Voice/ throat care

Christopher James · Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2008, 01:37 (GMT) Post subject: Voice/ throat care

.
Okay, so I was a little loud during the Superbowl (how "BOUT those Giants??!!), after emceeing a lengthy charity auction the night before.

What are your favorite tips for voice/throat care?

1/ Both before and after a stressful session / activity.

B/ When dealing with a head cold. sniff.

Thirdly/ When heading into a VO session

thanks

Connie Terwilliger · Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2008, 02:06 (GMT) Post subject:

First of all - make sure that the monitors for a live performance are loud enough so that you don't feel like you have to shout.

If you can't hear yourself, you try to talk louder and that will hurt your throat. Seriously. Work with the audio crew to make sure that monitor is working.

Afterwards - drink warm water or something non-caffinated and don't talk.

Headcolds are a different animal and everyone has a cure for that. I'm sure you can find threads on this here on Savvy. If not here, then check out VO-BB.com. I know this has been discussed there.

Before recording, be sure to be warmed up and relaxed. Do your stretching and other breathing and limbering up exercises. Do vocal warm ups - tongue twisters and other articulation exercises. I have a page of stuff on my website at www.voiceover-talent.com - look for VO Info.

Bob Bergen · Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2008, 14:57 (GMT) Post subject: Re: Voice/ throat care

Melba Sibrel · Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2008, 17:11 (GMT) Post subject:

Bob, any medical plan with cherry Lifesavers in it sounds great to me! I didn't realize mint and menthol lozenges actually dried. Yikes! Thanks for the info.

Deby Cedars · Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2008, 21:08 (GMT) Post subject:

Well I don't get sick often....but I am allergic to dust....When I have extra gunk (or mucus) I find that eliminating all dairy helps. This is even more important if you sing a lot.

Also I'm not sure what it does to the vocal chords....but hot wing sauce really opens up my sinuses. I find herbal cough drops to be soothing but, they make my mouth all "smacky" when I do the read. The hot wing sauce does not make me all "smacky"

Bob is right about the antacids.......but there is one downfall to taking them three times a day.....you won't digest your food quite as well.

Just remember that football is just a bunch of men running around in tights....and no matter how loud you scream at your TV....THEY CAN'T HEAR YOU! (LOL) Shhh

Patricia Shanks · Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008, 07:55 (GMT) Post subject: Add-ons to voice care recs

As a former professional opera singer and a voice teacher for over 30 years, I've been around this block a few times. I'd like to add a bit to the mix, if I may.

1. "Complete" voice rest is not necessarily a good idea, unless you have a very sore throat or real laryngitis. Coming back from not using your voice at all can be like trying to crank an old engine. Light, normal, conversational voice use is OK. No long VO sessions.

2. Whispering. Right. Don't. Ever. All that loose air blowing past those poor cords is bad. The cords are meant to make contact and vibrate.

3. No gargling. No throat clearing. Use the silent cough method. (I have no clue how best to describe that without audio. There used to be a strange, but helpful, video somewhere on the 'Net. I'll look for it.)

4. The deal with warm salt water. It causes the tissues to plump up. Speaking when the tissues are swollen can lead to injury.

5. Sleeping with head elevated, alone, won't necessarily keep the reflux away. A wedge from head to just below waist level is the answer. Or, you can put the head of the bed on blocks, or on those bed caster lifts. Antacids. Different ones for different folks. My Otolaryngologist to the stars recommended Gaviscon. It's a little different than the others. It's what works for me ... on top of reflux meds and when and if anything can work.

6. Thanks for putting in the link to the Grether's Bob! Those things are great. I like the gummies. Hard tart candies do the trick. But I don't like them as much.

7. Yes. Mint is drying. Menthol temporarily numbs the throat, giving you a false sense of security. That's how you can injure it further.

8. Alcohol also tightens other body muscles. If structural muscles of the larynx and neck are affected, those can directly negatively impact the vocal cords and the voice. Also, under the influence of alcohol, you might use your voice in a way, or put your head and neck in positions, that mess with your voice production.

9. Definitely force those fluids to help eliminate the cold. And hyper-hydrating is a good plan. But too much water can actually make your mouth more dry and cause those pesky mouth noises.

10. Mucous and saliva. You want a flow of saliva. You don't want thick mucous. Thin the mucous. Guaifenesin pills that thin mucous are OTC under different brand names. One caution. Drink LOTS of water with them.

11. If you have post nasal drip, it can really irritate the cords. Claritin, antihistamines can be drying. But dealing with that might be preferable to dealing with an unreliable and scratchy voice because of the drip. Wringing of hands. What to do?

One general thing, not necessarily for dealing with colds. ALWAYS warm up (lip trills, tongue trills, light humming -- but most people do these things incorrectly - forcefully) in the morning and before a session and WARM DOWN. People neglect this very important part. You've got to relax that mechanism with a little warm down.

Don't yell. If you value your voice, don't yell or talk loudly over people. Once-in-a-while, probably no big deal. Wear and tear will show with time.

I have more information posted at www.studioshanks.biz
Click on the Helpful Voice Information link.

Deby Cedars · Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008, 16:06 (GMT) Post subject:

Patricia....I would really like to know more about that silent cough thing. I've never heard of that. I was only in one Opera though.

Bob Bergen

Deby Cedars · Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008, 19:25 (GMT) Post subject:

Well I can not sing the high notes very well unless I warm up.....sometimes I skip the do me so me do's and just sing some easy Mary Chapin Carpenter songs.

I have a morning voice....it's lower in energy....slightly lower in pitch....and sounds slightly more mature.....I guess it just comes off that way when I'm a bit groggy.

One time I felt like crap....I was depressed....tired.....woke up late.....didn't warm up my voice and checked my email with the attitude of I'm not in a good place to audition today.....That was when I did the adoption audition....The character that decides to give her baby up for adoption.....I'm so glad I gave it go.....even though I did not feel my best....That low energy, depressed mood helped me get that particular gig. kaffee

Michael Strah · Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008, 15:47 (GMT) Post subject: Throat care

Beer, cigarettes, coffee, and scream at your op and the copywriter.
Might be difficult for those who never worked in radio, though.

Christopher James · Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008, 21:14 (GMT) Post subject: Good stuff!

.
Thanks for all of the excellent tips.

I will be wary of those "curiously strong" mints!

Lee Gordon

Deby Cedars · Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008, 22:55 (GMT) Post subject:

Hmmm? Actually if my memory serves me well .....Porky is somewhat high pitched for a guy.....I've never heard your natural voice Bob....I'm guessing it's not real deep like Colins?

Emmett Andrews · Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008, 03:25 (GMT) Post subject:

If you lose your voice and need to do a session, eat a teaspoon of brown sugar. It's not terribly good for you, but it will bring you 20-60 minutes worth of pipes. Enough to be worth that session fee...YMMV.

Emmett

Bob Bergen