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.
Originally Posted by Kagome
