This is also a fantastic time of the year to trash your voice!  I know … I sound like the Grinch, but unlike the Grinch, I do have heart and I want you to succeed.  As a voice over talent you need to be aware of how to care for your voice and still partake in the celebrations of the season and throughout the year.

Here are some tips to help keep your voice in tip top shape:

Drink lots of water to keep hydrated and to keep your vocal chords moist as winter weather tends to be very dry.

Enjoying sugary sweets, greasy appetizers, dairy and caffeine is fine in moderation, but keep in mind what they do to your voice.  Whenever possible, balance your plate with fresh fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and complex carbohydrates.

Having a few alcoholic beverages at a party may also be fine; however, resist the urge to overindulge, especially if you will be recording in the morning, as alcohol will dry out your vocal chords and the sugar in it will produce excess mucus.

Carbonated beverages also have a drying effect.  Drinking extra water when consuming alcohol or any carbonated beverages will help keep you hydrated, and adding fresh lemon will help to cut mucus.

Cover your neck with a scarf when you go outside and, when it’s super cold, try to breathe through your nose instead of your mouth.  It may sound crazy but it helps to protect your voice.

Remember this is cold and flu season too.  People come from far and near to meet family and friends for the holidays, and each brings a different set of germs, so remember to wash your hands thoroughly and frequently.

Finally, social gatherings tend to be loud making it very easy to strain your voice to be heard in conversations.  The only way to repair excess strain is to get plenty of sleep and rest your voice.

Wishing you all the best this holiday season … Cheers!

How to Exercise Your Voice

from wikiHow – The How to Manual That You Can Edit

No matter who you are or what you do, chances are you need to use your voice most of the day. Everyone knows the importance of exercising the body but few people realize the voice needs exercise too. It is best to relax the body with simple self massage and light stretching before doing vocal exercises. Perform these eleven quick and easy warm ups in the privacy of your shower or wherever you feel comfortable to release physical and vocal tension.

Steps

1. Massage the base of your tongue, in the spongy area just behind your chin bone. Start by resting your index fingers on top of your chin. Drop your jaw which will cause your mouth to open. While resting your index fingers on your chin, simultaneously use your thumbs to massage deeply into the base of your tongue.
2. Release tension from your temporal mandibular joints. To find the joints, place your fingertips just by and in front of your ears on both sides of your face and open your mouth. The space that opens up as your jawbone moves is your temporal mandibular joint. Massage these joints using your fingertips or the palms of your hands. Release your jaw further and massage deeper with each exhale.
3. Stretch your tongue out of your mouth as far as you can in all directions.
4. Make as many funny faces as you can to exercise all of your facial muscles and stretch your cheeks.
5. Massage your neck and shoulders. It is also a good idea to add basic neck and shoulder rolls to loosen up.
6. Make some silly noises while shaking out your entire body or jumping up and down to let go of any other tense areas that may be stuck.
7. Yawn a few times to open up the back of the throat.
8. Hum holding any pitch for 10 or more seconds feeling a tingling sensation around your lips and nose.
9. Buzz your lips making a Brr sound. Start on any pitch. Then go up and down your vocal range.
10. Vocalize on an open ‘Ahh’ sound going up and down your range.
11. Sing or hum any song that uplifts or inspires you.
12. do it carefully dont rush!

Tips

• If you experience any tenderness or pain during massage, there is tension trapped in your body. Just continue to breathe into the tension, releasing and letting it go.
• Vocalizing with open sounds like ‘maah’ or ‘aahh’ on the exhale while massaging or stretching can help you release even further.

Warnings

• Most people experience tension specifically in the tongue, jaw, face, neck, or shoulders and are normally unaware of how much that consistent stress impacts their verbal and non-verbal communication.

Related wikiHows

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• How to Find an Inexpensive Voice Teacher
• How to Sing Classically
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