5 Bad Habits that will Kill a Singer’s Voice
March 12, 2009
Have you ever wondered why some days your singing sounds better than others? Maybe one day you feel complete vocal freedom, but then you wake up the next day and you can hardly carry a tune in a bucket.
Unfortunately for us singers, our instrument is ever changing and can be negatively altered by outside sources. We literally can have a different sound from one day to the next due to different vocal circumstances. That being said, below I’m including a list of what not to do to help you stay in the best vocal health possible.
1. Sleep Deprivation = Bad Singing
I learned this the hard way. Freshman year of college I hardly ever got 8 hours of sleep… honestly, I was probably averaging 5 to 6hr/night. I also didn’t progress at all vocally my freshman year. My lack of sleep not only led to a lack of focus, but also swollen vocal cords that made my voice feel very heavy.
The following year I forced myself to get 8 hours of sleep every night, regardless of petty things such as homework (;p). This made all the difference in the world for my voice, helping put me in the best position where I could continue to grow. The moral of the story - get your 8 hours of sleep each night.
2. Screaming is our #1 Vocal Enemy
No, I’m not picking on the rocker’s reading here. There’s actually a legitimate way to produce that epic growling sound you’re looking for (though probably less than 0.1% of all vocal teachers could help you get there). No, what I’m actually referring to is over using your voice.
Lets face it, we all over use our voices sometimes. Whether it’s cheering at a high school basketball game or a college football game, talking over a band at a bar, screaming at a sibling, or maybe yelling at the dog when it’s done it’s business inside. Whatever your reason, if you scream enough you’re singing voice is going to have some major issues.
Now, I can give you tons of advice as to what to do instead of over using your voice, but in the interest of time I’ll give the you simplest answer I possibly can. Don’t Do It!
3. Don’t Sleep with Your Fan Blowing on You
I’ve known people who can get away with this one, but whenever I sleep with a fan blowing on me I always wake up with a scratchiness in my voice that lasts most of the day. If you do this and you consistently have issues with your voice, try turning off the fan and sleeping with less covers.
4. Caffeine and Alcohol Cause Dehydration & Kills the Voice.
Yes, I love Dr.Pepper. And honestly, I drink it way more than I should. This is bad because too much caffeine and/or alcohol can dehydrate the voice, causing your folds to feel very dry and scratchy. It’s not a fun feeling, nor does it make relaxing while you sing easy.
That being said, I will not tell you to stop drinking caffeine or alcohol, but what I will suggest is that you get in the habit of drinking water regularly. I’d suggest no less than one glass of water per other beverage you drink. If you do this, you’ll at least help balance the hydration issue making it less likely for you to get dehydrated cords.
5. Don’t Have Allergies :p
Don’t you wish it were that easy?! Well, of course the reality is that many of us do have allergies and it’s a real issue that we deal with on a seasonal basis. To fix this, many will take allergy medication (aka dehydrators) and others will battle this inconvenience with sheer will power.
While I don’t have a solution for allergies, I will say that water does tend to help those who are suffering from them, whether you’re on medication or not. If you don’t like water, try adding small amounts of flavor to it like lemon or a powdered mix that’ll help make it more palatable.
hey – thank you for posting this up. I was curious about how lack of sleep really affected your voice, and I don’t really see much difference because I’m getting 6 at the moment, but I feel find singing. will I feel a difference if I get more sleep?
annnd lucky I neither drink caffeine, drink or smoke. ;D clean!
and thank you x
________________________________________
Hey Chia,
Getting the sleep your body needs will definitely help your singing voice, but it has to be consistent. Getting 8 hours just one night probably won’t be make that big of a difference, but getting consistent, good sleep should make things noticeably easier. This is partially because we can focus better when well rested, but the voice also tends to be less heavy, therefore more free.
Glad you liked the post!
- Ken
I always have problems to reach higher notes. I have tried so many lessons but I could not reach the level I wanted. What should I do with this problem. Now I am trying taking water regularly.
> Response
Well, it’s hard to tell what’s causing the limitations of your range. Long story short, it’s probably a combination of a lack of space and too much tension. For most people, singing is a real effort. If you’re having to try really hard to sing (the case if your voice is tired or maybe even sore after some singing), then unknowingly, you’re drastically limiting your range.
The sound you produce should be dependent upon the resonance space you utilize, not your ability to push or force out the sound. Think of it this way, if you thump an empty drinking glass, it will ring loudly. But if you fill that same glass with pennies, it will make a much softer, shorter sound. If you try to thump that glass harder to create more sound, you’re going to hurt your finger! The same rule applies with your voice.
My advice is sing at no more than a speech level. Stop trying to hit notes and simply allow them to happen. This philosophy along with a couple of neat tricks allow me to sing a connected 5 octave scale, and I believe with the right guidance, you probably could too.
Good luck and Happy Singing!
Hi sir, thank you a lot for this site, I was desperately waiting for tips like this.. Sir my voice cant go deep, I mean it is perfect in my original voice but when i have to suddenly go deep, It’s very difficult to explain but when i want to go deep(like that of girls’ somehow, hope you understand) it doesnt happen , are there some practice tips to make my voice sound great in deep also?
> Response
Absolutely! The best way I know how to do that immediately is to play with making the sound really hooty (think Scooby Doo). This will help lower the larynx and assist in producing a lower tone assuming you do what 95% of people do when they sing low and hike your larynx.
Try vocalizing on a descending scale singing a “Buh” sound (as in book) keeping it hooty and relaxed, making sure not to tense up the tongue. This should help you achieve better vocal balance and gain a few notes on the lower end.
Ken, I realized that soda damages the throat, So i quit cold turkey drinking it. But i’ve been looking for an alternative to savor me the flavorlessness of water..And i turned to tea… Would tea harm the throat? iced tea. With sugar.
-Alec
> Response
Well, tea technically has caffeine in it, so it could have some dehydrating properties, but honestly, I’m not totally against it. I personally like a mint tea… it has a nice feel on the cords.