In response to a private inquiry I got about some suggested exercises for a thyroid issue, this is my general procedure, in a simplified version: 'As you know, there are so many ways to help a person open up their voice. To me, it's like peeling an onion, and everyone is unique, so exercises have to be tailored to the person and their particular need. I start with breathing, it's the #2 step in my book 'From Shower To Stage....7 Easy Steps for Singing Like A Pro'. You've got to have a free flow of the breath, and good support for the tone. Then I open up the other channels - the throat (relaxing the tongue, larynx and jaw). Next I work on the level of emotion to clear any blockages, false belief systems etc. that are manifesting in the production of the voice. This is really powerful and gets lasting results. All of the above lead to releasing the voice from constriction and over-control.' This, of course comes from working with voice on all levels, EXCEPT medical. I'm not a physician and always urge my clients to seek medical evaluation and treatment that they feel comfortable with as well as using alternative methods to unlock the voice and heal the underlying challenge on an emotional/energetic level. Cheers, Beth Lawrence, vivalavoice.com
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Help Singer's Allergies with the Viva La Voice Tonic! I just attended a Conference where several people were weezing and sneezing. One woman even lost her voice, her poor vocal cords were so inflamed! Since it's Spring, lots of singers are suffering from allergies, because there's so much pollen in the air. I've had bad allergies most of my life, and they are not fun. A great way to ease the effects of allergies is to drink my Viva la Voice Tonic for Singers. It soothes inflamed vocal cords; cleanses the system and gives you a great dose of Vitamin C! You can get it for free here: ENJOY!! Bob Dylan Exhaling! A common problem for singers is pushing too much air through their vocal cords when they sing. This not only robs you of vocal power, but causes you to push too hard to get more volume. When the vocal cords are pushed apart because too much air is being forced through them, they can't vibrate together as they should, and therefore, your voice is weak and breathy. So you compensate by straining to make more sound, ending up with a harsh sound, and ultimately a damaged voice. To get rid of that breathy sound, simply think of 'aiming the sound BACK' rather than pushing it FORWARD with a lot of air coming out. I talk a lot about this in my book From Shower To Stage....7 Easy Steps for Singing Like A Pro! and you can also see a demonstration in the video below. Do you feel like you're at the dead end of a Cul-de-Sac and can't get out? If you are having voice problems or challenges, and aren't able to fully express yourself confidently, that affects all areas of your life!
I have a few tips for how to get back to that free-spirited person you USED to be in my April Voicegram. If you're tired of your groundhog day existence, it's time to rediscover some of your silliness! Seriously! I don't want to sound like your mother, but really, if you want to have a healthy voice you have to become aware of abusing it!
These days, we're often in loud places where we have to speak over the noise. So if you do that, make sure that you are doing all the same things you'd do if you were singing - breathe deeply, engage the diaphragm, and support your voice. Try to drop the pitch of your voice so that you are using body resonance. Lots of times when we try to speak loudly our voice goes up in pitch, which is a sign of straining. Be aware! Don't yell if you don't have to! Once you start developing an awareness about how you use your voice, you'll see that you can make better choices. Like walking over to a person to talk to them instead of yelling from across the street! Or stepping outside to carry on a conversation instead of screaming over loud music! Care for your voice from the get go and you won't have to have the frustration of dealing with a hoarse, scratchy, damaged instrument, especially if you are a singer or speaker. It's all just common sense, but you'd be surprised at how many people abuse their voices, then expect the voice to be healthy and crystal clear. Be kind to your voice - stop yelling! Nobody wants to strain their voice, but so many singers do it because they put too much strain on their THROATS instead of relying on the BODY to be a natural resonance chamber. You don't have to have a big body to employ this technique, either!
When singing, relax the throat, keep the larynx down and imagine placing the voice in the body, not high in the head or throat. When you release your sound and relax into the body, using the body to actively support your tone, also, you get a huge voice with little or no effort!! That way, you won't hurt your throat while you're singing or speaking, and the voice will be rich and resonant, too! If you want to protect your singing voice, remember that it's not separate from your speaking voice! How you speak affects the health of your singing voice.
If you abuse your voice daily by smoking, yelling, straining your voice in loud spaces, or just by placing your voice too high, and not in the body, then you're going to get hoarse, tired, and have a less than clear singing voice, it's that simple Take care of your voice - treat it kindly. Honor your speaking AND singing voice so that you can depend on it for a lifetime. Want a soother? I'll send you my Viva La Voice Tonic Recipe free. Enjoy! |
From Beth LawrenceIf you're serious about singing then you've got to take care of your voice. Here are some healthy ways to do that! AuthorBeth Lawrence, Award-winning singer, songwriter and author of "From Shower To Stage...7 Easy Steps for Singing Like A Pro!" |