Three ways to keep your voice in shape this summer
It's finally summer and, if you're like me, you're looking forward to taking a little time off over the next few weeks to recharge.
Although it can be tempting to take a complete vocal break when you are on vacation, it's a good idea to keep your voice ticking over even when you're enjoying downtime.
Here are three tips to keep in mind as you enjoy some rest and relaxation during these balmy days and sultry summer nights.
1. Stay hydrated
Staying hydrated is essential to keep your voice working easily and efficiently. Drinking enough water is especially important in warmer weather when we sweat more.
The main way to keep your vocal folds hydrated is by drinking fluids, preferably water. The NHS Eatwell Guide says we should drink 6 to 8 cups or glasses of fluid per day. Try kickstarting your day with a glass of water, then sip little and often the rest of the day - ideally around 100 ml every 15-20 minutes.
If you find it difficult to drink water, try flavouring it by adding some fresh herbs such as mint, parsley or basil or fruit like lemon, lime, watermelon or strawberry. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables that have a high H2O content like melons, cucumber, tomatoes, lettuce and bell peppers is also a great way to increase your hydration levels while enjoying delicious seasonal produce.
Alcoholic drinks are dehydrating, so if you do choose to indulge try sipping a glass of water alongside your favourite tipple. There are also a wide range of non-alcoholic spirits, wines and beers on the market, so these might be good alternatives to consider.
2. Be kind to your voice
If you enjoy socialising in loud spaces like pubs, clubs, concerts or sport stadiums, be extra aware of how you are using your voice.
When we try to make ourselves heard in a noisy environment, we can end up straining with high effort levels in the larynx. It’s easy for this to happen without even noticing because we don’t really feel pain in the vocal folds themselves. However, we do notice the wear and tear on the vocal folds the next day when our speaking voice is croaky.
So what’s the solution? Well, the simplest answer is don’t strain. You only have one pair of vocal folds, so look after them.
Additionally, you can learn to incorporate some twang quality into your speech. Twang is a super hack that can help you place the voice forward, project and cut across all the noise without working any harder with your vocal folds.
Check out the video below to discover the amazing carrying power of twang quality for yourself!
3. Do the siren
One way to easily and effectively stay in vocal shape is to do the siren, an exercise that trains your entire vocal range. The siren is a fantastic tool for keeping your voice in balance because it promotes efficient coordination among breath, vocal folds and vocal tract.
You can do the siren in three simple steps:
Start where you speak: choose a pitch in your comfortable speaking range.
Pitch-glide up on -NG getting softer as you go higher.
As you glide up and down through your range, listen for smoothness and allow effort to increase in your head and neck while keeping the tone as soft as possible.
Here's what it sounds like:
Conclusion
Drinking enough water, being aware of how you're treating your voice and adding a few minutes of the siren to your daily routine will ensure that you don’t have a steep mountain to climb when you go back to work speaking, singing and/or teaching.
And don't stop there - these three tips are easy ways to take care of your voice every day of the year.
Stefan Holmström is a professional opera singer and voice teacher who works with a diverse range of clients. He offers online and in-person vocal coaching and workshops from his studio in central Brighton in the UK. As an Estill Master Trainer (EMT), Stefan uses Estill Voice Training (EVT) as a baseline for safe and sustainable voice use.
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