VOCALS
PLAYING THE LONG GAME : CULTIVATING A VOICE-CENTERED LIFESTYLE | Renee Maranan
Congratulations , worship singers ! Your voices survived the busy Christmas season . Now it ’ s time to start preparing for Easter .
Hold on , you might be thinking . You can ’ t be serious , right ?
I know . It ’ s unlikely that any of you are even thinking of Easter yet . You might not even have the set list for this weekend ’ s service , let alone the Easter service . That ’ s not really the point here . The point is , singers get the most out of their singing when they think of vocal preparation and conditioning as a long game , rather than a week-to-week process .
EFFICIENT SINGING REQUIRES EFFICIENT SINGING HABITS , AND HABITS TAKE TIME TO BUILD . In many cases , the vocal challenges we experience in songs are rooted in coordination issues that are happening under the surface , inside the vocal tract , at the vocal fold level . To correct those issues , we need to practice vocal exercises that teach us to sing with more efficient vocal coordination . And in order for the new coordination to become second nature , we need repetition . By repeating exercises frequently over time , we create singing habits that become ingrained into muscle memory .
When singers only think of vocal preparation on a week-to-week basis , it may be enough to get them from one service to the next . But the short-term approach to vocal preparation is only designed to get singers through their set lists ; it is not designed to facilitate the development of efficient singing habits . As a result , singers may be missing out on the opportunity to actually progress as vocalists .
ISN ’ T IT ENOUGH TO JUST SURVIVE FROM WEEK TO WEEK ? On the surface , it might seem good enough to make it through one service at a time . As long as we can sing the songs on the set list , we ’ re good . We can always change keys if the song is too high or opt for a pared-down version to avoid having to belt or disguise our vocal breaks by intentionally flipping into falsetto .
There are a lot of compromises and shortcuts that we can take as vocalists .
But when singers don ’ t compromise on their vocal preparation , they don ’ t need to make compromises on their vocal performances . That ’ s the benefit of playing the long game as a singer .
WAYS TO CULTIVATE A VOICE-CENTERED LIFESTYLE There are many factors that impact a singer ’ s ability to play the long game and commit to a voice-centered lifestyle . Fortunately , there are several ways to create a lifestyle that supports your vocal well-being . Here are a few ideas :
1 . Take care of your overall health . The voice is like a window into our physical , psychological , and emotional condition . For example , a person with high levels of chronic stress may suffer from muscle tension , which can impact the muscles in the vocal tract and create issues for the voice . A person taking medication may suffer from side effects that include acid reflux , which can irritate the vocal folds and make it difficult or even painful to sing . On the other hand , adequate hydration , nutrition , and sleep