research… no one really knows for sure. Somehow improper and inappropriate signals are sent from the brain to the vocal cords that… Read More » about Spasmotic Dysphonia: Causes and Diagnosis
Spasmodic Dysphonia: What Is This Mysterious Voice Disorder
I had the pleasure of attending a conference on Spasmodic Dysphonia (known as SD) sponsored by the Vanderbilt Voice Center this week. Instead of being a dry, boring medical recitation of things I already knew, it was fun, full of kindness and caring… and truly illuminating. I’m so glad I went. This will be the… Read More » about Spasmodic Dysphonia: What Is This Mysterious Voice Disorder
The Alexander Technique and Singing: by AT Practitioner Ethan Kind
Today I would like to introduce you to Ethan Kind. Ethan is an Alexander Technique practitioner who I met at an Indie Connect meeting here in Nashville. He wrote an article on singing and the Alexander Technique that blew me away, so I asked him if he would write a guest post about what he… Read More » about The Alexander Technique and Singing: by AT Practitioner Ethan Kind