Today, I want to give you the most important singing
tip you'll hear this year.
This tip is so important, it might just save your voice.
Sound check.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Check one, check two.
Hello everyone.
My name is Dr. Dan.
Welcome to Voice Essentials, and welcome to 2016.
This is my first video for the new year,
and I'm really excited about what the year holds for us here
on YouTube.
I've been teaching voice for nearly 20 years or so.
And out of that time, I've acquired a number of handy tips
and tricks that help singers to develop their voice
and improve their sound.
But there is one tip that I give out more than any other.
Now, funnily enough, that number one piece of advice that I give
is for singers not to sing.
OK, so I'm being a little cheeky here.
The advice not to sing is actually
about the resting of the voice.
You see, as singers, we love to sing, don't we?
If you're like me, you never stop singing.
But there's the problem, right there.
We don't stop.
You're a biological instrument.
You're a finite being with definite physical limitations.
And there are dire consequences for a voice
that is pushed beyond the margins
of its anatomical capabilities.
So today, we're going to briefly talk
about the importance of vocal rest.
Now, there are two main types of vocal rest--
absolute and relative.
[SCREAMING]
Central.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
I think most people think of voice rest
as complete silence, no talking and no singing.
Now, this is generally known as absolute voice rest.
Absolute voice rest is often instructed directly
following vocal fold surgery.
For example, some surgeons might prescribe absolute silence
for seven days following the removal
of a hemorrhage in juice polyp.
It's important to note that absolute voice
rest, or complete silence, is generally
only advised after surgery.
It may also be advised immediately
following a vocal fold hemorrhage
or during an acute bout of viral or bacterial laryngitis.
The voice rest that I'm commonly instructing singers to take
is referred to as relative rest.
A relative voice rest should be thought
of as a reduced vocal load relative
to your general vocal output.
For example, if you have a vocally intensive job,
either as a schoolteacher or as a professional singer,
you should look for regular opportunities
to reduce your vocal loads.
Talk less and give your voice a break.
These moments of relative voice rest
are essential for the sustained health of your voice.
[SCREAMING]
Central.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Of course, the other instance when relative voice rest
should be employed is during a vocal tract
illness, such as an upper respiratory tract infection.
Now, it's been my experience that
many catastrophic scenarios, sometimes resulting
in vocal fold surgery, could have been avoided simply
by choosing not to sing at the right moment.
Now, I'm not saying the choice to not sing
is always an easy one to make.
Sometimes, the choice needs to be made,
lest your voice suffer the consequences.
And trust me, you want to avoid the post-surgery recovery
journey, if possible.
Prevention is definitely better than cure.
And one final piece of advice, it
can be very tempting to work on your singing seven days a week.
Again, this is an ill-advised practice.
Remember that the working parts of your voice
are mostly muscle.
Your laryngeal musculature requires rest and repair time.
So make sure you always give your voice
one to two days off from your practice regime every week.
A good practice schedule for beginners
is to practice every second day.
If you're a professional singer, then I
advise you to allow for at least one day of relative voice rest
a week.
Schedule it in.
Your voice will thank you in the long run.
Well, there you go, the best piece
of vocal advice you'll hear from me
or any other singing teacher this year.
That being said, I'm going to be offering plenty
more singing tips and tricks throughout 2016.
So be sure to subscribe to the channel,
and join our ever-growing community of passionate singers
from across the globe, who just like you, want
to raise their voice in song.
I look forward to working with you and your voice
during 2016 here on Voice Essentials.
I'm Dr. Dan.
Sing well.
[MUSIC PLAYING, CHEERING, AND APPLAUSE]