Vocal Health

How does the voice work? The Power Source: The Lungs The Sound Source: The larynx The Sound Shaper: The head

The larynx and vocal cords The larynx sits on top of the trachea which is the tube that comes from the lungs. Air from the lungs travels through the trachea and into the larynx. The air from the lungs passes through the vocal cords which are located in the larynx.

Vocal cords Vocal cords vibrate when air passes between them. The way that we produce sound is by changing the shape of our vocal cords. We use the muscles in our larynx to change the shape. Just like a guitar string, we can loosen and tighten our vocal cords. The tighter the cords, the higher the pitch (generally). The vocal cords are made of special cells – in some areas the vocal cords can be only 1 cell thick!! To protect these membranes, the vocal cords are constantly lubricated with mucus.

Resonators What makes our voices unique is our resonators. Vocal cords alone create a simple buzzing sound. The shape and colour of our voice comes from our pharynx, oral cavity, and nasal cavity. The pharynx is where the sound goes first and we can use the muscles in our neck to change its shape, thus changing the sound of our voice. The second part of our voice happens when the sound travels into our oral and nasal cavity. Ever notice how your voice changes when your mouth is full or if you have a cold?

Keeping Our Voices Healthy 1. STAY HYDRATED: drinking plenty of water helps keep the vocal cords moist. 2. DON’T TALK: try and take several “vocal naps” a day. 3. STAY AWAY FROM SMOKE, CAFFEINE, AND ALCOHOL: all of these things dry the vocal cords, and should be avoided. 4. LISTEN TO YOUR VOICE: if your voice feels strained or tired, don’t force it, stop talking and allow your vocal cords to recover 5. RELAX: don’t tilt your head up for high notes and down for low notes. This puts added strain on the vocal cords and related muscles.

Common Vocal Injuries Laryngitis: refers to the swelling of the vocal cords or surrounding tissue. Can be caused by disease as well as overuse. Nodes: refers to bumps or cysts that grow on the vocal cords. These can be thought of as calluses on the vocal cords. This is a very dangerous and common ailment among singers

YES NO OR MAYBE? Dairy is bad for singers

PROBABLY NOT! While most singers and choir directors will swear that it “coats the throat with mucus” or makes the body produce more mucus, this has been disproven several times by clinical studies. However, people have PERCEIVED that they have more mucus after drinking milk (even though they really don’t). So if you’re one of those people who think it’s bad – you’ll probably convince yourself it’s bad!

YES NO OR MAYBE? Is sugar bad for your voice?

PROBABLY NOT! It seems like it has the same reputation as milk, with similar results.

YES NO OR MAYBE? Orange Juice is bad for your voice

MAYBE! It all depends on your reaction to citric acid. If you regularly have acid reflux or other stomach irritations, it’s probably not a good idea. If you don’t have these problems, it shouldn’t be an issue.

YES NO OR MAYBE? Lemon tea is good for the voice

PROBABLY Again, you need to be aware of how much the citric acid affects you. Most website agree that warm beverages are better than cold. Any extreme in temperature can possibly irritate the throat.

YES NO OR MAYBE Cold water is not good for singers

YES!! Any cold temperature will cause muscles to constrict. Any hot temperature will cause muscles to loosen. But vocal muscles that are too loose can be just as difficult to sing with as muscles that are too tight. Warm to cool are the best temperatures to work with.

YES NO OR MAYBE Singers should always be wearing a scarf.

NO! There is no reason to keep your neck warmer than the rest of your body. However, it is a good idea to keep your head and neck warm in the winter and to try and breathe through the scarf on especially cold days outdoors.

YES NO OR MAYBE Clearing the throat by coughing is bad for your voice

YES! When clearing the throat by making a coughing sound, it slams the vocal cords together quite violently. This is a big reason why our throat gets sore when we have an illness that makes us cough.

YES NO OR MAYBE Cough drops are bad for your voice

YES! Most cough drops have an anaesthetic effect through their active ingredient – menthol. Menthol is a type of alcohol and is drying. Also, the anaesthetic effect will encourage you to push your voice at the exact moment when you should be resting it. STOP SINGING, STOP TALKING AND GET SOME REST!!