11/14/2024
Knowing many singers who are currently needing some extra vocal support, I wanted to share some helpful tools that I use and recommend for clients: a personal steamer, a nebulizer, and singing straws!
- A warm steam from a personal steamer can be incredibly nourishing to the throat and nasal passages if one is feeling under the weather or tired. The steam can also help to thin thick mucus that might be stuck in the nasal passages and throat due to allergies or illness. I recommend using the steamer at the end of a day of vocal use, or allowing 20-30 minutes between steaming and vocal use.
- A nebulizer is an excellent way to get surface hydration directly to the vocal folds. When we use a sterile .9% saline solution in a nebulizer, our phonation threshold pressure (PTP), or the energy that goes into sending the folds into vibration is lowered. You can use a nebulizer anytime since the mist being created is not warm/hot -- especially when feeling tired or during periods of increased vocal use. Since a nebulizer sends particles to the vocal folds and the lungs, it's recommended that it is kept very clean (rinsing after each use, and boiling the chamber once a week have been suggested).
- Singing Straws have been a favorite for a while now. Straw phonation is an incredible tool to add into your daily routine. When we sing through a straw that is an appropriate length and diameter, it sends a back pressure back to the vocal folds to help "reset" them, and therefore lowering our PTP for a time. There are also other physical benefits, like helping our vocal folds line up more efficiently and evenly. They also can help smooth out breaks in the voice, and clean up agility! Straw phonation can be used at any time, but especially during vocal rehearsals, or before performances.
Experiment with these tools and let me know what you're vibing with! I will post the particular products that I use below in the comments.
