Morningside College Department of Music

Morningside College Department of Music

Vocal/Choral Health and Safety

The singer’s instrument is the singer’s body. It is essential that singers establish healthy life habits as well as effective singing and speaking techniques in order to ensure life-long healthy and effective

Here is some helpful advice from The Basics of Vocal Pedagogy (Clifton Ware, McGraw Hill, 1998).

The Do’s and Don’ts of Vocal Health
Do
Ø  Consume a variety of nutritious foods, beverages, and vitamins
Ø  Attain and maintain physical fitness with regular aerobic and muscle-toning worksouts
Ø  Obtain sufficient rest, sleep, and recreation
Ø  Maintain a humid living environment (40-50 percent humidity)
Ø  Maintain body hydration by drinking 7 to 9 glasses of water daily
Ø  Use efficient vocal technique in speech and singing
Ø  Use the voice judiciously
Ø  Wash hands frequently
Don’t
Ø  Inhale or ingest harmful substances such as caffeine, alcohol, recreational drugs, tobacco, and polluted air
Ø  Pursue an overly stressful lifestyle
Ø  Make physical contact with persons who have contagious diseases
Ø  Work or live in noisy, polluted environments
Ø  Speak too much or too loudly, especially in noisy environments
Ø  Scream or clear the throat too much
Ø  Use over-the-counter preparations for colds and allergies, especially antihistamines

In addition to the above, Morningside College vocal/choral faculty suggest the following:

Regarding ingested substances:

·  Singers are encouraged to drink water as needed during rehearsals, lessons, and individual practice sessions.

·  Avoid sugary drinks and milk; these drinks tend to induce excessive throat-clearing.

·  Avoid unnecessary drug use

o  Aspirin, ibuprofen and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatories – these lead to capillary fragility in the vocal folds.

o  Sensation deadening throat lozenges and sprays – singers need to be fully aware of the sensations of singing in order to maintain healthy singing habits and to know when fatigue becomes an issue.

o  Antihistamines and decongestants – these have a dehydrating effect.

Regarding voice use:

·  Develop and maintain healthy speaking habits.

·  Avoid throat-clearing.

·  Minimize coughing by using cough medications (as necessary). Use cough medicines that have guaifenesin as an ingredient.

·  Treat gastro-esophageal reflux disorder (GERD) as necessary.

·  In lessons and rehearsals, vocal/choral faculty teach students warm-up exercises that encourage vocal health, proper posture, correct vowel formation, and effective breath management. Singers should be in the habit of using these same exercises in individual practice sessions.

·  Rehearsals and lessons are structured to allow vocal rest for singers throughout the period. Singers should be cognizant of the need for vocal rest during long individual practice sessions.

·  Singers must take responsibility for their own vocal health and monitor their level of fatigue during practice and rehearsals and respond accordingly. Singers should monitor their level of fatigue during rehearsal; a tired singer should check to see if there is extra tension or too much force in their vocal production. Singers should modify their technique as appropriate; a singer should stop singing if necessary.

Especially for music education students:

·  Students teachers should warm-up their voice before beginning the teaching day.

·  Student teachers should avoid talking over a noisy group of students; wait for quiet before giving directions.

·  Student teachers should consider using an amplification system when available.

·  Students teachers need to remember that the way they use their voices will be the model of voice use for their own students.

For more information about vocal health, see the following:

1.  The Basics of Vocal Pedagogy, Clifton Ware, McGraw Hill, 1998; Chapter 11: The Singer’s Instrument: Use, Pathology, and Care

2.  The Structure of Singing, Richard Miller, Schirmer Books, 1986; Chapter 17: Healthy Singing

3.  Your Voice: An Inside View, 2nd Edition, Scott McCoy, Inside View Press, 2012; Chapter 9: Health

4.  “Ask Dr. Jahn” articles in the “Classical Singer” magazine: http://www.classicalsinger.com/

5.  “Care of the Professional Voice” articles in the “Journal of Singing” published by the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS): http://www.nats.org/

6.  Dr. Karen Wicklund’s website: http://www.singershealth.com/