VOCALS
ASK A VOICE COACH : VOCAL FATIGUE | Renee Maranan
I ’ m needing some quick encouragement when it comes to stamina . Yesterday our morning practice was a bit long , about an hour and a half , then a half hour break before church service . I felt like practice was awesome . Going through the songs and working on them with the team was the best I ’ ve ever sung ..... EVER ! I felt so good about it . But by the time service came , I could feel my voice was super tired . My husband says I was still much stronger than I was a couple months ago , but overall , it wasn ’ t like it was during practice . I couldn ’ t help but feel discouraged . I ’ m hoping that stamina will come in time as the muscles gain strength and conditioning . I guess I just need to hear it from you that all hope is not lost and at some point , I can expect service to sound just as strong as practice , even when practice goes a bit long .
Thanks , Krista
It can definitely feel discouraging when you feel like you ’ re losing your vocal stamina after rehearsal , especially if you ’ ve recently started taking voice lessons and have been noticing improvements in your voice . It can feel a bit like a regression . However , it is perfectly normal for the human voice to experience fatigue after use , especially after something more intensive like a 90-minute rehearsal . Studies show that the voice starts to fatigue as early as 15 minutes into voice use , so you can imagine what would happen after 90 minutes of singing .
This is especially true for singers who are relatively new to vocal training because they are learning how to use their voices in new ways . They may experience improvements during their voice lessons , but until those new vocal skills become habits for them , they are likely to still experience imbalances and compensations during rehearsals and performances , which would result in fatigue .
Don ’ t worry ; it does indeed get better . As you learn to use your voice more efficiently and as the condition of your voice improves , you will start to feel some improvements in your endurance and your ability to bounce back from mild / moderate vocal fatigue . There are also a few things you can do to help yourself bounce back faster :
MAKE SURE TO WARM UP BEFORE PRACTICE . You can do warm-up exercises on scale patterns or on pitch glides within the less challenging parts of your range . The goal is not to “ work out ” your voice , but simply to get it going with easy vocal exercises .
AFTER REHEARSAL / DURING BREAKS , DO A VOCAL RESET . Lip trills , lip buzzes , straw phonation , humming – these are all excellent ways to reset your voice . Even a 5-minute vocal reset can really help you regain vocal function for your next set or service .
TRY TO SCHEDULE BREAKS FOR YOUR VOICE DURING LONG REHEARSALS . If possible , break up a 90-minute rehearsal into shorter sessions with quick 5-10 minute breaks in between . If this is not possible , work through your songs in such a way so that you are alternating between vocally challenging songs and easier songs .
MAKE SURE YOU ’ RE GETTING ENOUGH HYDRATION . It takes several hours for your body to absorb fluids into your system , so make sure you ’ re hydrating constantly throughout the day . If you ’ re singing in the morning , start your fluid intake as early as you possibly can . You can try steam inhalation or nebulizing before and after singing as well ; this really helps to reduce the amount of effort that it takes to sing , especially when done consistently .
BE AWARE OF ANY OTHER CONDITIONS AND LIFESTYLE FACTORS THAT MIGHT BE AFFECTING YOUR VOICE . This includes diet , stress , lack of sleep , side effects from medication , speaking habits , etc . All of these factors have an impact on the voice , which can then lead to increased fatigue .
The voice is affected by a complex ecosystem of factors . This means that there are a great number of possible reasons why you might be experiencing fatigue besides lack of vocal conditioning and technique . On the flipside , this also means that there are a number of things you can do to help give yourself the best advantage when you do use your voice . By making one adjustment at a time , you can gradually increase your vocal stamina and protect yourself from vocal fatigue and injury .
Got a question for Renee ? Send an email to hello @ reneemaranan . com and write “ Ask the Voice Coach ” in the subject line .
Renee Maranan Vocal Instructor | Life Coach Ambassador for the Institute for Vocal Advancement www . ReneeMaranan . com Instagram @ reneemaranan
46 August 2023 Subscribe for Free ...