Taking care of your voice is very important. As your music teacher, I want you to enjoy singing and making music your entire life. Here are some tips to help keep your voice healthy.

Love,

Mrs. Wester

1. Get plenty of rest!

You need at least 10 hours of sleep a night. When you are tired, your body will be tense and your muscles will be strained when you sing. It’s hard to be relaxed and maintain a good singing position when your body and mind are tired.

2. Drink plenty of clear fluids.

Water is always best, but clear liquids will do. Avoid drinks with caffeine like sodas, energy drinks, or iced tea. They actually take water out of your body. Soft drinks and fruit juice have acids in them and should be avoided about an hour before singing. Milk is an important part of being healthy, but it can cause the build up of mucus and should also be avoided about an hour or two before singing. Bottled water with a sports top is always allowed in rehearsal.

3. Avoid getting sick.

· Wash your hands or use sanitizer often.

· Try not to touch your eyes, nose or mouth. This is how most germs get into your body.

· Eat healthy and exercise. Try to avoid too much junk food.

· If someone one you know is sick, try to stay away.

4. Don’t’ abuse your voice.

· Avoid shouting, screaming or yelling. If you have ever spent an afternoon cheering for your favorite team, you have probably noticed that you were a little hoarse the next day. This is a sign that you have hurt your voice. Even talking very loudly over background noise can be harmful. Your vocal folds are just not strong enough to handle it without getting hurt. If you are a cheerleader, be very careful.

· Try to talk closer in pitch to where you sing. Some of us talk with a very low voice. It takes a lot of air and is harder to make your vocal folds vibrate when you talk too low in pitch.

· Avoid whispering. This is almost as bad as shouting.

· If you are having trouble talking or singing, don’t! This doesn’t mean you should bail on rehearsal, though. Listening and singing in your head are just as important as singing aloud. There is always something to learn.

5. Avoid being around people who smoke.

Not only is it really gross, but the chemicals in second-hand smoke can irritate your respiratory system, causing dryness and coughing.

6. Be careful about what medicines you take. (Always talk to your doctor when considering this or any other medical-related advice.)

· If you have allergies, many of the medicines you take will dry out your throat and nasal passages. When taking these you need to drink extra water. A saline nasal spray may also help with your symptoms and is something to try first before taking medications.

· Especially in the winter when heating systems are running, a humidifier may be helpful.

· Sometimes expectorants can help if you have a lot of thick mucus, but make sure you check with your doctor before using any medicine.

· Hard coughing and clearing your throat are very hard on your voice. Taking a sip of water or sucking on a glycerin-based lozenge may be helpful.

· Avoid lozenges with mint, menthol, or other medicines as they can irritate your nasal passages and lead to temporary numbness, making you think that everything is alright and causing you to push your voice too hard.

· Slightly warm herbal teas with honey can soothe your throat and help thin out mucus.

7. Always warm up your voice.

· Singing is like exercise. You need to gradually and gently stretch your voice by doing warm ups.

· Start low and work you way up gently.

· Add volume and range as your voice become more flexible through the warm-up.

8. Use good vocal technique.

· Good singing posture

o Chest high

o Shoulders back and relaxed

o Weight is balanced

o Chin level with the floor

o Think of lengthening the spine.

· Try to take the head voice down rather than take the chest voice (talking voice) up.

· Keep your rib cage expanded and use good breath support from you abdomen. Think of floating the notes on a stream of air.

· Never strain or push your voice; your voice should be light and relaxed. If you are straining to sing certain notes, let me know so we can consider changing your part. It is always better to “fake” a note in the extremes of your range that force your voice.

· Don’t over sing. Singing too loud and strained never sounds good and is really bad for your voice.

· Be proud of your own beautiful voice. Be careful when singing along with your favorite music. You are unique and have your own sound; enjoy your favorite music, but don’t try to sound just like the latest pop sensation.

These suggestions are based on my own personal research and experience, and may not solve or prevent all vocal problems. If your child is experiencing vocal problems such as hoarseness, pain, strain, or loss of voice, please consult your healthcare professional. Such symptoms can be signs of a bigger problem. Please don’t hesitate to let me know if your child is having any voice difficulties.