Top Tips to Care for your Instrument (Your Voice)

Every successful singer has their methods and habits that help keep their voices strong and healthy. Like with everything, some methods are better than others depending on the person, so it's always a good idea to keep some of these methods in mind and practice the ones that make the most sense for you.

Hydration

This one might seem obvious, but hydration is such an important part of maintaining a healthy voice. I often notice my throat starting to feel dry while I'm practicing, so I always keep water nearby when I'm actively singing. Water helps lubricate the throat and vocal folds, but can take some time to be effective, so make sure you have water around all day and keep yourself sufficiently hydrated throughout the day.

Warm-Ups

Warm ups are another way to help keep your voice strong and healthy. Warming up ensures that we don't shock or strain our voices, and helps prepare us for a day of healthy singing. Here are some helpful warm up techniques. You can find these and more from other online resources:

1. Lip Trills: Produce a "buzz" sound by blowing air through your closed lips. This helps relax your lips and vocal cords.

2. Humming: Start humming at a comfortable pitch and gradually move up and down your vocal range. This exercise warms up your vocal cords and improves resonance.

3. Sirens: Glide from your lowest to highest pitch in a siren-like manner. This exercise helps stretch your vocal cords and increases flexibility.

More Thoughts

Keeping your voice healthy is just as important as keeping your body healthy. In fact, they almost go hand in hand with one another. If our body feels strong, it's more likely that our voices will too. As mentioned earlier, hydration is super helpful, but other liquids can be useful for different purposes as well. For example, tea is great for if you feel sick, or right when you wake up in the morning because it's warm and soothing, especially if you add some honey. Even milk or juice have their places as well, depending on what your needs are.

What are some of your vocal hygiene practices?