How To: Have a healthy voice, or get it back

I have noticed a growing trend among singers and other people for that matter. They don't know how to take care of their voice. For singers your voice is your instrument. If you were a pianist you wouldn't pound on it with a hammer so why should you try to sing with a voice coated in mucus which would be essentially the same thing. Also not many voice teachers think it necessary to teach their students how to take care of their voices either, so more and more people never learn how. So here my friends are the essentials to getting back your voice and then keeping it.

1. DRINK WATER!!! Everyone should drink at least 8 oz a day and singers should drink at least a gallon. This one is the hardest for me cuz I hate going to the bathroom, but it is the most important thing to do.

2. Use a Vaporizer. It is a steamer that lets you moisturize your nasal passages and vocal cords. There is a picture of it at the top. I have only been able to find them at Walgreens, so if you don't have a Walgreens or you are poor you can boil a pot of water and put your face over it with a towel. However, if you do that you have to be a lot more careful that you don't burn yourself. you should do this at least once a day if you are sick for 15 min, or at least before a performance or audition.

3. Use a Netti Pot. This little thing looks like a very small teapot with an extra long spout. It is kinda gross but essentially you pour salt water up your nose and into your sinuses and it comes out your other nostril. You should do it every day at least once a day, but at the very least when you have allergies, a cold, or anything else that makes you snotty, or if you are especially dry. If you don't get one that comes with packets, you can use a 1/4 tsp of salt. Make sure you mix it really well before you pour it up your nose or it stings like the dickens.

4. DO NOT COUGH!!!!! Coughing irritates your vocal chords and causes them to basically bang against each other like hitting your piano with a hammer. If you feel the need to cough breath in sharply and drink water instead. Take a throat drop. Do something. Just don't cough. I have a friend that coughed so much he tore his vocal chords and started bleeding. gross. Don't cough!

5. Drink Throat Coat. Its an herbal tea that gives your throat relief. Add honey to make it sweeter if you don't like tea.

6. Sleep at least 8 hrs a night. If you have an early morning audition or performance wake up 3 hrs before it to give your voice a chance to wake up before you tart singing. and by wake up i mean start talking too otherwise it does no good.

7. Do not talk after 930 at night. Do not talk at all if you don't have a voice. Do not let yourself talk in a lower grumbly register that everyone gets when they are sick.

These things should help you keep your voice healthy or get it back.