If you are wondering how to stop straining your voice, this video is for you.
I’ll talk about three most common causes of strained voice from singing and the best
solutions for a more relaxed throat!
Keep on watching!
Hi, I am Katarina from How 2 Improve Singing.
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If you are experiencing a strained throat from singing, you are not alone.
It’s actually quite common to feel vocal strain, especially when you are at the beginning
of your singing journey.
But vocal tension is no stranger to seasoned singers either.
If your throat feels tight when singing and don’t know how to relax throat muscles,
by the end of this video, you will know exactly why this is happening to you and most importantly,
you will have a better idea how to avoid straining your voice when singing and keep it healthy
for a long time to come.
What is vocal strain?
First of all, let’s clear out some things.
When people talk about vocal strain or a strained voice, they may refer to two different types
of problems.
First, they may be talking about strained vocal folds.
This is a more serious problem when the focal folds change their structure and the voice
quality changes.
You may sound hoarse or in severe cases, you may even lose your voice completely for a
few days.
The second type of vocal strain refers to strained throat muscles inside and around
your larynx.
During healthy and efficient singing, the vocal folds come together without the engagement
of other muscles.
However, singers sometimes add unnecessary muscle action to help produce sounds, especially
high notes or loud notes.
In this case, your voice may still have good quality but tight throat muscles may eventually
lead to vocal fold injuries.
Some vocal strain symptoms in this case may include discomfort, growing tightness, or
uneasy feeling of a closed throat.
It is challenging to move from one register to another, which means that singing high
or low seems difficult.
Your voice tires easily and it may be difficult to sing for prolonged periods of time.
Your voice sounds thin and dampened because the muscles are stiff and the resonating spaces
are small.
In more severe cases, you can feel muscle pain or even become hoarse.
So, whether you strain your vocal folds or your throat muscles when singing, you want
to eliminate tension from your singing.
Period.
Now, let’s talk about causes and some solutions for more relaxed throat muscles.
There are many reasons why you may be straining but essentially, it all boils down to three
most common reasons.
Cause #3 is probably most common.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
Cause #1: Too much muscle action If you are singing at higher intensity levels
than what you are used to, you can experience straining.
Even if you are using good technique, you may end up with sore throat because your muscles
are not conditioned to work this hard.
This can happen when you don’t warm up your voice, or when your amplification system fails
and your voice has to compete with the band or background noise, or when you change your
repertoire to high intensity songs.
The solution for these problems is fairly easy.
Condition your voice for high intensity tasks gradually.
Don’t go from zero to 100%.
Go from 0 to 5 %, then 10% and so on and slowly build up your vocal strength and endurance.
Always warm up and double check your amplification system.
Cause #2: Muscle action for too long Similarly, to the previous cause, if you sing
for longer periods of time than what your voice is used to, you can create muscle tension.
In the comments below, let me know if this ever happened to you.
Did you strain your voice because you sang too much, more than what you are used to?
This scenario is common during special seasons, like Christmas holidays, when singers have several
performances lined up one after another.
Too much caroling.
This type of strain is also very common with up-and-coming artists who are suddenly asked
to sing much more than what their vocal instruments are used to.
Add emotional stress to this equation and vocal strain is born.
Again, the solution is quite straightforward.
Gradually prepare your vocal instrument for higher demands ahead of time.
Also, make sure that you schedule voice breaks and vocal rests.
For example, if you know that you have 3 performances and 2 rehearsals in a weekend, make sure that
you schedule silent or quiet periods during that weekend too.
And skip the after party to preserve your voice.
Cause 3: Unnecessary muscle movement The most common cause of vocal strain, especially
in untrained voices, is poor vocal technique.
When we sing, only certain muscles should be moving in order to produce sound.
However, untrained singers may employ other muscles that are not necessary for singing
and sound production.
The biggest offenders are the jaw, tongue, and neck muscles, but also shoulders and abdomen.
Sometimes, singers falsely believe that singing should feel or look certain way.
An example of that is unnecessary jaw movement when singing.
Sometimes, singers don’t have enough experience or knowledge to recognize what’s healthy
and what is not.
This may include moving the head when singing high notes or lifting shoulders when inhaling.
Other times, inexperienced singers choose inappropriate repertoire, which is out of
reach for their current skills.
Or they imitate the wrong models who strain their muscles too.
And very often, singers are simply not aware of what is going on in their own bodies when
singing.
Some examples of straining are quite obvious and observable.
But more often than not, unnecessary movements are hidden and not readily visible.
The solution is a long-term solution.
It starts with self-awareness and continues with developing good vocal and breathing technique.
It starts with education – learn what singing should feel and look like.
Choose good models to learn from, singers who produce tension free sounds and have good
technique.
Have realistic expectations - good singing technique does not happen over time.
Sing repertoire that you are ready for.
Don’t go straight for the most challenging songs, like ...
But what can YOU do right now to start singing without straining?
Start building good breathing technique that will take pressure away from your throat.
Learn how to breathe from a low place and how to connect the breath to your voice.
I have some breathing exercises that will help you with that.
Click the link here or under the video, to learn more.
And in my next video, I will share 3 very specific exercises that will help you sing
without straining your throat.
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I will see you in my next video.
Happy singing!