VOCAL HEALTH

During three minutes of continual quiet conversation,

females experience from 30,000 to 45,000 vocal fold collisions and

males experience from 15,000 to 22,500

vocal fold collisions.

When vocal folds vibrate to make pitches, they collide into each other rapidly. i.e. "A" = 440 collisons per second.

Females singing in higher pitch range: 80,000 - 90,000

Females singing in lower pitch range: 55,000 - 65,000

Males singing in higher pitch range: 40,000 - 50,000

Males singing in lower pitch range: 30,000 - 40,000

Easily ONE TO THREE MILLION COLLISIONS PER DAY

IF YOUR VOICE:

1. becomes hoarse or raspy;

2. aches or feels irritated, "used" or "raw;"

3. loses some high pitches and gains some low pitches;

4. uses more effort than usual to get sound out;

5. becomes "weak" and "tired" after 30 minutes of use or less;

6. can only whisper . . .

. . . then here are some tips for you.

1. Maintain your body's optimum water level. Drink seven to ten 8oz glasses of water per day or the equivalent thereof in any liquid except those containing caffeine or alcohol. Vocal folds like to breathe air that is form 40% to 60% humid. Bite the sides of your tongue to stimulate a reflex secretion of mucus in your vocal tract. Tart tasting food will have the same effect.

2. Learn to use your voice with increasing physical and acoustic efficiency.

3. Always warm up your voice gradually before athletic use; for at least 15-20 minutes.

4. Balance voice use time with voice recovery time (silence). Put your instrument in the case!

5. Speak and sing defensively. Give only what you know your voice can comfortably and healthily give to expressive situations.

6. If at all possible, do not sing with an inflamed or sore throat.

7. Do not drink alcohol within five hours before singing. It causes a slight swelling of your vocal folds, contributes to dehydration, and reduces the sensitivity of the sensorimotor nerves that operate your voice.

8. Smoking anything dehydrates and irritates the larynx and vocal tract by depositing toxins.

9. Stress reaction produces a kind of bodywide "residual" muscle contraction that includes your jaw, throat, abdomen and larynx.

10. Maintain regular sleeping and waking times every day and get enough sleep/rest each day.

During athletic voice use, desirable fatigue occurs in your abdominal (breathing) muscles. If your laryngeal muscles tire, and your voice becomes a bit "fuzzy" or even hoarse, then your voice is telling you that it is fatigued and is underconditioned for what you are asking it to do. Your larynx is asking for rest.