Singers - How to Avoid Throat Irritation When Singing
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If I cannot fly,Let me sing.
~Stephen Sondheim.. Won’t we all love to ask God of that?
Singers, as well as speakers, often acquire throat irritations. This interferes with the voice and interrupts the singing process. This can be most frustrating, especially when we don't know what causes the irritation. Any type of irritation in the larynx can "rob" the vocalist of a successful performance. Every singer has a responsibility to learn what to do to avoid throat problems. The tips I'm going to talk to you about, have been tried and tested for years among singers from every genre. They have been proven to work.
When we sing loud and long, it is crucial that we use proper breath support to avoid abusing the voice. Always "measure" the amount of air needed for each phrase. When releasing air (as you sing), hold back(suspend) and don't alow all the air to escape at once. A tickle is caused from dryness in the throat. The dryness can cause coughing. To avoid this, drink plenty of water, room temperature, to keep the vocal cords hydrated. You may also try drinking warm lemon tea, with a small amount of honey before singing. This is better than anything on the market, which really does nothing anyhow. Avoid any yelling, screaming and extreme temperature changes, such as going from air conditioning to a hot temperature, and vice versa.
Sleeping with a humidifier is necessary for serious singers. The steam from the humidifier, enters the nose and throat, bringing much needed moisture to the area. This is highly important for those who sleep with the mouth open which dries out the throat. You can also inhale steam from a hot shower or boiled water (put a towel over your head when inhaling the steam). Be careful not to get a steam burn.
Moisture to the throat is needed at all times, particularly when singing and giving speaking presentations. Sip, sip and then sip some more all day long. Keep a bottle of room temperature water with you at all times. The throat must be wet in order to function.
Never drink ice cold water, juice or soda 3-4 hours before singing. Cold temperatures restrict the vocal bands, hindering the vibrations needed to produce sound.
The same holds true for alcohol, antihistamines, most medications and of course, smoking (including second-hand smoke). If you can't control these substances, you're better off not singing. I personally have worked with very famous singers, who smoke, drink and do drugs and I have witnessed what happens to these voices. Some artists have spent a small fortune for "quick fixes" just to be able to do a concert and sound great. You would be amazed at who these singers are. So do not fall into these bad and destructive habits in the first place. It will take its toll.
A song will outlive all sermons in the memory.
~Henry Giles
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Laryngitis?
Laryngitis can last a few days to weeks and re-occur again. It can be brought on by a virus. But most singers who contract laryngitis do so by abusing the voice box. The three main reasons for vocal abuse are:
- Yelling or screaming at a sporting event (or at your kids)
- Singing too loud (over singing)
- Singing too high
- If you suspect signs of vocal abuse you must rest your voice. Stop singing and even speaking, if you can. Give the vocal bands time to recover and heal, otherwise, you invite more throat irritation. Bathe your throat with water by drinking not only H20, but warm lemon with honey tea. Using fresh lemons are best and bring faster relief.
- As soon as your throat is better, introduce easy humming before singing vowels found in words. Correct humming gives you a feeling of vibrations in the lips and lip areas. Take care that you "place" the tone in the nasalpharangeal (mask) area. Your singing range must be the middle range of your voice so that it is easy and very relaxed.
- Never, ever force your singing voice. Good and correct singing should always feel easy. There is never a strained or forced feeling. Like all of Mother Nature's off-spring, the human voice should be natural and easy, even when singing loud or high. If you feel any discomfort in the throat area, your singing is incorrect.
- The best friend to the singer and speaker is breath support. With every note you sing, with each word you form, you absolutely must have enough air for the tone to "ride" on. Diaphragmatic breathing acts as a "seat" or "cushion" for the tone. If you try to sing louder or higher without the support for the voice, you will suffer vocal abuse.
At all cost, you want to avoid growing polyps/nodes on the vocal cords. Take a look at what these tiny little demons look like.
What? No Icecream?
Dairy products are a no-no and must be avoided before singing. Most all dairy, especially ice cream will cause phlegm and mucus to build up. Mucus is thick and makes the singer want to clear their throat. Clearing the throat is not a good habit. Every time you clear your throat, it's like scratching your vocal cords with your finger nails. Instead of clearing your throat, just swallow a few times. If your mouth is dry and water is no where to be found - simply and gently, bite the tip of your tongue. This action will provide you with enough moisture to swallow.
So, save the ice cream for after a concert, or rehearsal - ditto for other dairy foods.
Singing lessons are like body building for your larynx.
~Bernadette Peters
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I have a tickle in my throat ~
As a singer, I have found that salt water is one of my best friends. And I can't tell you how many thousands of students this easy combination has rescued from a "tickle" to a full on sore throat. My favorite is a bottle of nasal saline spray (salt and water). Simply spray the salt water solution up into your nose to wash out germs. As soon as you get a tickle, by flushing your nasal passages, you can prevent the mucus from getting too thick.
Another way to go, is to try gargling with warm salt water. Add a few teaspoons to a half cup of warm water and then gargle.
The other foods to avoid before singing are coffee and chocolate. The caffein in both products will dry out the throat. Nourish your body with good nutrition and get plenty of sleep. Remember, as singers we use our entire body when we sing - our bodies are our vocal instrument. Protect it, care for it and remember to "tune it" often with correct warm ups.
Your voice is meant to serve you with power and beauty all your life. Following these tips will assure you that it will.
Sing with joy~
Copyright - Library of Congress - Audrey Hunt
I can’t stand to sing the same song the same way two nights in succession, let alone two years or ten years. If you can, then it ain’t music, it’s close-order drill or exercise or yodeling or something, not music.”
~Billie Holiday
The greatest tenor in the world ~
I'm not a politician, I'm a musician. I care about giving people a place where they can go to enjoy themselves and to begin to live again. To the man you have to give the spirit, and when you give him the spirit, you have done everything. ~ Luciano Pavarotti
I think a life in music is a life beautifully spent and this is what I have devoted my life to.
Nothing that has happened has made me feel gloomy or remain depressed. I love my life.
I love this quote from Pavarotti.
If children are not introduced to music at an early age, I believe something fundamental is actually being taken from them.
About Pavarotti ~
The whole world will be listening today to his voice on every radio and television station, and that will continue. And that is his legacy. He will never stop,
Zubin Mehta
I love you Pavarotti
One of my favorite tenors ~ He sees through his heart
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Read more about the singing voice
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l´m no singer but l found this article very interesting . l read it with one of my closest friends in mind. Her voice brings tears to my eyes.
Thank you for such great information.
Dim, dear friend ~ Thank you so much for sharing this with me. She must be a beautiful and expressive singer! How blessed you both are. She, with an exquisite voice - and you, for your deep appreciation of her clear, stunning voice. What a magnificent friendship you both enjoy. And you, my dear, have a heart as big as the world you live in. ~ vocalcoach
Every singer - no, make that every singer and every person who wants to be a singer or speaker - should read this comprehensive information you have put together for saving and conserving one's voice. Excellent, Audrey, and rated way up
The two arias from two of my favorite tenors were excellent selections. Thank you for including them.
drbj - I have long suspected that we have some of the very same interests. And now, I am sure of it. I am absolutely thrilled to find that you favor the same tenors and arias as I. Wonderful! And I shall think of my amazing friend, drbj, from now on whenever I listen to these selections. Thank you for your very kind and supportive comments on the information I have given. So, how 'bout a hug? Sending you one from Nashville. :)VC
This hub has wonderful tips for your voice to be in peak shape for beautiful singing. You chose 2 of my favorite singers for your videos. I think this hub is rate up and beautiful.
Oh Pamela - I am really happy to hear we both share an appreciation for these tenors. I could listen to both of them all day. There is an element of inspiration and truth in their voices. Not to mention the absolute perfection in singing. Thanks, my friend for the rating. It is so nice of you to support me in this way. Hugs ~ vocalcoach
am not into singing but do theater and sometimes the throat gets completely jammed just moements before a performance - it happened to me just the afternoon of a big act which i was opening.
a great local remedy i was given was to cut a lemon into two ,heat it in a microwave for a minute take it out sprinkle black pepper powder on it and squeeze it directly into the throat.
worked wonders and was ale to get on stage. repeating it too often may though give u blisters in the throat .
give it a try sometime
neeleshkulkarni - Hi there! Gee, I want to thank you for the tip. Also, gargeling with cayenne pepper is a very fast working agent. I can imagine you, an actor, on stage. Bet you are awesome! Thanks for stopping and for your comments. Break a leg! :) vocalcoach
You always give such great advice on singing. I love the fact you share your wisdom and experience with others. :)
Very good info! Too bad I was always a horrid singer. I joined a choir at one point and after several one on one sessions with various teachers they decided it would be within the best interest of the team if I would simply stand there, pretend I was singing, and look pretty. As you can tell from my picture I didn't do so good at the pretty thing either. My choir days were sadly short lived.
phillbert - Well, I wish I could have had the chance to work with you. :) You would have become the next Pavarotti! You gave me a chuckle and I sure needed that tonight. Thanks so much for reading this and taking time to share your cute story. :) vocalcoach
mistyhorizon - well, you are so sweet to say that. Your kind comments mean the world to me. Thank you, friend. :) vocalcoach
Fay - Ha, ha, ha - just can't picture you as a "wild woman". Then again, I'm sure at one time, we all were - or still are. :) Love your comments, Faye - and love you too. :) vocalcoach
Great tips here vocal coach. I can use them for my children who sing. I appreciate your sharing this information. Thank you.
I always wanted to be a singer as a child but that dream went down the tubes because of smoking! As always a great informative article thanks for sharing! Ping Ya!
Voted UP, tweeted, and shared on FB.
One point of clarification re: "Sleeping with a humidifier is necessary for serious singers. The steam from the humidifier, enters the nose and throat, bringing much needed moisture to the area."
Over the 35 yrs I've practiced pharmacy I've often counselled patients on the difference in vaporizers and humidifiers.
A vaporizer produces the steam (hot). Pulmonologists have evidence that it can cause pneumonia.
So, I always recommend a humidifier - cool mist or at least room temp. That gives you the moisture without the dangers of the hot air vaporizer.
Very informative and helpful hub!
We are always learning something new about you...I didn't know you Sing? What a treat to hear. Wonderful tips as usual for all of us to find useful in our lives. Thanks for sharing.
b. Malin - You are such a delightful and refreshing hub friend. I just love it when I recieve an email confirming that you have paid me a visit. I begin to sparkle as I read your always welcomed messages. Yep - been a singer since childhood. Raised 3 kids by myself - all on my own, with nothing but my singing/piano gigs.
:) vocalcoach
FCEtier - Oh, thank you so much for the clarification between vaporizers and humidifiers! You are such a prince. This information needed to be included in my hub. Thank you for your expertise and thank you for rating up, tweeting and sending to FB. I have found a real gem in finding you. :) vocalcoach
I thought that this was excellent! I have a few people who would love to know this and I'll be sure to share it:). Up and everything:)!
Thanks for these common sense tips. I only sing nursery rhymes to the grandchildren but need to keep my voice in trim for them!
tamron - hello my sweet friend. I'm glad to hear that you no longer smoke. (I'might be jumping to a conclusion here) :) And if you and I could work together, I have no doubt you would become an awesome singer. So glad to see you tamron. Take care :) vocalcoach
been a while since a pretty girl called me awesome VC. thanks for the moral boost.lol
Gypsy Willow - I always say, the most beautiful singing comes from a Grandmother. Those sweet sounds linger in a childs memory forever. Thank you, Gypsy Willow (love the name).
Very good advice and I can share it with anyone I know who sings.
Best Wishes.
Realhousewife - Hello, my friend. You are doing so well here on HP. Keeping my eye on you :) Thanks for the rating and comments. Hugs vocalcoach
Wow. Amazing hub. Very informative, though long. This makes me wonder aside from being a vocalcoach, are you sing regularly, too? Voted up!
Hai,
Very useful hub.
As I am a bathroom singer, no need to bother about clarity of my voice. Both singing and hearing is me.
Awesome information! I've always wondered what I could do for my voice. I love to sing! But I'm really guilty of always clearing my throat, seriously it's ridiculous sometimes. It just came up when I turned 18 and suddenly had common allergies, my throat feels like it often has a constant tickle. I don't know what to do about it and it's a real concern to me because I love music so much. Thank you for this post and for the ideas, and confirmation of my fears haha about clearing my throat :P Cheers, our Hub vocalcoach has you covered, sing on world!
Marina - Love your comments - so very much! I'd like to see you try going without dairy and chocolate for a few days. That may really help to get rid of that tickle. Again, so glad you stopped by. :) vocalcoach
goprisca - Very nice to see you here. Thank you for your comments. I have a big smile! Thanks
sergs - Yes, I have been a professional singer since I was 16 years old - also a professional pianist. As soon as I figure out how to put my videos on you tube, I will display my singing and piano performances. Thank you, very much for your comments. Always wonderful to see you here! :)vocalcoach
Lady E - Thank you for sharing my hub with anyone that you think may benefit from reading it. Take care, dear lady! :) vocalcoach
Excellent, well written hub with helpful,interesting & practical advice. Many Thanks for posting!! :>)
sofs - I'm very glad that this information will be of help to your children that sing. This is my purpose for writing this hub. Thank you for visiting - and now I will pay you a visit. :)
wilbury - You play the guitar - awesome! The Beatles will always be tops in my book. Their music is classic and will live forever and is loved by all. Thanks for reading my hub. :) vocalcoach
wow.. very useful hub..
i used have concert on my bathroom..
now that i read your advice maybe i can improve my singing ability now and avoid throat irritation when i'm rockin' on my bathroom..haha..yeah! Godspeed!
Jacob - Singing in the shower also works! Glad you stopped by and thanks.
The hub has provided very useful information. Thanks for sharing.
H P - Thank you for reading this, my friend. I am pleased that you found this information useful. Have a wonderful day. :) vocalcoach
A must read for all singers!
An interesting inside of a world I don't know nothing out it. I enjoyed reading it.
Hello - Can you see how supportive you are to me? Even though this topic may not be on your list of "priority reading" - you still take the time to look at my hub and leave a comment. That rates #1 with me - and hello, you are #1 in my book. Thank you dear friend. Love, vocalcoach
Qudsia - Hi, friend! Thanks for popping over to read this. It's like playing tennis with you. I hit the ball to you, and you return it (and over the net) :) Thanks
Music is my life, vocalcoach and you sure did give me some great tips on how to maintain these chords of mine :)
Voted up!
I love singing and your tips really useful for us. I hope I can follow your advice above. Rated up as usual. Have a nice weekend! Cheers....
Prasetio
Ruchira - You have made my day! This is exactly what I hope for when I write for singers. You are so kind to share these positive comments. Can't begin to thank you enough. Let me know when ever you need help with your voice. Always here for you! :) vocalcoach
I always suspected these things, but wasn't quite sure. Thanks for sharing. This is a great hub.
Satyam7 - How nice to see you here! Thank you for the comments. Very glad you found this information helpful. Hope to see you again, soon. :) vocalcoach
You are right on the money. As a choral music director and teacher, I have taught all of these to my students!
Extremely information. Thanks ....I did that once on a hot summer day drank ice cold watter and my vocal closed up..
Thanks for looking http://usedbooks4cash.blogspot.com/
Very very very useful..... Frankly i needed this from so many days.. Special thanx for sharing... Luv :)
rishworld - How wonderful to see you here and to know that my hub has helped you. That is all I want. Thanks for giving me a smile. :)vocalcoach
Wow, great information! I don't sing (and the world is grateful), but I do read to my aunt who has macular degeneration. Sometimes my throat gets scratchy, so I read your suggestions with a lot of interest. I'll think of my reading as a performance, and now I know how to prepare for the performance. Thank you!
What an awesome hub. I love it. I took vocal in college 100 years ago... lol... and have forgotten much of this, and some if it I never knew - or else I forgot it so completely its like its brand new all over ha ha. I really enjoyed this. I am going to fan you! oops almost forgot, what about singers like Aerosmith - Steven Tyler who scream a lot - some of those hard rock guys that scream all the time - how do they keep screaming without bursting a their vocal chords? They get on stage and scream for two hours. Paul Stanley of Kiss - one of the strongest voices in Rock... amazing. Just curious.
- best wishes,
- Harlan
I'm in trouble already, love the coffee!!! But I know what your mean....Salt water is a good acquaintance of mine whenever I feel a little throat irritation. These tips are great and I will remember this hub. Thanks for sharing and have a great day!!!!!!!
"If children are not introduced to music at an early age, I believe something fundamental is actually being taken from them." I agree with this quote and regret that so much as been taken away from the public school systems for the children. There are some schools which are still fortunate to have it, but in many music, art, drama and even physical education has been taken away, so sad. Pavarotti's words should be on a billboard.
v/r
BTW: Looks like you were singing your little heart out there!!
Support Med. ~ Hello my beautiful friend! What magnificent comments you have left here. I hope everyone that visits my hub, read your words and is as moved by them as I am. Your own hubs are also some of the best in hubland! BTW ~ I love my coffee as well, especially in the morning. :) vocalcoach
Sylvia's Thoughts - Thank you so very much for reading my hub and commenting. Your confirmation is so welcomed. Coming from a choral professional like yourself, I am very honored. I look forward to reading your hubs, which I will start - right now!
This is very useful Audrey, I need to show this to my son who's recently purchased a guitar and spends time singing and playing his guitar. It's his new hobby! I'm thrilled...I hear him clear his throat at times and strain his voice for those higher notes! Thank you for sharing...ps Pavorati and Adrea are amazing and I adore Barbra (Her face is so soft in that photo)
Hey there. I am a songwriter and singer. This is great advice. I haven't made it nowhere but to be honest, I haven't made my move. I write country. It is great to meet someone that shares the same passion. It is TRULY an HONOR. Many thanks.
A really useful and informative hub. I took singing lessons myself to project my voice, initially for presentations to fellow students in seminars but I find the techniques used, good in general and your tips, especially that of not drinking ice cold drinks a few hours before 'singing'. Voted up and again enjoyed reading this hub!
CollB - Learning to "place" the voice in a "mixed" vocal register, such as chest/mask will help in projecting the voice for both speakers and singers. Clean enunciation with crisp consonants and open vowels are a must. Thank you very much for your excellent comments. A real pleasure!
Hello there! Thanks for the article I found it very interesting! I started singing quite a while ago, and the problem I get most of the time, is that it feels like my throat is not clear enough, like mayeb there is too much mucus in there, that I find myself clearing my throat often - but the thing is I don't have anything dairy or chocolate before singing, and I still get it in my throat. What would you advise me to do in this situation? Thanks!
Voted up! Very useful article with so many useful tips. When I sing, I get a sore throat very easily. Take for granted, I don't sing all that much these days but I hope to in the future. Glad to follow. Take care and I look forward to talking with you.
A very beautiul nd useful hub,another gem to vote up.
Here's to so many more hubs to share on here.
Take care
Eiddwen.
I don't myself sing, but I have friends who do so I bookmarked this and fired it over to them in an email. Great information.
Very useful hub! I wonder what warm-ups are "destructive" that singers shouldn't be doing?
Qudsia - Very happy to see you here. Thank you for taking time to leave a comment for me~
Prasetio - I want to thank you, my dear friend for reading, commenting and voting on my hub. I hope you can use some of these tips to keep your throat healthy. Best wishes ~
I really thank you for this advise. I'm just getting over a sore throat and I'm going to use these techniques faithfully. I'm an gospel singer, and sometimes being a gospel singer we sing hard, and I get hoarse sometimes. One question, what are some good everyday throat exercise that you recommend?
Thanks for the pointers! The portion on laryngitis reminds me of a story about Renee Fleming-- she had the soprano solo in the Christmas oratorio in her sophomore year and woke up the morning of the performance with no voice! She ended up singing that night after a day of babying her voice, but that story always amazes me. You have some great advice to give, so thanks for taking the time to share it.
Audrey, these are excellent tips for a singer. One of the leading legends of bollywood playback singing - Mohammed Rafi, is a fine example. He was a non drinker, a non smoker, was not a party guy. He spoke almost in a whisper as his son reveals in an interview but in front of the microphone roared like a lion. A gem of a human being in real life.
I have just written a hub on him.
I fully agree with this wonderful hub points and wish singers especially would emulate and incorporate the key points outlined by you to maintain their voice.
I will share this hub with my brother who is a sings too.
Voted up & awesome and shared.
rajan jolly ~ Taking good care of our voice is important for all of us. Singers and public speakers must be even more careful of how they use their voice.
One of the hardest habits my own students find difficult to stop is "clearing the throat."
I will check out Mohammed Rafi by reading your hub. I know I will enjoy this. Thank you my friend for your comments, voting up and awesome and sharing!
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Emeldah - Please contact me through hubpage. You may send me an email.
Amazing..thanks VOCALCOACH for writing this hub. I am a singer and I know how it feels when your voice get damaged just prior to a stage show. In my case, over singing and drinking chilled water are main the causes
bmukherjii ~ I consider it an honor to have you, a singer doing shows, comment on my hub. You have confirmed 2 of my rules for avoiding throat irritations.
Thank you so much and I hope to see you again soon.
Your pen name caught my attention as I am a singer. Mostly raised in the choir, solos, weddings, funerals, joined a band and made a Christan based CD one year. I love to sing. I agree with all you said...I will add one thing. After singing pineapple juice is amazingly soothing to the throat. Also it helped when I had solos to sing over the holidays and had no voice from a sinus infection. The PJ helped me cope with that tickle and soothed. Not sure exactly why. It was recommended by a voice coach long ago. Voted you up..
Hi Golfgal. I love hearing from singers. And your comments are so very welcomed. I especially thank you for your information on PJ as I have never heard that before. Thanks for your vote up and I hope to see you again very soon.
Fay Paxton 12 months ago
So now I know I can blame my inability to sing on my days as a "wild woman".:)
I'm assured when I visit your hub to always learn something and to be superbly entertained. Up/useful, awesome and beautiful.