As I often do, after sharing an article of importance, I always share a little bit of my singing experience right here at this part of my blog.

Well, keeping your home safe is of paramount importance, and so is keeping your vocal cords safe and warm for your next singing safari!

I may have already mentioned this in a previous article when we were discussing travel, rest or getting ill and how to cope to protect your most important vocal asset.

People in general do not think anything of their vocal cords because they are "just there" when needed. Most people only become aware of their throats and the unfortunate maladies that happen to it when not taken care of.

Like any muscle in the body, your vocal cords need warming up before you sing anything. Be careful not to burden your vocals with songs that require so much effort at the beginning of your singing session. Warm up. If you were running, you wouldn't go on a a sprint as soon as you start, right? You walk, hike, jog, then gain your running sprint when the body is ready. It is no different with your throat.

I also cannot emphasise enough about avoiding cold drinks during singing sessions, or worse if you are to speak in front of an audience. Only warm, tepid or lukewarm drinks please. Even hot drinks sometimes affect the throat. No extreme temperatures please. Your throat needs to maintain it's temperature during your singing sessions.

Do I sound like I'm nagging? Only because from experience, this had always been my nemesis - cold drinks especially in a nightclub situation or backstage between rehearsals or before a show when food and drinks are served freely.

Once I caught my self drinking something cold a half hour before performance, and immediately I felt my throat react. There is only one thing to do to save yourself at that moment. Get a hot compress to that throat immediately and drink something lukewarm and graduate into warm. You are trying to bring back the temperature of that throat before you carelessly doused it with an iced drink. You'll be able to recapture the temperature if you act quickly.

What to do when the voice doesn't come out at all at that moment? Ask for a break. A few minutes break and go back to your dressing room or anywhere that you can gargle a saline solution. STOP TALKING for about half an hour and nurse your throat back. Then resume humming a tune. AVOID TALKING until the end of the singing session or end of the gig. TALKING is the worst enemy at this point. The throat needs a complete rest before you try singing again.

If you have any questions email vocalchordette@gmail.com

Cheers and happy singing!!!