7 Strange (But Effective) Ways to Keep Your Voice Healthy

7 Strange (But Effective) Ways to Keep Your Voice Healthy Sign up successful 1. The Concert/Sports Game “Wooo” The biggest culprit of vocal health problems is vocal abuse. We use our voices constantly, and if we do it wrong, the voice suffers. One place where we tend to abuse our voices is at big events like concerts and sports games, where everyone spends hours hollering at the top of their lungs. So, whats the solution? The concert/sports game “wooo” allows you to enjoy the thrill of yelling without killing your cords. Some people naturally do this: think of the times you’ve heard a long, high “WOOOO!” at a concert. This head voice “wooo” is also a popular vocal warm-up. To master this, simply practice gently saying “wooo” in head voice (falsetto for men) with adequate breath support. As you get better at this, you will be able to make a lot of noise  more than the screaming, overenthusiastic fan who won’t be able to talk the next day. Here’s a good example (skip to 1:02): If you need help with this, ask your voice teacher. 2. Pretend to Scream on Roller Coasters While I do enjoy healthy whooping at concerts and sports games, I choose to stay mute on roller coasters. Why? The ups and downs aren’t exactly conducive to proper vocal technique, and no one is listening to you anyway. I just open my mouth so it looks like I’m screaming and enjoy the ride. I promise it doesn’t take away from the fun, and you’ll be able to sing beautifully even after a full day at the amusement park. 3. Don’t Sing Only Christina Aguilera at Karaoke Night Vocal health for singers is important to keep in mind, even while youre out at karaoke! Yes, it’s fun to belt along to your favorite tunes at karaoke night (or in the car, shower, or wherever). But overdoing it can lead to serious vocal problems. To avoid hurting yourself, limit the number of super-high belting songs you sing and try mixing in some head voice-dominant songs (Beyoncés Naughty Girl, Ellie Goulding’s Lights, and pretty much anything Justin Timberlake sings are good, low-impact choices). If you find yourself belting all the time for fun, please, please, please take voice lessons. Belting is not inherently unhealthy, and you can learn how to do it right  but it can injure your voice if you do it wrong (trust me, I know from experience). 4. Lip Sync at Concerts Concerts are bad for voices. Not only do we scream at them, we also sing along  loudly and badly  to our favorite songs. Doing this is fun, but if you don’t want to wave goodbye to your voice, try lip syncing. No one will notice, and youll still have  a great time (as well as showing everyone that you know all of the lyrics). 5. Support Your Speaking Voice Did you know that voice therapists treat people who talk a lot (actors, reporters, lecturers, etc.) just as often as they treat singers? You probably talk more than you sing, and talking too loudly or with lots of tension can harm your voice. If you have a voice teacher, ask him or her to devote a lesson to healthy, supported speaking. Your voice teacher can help you apply breath support, throat relaxation, and other vocal techniques to your speaking. If you don’t have a teacher, consider getting one! But in the meantime, try speaking while thinking about breath support and resonance concepts. If you get the hang of it, your speaking voice will have more range (no monotone here) and be louder with less physical effort. 6. Pick Quiet Restaurants If youre going out for a nice long meal, consider noise levels. Some restaurants are so loud that you have to shout across the table, and by the end of the meal your voice won’t feel so great. Taking noise levels into account will not only protect your vocal cords, it will make the dinner conversation much more audible and enjoyable. 7. Mouth Words at Clubs Remember tip #4? You can use this at noisy clubs, parties, and other events as well. If people try to talk to you, they aren’t going to be able to hear you unless you shout. But they might actually understand you if you mouth your words clearly. If they don’t, they will lean in and you can speak at a comfortable volume. As you can see, you don’t have to be a hermit to keep your voice healthy. Go to all of the social gatherings, concerts, clubs, restaurants, and sports games you want. If you keep these seven strange ways to keep your voice healthy in mind, your vocal cords will stay as rested as if you had stayed at home and watched Netflix. Learn More About Vocal Health for Singers The Absolute BEST Vocal  Exercises for Every Singing Goal [Videos] Video: 4 Effective Vocal Warm-Ups to Try When Youre Sick Quiz: Do You Treat Your Voice Right? | Vocal Health Elaina R. teaches opera voice and singing in Ypsilanti, MI, as well as online. She received her Master of Music from  the University of Michigan, and earned her Bachelors degree in Vocal Arts from the University of Southern California. Learn more about Elaina here! Photo  by Jeff Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher