Proper Voice Care [Archive] - Voice Acting Alliance Forums

10-05-2005, 12:30 AM

Jaychan and I are doing a science fair project related to voice acting and we have come across lots of surprising facts. If you guys already know these things...I apologize for repeating them to you. These facts come from a voice laboratory. Many times, if your voice isn't taken care of properly, it causes calluses and tumors inside the larynx. These have to be surgically removed with a laser that is shot down the throat that acts like a hot knife. These are a few do's and don'ts for taking care of your voice well:

1. If you are losing your voice, don't whisper. Whispering will damage your vocal cords even more than it already is.
2. Excessive heat and air-conditioning affects the voice by dehydrating it.
3. Do not cough or clear your throat habitually! If you do this, the vocal cords will just produce more mucous to keep itself hydrated: it's a never-winning battle. Coughing causes your vocal cords to slam into eachother.
4. Don't drink cold beverages. This will freeze the vocal cords and cause them to become hoarse or scratchy.
5. Soda's, caffeine, and menthol (the stuff in cough drops which makes your throat all .......cooooool) are very bad for your vocal cords!!
6. Don't talk for prolonged periods of time or in noisy situations. In other words: don't talk to long and no screaming, cheering, or yelling.
7. Warm up your voice if your going to have to give a speech or sing a song: throw back your head and slowly make vowel sounds. A,I,U,E,O--> When doing this....drag your sounds, especially uuuuuuuuuuu.
8. Don't use vocally abusive nervous habits of public speaking: throat-clearing, breath-holding, speaking quickly, speaking on insufficient breath, speakin on low, monotone pitch, aggressive or low-pitched fillers: hm... ah..
9. Don't speak extensively during physical excersize.
10. Don't allow your voice to become rough or gravily by speaking in low-pitched voices.....*cough* unless your voice acting....
11. Don't hold your breath as your planning what to say: avoid tense voice onsets.
12. Don't speak beyond a natural breath cycle.
13. Don't smoke, smoking is the worst thing you can do to your voice.
14. Don't demand more from your voice than you do the rest of your body.
15. Don't ignore prolonged systems of vocal strain, hoarseness, throat pain, fullness, heartburn, or allergies. Consult with your doctor if symptoms are there for more than ten days.
Now for the do's!!!!
1. Yawn to relax your throat: swallow slowly, drink some water; hum; concentrate on vocal resonance sensations
2. *Jaychan will give some tips on what to drink and what not to eat and drink sometime soon*
3. Use nonvocal sound to attract attention: clap, whistle, ring a bell, blow a horn
4. Move closer (if in a noisy situation) so you can be heard without raising your voice: learn good voice projection techniques
5. Reduce background noise in daily enviroments
6. Use a microphone for public speakings.
7. Avoid loud and aggressive vocal grunts; after aerobic exercise, wait until your breathing system can accommodate optimal voice production.
8. Keep your voice powered by breath flow so the tone carries, varies, and rings; allow your vocal pitch to vary as you speak.
9. Keep your throat relaxed as you begin speaking; use the breathing muscles and airflow to start speech phrases: the coordinated voice onset.
10. Speak slowly, pausing often at natural phrase boundaries, so your body can breathe naturally.

Taryn

10-05-2005, 05:33 AM

HYDRATE HYDRATE HYDRATE!

With water, people.

If your pee is not almost-clear, you are not hydrated enough. Yes, you should have to pee all the time. ;)

Nikki Wright

10-05-2005, 06:20 AM

Moved to Help, Ideas and Recruitment.

I'm going to talk to the staff about maybe putting this in the Tips from the VAA section. ^.^;

Jaychan

10-05-2005, 10:46 PM

If your pee is not almost-clear, you are not hydrated enough. Yes, you should have to pee all the time.

lol, I have to pee all the time. It's annoying, but I get thirty a lot. I tend to clear my throat and cough a lot to from nervous habit. But that's a big no-no. Noooo noooo!

A little later I'll add some good drinks to drink, and drinks to defiantly AVOID if you want your vocals in good shape. Sorry if it's boring to you guys, but it's really very important.

10-05-2005, 11:40 PM

HYDRATE HYDRATE HYDRATE!

With water, people.

If your pee is not almost-clear, you are not hydrated enough. Yes, you should have to pee all the time. ;)

.....o.O....seriously? Uh-oh....I like hardly ever go to the restroom, I go like once every 12-15 hours...no joke....alright then! I learned something new today! *drinks five gallons of water*

geist_seig

10-06-2005, 01:22 AM

really o.O

Cordelia LeFay

10-06-2005, 01:47 AM

XeroHedgehog

10-06-2005, 11:13 AM

So if cold beverages are out, but water is in...what about chilled water?

Jaychan

10-06-2005, 11:55 AM

Hey! You guys forgot that it is forbidden to drink milk or any other creamy drinks! (same goes for gooey snacks like chocolate)

That's right! Milk and other creamy things like chocolate can increase the mucus in the back of your throat (yuck!) making it harder on your voice.

So if cold beverages are out, but water is in...what about chilled water?

As much as I like cold water, it says that the best way to have water is at room temperature.

10-07-2005, 09:08 PM

When Jaychan and I were researching, it said that if you drank milk or ate nuts and then your throat seemed to have more mucous, even if just a little bit, that you were slightly alergic to them. I think it's safe to drink it before voice acting as long as it doesn't do that to your throat.....but I'm not really sure. Ewww...and I just realized you'd have to drink it warm...*cringe*.

Maynz

11-27-2005, 06:03 AM

That's all pretty interesting in all honesty. How did you conduct that experiment? :) What a clever idea....

Margo

11-27-2005, 06:09 AM

Just wondering... Are these for always, or when sick? (Sorry, if it's totally obvious, or was already mentioned @.@)

Azure

11-27-2005, 12:45 PM

This is for allways I believe, if you don't do any warm up and you do something strenious you can damage your voice.

11-27-2005, 06:26 PM

Yes, this is for all the time (it's really hard to follow all the rules, trust me. >.<)

Yoda117

11-27-2005, 07:16 PM

Yep, tough to follow all those rules, but you've gotta do your best

As for the milk and nut experiment. Dairy is not your friend when it comes to anything vocal related. Dairy products coat your throat just like they do a glass, and it makes life a lot harder on the VA. Try to have moderate amounts of dairy products, and to avoid them alltogether 4-6 hours before recording.

That said, you are the only one who knows your own body, you know how it reacts to things, so you have to keep that in mind when you have some milk with your cereal... if it takes longer for the dairy to get out of your system (aka, stop coating your throat), then you need to be aware of it

:)

caat

12-10-2005, 11:10 PM

Yes, you should have to pee all the time. ;)

But if you did that, how would you ever get your lines done? XD

I'll keep that part about the milk drinks in mind for future recordings though =3

Jiffy

04-13-2006, 03:54 AM

This is some good info, but unfortunatly...I REALLY love milk...

Many times, if your voice isn't taken care of properly, it causes calluses and tumors inside the larynx.

I was also wondering, how could you tell if you had calluses or tumors? That seems pretty serious.

Lone Peanut

04-13-2006, 11:20 AM

Having been in theatre a few years there area a couple of things I'd like to add, alcohol is also bad and I know caffeine has been mentioned but to those brits here that is both tea and coffee. Caffeine and alcohol dehydrate. Water with a bit of lemon juice is (from what I heard) best though have not researched the lemon bit.

Also try to avoid dusty areas and building sites etc. without a face mask/filter as this aggravates the vocal chords and lungs.

Here's a tip for singing (from a friend who has had operatic training), take or leave, after the vocal warm up breath in deeply to expand the chest area and then breath out using the stomach only keeping the chest expanded. This helps train the diaghram (muscle at the bottom of the lungs that you breath with) to be in more control than the chest muscles and over time should allow better overall control in breathing giving a more even performance.

Take regular breaks, same as everything, you need refreshing as your vocal chords do :-)

...oh yes and a thing on temperature, reason cold = bad (drinks, room temp etc.) cold things contract, become more tense. Cold tense elastic band pulled quickly snaps easier than warm relaxed elastic band. Your vocal chords as with other muscles react better with warm hence no cold water if possible and cold milk with nutty chocolates really bad.

Azure

04-13-2006, 01:37 PM

Milk coats the throat so it stops it getting properly hydrated. Some drinks so it too, Monica Rial told me they sometimes drink Sprite near the end of a long session. It coats up the throat ( not as badly as milk) so it means she could get soem extra use out her voice. She also told me you can use milk to make sick sounds though >3 (http://www.otakunews.com/article.php?story=68)

Yoda117

04-13-2006, 04:31 PM

all respect to Ms. Rial, but that's not a good practice IME.

I've never been in a booth and been offered a nice bottle of Sprite by a producer, client, engineer, or casting rep. Carbonated drinks aren't good for the voice, caffiene is worse, and dairy is just a killer.

Room temp water is the best, or if you must have something sweet, decaffinated tea with just a touch of honey (although many people in musical theatre also swear by using slightly warm water with lemon).

For me, water at room temp. It was good enough for Thurl Ravenscroft, and it's good enough for me :)

Azure

04-13-2006, 04:42 PM

Well she told me not to do it too often ^_^,,

Radiant Paws

04-13-2006, 04:50 PM

Well I know caffine, soda and milk is bad x__x; Candy/sugar as well?

Ummm, I drink decafe tea as well but that still seems to bother me XD; I dunon.

Ehh, how is tap water and ramen?

Yoda117

04-13-2006, 05:15 PM

Well she told me not to do it too often ^_^,,

Yeah I caught her with a Coke in her hand one day and she went 3 shades of red having been caught.

Liquor is also verboten... but it doesn't seem to phase a lot of anime VAs I've run into over the years.

Azure

04-13-2006, 05:31 PM

I have visions of you leaping out at VAs yelling " GOT YA COLA DRINKER!!"
I didn't know about the alchohol, what does that do?

Lone Peanut

04-13-2006, 05:49 PM

I have visions of you leaping out at VAs yelling " GOT YA COLA DRINKER!!"
I didn't know about the alchohol, what does that do?

Alcohol dehydrates you though relaxes the muscles it also lessens concentration if too much has been had thereby lessening the effectiveness of vocal chords by not being able to hear what you're singing accurately. People may be wondering why being dehydrated is bad...anyone ever seen old rubber drying up and cracking, even lips when they get a little too dry, imagine your vocal chords being the same, they still need moisture and warmth to keep them in good working order. Also with alcohol it evaporates quicker than water as well so not only does it dry out your body but it dries out your mouth and throat too. Fun huh :-) Enough of the biology lesson you may now resume your conversation.

Yoda117

04-13-2006, 06:27 PM

I have visions of you leaping out at VAs yelling " GOT YA COLA DRINKER!!"
I didn't know about the alchohol, what does that do?

Alcohol question answered...

yes I believe there was some lurking and a tackle involved ;)

Radiant Paws

04-14-2006, 04:33 PM

Okay, here's a nice one I think: feelings.

Avoid sad feelings, depression and such, because they make you dour and not willing to do voice acting (or anything as a matter of fact). It hurts your too o-O;? To emit emotion with power, you need to feel like you can do your character and be persistent against negativity.

I think good feelings make VAing easier, and can unleash talents you never knew you had. Get that heart pumpin'!

"I am somebody!" "I know I can, I know I can!"

RADIANCE!

EDIT: BTW, how is hot tea with honey?

rodvcpetrie

04-16-2006, 02:52 PM

My first big mistake with my voice in plays was to let one of the immature school students (not part of our local drama group, about 14/15 smart-ass type) get to me while waiting in the wings to go out on stage for the scene and I wanted to flatten him so bad that I took my anger with me on stage.

The scene was when I had to yell at this woman and then slap her across the face (no I didn't take the anger out on her with my fists, lol, I'm not that stupid) and I used my anger to yell the line so loud that when I got off stage my throat was really sore.

The second mistake I made with my voice was in another play. I drank cordial before the performance and during the interval. Believe me when I say it didn't help at all. My voice became dry and I nearly lost my voice mid-line on two occasions. Luckily it didn't cut out completely and I managed to continue the show, but with more care until the end.

So I learnt from those two mistakes and won't be making those again.

Trowa

04-16-2006, 03:22 PM

My dad currently has to do vocal training to help his vocal cords, i knew caffine and alcohols a no no but i didnt realise milk was, though it makes sense.
He has to repeat all the vowel one by one, starting lower and increasing in volume. Then cough and few times. Then breathing exercises. Then sustained s, sh and z sounds. and finally end with fi, fie, foe, fum, i smell the blood of an english man. It was kinda wierd the first time i heard him do it, but i find myself sometimes doing it as well

Lone Peanut

04-18-2006, 11:36 AM

There are loads of breathing and vocal excersizes but think that may be something for another thread perhaps??

One thing I forgot in keeping the voice good is to do a physical warm up before any vocally stressful or singing acting. Doesn't have to be much but in my experience warm up the whole body, a little stretching and very basic excersizes which aren't too strenuous for a couple of minutes before hand helps warm the body up including the diaphram. Then a vocal warm up of a couple of minutes and you should be warm, relaxed and ready to go with whatever part you have decided to take on :-)

Wibbl

04-29-2006, 10:52 AM

.....o.O....seriously? Uh-oh....I like hardly ever go to the restroom, I go like once every 12-15 hours...no joke....alright then! I learned something new today! *drinks five gallons of water*

Eek same here, I better start drinking more, even when I'm not thirsty! Like now.. I need water!!!!

And now that it says dont clear through or cough I cant stop doing it! :?

EDIT: BTW, how is hot tea with honey?

I hear honey is good for your throat

Lone Peanut

04-29-2006, 11:08 AM

And now that it says dont clear through or cough I cant stop doing it! :?

Just try not to do it quite so often I think is the trick :-)

I hear honey is good for your throat

Honey is an antiseptic but is quite sticky so caffiene free tea/coffee with honey is fine as it dilutes the honey. If you drink anything with caffeine in drink more water is all as caffeine and alcohol make you pee (diuretic Diuretic

A diuretic is a substance that removes water from the body by promoting urine formation and the loss of salt (sodium).)

Though caffeine is very mild so tea and coffee is fine unless that's all you drink kind of thing. Same as everything, too much of anything is bad for you hehe

Yugure

07-14-2006, 03:41 PM

I always drink alot and I always pee alot... >.> My mom's a nurse, and she thinks I have early symtoms of diabetes because of how much I drink and pee.
yesterday, I drank about 10 waterbotles... thats 168 oz according to the water bottle!

Kagome

07-16-2006, 04:44 AM

0_0 I never pee.....only like....once every 2 days....um...but Im gonna start drinking water everyday then....^_^

~Kagome

Erica

07-16-2006, 05:17 AM

0_0 I never pee.....only like....once every 2 days....um...but Im gonna start drinking water everyday then....^_^

~Kagome

Hi.

Do you pee every other day or pee, take 2 day break, than pee again :D

Thanks

Nikki Wright

07-16-2006, 05:19 AM

Infrequent Urination is not a good thing. It's a sign of a plethora of things, mostly related to Kidney problems. I would seriously look into consulting a doctor. I don't drink as much water as I should, and even I urinate more than once a day.

08-11-2006, 04:46 AM

>.< eep!

Oh by the way, someone asked about hot lemon with honey...but I couldn't find who...
When we used it, it calmed and relaxed our throats really good...sort of like...a massage >w< ..but, because of that, voice acting and singing was really hard to do and it'd end up cracking and being off-pitch...it seemed tired, if that makes any sense..

Moose

08-11-2006, 04:52 AM

You know what I find helps the voice? A shot of whipped cream followed with water to get rid of any mucus the dairy would create. It really relaxes the throat for me.

08-11-2006, 04:58 AM

Seriously? That's awesome, I'll be sure to try that!! ...sounds pretty good, too...

Moose

08-11-2006, 05:01 AM

Yea, it is good. It also helps right after you do a really raspy voice. Honestely try it, I'll guarantee it helps.

08-11-2006, 05:05 AM

Hmmm...should it be cold or room temperature?

Moose

08-11-2006, 05:14 AM

Cold. I don't know why, but it really helps.

Yoda117

08-11-2006, 05:32 AM

to each their own, but using cold water is not a good choice. The whipped cream thing is a new one to me.

room temperature is the best best. Warm water causes an elongation of the vocal folds that is not normally natural for your body. Cold water does the opposite and constricts the folds.

if you need to clear your throat or are feeling dry, some water will do the trick. Gargle and rinse if you must. For some, a touch a lemon does the trick, and for those that must have some flavor, a lite tea served around room temp is favored.

The more work you do, the more you'll pick this stuff up

Teacher_Nine

11-30-2006, 10:40 AM

Ah the good old days. As the avatar name implies I will be teaching theatre here soon (wooo)! And alot of these tips are things that I've been told (as a student and an actor), and things I've told my students and actors (as a student teacher and director respectively). The advice presented here is not only good for voice acting, but is also really good for singing and for your stage voice as well!
Good Advice all around.

Tregster

02-01-2007, 08:08 PM

Apparently, everyone on here and their dog knows about the stuff I've learned in voice therapy *rolls eyes* haha

Anyway, good info. I hope everyone else puts it to good use.

MaNa Shuffle

02-01-2007, 08:49 PM

PhaeThorn

02-01-2007, 10:03 PM

Apparently, everyone on here and their dog knows about the stuff I've learned in voice therapy *rolls eyes* haha

Anyway, good info. I hope everyone else puts it to good use.
Just out of curiosity ... why did you need voice therapy? If you don't want to tell us that's fine though.

The thing is, I'm currently studying speech training. This also involves voice therapy and yes, most of the tips given in this thread are very true. So that's why I'm curious :)

Yoda117

02-01-2007, 10:14 PM

Just out of curiosity ... why did you need voice therapy? If you don't want to tell us that's fine though.

The thing is, I'm currently studying speech training. This also involves voice therapy and yes, most of the tips given in this thread are very true. So that's why I'm curious :)

Acid reflux and stress if I recall. The same reason I had issues when I put on all the weight for some stage and TV work up until about six or seven months ago.

Now the gym and I are becoming fast friends :)

The better shape your chords are in, the less of an effect it has on you (poor Treg had to stop, whereas I was able to continue booking).

PhaeThorn

02-01-2007, 10:38 PM

Ah, reflux ... yeah that's a sucker. People usually do not connect it to the voice but obviously the acid is all over your vocal cords, damaging it. Same with stress actually. Stress in shoulders and neck or even you having a "high" breath (as in your shoulders even move when you breathe in rather than your belly) are all connected to your voice. They put more strain on the voice, which means that every time you speak the cords slam into each other more than normal. And you know if you keep slamming something, it will eventually get damaged. But when something is damaged and it's painful, people put even more tension on it to ged rid of the pain. It's an endless circle really.

Some people can abuse their voice for years before they notice even the slightest amount of problems. But when eventually will, it's going to be difficult to change your pattern because you're so used to it for many years. But with the right breathing techniques and being aware of any tension in your body can do a lot. You'll have to do less effort to create the same sound, which is obviously better for your cords.

Anyways, sorry to hear you had to stop Treg. Good thing you're still around as a producer though. I think as long as you're talking in your natural voice, you can still do voice acting :)

Tregster

02-02-2007, 02:29 AM

Acid reflux and stress if I recall. The same reason I had issues when I put on all the weight for some stage and TV work up until about six or seven months ago.

Now the gym and I are becoming fast friends :)

The better shape your chords are in, the less of an effect it has on you (poor Treg had to stop, whereas I was able to continue booking).

Wait... what? ... I'm confused. Booking? As in "keep going"?

Anyway, yeah, I do have acid reflux. And a learned condition known as hypertension dysphonia which is the unnecessary tension in the vocal cords when they collapse when I speak, causing strain. Through the therapy I was able to take a lot of stress off of them. Also getting rid of the glottal frye of when I spoke (rough sounding voice).

There are several ways to combat acid reflux and I've been trying to do them all.. though some ways are a little ridiculous.. Like putting 2 cinderblocks under the back feet of your bed so your bed sits on an incline as you sleep. Stuff like going to bed 3 hours after you eat, eating bland foods, and chewing your food well are some good ways to handle it. There are some famous singers that have the same condition, so at least I know it's possible to be a pro voice user with it.

I DIDN'T STOP. I've already posted updates about this lol

I would go into all the other crap I've went through, but I won't. Since, obviously everyone has enough knowledge from looking at this thread anyway.

Yoda117

02-02-2007, 05:39 AM

Wait... what? ... I'm confused. Booking? As in "keep going"?

As in "booking", a paid voiceover. I do about 15-20 per month.

There are several ways to combat acid reflux and I've been trying to do them all.. though some ways are a little ridiculous.. Like putting 2 cinderblocks under the back feet of your bed so your bed sits on an incline as you sleep. Stuff like going to bed 3 hours after you eat, eating bland foods, and chewing your food well are some good ways to handle it.

oddly, the bed trick is considered by medical experts to be one of the best things to help treat acid reflux. As for the 3 hr rule, it's more along the lines of not going to sleep until 3 hours after you've eaten (because your body is still digesting food).

Lucien

02-03-2007, 06:08 PM

PhaeThorn

02-03-2007, 06:42 PM

Concerning the whole "should I drink cold/room/warm water" thing, and in general questions pertaining to what you should or should not eat/drink, while there may be items which have a pretty standard effect on everyone's voice, I believe in the end it really does come down to the individual. I don't believe it's correct to say "such and such" has a particular cause on EVERYONE. We all have different diets, our bodies work in different ways, and react to things differently from person to person. Make your own observations about how these things affect your voice.
You're right about people reacting differently to all sorts of things. Though food and drinks do affect your vocal cords wether it's a small amount or big time. So it's nice to know what's not so good for your voice. Overuse of Coca Cola, Coffee and all other drinks, sweets or food that contains caffeïne will dehydrate your vocal cords. This means it's more fonerable and it will produce slime to make it more saturated. This will make you cough and clear your throat.

What I'm trying to say is that when you're coughing and clearing your throat a lot you shouldn't drink Coca Cola to try to get rid of it ;-)

wingweaver

04-25-2007, 11:44 PM

I suppose it doesn't help that my JOB involves a lot of excessive talking...-.-;;Good guide,though.

Ran

04-26-2007, 02:19 PM

I remember recording lines for an InuYasha 4th Movie Fandub in 2005 (?) but Anywayz, I started talking in my Shippou voice and It felt weird and my throat felt....milky? lol! well..coated or something and I couldnt raise my voice too well. I drunk milk before that so thats what it was. Never Drink Milk before voice acting.

Another one, (i think this was 2006...this happened at night btw) I done so Much Monsterous Screaming lines and afterwards when I talked My voice was out of control, It kept on sounding weird and i think it felt I had a hole in my throat. So I went to sleep and when i woke up the next day, My voice was fine.

Normally when I record lines like that, My voice doesnt do that ,It just Dies...(as in, My throat is dead, it needs a break) I think I overdone it that night

~Ran

05-15-2007, 03:46 PM

Another thing that helps, and I'm sorry if I or someone else has already mentioned this, is to loosen up your vocal chords by yawning. A lot of people, though, have a hard time making themselves yawn so another trick would be to tilt your head back and look up while slowly sound out 'aaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh' 'eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee' 'oooooooooooooooo' 'ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh' 'ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh'.

Ishi

05-15-2007, 04:59 PM

What I'm trying to say is that when you're coughing and clearing your throat a lot you shouldn't drink Coca Cola to try to get rid of it ;-)
noooooo :sad:....but but...coke....argh XD
oh damn that really may be one of the factors that always makes me clear my throat etc. (I get hoarse very easily too ;_;, but so does my mum, probably got it from her)

MaNa Shuffle

05-15-2007, 05:02 PM

How about drinkwarm water. NOT BOILING HOT.
I use green tea. It helps.

Don't drink boiling hot water. It will burn you XD

HYDRATE HYDRATE HYDRATE!

With water, people.

If your pee is not almost-clear, you are not hydrated enough. Yes, you should have to pee all the time.

It happens to me an hour or so after after I drink XD

Don't do a voice range thatyou cannot do. Dont force it. You will damage your voice.

I tried to do that before...as Naraku. I used to consentrate on the lowness. Now its the speech and pitch.

Mochan

05-16-2007, 01:48 AM

What seems to work for me is when I have a lot of lines to do, I do a line, drink some water, do another line, drink some water, etc. I also take breaks and drink A BUNCH of water during the break. Then finish it off with drinking MORE water after I'm all done.

If you think you're hydrated...you're not. Just keep drinking. WATER. Keep drinking water. It's really the only thing (besides tea, tea is good too...) that can keep your throat in good shape. XD

I also agree with Masaka_Naraku, don't do a voice range in which you can't do. If your throat hurts after you've done only a couple lines...then it's too low. Or too high.

So go drink some water...drink LOTS of it.

Hatakestrife

06-08-2007, 03:49 PM

wow, thats alot of rules to maintain your voice. also drinking alchoal will deepen your voice and damage it. you might as well drink acid.

I'm pretty sure you all knew that though.

naviechance

07-06-2007, 12:55 AM

Ryou Shirogane

08-02-2007, 12:24 AM

I have a question that seems somewhat related, but I'm not sure if it's been addressed directly or not, so maybe someone could help me.

Anou... I don't know of a pretty way to put it, so I'll be blunt and to the point. I do know, however, that it has happened to others before.... so hopefully someone here knows what I'm talking about? >_<;

Sometimes when I'm recording, like especially if it is a high or somewhat raspy voice type (haha, I know, straining your voice in itself is a bad thing), but some time afterwards my throat will feel clogged up, like with mucus or whatever, and sometimes a ball of smooth, somewhat hardened (what I guess is plegm? =_=;; ) will come up. Like... I don't cough and choke and hack or anything like that, but it'll come up. I was wondering if this is just... some form of mucus (x-x) or if it's something else, and how bad it is, and how to prevent it from happening?

Actually, my throat fairly frequently feels semi-clogged with something, like I could technically speak louder if I wanted to, but it doesn't really happen. Then again, I've always spoken rather mumbly until I got into VAing... I guess hydrating myself and doing vocal exercises would probably help a lot...

08-11-2007, 06:54 PM

Naviechance - I think the best thing to do would be to drink lots of water and although it might be really hard, try not to cough too much and just swallow a lot instead. Try to avoid sodas and fruit juices for the time being and we'll see if it gets any better. Also, some people have mild allergies to milk and nuts and if that's the case with you then consuming either could be putting some mucus in your throat. I'm not really sure what will or might help with what you think is in your lungs. I hope it gets better.
Ryou Shiragane - Wow, I'm really not sure about what's happening. All I can really say for right now is try to keep from coughing. It's good that you haven't been coughing and such and when you feel like your throat is clogged, swallow a lot and drink some room temperature water. I'll go research whatever's happening to you and I'll post again later. Maybe right before you do the strenuous voice acting, yawn and try to relax your throat. It could just be that your body is reacting to the strain.

Mochan

08-11-2007, 09:32 PM

MaNa Shuffle

08-12-2007, 07:51 AM

Never sing with a dead voice XDD
I did that once and tried to heal it (water etc) as quick as possible

Thats why I done two takes for Ready Steady Go. I only posted the good take. Not the dead one BTW

If my voice naturally clogs itself, My voice goes uber low. or It happens at night. Strange huh?

Coughing away the clogness is a bad habit of mine. I do it before singing *GASP* and drink water.

Sound rough hurts my voice. I can only do it in a certain way that won't effect it.

Ryou Shirogane

08-13-2007, 04:43 PM

Alright. Thanks for the help, I appreciate it.

Brandon_P

08-16-2007, 12:34 AM

Wow, I didn't know a lot of this stuff until now.

Heck, I usually drink more soda than water and I've auditioned for several roles that were a bit too low and scratchy and left my throat sore. I wonder how you know if it's too late for you? Like, you've messed up your voice too much and you're doomed? I'm just a bit nervous, since I'm only learning a lot of this stuff now...

Pepperikeys

10-13-2007, 05:49 PM

sturing hot water with a silver spoon will help your throut.
Drinking soda is bad for your voice=False
Its not bad for it at all. My theatre groups singing teacher told me that.

Mochan

10-13-2007, 05:59 PM

Drinking soda is bad for your voice=False

Hm...well, I've drank soda plenty of times before voice acting and realize that it really harms my voice. But then I drink some water and bam, it's all better again. She might be talking about 7-Up or some kind of clear soda like that, and that won't really do much, but the dark sodas will.

Haushinka

10-15-2007, 12:31 AM

Drinking soda is bad for your voice=False
Its not bad for it at all. My theatre groups singing teacher told me that.
Depends on the person.
I find that my throat dries out a lot if I drink soda or sometimes coffee before I voice act... but Red Bull, though also carbonated and [very] caffeinated, helps quite a bit. And I know some people who say soda works for them and Red Bull doesn't... but mainly, you need to stay hydrated in some way, so if need be just keep a bottle of water with you. xD I find that Red Bull helps me get into higher voices or anything squeaky/hyper/raspy whereas when I need to do lower/adult voices it helps if I drink water (even juice makes my throat all icky). But different things may work for different people so find what works for you.

Kitty

10-15-2007, 12:43 AM

Depends on the person.
I find that my throat dries out a lot if I drink soda or sometimes coffee before I voice act... but Red Bull, though also carbonated and [very] caffeinated, helps quite a bit. And I know some people who say soda works for them and Red Bull doesn't... but mainly, you need to stay hydrated in some way, so if need be just keep a bottle of water with you. xD I find that Red Bull helps me get into higher voices or anything squeaky/hyper/raspy whereas when I need to do lower/adult voices it helps if I drink water (even juice makes my throat all icky). But different things may work for different people so find what works for you.

It really does depend on the person. When I have to perform and interact with a crowd a lot, I usually drink 3 glasses of green tea, then an energy drink like Nos or Red Bull. Or Amp, but that doesn't really keep me happy like Nos and Red Bull. It makes me feel like I'm at my best when I follow that routine, especially for hours upon end of nonstop sets.

Mochan

10-15-2007, 01:15 AM

Depends on the person.
I find that my throat dries out a lot if I drink soda or sometimes coffee before I voice act... but Red Bull, though also carbonated and [very] caffeinated, helps quite a bit. And I know some people who say soda works for them and Red Bull doesn't... but mainly, you need to stay hydrated in some way, so if need be just keep a bottle of water with you. xD I find that Red Bull helps me get into higher voices or anything squeaky/hyper/raspy whereas when I need to do lower/adult voices it helps if I drink water (even juice makes my throat all icky). But different things may work for different people so find what works for you.

You do have a point. There are definitelty occasions where different drinks will work for different things. But I guess what I was referring to was just using your normal voice...I have never really found soda to be a good thing when I want to use my normal/semi-normal voice. Nor juice, like you said. But we're all different. XD

10-30-2007, 05:41 PM

Caffienated drinks in general are really bad to drink before singing.

exdevlin

01-06-2008, 09:57 PM

It's true, caffeine is generally a bad thing to drink before singing or doing lots of talking. It's a diuretic, so it causes you to get dehydrated even faster. I've found that I HATE drinking anything too cold, so most of my drinks are room-temp... unless it's in the heat of summer. Room-temp iced tea in the summer is like luke-warm. :/

I'd suggest mildly chilled drinks are probably the lowest in temperature you should go. Things fresh out of the fridge hurt >.<

Slintas

06-12-2008, 08:56 AM

Seems like everything can damage your throat.

I've recently begun to train my vocal cords so I will be able to speek in lower pitches. Don't know if I'm doing it right though. I already have sort of a manly voice but I want to be able to go down even more.

Anyone have any tips?

06-28-2008, 08:26 PM

Brandon_P - It's never too late to keep reconstructing your voice. Just like a cut or scrape or burn will heal, your vocal chords will heal too, if you consistently take care of it. I wouldn't worry too much about any kinds of permanent damage to your voice from drinking sodas. By the way, I'm sorry it took so long to respond, I somehow managed not to see the post earlier. Forgive me. ><

Slintas- Just be sure to take care of your voice by drinking water and so on, and before every recording, yawn and open up your throat, look up at the ceiling, and hold out vowel sounds. "Aaaaaaaaaaah" "Eeeeeeeeee" "Ooooooo" Ehhhhhhh" "Ohhhhhhhhh" and if you can warm up really good, it should help you. :)

fleetingsight

07-11-2008, 06:28 AM

Well, all the voice care info has been helping, but I have a problem: three weeks ago, I finally got over a MAJOR throat cold, but I still have a nagging, hacking cough. I can't avoid it, and it feels like I'm still trying to get crap out of my lungs. Any suggestions? (I don't have health insurance, so seeing a doctor isn't really feasible right now.)

Dude, I had the same problem a few months ago. I just kept coughing, as it felt like my chest and throat was congested. One day, when it felt really congested, I finally found something that was even more effective than the coughing. That is, just making really strong, quick exhales. I could feel it getting stuff out of my chest, and then a little coughing and hacking helped get a whole mess of it out the rest of the way. Yeah, I still had to cough some to help get it out, but my lungs are more important to me than my vocal chords. After that, I felt a lot better.

And I'd also like to say that I found something that seems to really help refresh my voice: Watermelon! It hydrates, of course, plus it has a soft texture that feels good when it slides down the throat. I think the chewing and swallowing might help a bit too.

And I'm definitely going to try that whipped cream thing. Sounds delicious. I've been doing something similar with milk or yogurt, followed by some room-temp water. It really helps after raspy voices when your throat feels like it's been scraped bare.

Ghakimx

12-19-2008, 12:53 AM

Say, does anyone have advice on hitting the high notes or between the middle and high notes? I'm having trouble with them, since it only results in a screech. Huhm... yeah.

sonicmega

12-19-2008, 05:28 AM

I'm surprised at the number of people who consume soda or carbonated drinks before voice acting; I actually fear consuming anything like that before doing voice work, and in fact I've strictly limited myself to only water or Apple juice if I intend to do any voice work that day (which essentially means all the time). Orange juice is also something I avoid if I can because of its tendency to "coagulate" saliva in the same way Gatorade will sometimes; this leads to weird noises and bloackages when trying to get an inflection out.

I sometimes also drink hot or cold liquids based on what pitch I'm about to attempt later on in the day. If it's a higher pitch, I'll go about with colder water or juice so that the throat closes slightly from the cold; this allows me to "squeak" more easily when going for cutesy characters or comedic ones. If I'm going to be doing deeper roles or roles involving a lot of yelling or loud noise, then I'll actually go for 1-2 cups of hot chocolate, since the warmth opens up the chords for better resonation.

How effective is it, truly? I can't say for sure, but whatever I've been doing has worked so far, so I don't really intend to change it.

Gale

12-20-2008, 06:51 PM

Say, does anyone have advice on hitting the high notes or between the middle and high notes? I'm having trouble with them, since it only results in a screech. Huhm... yeah.

Breath support! Breath support! Breath support!

Also, warm up your voice before you speak or sing. Techniques for that have already been mentioned, though I'd like to add humming to the list: a mid-range hum is a really good place to start. As for the breath support thing, breathe from your diaphragm. Your shoulders should not move when you breathe. Your belly should A LOT though as well as your chest should expand. Stand with your ribs lifted and your head high and level (think about raising it from your ears or from a point at the top of your head, but not your nose) and push your belly out when you inhale and in when you sing/speak.

Now for MY question. Because of the way my sinuses are formed, I am PLAGUED by post nasal drip. whenever I get a cold or get congested it almost never goes into my nose, but ALWAYS runs down my throat! I'll be like nearly choking on phlegm, but my nose is perfectly clear. And the worst part is the phlegm really dries out and irritates my throat. Does ANYONE know a solution for this?

Blue Bunny

12-28-2008, 05:59 AM

Hey I'm so glad someone put something up about this I have a few questions....

This might sound random but you guys seem to be talking a lot abut caffine and ya I totally agree with that, but for me its the dairy products that kill me. Example, I tried out for footloose and I was up for the role of Rusty BUT it was a call back and they didn't have me up for the role until the last minute. Ok go back in reverse to lunch time and I had a mammoth sized cheese pizza with a mountain of cheesy potatoes, but I also had gobs of water that day and still my voice died. One thing I should point out though is that they didn't give me any warm up time : ( so that probably killed my performance right there.

Now here's another thing skim milk, I've been drinking since I was about ten (we're health freaks) and since it was thinner do you think it wouldn't be so bad on the vocal chords.

I have a lot of problems, one of them is allergies except my allergies turn into sinus infections that I've been getting about every other month in the cooler months these sinus infections cause my through to swell up and have itchy pain, ya its bad but I was wondering about how that can affect your vocal chords over time.

Ok last thing promise. How can you physically relax your vocal chords? I usually find my neck and throat area being very tense and a lot of the time my performances come out very tense and forced. and how about your posture in general and how that can affect your vocal chords.

Fonsetorigo

03-02-2009, 04:47 AM

The dairy thing also goes for when you are sick... don't eat/drink/smell/vaguely contemplate dairy before a performance or if you are sick. All it does is build up mucus, which you know, helps noooothing.

Ladon

06-17-2009, 06:04 PM

Besides the phosphoric acid and other crap they put in many of the darker sodas, any carbonated beverage will create carbonic acid when swallowed. That's why a quick chug of soda will hurt your throat, all those carbon dioxide bubbles are hitting your throat and turning to acid. If you add the fact that most people like really COLD soda, that turns up the hurt that much more.

My dad taught me early to put a bit of water in my soda, to kill some of the bubbles and dilute some of the acid. He's been a singer and vocal instructor for years. He'll sometimes have a *small* glass of a light red wine on hand when he's narrating, but other than that its usually water.

Antfish

07-10-2009, 12:05 AM

I hear smoking weed actually heals your vocal coders. That's what Chris Barnes from Six Feet Under Does

Mikenter

07-30-2009, 05:32 AM

Hey sorry if this has already been asked but what about spicy things like jalapenos? Or hot hot sauce... That type of thing. Is that stuff okay?

Rhecklos

07-30-2009, 06:57 AM

Hey sorry if this has already been asked but what about spicy things like jalapenos? Or hot hot sauce... That type of thing. Is that stuff okay?

Cayenne pepper is actually an amazing vocal healer. It is a great healing agent in general because it increases blood circulation, thus promoting healing. there are tons of recipes online, but usually i just shake some cayenne pepper into some salty water or lemon juice and gargle with it. i've got sicknasty vocal nodules and this keeps them at bay when they flare up now and again. green tea works well for healing, however don't use your voice too much afterward as the caffiene content tends to dry you out. and don't drink it too hot otherwise you might get throat cancer or something. no lie.

Leyasu

08-10-2009, 06:24 PM

all those tips are excelent, and surely work!
i'll check some of my notebooks here to see what i can find of warm ups, i've been singing for more than 5 years already and there are some great stuff you can do to warm-up and to fix your vocal range etc xD

Supersonik

09-07-2009, 12:57 AM

Singers get told the same too. Anything Dairy drys your throat out.

Something was said about Citrus too but its been so long i forget. Its either really bad, or really good lol.

Vilapupu

09-07-2009, 06:02 AM

great tips you have there. there were some I did not know. Thanks. ^_^
it's great to take care of the voice. :)

AlliedDan

09-14-2009, 09:00 PM

Thank you for posting this.
This is very helpful.
I never knew that your vocal cords use mucus to keep hydrated.

VocalKovelan

09-18-2009, 09:23 PM

Wow, most of those things I didn't even know! Thanks a ton for the info!

LillianBell

11-22-2009, 07:31 AM

Thanks for the awesome tips.... These rules will be very difficult for me. I've always had a glass of skim milk with every meal for as long as I can remember. DX!

Shiro-chan

12-21-2009, 09:17 PM

Then I might as well skip breakfast, except for the tea. I have muesli with chocolate bits and always pour milk in it. :sweat I only drink water and tea though.

MiyakaMinamoto

12-21-2009, 10:10 PM

Hey sorry if this has already been asked but what about spicy things like jalapenos? Or hot hot sauce... That type of thing. Is that stuff okay?

I actually find that eating spicy foods helps A LOT! I was starting to lose my voice last week, and I ate some spicy food, without even thinking about it and it just went away that same day!

I dunno, it might just be me... ^^;;

CalmProto

12-28-2009, 04:42 PM

Thanks for the awesome tips.... These rules will be very difficult for me. I've always had a glass of skim milk with every meal for as long as I can remember. DX!
Still okay to enjoy milk with meals, just not right before nor during a recording session.

RamiLeli

12-28-2009, 05:16 PM

green tea works well for healing, however don't use your voice too much afterward as the caffiene content tends to dry you out. and don't drink it too hot otherwise you might get throat cancer or something. no lie.

;A; *shaking*

I actually find that eating spicy foods helps A LOT! I was starting to lose my voice last week, and I ate some spicy food, without even thinking about it and it just went away that same day!

I dunno, it might just be me... ^^;;

Oh, good. XD I LOVE spicy food, so I eat it a lot.

Lucidity

01-07-2010, 08:48 AM

So, if I may ask, what would be the rules and regulations for food items as opposed to drinks?

P-Chan

01-18-2010, 03:30 PM

I don't remember if anyone answered the part about consuming honey and tea but I was always told that since honey is so sticky, it wouldn't help your throat much.

I'll vouch for the spicy food part. It has helped me as well, and when I was sick too. Just be wary of those cayenne pepper pill supplements...feels like fire in your stomach.

So after reading the posts, I realized I've been breaking a ton of rules. One of my favorite drinks is OJ. Is that okay for your voice?

nazgurath

02-04-2010, 04:51 AM

I break most of these rules, and my voice is usually still fine. My diet is....well, horrible. I like cold, acidic/sugary beverages, sometimes drinking (cold) water. I work in fast food, so maybe that has to do with it. But, I also get bored quickly, so I tend to talk a lot in different voices, usually to the point where I feel a slight pain in the side of my neck.:sweat

Rahne

02-04-2010, 10:58 AM

I've heard that honey and/or warm liquids really help your voice. I personally drink tea EVERY night. That's because I happen to love, tea, though. And crumpets. Very, very British.

However, I've heard that things like cold water are the polar opposite of what you can do help your voice.

AnalexBeetleBum

02-16-2010, 07:54 PM

I've heard that eating tart green apples (like granny smiths) right before or even during recording sessions helps to break up mucous in the mouth and throat. Also that a good alternative to clearing your throat is to tuck your chin down and swallow as hard as you can.

Bryson Baugus

02-20-2010, 07:13 PM

I've actually read all the comments on this thing (I know, I have no life on the weekends Dx) and I haven't seen any food advice except for what not to eat and spicy food being good. BUT that's all I saw! D: is there anything really good to eat for my voice? I like to eat plain flour tortillas as a snack sometimes and plain bread slices but I'm not sure if those help at all or not. :/

Phoenix Knight

03-25-2010, 03:05 AM

I honestly think food doesn't do much for your throat - hence why you don't see many post about it. I dunno.

I heard surprisingly (from a veteran VA) that soda helps clear up sinuses or something like that. Oh! Yawing helps get a lot of air into the lungs for when you have to a long line with not many breaks in between.

KoriLahrcan

04-05-2010, 09:50 PM

Hi, Im new to the forums and such. Ive been thinking about voice acting for some time now,my question is. If you do a lot of the donts for a long long time, If you were to change your ways would your voice be better?

I probably worded that very wrong.

Tetsuya94

04-05-2010, 10:33 PM

Tara St. Michel

04-07-2010, 06:45 AM

The reason why dairy is bad before recording or singing is not because it causes mucus. Mucus is actually a good thing as long as it's not the thick kind. Dairy products like milk and cheese make the mucus in your throat thick and the vocal cords can't move as easily. Water thins out the mucus however. The thin mucus acts like a lubricant for your vocal cords so they don't create as much friction when they move and form little lumps that make your voice crack. If you want an example of your vocal cords with no thin mucus to hydrate them, then picture yourself rubbing your hands together for days. What would happen? They'd become all sore and red and form blisters, right? That would be your vocal cords without mucus.

See, mucus isn't a bad thing. You just don't want it closer to your lips and teeth cause then you get smacking sounds. Thin throat mucus is okay though.

earthtrap

04-07-2010, 07:33 AM

I just say don't over do it. U don't want to strain ur voice. Also, eat healty, drink plenty of water and stay away from hot and spicy foods. :D

NeoGC

04-14-2010, 11:01 AM

I drink coffee in the morning because if I don't,then I fall asleep in class,even if it is bad for my vocal chords....

On the other hand, when recording I drink bottle after bottle of water. But then again,I drink water all the time so it doesn't bug me one bit. :razz:

VoiceVSP

08-02-2010, 03:29 PM

I have a large amount of excersizes one can do to help strengthen and maintain a healthy voice if anybody if interested. I don't have a scanner so I can't just scan my papers/books, but if anybody is interested in anything general or specific, PM me and ask. I'll get them to you as soon as possible.

One of the instructors I had even mentioned that some of the breathing excercizes he showed us would allow you to be a smoker and still have just as strong of a voice, so for those of you in a pinch or with habits that over time deteriorate vocal quality, I might be able to help you out.

Monsterbad0

08-04-2010, 10:29 PM

On the topic of voice loss:

When losing your voice, get a glass of water, heat it until it starts steaming, then squeeze lime into it. I swear by it! I usually squeeze a whole lime, but you might wanna go for half, because it takes some getting used to. Also, you might wanna add honey to this concoction, as it makes it more soothing, and it tastes better :P

:mj

paraparamore23

08-12-2010, 06:58 PM

I don't remember if anyone answered the part about consuming honey and tea but I was always told that since honey is so sticky, it wouldn't help your throat much.

So after reading the posts, I realized I've been breaking a ton of rules. One of my favorite drinks is OJ. Is that okay for your voice?

I've heard that honey and/or warm liquids really help your voice. I personally drink tea EVERY night.

However, I've heard that things like cold water are the polar opposite of what you can do help your voice.

Actually, honey and tea are very good for the voice in moderation. But I wouldn't recommend having tea and hone right before a recording session. It's best to have those after to relax the vocal chords. As for OJ, just be careful before recording sessions. OJ has a tendency to create excessive mucus. Other than that, it should be fine.

I've actually read all the comments on this thing (I know, I have no life on the weekends Dx) and I haven't seen any food advice except for what not to eat and spicy food being good. BUT that's all I saw! D: is there anything really good to eat for my voice? I like to eat plain flour tortillas as a snack sometimes and plain bread slices but I'm not sure if those help at all or not. :/

I honestly think food doesn't do much for your throat - hence why you don't see many post about it. I dunno.

I heard surprisingly (from a veteran VA) that soda helps clear up sinuses or something like that. Oh! Yawing helps get a lot of air into the lungs for when you have to a long line with not many breaks in between.

Food...? I'd say avoid singing/talking when eating. You could choke. But that's common sense. Oh, and I once was told by one of my friends (who happens to be a really experienced singer) that singing while eating can potentially destroy the vocal chords.

As for the soda, I've never heard this one before. Depending on the soda, the carbonation and acid (be it phosphoric, citric, or any other sort) can actually corrode the vocal chords -- not good, if you ask me.

Ah, yawning. My favorite part of singing. Did you know that if you condition the muscles that control the soft palate (the soft tissue in the back of your mouth) properly, you can yawn on command?

Oh, yeah. I forgot to mention some tips my vocal instructor that would be useful:

Drink ginger tea AFTER singing; ginger=mucus.

Avoid breathing through the mouth, it dries out the vocal chords.

Be careful when drinking water at a performance. If you have a dry mouth, but not a dry throat, drinking water can actually draw away moisture from the vocal chords.

Here's a little trick from Luciano Pavarotti, Operatic Tenor:
When you find your mouth dry and you have no access to water, bite the tip of your tongue. Not chomping, but enough to feel the pressure without pain.

I have a large amount of excersizes one can do to help strengthen and maintain a healthy voice if anybody if interested. I don't have a scanner so I can't just scan my papers/books, but if anybody is interested in anything general or specific, PM me and ask. I'll get them to you as soon as possible.

One of the instructors I had even mentioned that some of the breathing excercizes he showed us would allow you to be a smoker and still have just as strong of a voice, so for those of you in a pinch or with habits that over time deteriorate vocal quality, I might be able to help you out.

You should also do a cool-down for vocals and breathing.

JonFawkes

08-18-2010, 05:58 AM

I've only seen a few posts about spicy foods. From my own experience, I find recording after eating spicy food is not a good thing, but it doens't affect me in the long run. I love jalepenos (I would eat them whole just for fun) and I find that it kind of hurts to record after eating some of it, but maybe an hour or two later it'll be fine. According to some of the previous posts, it's actually good for you. I would believe that.

[spoiler]
Oh, yeah. I forgot to mention some tips my vocal instructor that would be useful:

Drink ginger tea AFTER singing; ginger=mucus.

I can vouch for this. After singing or intense voice recording, I have a mix of ginger tea and honey (just a dab of honey, a dab) and it helps so much.

Anyone know the dealio with eating rice? I have it every meal (I live in an asian family) and it doesn't really seem to affect me too much (not fried rice or anything, just plain white rice, sometimes boiled in stew)

paraparamore23

08-19-2010, 07:28 AM

Anyone know the dealio with eating rice? I have it every meal (I live in an asian family) and it doesn't really seem to affect me too much (not fried rice or anything, just plain white rice, sometimes boiled in stew)

Amen to the rice! (I'm Filipino. It's very hard not to have rice). As far as I know, rice is fine for your voice -- it's only water and sugar. Eat it hot (but not so hot that you'd burn yourself) so the steam can get to the vocal chords after recording. I suppose you could call it a "neutral" food... 0_0

And now for more tips!

If you're a fan of Asian/Filipino cuisine, and love ginger tea, give this recipe a try (http://tagaloglang.com/Filipino-Food/Drinks/salabat-recipe.html).

I haven't tried this yet, but my great-aunt tells me it produces slightly less mucus than traditional ginger tea. (Note: I'm not too sure about the validity of this statement.)

Lolly

09-03-2010, 02:26 PM

I must say I'm awfully, enormously grateful for all the amazing informations I found here!! Just what I was looking for!!

Seeshelle

10-18-2010, 11:48 PM

& if you have a sore throat:
http://www.health911.com/sore-throat

sneha123

11-11-2010, 05:18 AM

paraparamore23

11-11-2010, 06:33 AM

Hey! You guys forgot that it is forbidden to drink milk or any other creamy drinks! (same goes for gooey snacks like chocolate)

....or you can do what I do, after drinking/eating something creamy, I usually balance it out with a "harsh" liquid like pop or limonade....tee hee hee.....

Be careful. Too much acidic drinks (especially Gatorade, soda, or other citrus-based drinks) can eventually corrode the vocal chords.

Dairy is fine in moderation.

I recently looked at what's in the standard can of Coca-cola:
- Carbonated water
- Sugar (high-fructose corn syrup, which turns out to be what Americans use.)
- Caffeine
- Phosphoric acid v. Caramel
- Natural flavorings

A can of Coke (12 fl ounces/355 ml) also has 39 grams of carbohydrates (all from sugar, approximately 10 teaspoons[37]), 50 mg of sodium, 0 grams fat, 0 grams potassium, and 140 calories.

Remember that Phosphoric acid has a pH of 2.1 -- enough to corrode the teeth, which I'm sure is important, because who doesn't want a pretty headshot?

I also did a pH test on Gatorade on my own time. Turns out, the Gatorade was about the same as a standard can of Sprite, which also had the about the same pH as phosphoric acid.

(I love being a Chemistry student!)

Anyway, my advice: stick to pH-balanced beverages such as plain water, tea, and the like.

I also noticed that after consuming products with vinegar in them, I started developing a small amount of mucus -- thought I should share with you guys :D

JLCtheMouse

12-05-2010, 05:24 PM

Be careful. Too much acidic drinks (especially Gatorade, soda, or other citrus-based drinks) can eventually corrode the vocal chords.

.......Holy crap. Looks like I've got quite the habit to beat... :(

If I'm going to improve my singing voice, is there a way of 'recovering' the vocal chords, or at least strengthening them?

All I've read thusfar is how they can be damaged. From what I can tell, I don't have any 'permanent' damage (or any real damage that I know of..), but this is quite a blow and has made me a smite paranoid..!

Also, is it possible to moderate fizzy drink, or are they just a BIG nono? My boyfriend and I just went and bought a four-packs worth of Tango earlier. Now I feel pretty dumb lol.

Basically, hydrating drinks - like Lucasade Sport- is the right way to go? (I hope that's all right too, it's one of my favourite drinks..)

paraparamore23

12-06-2010, 11:40 PM

.......Holy crap. Looks like I've got quite the habit to beat... :(

If I'm going to improve my singing voice, is there a way of 'recovering' the vocal chords, or at least strengthening them?

Practicing (with good technique) for 30-45 minutes a day is ideal with the use of a thorough warmup.

However, if you do not have enough time, a thorough warmup and 10-15 minutes of singing helps.

It's like working out -- you have to practice continually, then allow yourself a moment to recover.

All I've read thusfar is how they can be damaged. From what I can tell, I don't have any 'permanent' damage (or any real damage that I know of..), but this is quite a blow and has made me a smite paranoid..!

Also, is it possible to moderate fizzy drink, or are they just a BIG nono? My boyfriend and I just went and bought a four-packs worth of Tango earlier. Now I feel pretty dumb lol.

Basically, hydrating drinks - like Lucasade Sport- is the right way to go? (I hope that's all right too, it's one of my favourite drinks..)

It's fine if you do it in moderation -- I just happen to know people that religiously consume it. Drinking soda's not as fast as smoking, but still corrosive nonetheless.

Personally, I try not to drink any at all out of preference since I live a very active lifestyle, so I drink water and tea instead. So long as you aren't drinking soda like crazy, you should be fine.

If it's a "hydrating drink," be sure to read the ingredients list (if you're in the US, it's pretty much public access) and check for the nutritional content. If it doesn't contain anything like phosphoric acid, then you should be fine. If it DOES have it, then -- again -- limit your consumption.

Didn't mean to scare you on that one. Just some surprising thing's I've found out.

Monotori

04-22-2011, 07:58 PM

Studies (http://books.google.com/books?id=J8Xgyvr9038C&pg=PA337&lpg=PA337&dq=milk+mucus+misconception&hl=en#v=onepage&q=milk%20mucus%20misconception&f=false) show milk does not actually produce mucus.

Interesting.

ChocolateWhispersx

04-22-2011, 11:46 PM

ughh i feel like i'm breaking all these rules D: I cough a lot because of the mucus building up in my throat and it seems to be becoming a habit now. :/ It started back in December but I'm starting to notice it happening more now. -sigh- My throat has also become very dry and sore. Any advice or tips on how to get rid of the mucus? I haven't read all of the forum, just the first and last page because I really need to go to bed now...x.x But yeah this thread looks very helpful and informative, I will read more 2morrow. ;3 Hopefully this problem can go away soon :S

rigmore

04-28-2011, 12:04 PM

(Sigh) 'tis rule 8 I have troubles with... i get mucus build and i can't help clearing my throat... e'en if i try not to, I still do it :evil:

Rogue Angel

08-01-2011, 04:06 PM

For people with mucus or sore throats, I don't know if this helps you but it always helped me, drink black tea. I usually have a cup of hot tea without milk and two tea spoons of sugar. It really helps to clear out and soothe my throat. Tastes a little nasty without milk, but the sugar helps.

SunShisa

11-21-2011, 01:19 AM

Not sure if this has been mentioned somewhere else in here, but I also heard of something that helps take care of your throat.
There's a throat spray called "singer's saving grace".

I want to try it out. Anyone know anything about it/tried it and had luck?

Tara St. Michel

11-22-2011, 01:07 AM

I found a great app for iPhone/iPod Touch today that might help people who are having trouble drinking enough water. It basically bases the amount of water you should be getting daily on your body weight (for me 120 lbs = 60 ounces of water).

You can find it in the link below and it's FREE. It tracks how many glasses of water you're drinking based on the capacity of the glass that you set and gives you a grade for how well you're doing at achieving your goal of however many ounces of water it says you should drink. I'd recommend more for VAing and Singing because 70% of the population is chronically dehydrated and singers should get even more hydration than normal people. However, you should end up getting into the habit of going past what the app recommends automatically by habit. I know I have XD

Link: http://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/water-your-body-lite/id394032132?mt=8 (only difference between the paid version and free version is ads I think).

WARNING: You always end up making more trips to the toilet when you up your water intake. For the first little while that may not be so convenient lol.