Lesson 4

The Good, Bad And Ugly (Vocals)

Today in our lesson we learnt about what is good,bad and ugly for our voices and how each can affect/help in each way. This lesson helped me understand what can help for making myself healthier for my instrumental goals, I believe making the small changes of stopping smoking and drinking water will benefit my voice hugely long term.

Good

• Yawning- Relaxes the voice and works the abdominal muscles. 
• Steam- Good way to hydrate the voice in short bursts
• Water at room temperature- Good for hydration 
• Singing- is safe if correct technique is used.

Bad

• Cold water- Can cause muscle tension which may lead to vocal problems. 
• Spicy food- Can cause acid reflux which can be problematic for the voice.
• Dairy products- Can cause excess mucus production which can affect voice control.

Ugly

• Whispering- Is very bad for the voice as too much air is forced through the larynx which is drying and can cause fatigue. 
• Shouting- Over extended periods can lead to vocal damage.
• Throat sweets- Cause vocal fold numbness.
• Smoking- Irritates and dries the tissue of the throat, particularly the vocal tract. It can also promote acid reflux and decrease lung function.
• Alcohol- Causes severe dehydration.
• Clearing throat- It forces vocal folds to meet abruptly.