Do you suffer from vocal tension?
In all honesty, we all have some form of tension in our vocal instruments.
It’s inevitable.
Therefore, in this video, I am going to show you 5 steps to a more relaxed throat.
I’ll show you how you can use laryngeal massage to make your throat feel great again.
Keep on watching.
Hi, I am Katarina from How 2 Improve Singing.
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If you experience vocal tension and you don’t know how to get rid of it, by the end
of this video, you’ll learn how to administer a self massage in 5 steps so that your voice
feels free and relaxed again.
Famous opera singers, or singers like Shawn Mendes or Sam Smith use laryngeal massage
techniques on a regular basis.
So, now it’s your turn.
We will cover all of the Ws: who, when, where, why, what and how.
That sounds like a lot but just watch and follow the video, you don’t need to take
notes because at the end, I will give you a laryngeal massage handout.
Let’s start.
First of all: What is laryngeal massage?
There are many names for this type of therapy: vocal massage, digital laryngeal massage,
vocal cord massage, massage for singers, larynx massage, circumlaryngeal massage, manual tension
reduction and many more.
They all basically mean that a specialist trained in these laryngeal massage voice therapy
techniques is using hands to treat your larynx by touching it and manipulating it.
In this video, I am going to show you a self administered massage of the larynx.
I recommend that you do the massage yourself because the front of the neck and throat is
a tricky area.
Many certified massage therapists avoid this area all together because it houses some major
blood vessels.
However, if you use self massage techniques, you can control the pressure applied to your
neck, you can change it or you can stop whenever it does not feel good.
You can do a few seconds of it or a few minutes.
Only do what is comfortable for you.
Apply pressure that feels right for you and stop when you’ve had enough.
I do not recommend letting other people massage your throat unless they are specifically trained
in these techniques.
Who is laryngeal massage for?
There are many singers and voice users who strongly believe in laryngeal massage.
They regularly self massage neck and throat or they even go to special clinics and have
their larynx worked on for hours.
Like Shawn Mendes who swears by it. Right Shawn?
Then, on the other side of the spectrum, we
have people who are very protective of their necks.
I used to be one of them.
These people are very sensitive to touch, which may even trigger a gag reflex.
So, if you are one of them, just know that it’s normal and you are not alone.
There is a huge variability in how much touch and pressure a person can tolerate on the
neck and throat area.
Therefore, laryngeal massage techniques are not for everyone.
Also, bear in mind that these techniques are not a magical cure it all approach.
It should be a part of a more comprehensive approach, including healthy vocal technique,
solid breath work skills, and overall good vocal hygiene.
So, if you have been experiencing serious vocal problems, like chronic hoarseness, sudden
loss of voice or changes in voice quality without any obvious reasons, you need to visit
a voice specialist.
Be honest with yourself, laryngeal massage alone will not cure your voice problems.
Let’s move onto another W: When to use laryngeal massage?
In this video, I am going to show you a light version of laryngeal self massage lasting
a few minutes.
This version is suitable for any healthy singers or voice users who has signs of vocal tension.
Sometimes, these signs are obvious, like pain in the neck, the sensation of tightness when
singing, tension in jaw or tongue or even a headache.
Then, there are less obvious signs, like tired voice, breathiness, hoarseness, or a temporary
loss of the ability to sing high notes.
These signs would indicate that your voice has been used more than it is conditioned
to and there is some tension present in the vocal instrument.
Therefore, some type of vocal massage techniques may be helpful to ease the tension.
Why would you want to massage your larynx?
You may know that your voice box is surrounded by many muscles.
Some of them are on the surface and these are the muscles that you have access to.
Some people call them circumlaryngeal muscles, hence the name circumlaryngeal massage.
Tension in these so called extrinsic muscles can cause tension inside your larynx, which
will affect the voice quality and ease of sound production.
It can also cause your larynx to sit in a higher position, which of course is not desirable
for most singers and voice users.
So, basically if you release tension from the superficial muscles of the larynx, you
improve the function of the inside muscles, including the vocal cords.
Throat massage improves sound production, which becomes easy and free.
Simple as that.
Now, let’s talk about where and how.
If you are ready, just do the massage with me.
Step 1: Sit on a comfortable chair and establish an
optimal body alignment.
Make sure that the chin is parallel with the floor and you are not lifting the chin up
or pressing it down onto your larynx.
First, we are going to locate a small bone underneath your chin, called the hyoid bone.
This is a U-shaped bone which is the only bone in your body that is not attached to
another bone but it is connected to other structures, including your larynx, with ligaments
and muscles.
So, let’s find the hyoid bone together.
With your thumb and pointer, find a bony structure right below your chin.
Take your time to find it.
Just search for something that feels like a bone.
If you swallow it will move up.
So gently search for it.
Once you locate the hyoid bone, gently move it from side to side.
If you have a lot of tension, especially in your tongue, it may be more challenging to
move it.
Step 2: Keep your fingers on the sides of the hyoid
bone that we located in the previous step.
With circular motion and light pressure, start massaging these two points.
Continue for a few seconds or longer if you can tolerate it.
How do you like this massage so far?
Let me know in the comments below.
Comment with GOOD, if you are liking it so far.
Moving onto step 3: Step 3:
Now, let’s move a little bit down from the hyoid bone onto the thyroid cartilage.
That is the biggest cartilage in your larynx.
Men will have no problem finding the peak of the thyroid cartilage because it is their
Adam’s apple.
Ladies, you may need to take more time to locate it because it is not as prominent as
in men but we still have it.
If you move your finger down from the hyoid bone, the thyroid cartilage is the next hard
structure that you feel.
You can also recognize it by its flat sides that meet in the front and form the Adam’s
apple.
Once you locate it, take your thumb and your pointer and put them on either side of the
thyroid cartilage, your throat.
We are going to apply light pressure and massage it with a downward movement of the fingers.
I find this very relaxing.
By massaging in this way, we are releasing tension and bringing the larynx down.
Keep massaging it for as long as you feel comfortable.
Step 4: In this step, we are going to gently wiggle
the thyroid cartilage from side to side.
This may be uncomfortable for some of you.
If you have lots of tension, then this may be even challenging as you will work against
some resistance.
Apply only slight pressure, whatever feels comfortable.
Be gentle with your throat.
You may feel sort of “clicking”, which is normal.
This just means that the cartilages are rubbing against each other.
And while we are doing this step, let me remind you that I have other videos about how to
relax throat muscles, so don’t forget to check out these video after you are done this
massage.
I will link to them at the end of the video and in the description below.
Step 5: The final step is still around the thyroid
cartilage.
With your thumb and your pointer, do small circular motions on the sides of the thyroid
cartilage.
From the front to the back.
You can do this step silently or you can even gently hum when doing this step.
And do this for as long as it feels comfortable and relaxing.
You can repeat this 5-step sequence for a few minutes every day if you can tolerate
it.
Or you can perform the massage sequence occasionally, for example after a vigorous vocal practice
or performance.
Now, this may feel like a lot of information.
So, let me give you a laryngeal massage handout with all of the instructions and pictures.
Click this link right here or the link below the video, to get the handout.
But before you go, don’t forget to like this video, click the red subscribe button
and the bell icon to stay in touch.
I will be posting more videos on the topic of vocal strain and tension and how to get
rid of it, as well as other tips on healthy signing.
Don’t go too far!
Hope to see you in my next video!
Happy singing!