How Serious Singers Maintain Their Instrument

Musical instruments are an investment, and it pays to maintain them properly. Strings and reeds need to be replaced, pianos and drum kits need to be tuned, and from time to time serious repairs need to be made. You can’t expect quality sound from an abused instrument!

Singers need to be be serious about this too – their instrument is their own body. You can’t re-fret or replace a voice – you have to look after it. How serious are you about looking after yours?

Tenielle Roberts is an amazing singer who is acutely aware of looking after her voice. Recently we’ve been chatting via email (actually by Facebook messages) about basic vocal care, posture and breathing, and she has some amazing out-of-the-box practical advice that I’d like to share with you. Would you like to sing better? Tenielle says, “Basic vocal care would improve the tonality and vocal quality of the average singer.”

I met Tenielle years ago on Queensland’s Gold Coast, and the thing most memorable about her (beside her eyes) is her amazing voice. She has a four and a half octave range, a pure tone, and sings with passion. I’ve learned a lot by just listening!

The baby of the family – the youngest of five – her musical big brothers and sisters had a lot to do with creating a love for music. “I took a shine to singing as I couldn’t get the co-ordination down pat with piano or guitar… and it was a way I could express myself creatively without needing an instrument or a pen and paper.”

So she got serious about singing and got some training: two years of training incorporating classical, opera, jazz and contemporary singing. At school she was generally in all the choirs and musical performances. “It was unusual for me to turn down a chance to sing! Nowadays I sing at church and at home for my biggest fan – my daughter who squeals and claps her hands!”

With that much talent and love for singing, I know that Tenielle follows her own advice. Here it is:

1. Avoid the bad stuff

“A lot of people don’t realise the impact that lifestyle can have on your voice. Smoking and excessive alcohol consumption can have a profound effect on your vocal quality as it is very dehydrating. (Of course, there will always be those who can smoke hanging upside down and still sound amazing!!)”

2. Drink lots of water

“Drink water. It is essential to keep up your fluids as the vocal folds are one of the last organs to receive vital moisture. It is important to only drink room temperature water both leading up to and during performances.”

3. Eat and sleep – regularly

“Nutrition and Rest. Sensible eating along with adequate rest is important leading up to a performance as it is not only beneficial for your body but also for getting into the right frame-of-mind. It’s hard to give 100% if you’re exhausted.”

4. Be kind to your vocal cords

“Look after your voice! You have only one voice…. you use it to talk AND sing. So no yelling or screaming and definitely NO singing if you have a sore throat or you are sick! When you have a temperature, your vocal folds swell and become prone to extensive damage.”

5. Pamper your throat when it’s sick

“If you are sick, steam inhalations through your mouth are great as well as warm water with honey and lemon. Avoid dairy, menthol and eucalyptus lollies. Try to limit talking as much as possible as well as clearing your throat or coughing.”

6. Warm up your voice before singing

“You’ve heard it a thousand times… so here it is again…. Warm up your voice!! It is crucial to warm up your voice before bursting into song! Just hum and ‘oooo’ soft, mellow sounds… extending your voice gently as you go. Avoid doing sirens (where you imitate an ambulance siren) until you’ve warmed your voice up for at least 5-10mins.”

7. Warm up your muscles too

“Warm up your facial & mouth muscles as well. Use your tongue to ‘clean’ the roof and floor of your mouth as well as the inside and outside of your teeth. Pretend to play a trumpet with your lips and do some star jumps to get the blood pumping. My all time favourite is to pretend you have 6-8 strings attached to your face. ‘Pull’ the strings out in front of you and screw up your face as tight as you can, then ‘release’ the strings and let your face ‘pop’ open. (This isn’t incredibly glamorous… so you may want to do this one on your own!)”

8. Breathe correctly

“Another all-time favourite… posture and breathing is key to a great vocal sound. Standing straight (without being too rigid) and breathing in without your shoulders moving upwards will allow more air to fill your lungs as the diaphragm expands to allow more room for your lungs. Your stomach should protrude slightly as your shoulders stay relaxed.”

9. Find your natural voice

“Find your natural tone and volume. Singing shouldn’t feel either strained or constricted. If you sing too quietly out of nervousness you may not be able to support a good tone. On the other hand if you sing too loudly it may also be difficult to stay on key. The tone of your voice can be affected by what is around you. Have fun experimenting by imitating different artists to find a sound that is not only comfortable but true to who you are.”

10. Be confident!

“Confidence is key. I always say ‘If you’re going to make a mistake… make it a big one!’ But most importantly … enjoy yourself! Singing is supposed to bring pleasure to not only yourself, but other people around you. So relax and just let it flow!”

That’s all great advice. Next time the house is empty enough to to the bathroom mirror, I’m going to try some of those face muscle exercises, and wander around the house warming up my voice. I think my son already does that. Fortunately he moved out of home years ago!

What do you think of Tenielle’s advice? Give it a go, and then give us some feedback in the comments. And keep singing!