How to Take Care of Your Vocal Chords

A singer’s greatest asset would definitely have to be his/her voice. This is why you have to do everything that you can to keep your voice from sounding like a rusty chainsaw. All singers should prioritize learning how to take good care of their vocal chords. There are a ton of singers out there who make the mistake of not taking good care of their voices which somewhat limits the longevity of their vocal chords. Having your vocal chords damaged can end up ruining your greatest asset – your singing voice. Well it is about time for you to stop abusing your vocal chords and start taking care of them.

Protecting Your Chords

Just like every other part of our body, our vocal chords can only take so much abuse before they finally give in. You might notice that some of the world’s most famous singers still possess powerful voices despite having been in the music industry for decades. Here are some important tips that you should follow to help you keep your vocal chords protected:

·         Warm Up – it is important for you to always warm up your vocal chords before you go out and do any sort of vocal performance. Just like a professional athlete tends to warm up before the start of a game, singers must warm up before they start using their vocal chords. Many singers have ended up injuring their vocal chords by not being able to warm up before a performance. Trying to force yourself to hit high notes without warming up will only cause your vocal chords to become strained.

·         Get Enough Rest – you need to give your body an adequate amount of rest if you wish to maintain your voice’s consistency. Be sure to take some time out so you can give your voice a little breather after each session. This means that you should avoid constantly clearing your throat and yelling loudly.

·         Drink Plenty of Water – water is perhaps the most important substance ever created. Your body will simply not be able to function properly unless you drink plenty of water every day. Since your vocal chords are instruments, they must be kept hydrated at all times. Try to drink at least 8 glasses of water each day to keep your vocal chords properly hydrated.

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   Do Not Smoke – sure you might have seen plenty of singers smoke some cigarettes and still maintain their singing voices, but we all know that it will not last for long. Not smoking at all is one of the best ways to make sure that your vocal chords stay protected. Smoking can severely affect your vocal chords as the smoke will go through your voice and make it sound all raspy.

·         Do Not Consume Too Much Dairy Products – it’s no secret that milk does a body good, but drinking too much milk can cause your vocal chords to become damaged. Dairy products will not only clog your vocal passage, but it can also make your voice sound muffled by putting in some excess mucus in your mouth.