Seven Habits for a Healthy Voice

The sound of a healthy voice often passes unnoticed. A scratchy, barking voice, however, is far more obvious. As a trained opera singer, I have grown more aware of the quality of singing or speaking voices I hear on a daily basis. This awareness is because the mechanism we use to speak is the same mechanism we use to sing. Nevertheless we acknowledge an unhealthy voice more often by the sound of the speaking voice as most people don’t go around singing all day long. Actually, as hard as it is to believe, some people never sing!

Here’s some great news: It is never late to start singing! When it comes to improving the use of your voice, you can start at any age, whether it is for artistic reasons or just to prevent vocal issues. Before you start, here are some questions to assess your current vocal performance. Read out loud to a friend or simply make a recording for your own self-evaluation and answer the following questions.

·         Does my voice get tired easily?

·         Is it difficult to understand what I say because my volume is too soft when I speak?

·         Is it difficult to understand what I say due to lack of articulation when I speak?

·         Is hoarseness a characteristic of my voice?

·         Do I need to breathe after every other word when giving a speech?

·         What’s the quality of the tone of my voice?

Whatever are the results of your assessment, here there are some great habits to develop a healthy voice:

1.       Drink a lot water during the day, especially when you are using your voice. Our vocal chords need to be moist.

2.       Get enough sleep daily. Getting from 6-8 hours of good sleep is crucial for our brains, bodies, and voices.

3.       Save your voice. Don’t make your voice unnecessarily tired through overuse. Instead, make a habit of using warm-ups and vocalizations to strengthen your voice.

4.       Breathe correctly and keep your ribcage open while speaking or singing so that your voice is supported.

5.       When you need to use your voice when speaking or singing, use the natural resonators located on your head in order to project your voice. A vocal instructor can give you exercises to develop this habit.

6.       Warm up your voice before teaching, giving a speech, or singing. Just like athletes and dancers do stretches and warm-up their bodies, so you should do with your voice.

7.       If you’re a singer that needs to scream to express yourself, acquire a “screaming technique.” Here are a couple of links that could help you maintain your voice. http://www.screaminglessons.com/ or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMUoJbOVihg&list=PLDDDA5AE2E66CEF9A&index=17

Remember: Breathing, support, and placement are the aspects to be aware of when it comes to a healthy voice. Good luck!