My Vocal Health Essentials

"Miss Abby, HELP! My voice is SO dead and I have an audition tomorrow. What can I do?"

If I had a dollar for every time I've heard this one, I'd have, well like, probably 100 dollars, but you get the point. My students are incredibly active singers. They audition constantly, compete, sing in their school classes, and sometimes are in two shows at once. We learn in lessons that nothing can help us maintain our voice more than prioritizing solid, healthy vocal technique, but we've all experienced our voice not being there when we need it. Whether it's illness, allergy season, too much cheering at a Red Sox game, or fatigue from singing a lead role, we've all felt the panic of a dead voice at some point in our life.

SO.

What do we do when we need our voice back, ASAP?

Before we dive deeper, it's so important to say that sometimes our voices just need rest. We can only do so much to rehab the voice in a short amount of time. A lot of what I'll speak about in this blog is best approached as a long-term way of life: tips and tricks to treat our bodies like performers, like athletes, so that we can always execute our technique to the best of our abilities. Singing is a hobby for some, and it's a profession for others. But no matter the level at which you're singing, your vocal folds are a part of your body. And the way you treat your body affects how they function. Plain and simple.

Let's begin with my holy trinity for vocal health:

1. Hydration

2. Rest

3. SOVT Exercises

There's a lot swirling around the internet and social media about the "magic fix to make our voices sound amazing", but in reality, very little will anatomically, physically, help our instrument function better when it's fatigued. Not saying you should throw out your Throat Coat, Vocal Zones or Grether's, but our "secret weapons" to singing better are usually just superstitions that help us feel more comfortable in high-stakes situations.

For the sake of transparency, I will share my two superstitions. There are two conditions wherein I don't enjoy singing: when my throat is dry, and in the morning.

~Now, because I am a smart singer, I am fully aware that the following things do not actively "help" my voice, or "magically make my voice work", but even voice teachers need some emotional support every once in a while ~

To keep my throat from getting dry, I am obsessed with Grether's Pastilles. They're a cross between a really hard gummy bear and a cough drop with no menthol. Glycerin is the secret ingredient, and keeps your throat lubricated. For singing in the early morning (hello, mucous!!), I always have Luden's Wild Cherry cough drops on hand. They are the best cough drops I've ever had, and I totally feel like they magically clear the crud away from my vocal folds.

Now, back to the task at hand... what ACTUALLY will help my voice recover faster and function better?

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HYDRATION!

There is truly no substitution for hydration. Water is LIFE for our bodies and our vocal folds. Without proper hydration, we simply cannot function our best. Period. Full stop.

Most of the general population is chronically dehydrated, but take a look at the health benefits associated with more water intake. Staying hydrated:

• balances our mood

• increases energy

• improves concentration

• promotes healthy joints, muscles, and tissue

• aids cardiovascular system function

• helps digestion

• aids kidney function

• keeps skin cells plump and elastic

• reduces risk of some cancers

Benefits abound! For the purpose of this blog, let's focus on the promotion of healthy muscles and tissues. The vocal folds are made up of... drumroll... muscle and tissue! Without proper hydration, our vocal folds quite literally cannot function to the best of their ability. Singing fully hydrated makes a serious difference: we equip ourselves with the energy and focus to learn new technique, and we ensure that our anatomy is functioning at its highest level.

Just how much water should you be drinking per day?

• For adults, I personally aim for 3/4 - 1 gallon (or 100-120 ounces) of liquid per day.

• For late middle and high schoolers, aim for 1/2 - 3/4 gallon (60-100 ounces).

• For elementary and early middle schoolers, our aim is 1/2 a gallon (60 ounces).

Likely that is way more than you're used to consuming. No stress! Work yourself up to it. Find out how many ounces your emotional support water bottle holds, and get creative with how to make water drinking more ~festive~

IMPORTANT: DO NOT FORGET TO BALANCE YOUR WATER WITH ELECTROLYTES

We must must must replace the electrolytes in our body if we're drinking this much water. My favorite electrolytes are coconut water or Vitamin water, but a little pinch of salt works just fine too. If you want to get really fancy, pineapple juice has anti-inflammatory properties, so a little splash would be a great addition to your hydration routine!

But WAIT... there's MORE!

Let me put you onto (in my opinion) the best tool that every singer should utilize:

STEAMING!

While it's not a substitution for good ol' fashioned water-drinking, steaming is the thing that makes the biggest impact on my voice. Whether I'm feeling tired after a long day of teaching, recovering from a sore throat, suffering from allergies, or making sure my voice is in top shape for a demanding role, steaming is my most trusted ally. I love it so much, in fact, that I own two different types of steamers. Here are my recommendations:

1. Mypurmist Cordless Ultra Pure Steam Inhaler

   This is my favorite hot water steamer. I love it because it self-cleans, uses sterile water pods as its steam source, and has a built-in HEPA filter. Hot water steaming is one of two ways to steam. I like to use hot water steam when I wake up in the morning or when I go to bed. It helps melt mucous away, clear nasal congestion, decreases inflammation, and hydrates the vocal folds. When hot water steaming, 10 minutes is the most you need, and it's important to be on vocal rest for 20 minutes after steaming! This helps the large water molecules in steam absorb into your vocal folds.

2. VocalMist Nebulizer

   Nebulizers are very different from steamers, as they utilize very fine dispersed distilled water molecules. The mist is cold, not hot! I love using my nebulizer right before singing, as it provides immediate hydration to my vocal folds. Because the water particles are so tiny, they are absorbed immediately by our tissues, no need for vocal rest. Think of it like an instant hydration boost, directly to your vocal folds! My nebulizer is a crucial part of my pre-show ritual. If you find me backstage, I'm usually nebulizing right before the cast is called to "places".

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REST!

....TOTAL....vocal rest! You'd be so surprised at how powerful 24 hours of silence is. But in order for it to work, it has to be complete silence. Your friends will surely miss your conversation in the cafeteria, and your parents/spouses/siblings might be annoyed that you have to communicate via whiteboard or notes app, but it is well worth it!

Your vocal folds are made up of muscle and tissue. You've likely heard me speak about our TA and CT muscles, which are responsible for the function of singing. The tissue in our vocal folds, the lamina propria, live on top of these muscles. They are divided into 3 separate layers:

• Top Layer (Superficial): a jelly-like cushion that acts as a shock-absorber for vocal fold vibration.

• Middle Layer (Intermediate): consists of elastic fibers, like rubber bands, keeping the vocal folds flexible.

• Deep Layer: densely packed tissue that adds durability to the vocal folds.

The lamina propria are essential for healthy vocal fold function. They protect the vocal fold muscles in so many ways. Body tissue relies heavily on hydration to function optimally. And it also requires rest in between use to heal itself. Unfortunately, we use the same vocal folds to sing AND speak, so we need to be aware that speaking can sometimes impede the healing and resting process of our vocal folds.

Don't let anyone tell you singing isn't a sport! Singers are athletes, and every healthy athlete needs a rest day.

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SOVT EXERCISES!

SOVT stands for semi-occluded-vocal-tract, or in other words, closed or narrowed mouth singing exercises. If you take lessons with me, we almost always include an SOVT exercise as part of our warmup! These are so essential in rehabbing the voice post- sickness or fatigue, as the narrowed or closed mouth creates healthy "back pressure" on the vocal folds, allowing them to function as easily and efficiently as possible. We use these so much in lessons because SOVT exercises show us the easiest way our voice can function. It helps us naturally edit out a LOT of bad habits.

Types of SOVT sounds:

• [ng] - like at the end of the word "sing"

• humming on an [m], [n], or [v] sound

• straw phonation - singing through a straw (into a cup of water, or not)

• lip trills and tongue trills (although, these are not my favorites)

Some things to keep in mind when you're using SOVT exercises:

• Focus less on "how good do I sound?", and more on FUNCTION, EFFICIENCY, and PLACEMENT.

• Prioritize making easy, energized noises and sounds, less on "singing".

• The more slide-y, the BETTER!

• Being loud is NOT your priority: we are looking to find that easy nugget of sound that functions most efficiently. We can grow that sound with support LATER!

• Lots of SOVT exercises utilize a nasal placement, embrace that!

• Always start within your "workable" range, and slowly expand in both directions. Especially when we're coming back from sickness, we may only be able to access a few notes in our range. Don't rush the process.

• Start on slides, fill in pitches, move to vowels, THEN add words/melody of a song.

Stretching can also be a great compliment to SOVT exercises. Especially when we're dealing with a fatigued voice, our muscles near the vocal folds are likely experiencing tension. Try accompanying your SOVT exercises with your favorite stretch or massage of the tongue, jaw, neck, or larynx!

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Whether you belted Hamilton a little too loud at your friend's birthday party, are recovering from a nasty virus, or are looking to improve your vocal health and stamina, this blog is a great place to start. Incorporating hydration, rest, and SOVT exercises make a huge difference in our overall health as singers. The more we know how our voices function at the anatomical level, the better we can be at taking care of our instrument!

With love for my singers,

Abby