vocal help

[gush]

This past December I had the flu and it lasted a long time. I couldn't sing at all for a solid month and struggled for another month after that. Last month I got sick again and had a hellish sore throat for a week. Again, I couldn't sing at all. Its been six weeks and I'm still not able to nail notes like normal and I can't reach high notes.

I've always been able to bounce back quickly but not this time and I'm worried.

Do you singers on here have any advise? What are the best vocal exercises?

Thanks for ANY advice.

 

[Huggy Love]

I coach a few singers that work with me and I understand what you're dealing with. Vocal exercises are not what you need right now, care & preventive is the key to bouncing back, and don't be afraid to talk to your Dr about it too. I'm not much of a singer, (that's why I work with other vocalists) but for a side project I'm singing some crazy funk stuff. Went thru a period just like you are going thru, what helped me was gargling with salt water before bed and resting my pipes for a while, at least a week or two. One of my singers is a herbal tea devotee and he's got pipes for days, you can research that kind of stuff on the web I bet.

Bottom line, once you're 100% then you can work on vocal exercises.

 

[gush]

I do gargle with salt water frequently.

 

[vchizzle]

Drink water constantly though out the day. Many singers use honey, some a combo of lemon and honey.

 

[Luminandy]

Yes lemon. I like to drink a ton of lemon water before a show. I get allergies, and sometimes will get to coughing on those really high rhaspy notes. Lemon gives a good numbing effect. It makes it easier to push a sore throat a little. Honey, salt, even gargling with Listerine helps a bit, but I found lemon water helps me sing even if my throat is fine.

 

[markintime]

Drink water constantly though out the day. Many singers use honey, some a combo of lemon and honey.

My dad had a book on Vermont Folk Medicine and he would buy honey with a comb in it and take a chunk of that plus about a tablespoon of honey, together with a capful of apple cider vinegar and 8 oz of water, stir it up, and use it for everything. Then chew the honeycomb to get all the good out.

Worked for me, too.

 

[musikman7002]

Hi, I might be able to help you out. I am primarily a guitarist as most on this forum are but I have had extensive vocal lessons as well and know how to warm up and use my voice correctly. I had a similar problem several years ago. My speaking voice sounded fine and my low end was alright. As I would sing higher from about my midrange up basically nothing. I felt like I wasn't sick but week after week and then month after month my voice wasn't there for me. Finally after 3 months of that I finally just went to a CVS doc in a box and I told the doctor what was going on and she looked down my throat and said you have severe post nasal drip brought on by allergies! I really didn't have any allergy symptoms my nose wasn't stuffy or running and I wasn't sneezing per say and no sore throat at all. She told me to get Flonase (now avail without a perscription at Wal-Mart). I got that as well as a Zyrtec/Claritin type of pill and within HOURS my voice started coming back. I live in Orlando Florida and I know our allergy seasons are probably different than where you are at BUT mine last
from Feb until almost June down here. I would give this a try for a few days and see if that does the trick. I had this happen and I know how freaked out it can make you. This is a fairly cheap do it yourself type treatment but if this doesn't work for sure check with a doctor yourself.