Are You “Gig Fit?”

Hey Singer, how is your voice getting on?

I think it is safe to say Lockdown has had a considerable impact on most singers voices, whether it’s had a positive or negative impact, most people have noticed a difference. So right now, singers in and out of lockdown are likely to be in one of four different boats –

The “Lucky Singer”

Singers who feel like their voices haven’t changed much at all through lockdown, either because they have maintained a level of training or continued to sing / teach, (also potentially those who haven’t noticed how much their voices have changed because they have had no need to sing!)

The “Recovering Singer”

Singers who have had much needed vocal rest and so are feeling their voices are better than ever.

The “More Time to Practise Singer”

Singers who have had more free time to focus on their voices and practise singing more frequently.

The “Suffering Singer”

Those who feel their voices have suffered, deteriorated or even worried about vocal problems due to their lack of regular singing –  some have even begun to worry about vocal damage.

Can you identify yourself in any of the above? 

Here are my top tips for each of these singers – If you are one of the “Lucky Ones” – in particular the ones who have continued to work on their voices through lockdown, regardless of if they have any performances. I want to firstly start by recognising how hard you have probably worked to maintain your voice, and therefore there is no luck about it! Don’t let anyone take that away from you by just calling you lucky! If you are one of these “vocal folds of steel” kind of singer, then good on you – you are a freak of nature , and you are truly lucky. Top tips for you: Pay close attention to your voice and act fast as soon as you notice any changes no matter how big or small, or if you suddenly are finding any part of your range or repertoire a problem. Sometimes depending on how strong your vocal stamina and vocal health was to begin with, it may take longer for the affects of lockdown to get to you! So if you haven’t started warming up and working out your voice yet, I’d get on that quickly! Check out my article on warning signs your voice needs a little TLC to read more about what changes in your voice you should be looking out for! 

To the “Recovering Singer” – those who have had much-needed vocal rest and finally feel better than they have done in years. My top tip for you is – don’t let this catch you off guard, you removed the stimulus that was causing the issue, and its important to remember that you didn’t rebuild or train yourself to deal with the cause. There may have been muscular imbalances within your system which needed addressing in order to allow you to continue in the way you need to for your career, think of lockdown as a reset for you. A chance to rebuild strength and take some time to train your technique and address your repertoire – did any of it lead to your voice issues in the first place?

It’s so important to take the time to consider what led you to suffer with your voice, because if you don’t make adjustments now, and you go back to that level of vocal load (how much you were singing) slowly but surely you will start to see all the problems you had before start to creep back in! If you experienced issues before lockdown and are worried about your voice please get in contact to discuss how we can help support you by clicking here.

To those who have found more time to work on their voice and so they have found their voices are stronger than ever – that’s something you are going to have to maintain once things open up and you are going to have to factor that time into your life with dedication once things open up – remember your voice is a muscle, with training and increased use it will become stronger, when you aren’t training the same you will feel the difference. Keep up the good work and as with “The Lucky Ones” Keep an eye out for any significant changes in your voice!

To “The Suffering Singer” You are the reason why I created TCVA Singers Community in the first place! When lockdown (1.0) was announced in the UK I was so worried for my singers and colleagues. The lockdown brought the complete cancellation of all live entertainment, and with it the motivation and reason for most singers to keep singing! I wanted to create a space where singers could share their voices, learn more about singing and vocal health and be challenged each week. 

You see one of my main concerns is what happens to our voices now that we can suddenly get back out gigging / performing properly again?

It is so important to remember – what took you years to develop can be lost in a mere matter of weeks or months. So what happens when singers are finally able to get back out there and they can’t sustain their working calendars because their voices can’t hack it! Or my ultimate fear? Singers injuring themselves and not being able to get back to work when they are finally able to! We’re going to want to make up for lost time and cant afford to cancel anymore gigs because our voice isn’t up to it!

But I’m singing everyday!

It’s important, but most singers aren’t that disciplined and if they are, can they guarantee they are working their voice the way it needs? Are you warming up your voice each and every time before you sing? with the appropriate exercises for your voice and what you are about to sing? Are you working out your voice well and not pushing too far? Are you taking care of your vocal hygiene? Are you taking the time to look after your voice?

I think most of us can’t honestly say yes to each and every one of those points. (Myself included) 

Did you also know, the environments we sing in at a live performance have a massive impact on our vocal stamina and health in general. To put it as simply as possible, the conditions we have to sing under determine the way our body reacts. Which cannot be recreated in most peoples homes! 

So what does our voice have to deal with in a live performance environment?

• The size of the room – how far does our voice / PA need to carry and how much can we hear our own voice.
• How reflective it is – I.e lots of furniture vs wide open spaces, the materials used in the room, if any sound proofing is used.
• The amount of bodies in the room and their distance from each other – also how loud they are talking / singing with each other.
• The amplification of the band.
• Monitoring – what can you hear?
• Repertoire – high / fast / powerful songs?
• Temperature of the room.
• Outside or inside gig?
• Any props or dry ice.
• Outfits or costumes.
• Late nights and long sets.
• Load in / pack down.
• Travel.
• Busy routine / no regular eating or sleeping pattern.

So how can we do the best for our voice?

The first thing you need to do is not panic! We just need to do everything we can to limit the impact of what returning to singing may do to our voices. This is going to start with things you can do now, and things you must do when you start performing again. 

So what can we do now?

Right now we need to start looking at a good vocal health and vocal hygiene routine. How is your water intake? Do you steam? Do you warm up? What do you sing? How often? How long?

It’s essential that we try to incorporate good habits now, before our voice gets too stressed out. 

Stay Hydrated

Drinking enough water is essential for not only your general health and function, but if you aren’t getting enough water your singing can be impacted greatly. From range and pitch issues to quicker fatigue times through to a general feeling of “something just isn’t quite right!” Keeping hydrated is essential to getting the best out of your voice!

For more information on how much you should be drinking click here

Steam

It’s the only true way to get hydration directly to your vocal folds, and essential if your voice is tired or you are ill! Did you know that it’s recommended that you steam twice a day just to maintain your voice!! For more information on steaming click here 

Warm up!

Sing Regularly

How often are you singing? If its only once or twice a week, and you aren’t stretching your voice in between – you aren’t allowing yourself the time and practise to maintain your vocal fitness – which may put your voice at risk of easy fatigue and potentially injury if you aren’t careful with what you are singing. It is recommended that you workout your voice daily if possible, or at very least warm up – even if you don’t intend on singing!!

Sing the right rep!

You won’t believe how many singers are singing songs out of their range and voice type! You can save your voice and sound better for your audience by making sure your songs sit in your “tessitura” or your “sweet spot” this is around the middle of your range where everything sits much more comfortably, when you are in your tessitura, everything should sound warmer, stronger, naturally louder and much more effortless. You may need to change they keys to some of your songs, but trust me, you will feel so much better for it! Need more help? Get in contact here!

Cool Down After Singing!

So you’ve warmed up before singing – but have you cooled down? When we sing our vocal folds / larynx / mouth and neck muscles have had a serious workout! It’s important we bring our voices back to resting position to ensure we don’t hold our voices in a stressed state. Gentle slides and sirens or even the bottle and straw exercises can help to relax your voice after singing – remember not to push your voice too high or for too long. 

Be Realistic With Your Voice!

Your voice needs fuel, it needs rest and it needs a lot of care and attention. If you are doing any of the “too’s” – singing too high or too low, too loud, for too long, too often your voice just won’t be able to take it for any amount of time. Remember if you are tired, or if your voice is struggling you need to be very careful not to push your voice! What are you capable of without strain or too much effort? Be kind to yourself!

And Finally – Get Support From Someone Who Knows What They Are Doing!

All singers need guidance, even well trained professional singers or singing teachers. Every singer would greatly benefit from having regular sessions with a trained and qualified singing or voice teacher who understands vocal health and healthy vocal development – if only to ensure you get the best out of your voice! A good singing teacher can teach you the techniques you need to get the best out of your voice, they can help you maintain your voice and most importantly they will be able to recognise when your voice might need a little TLC, often months before you realise it! The professional singers who work with me have absolutely wonderful voices – they don’t necessarily come to me to make their voices “better” but to make their voices strong enough to deal with the day to day pressures of being a professional singer with long sets and late nights!

Want to learn more about your voice and how to care for it? Head over to my The Singers Guide Vocal Health pages click here