8 MORE WAYS TO RUIN YOUR SINGING VOICE & CAREER

Professional & aspiring singers must take excellent care of the voice to maintain it in optimum condition. In the previous article, ‘8 ways to ruin your singing voice & career’, I have discussed the following habits that can harm a singer’s voice.

1. Misuse & abuse your voice when you speak 

2. Do not warm up your voice before singing 

3. Avoid taking vocal coaching & training 

4. Push your voice beyond its existing limits 

5. Sing music that does not suit your voice 

6. Sing & speak over background noise 

7. Tire yourself out 

8. Teach music 

Here are 8 more habits that can harm your voice & shorten your career. Being aware of them & avoiding them will contribute to a healthy & vibrant voice, and a long & successful career.

9. Smoke, Chew Tobacco, Use Shisha & Hookah 

The adverse effects of tobacco are scientifically documented. Tobacco consumption in any form affects your health & voice. Cigarettes, cigars, beedis, gutkha, hookah & sheesha contain not only nicotine but harmful chemicals like tar, carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide. In the short term, smoking irritates the lining of the vocal folds & produces inflammation (redness & swelling) of the vocal folds. It reduces the capacity of your lungs. Chewing gutkha & tobacco containing products causes submucous fibrosis, which restricts the movement of the jaw & mouth. The long- term health consequences of smoking & tobacco chewing include cancer of the larynx (voice-box) & lungs, emphysema, cancers of the throat & mouth and heart disease, among others.

10. Drink alcohol 

Alcohol affects the voice in many ways. It dehydrates the body & vocal folds. As a result, the mucous membranes or lining of the mouth, throat and vocal folds become dry. Dehydrated vocal folds are more prone to developing vocal injuries & disorders. Alcohol causes acid reflux, which affects the voice. [for more information refer to the article- Effects of Acid Reflux on the Voice & How to Prevent it]. Excessive consumption of alcohol affects muscle co-ordination, which affects the fine tuning of the vocal instrument. Alcohol reduces sensory input and affects your vocal technique. Intoxication caused by excessive alcohol reduces your inhibition & vocal control, and the singer may end up pushing the voice beyond its limits, causing vocal injuries. Alcohol dependence affects the discipline required for a successful career as a singer.

11. Don’t watch what you eat 

Spicy & oily food, excessive consumption of alcohol and caffeine in coffee, colas, & chocolates lead to acid reflux - stomach acid spilling over into your larynx. As a result, there is inflammation - swelling & redness of the lining of the throat and vocal folds. Caffeine and alcohol also dehydrate the vocal folds, making them prone to vocal injuries. Other habits that cause acid reflux include eating late at night, lying down immediately after a meal, and singing on a full or an empty stomach. Eat small, healthy & frequent meals.

                                   Dr. Sadhana Nayak M.S [Otolaryngology], D.O.R.L

12. Use recreational or lifestyle drugs 

Singers may use recreational or lifestyle drugs because of the stress involved in a career as a performer. Cocaine which is often used by performers can damage the lining of the nose, throat & larynx. It can affect the nervous system, reducing sensory awareness, decreasing vocal control and increasing the tendency towards abusive vocal habits. Marijuana, alcohol & barbiturates also have similar effects.

13. Avoid Exercise 

Singing is comparable to an athletic activity. It requires an aligned body & spine, respiratory conditioning, vocal flexibility, range & power, and good general health. More so, if singing is combined with dancing and acting. Indian singers often sit for long hours while practicing or teaching music. Maintaining appropriate body weight and regular aerobic workout combined with exercises for muscle tone, strength & flexibility, contribute to vocal health. Daily practice of breathing, resonance, vocal, & speech exercises is essential, regardless of whether you are an accomplished or amateur singer.

14. See your voice doctor only when your voice is damaged beyond repair 

Many singers delay seeing a doctor till their voice worsens. Sometimes they wait till just a few days before their performance to seek medical help. Adequate time between a doctor’s visit and an impending performance improves the chances of full recovery as it gives sufficient time for effective medical care. Performing with a vocal problem or injury can have deleterious effects on the voice. Early diagnosis & preventive care contribute to long term vocal health and save a lot of wear & tear on the voice.

15. Prescribe your own medicines 

Singers often self- medicate. They treat every sore throat as a throat infection and start themselves on inappropriate antibiotic treatment. Inadequate antibiotic therapy leads to resistant throat infections. Indian singers often use over-the- counter Ayurvedic & herbal preparations without consulting a doctor. It is important to seek medical advice for throat & voice related problems. Singers need to be aware that antihistamines, aspirin, antidepressants, medication used for hypertension & many other medicines adversely affect the voice by causing dryness or haemorrhage of the vocal folds.

16. Choose the wrong singing teacher 

The field of musical training in India is largely unorganized . Most light or Bollywood singers train in Hindustani (North Indian) classical singing. The vocal quality, tone, nuances & aesthetic requirements of light singing are different from traditional classical singing. Although it gives them a foundation in singing, some of them have difficulties transcending the differences. If you are a beginner, don’t take lessons from ‘any teacher down the street’, unless you know their background & capability as a teacher. A good singer may not necessarily be a good teacher. Don’t continue learning from a teacher if you feel he or she is not right for you. If your throat hurts or voice turns hoarse after voice lessons, it is a signal that you are harming your voice. Find the right teacher depending on the style of music you want to develop. If you are a beginner, avoid taking singing lessons in a group, as you might end up damaging your voice.

About Dr. Sadhana Nayak

Dr. Sadhana Nayak is a Mumbai based vocal medicine & E.N. T specialist and a voice coach for professional and artistic voice users. She has trained in Hindustani classical singing. Dr. Nayak has worked with singers, vocal artistes, actors & professional speakers in India, the U.S. A & Asia, helping them optimize their voice and recover from vocal problems & disorders

Website: www.drsadhananayak.com

Email: drnayakvoice@gmail.com

Mobile: +919819752312

Timing: 11 a.m- 5 p.m

Power Speaking for Presentations

For most speakers, preparing for a presentation involves working on the content and power point slides. ‘What you say’ is important. But ‘How you say it’, is what transforms a good presentation into an excellent one. If you want to be perceived as a charismatic and memorable speaker, learn to prepare ‘Your- Self’ - your voice, breath, body and vocal delivery for presentations , so that you exude confidence & presence while speaking.

Preparing Your Voice, Breath, Body and Vocal Delivery for Presentations

• Tap into the full potential of your breath. Learn thoracoabdominal breathing – how to use the lower chest and abdomen (belly) effectively, to power your voice

• Develop healthy posture. Learn to keep your spine and body aligned.

• Practise exercises to keep your jaw and throat relaxed so that your voice sounds resonant and richer

• Find and use your optimal vocal pitch, which is usually in the lower half of your pitch range

• Practise speaking at the right pace so that you are not too fast or too slow. Learn to vary the pace at which you speak, so that you sound interesting

• Learn to use the right tone of voice so that you sound authoritative, credible and confident

• Practise articulation or speech exercises so that your words are clear & precise, and your audience receives your message

• Learn to stress on the right words, using pitch & volume variations and effective pauses, so that your audience can make meaning of what you are saying

                                      Dr. Sadhana Nayak M.S [Otolaryngology], D.O.R.L

• Practise effective intonation or voice modulation by using a combination of variations in pitch, volume, pauses, & the pace or speed at which you speak, to hold the attention of your audience

• Learn how to project your voice. Projection is a healthy and effective way of making yourself heard.

• Practise your vocal delivery regularly for a few days before the presentation. Your vocal delivery should empower your message & effectively convey your professional image

• Record your presentation and listen to it objectively. Check if you are sounding monotonous, unclear, shrill, breathy, nasal, too fast or slow, too soft or loud, and work on it

• Practise your presentation in front of a mirror. You will get to see & understand how you use your body and breathing for speaking

• Improvise every time you practise, so that you sound spontaneous. Develop a conversational and natural style of speaking.

• Take a few relaxed breaths, align your spine, center your body, before you start your presentation.

• Avoid holding your breath when you are planning what to say next.

• Learn to make effective use of pauses. Don’t use vocal fillers like ‘Uhm, Uh’. Breathe whenever you pause.

• Avoid using long sentences that will strain your breathing. Your audience will also find it difficult to understand you.

• Speak at a pace that is not too fast or slow. Vary your pace depending on your content.

• Make yourself interesting with vocal variations, often referred to as voice modulation.

• Warm up your voice regularly before every presentation.

• Avoid wearing high heels and waist hugging clothes, that squeeze your body & breath, and affect the alignment of your spine & body.

About Dr. Sadhana Nayak

She is a Mumbai based vocal medicine specialist and voice coach for professional and artistic voice users. She has trained business leaders, corporate speakers, actors, news anchors and singers in India and the U.S.A


Website : www.drsadhananayak.com

Email : drnayakvoice@gmail.com

Mobile : +919819752312

Timing : 11 a.m- 5 p.m

Effects of Acid Reflux on the Voice and how to Prevent It

Have you ever woken up in the morning, after a late-night dinner with a hoarse voice or pain in the throat? Do you often feel the need to clear your throat? You will be surprised to know that acid reflux or acidity, as it is commonly known, could be one of the reasons for these symptoms. Most people are familiar with common symptoms of acid reflux such as heart burn, burping or a sour taste in the mouth. What they are not aware of, is that acid reflux or laryngopharyngeal reflux often presents with symptoms related to the voice, throat and breathing.

What is Reflux Laryngitis or Laryngopharyngeal Reflux (LPR)? What causes it?

Laryngopharyngeal reflux or reflux laryngitis is swelling or inflammation of the lining of the throat and larynx (voice box). It occurs in those who suffer from GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), commonly referred to as acid reflux or acidity. Reflux laryngitis or LPR is caused by acid in the stomach backing up the esophagus (food pipe) into the throat. Since the larynx is located in the throat, at the junction of the windpipe (trachea)and food pipe (esophagus), reflux laryngitis usually produces symptoms related to the throat, voice and breathing which most people are not aware of.

There is scientific data, that shows that almost 60% of people, who suffer from GERD/acid reflux have laryngopharyngeal symptoms i.e symptoms in the voice and throat. In addition, some studies have pointed out that acid reflux, combined with smoking and alcohol use, increase the risk of cancers of the larynx and throat.

Dr. Sadhana Nayak M.S [Otolaryngology], D.O.R.L

Common symptoms of laryngopharyngeal reflux

The following are some of the common symptoms of reflux laryngitis

• Burning sensation in the throat
• Coughing
• Heartburn or burning sensation in the upper chest
• Sore throat or pain in the throat
• Need to clear the throat frequently
• Increase in the time taken to warm up the voice, usually noticed by singers
• Hoarse or rough voice, especially in the morning
• Sensation of lump in the throat or discomfort while swallowing
• Excessive mucus in the throat
• Bitter or acid taste in the mouth
• Bad breath
• Coated tongue
• Breathing problems sometimes resembling an asthmatic attack


How can laryngopharyngeal reflux be prevented or managed through dietary and lifestyle changes?

Considering the negative effects of acid reflux on the voice, throat and breathing, professional vocalists and vocal artistes including speakers, actors, singers and others are advised to follow a few simple measures, dietary and lifestyle changes, listed below, to conserve their voice. Diet and lifestyle modifications are usually effective in managing reflux laryngitis. However, if you continue to have symptoms suggestive of acid reflux, in spite of diet and lifestyle modification or use of over-the-counter antacids, seek medical advice.

• Eat small and frequent meals
• Increase fiber intake
• Reduce your intake of fats, spicy, oily and fried foods
• Avoid highly seasoned & processed foods
• Reduce the intake of caffeine containing products including coffee, cocoa and chocolates
• Avoid or reduce the intake of alcohol
• Stop consuming tobacco in any form including chewing gutkha and smoking
• Avoid strongly flavored candies, lozenges, breath fresheners
• Chew food properly.
• Avoid large dinners. Do not lie down for 2 to 3 hours after dinner.
• Elevate the head end of your bed at night, around 6 – 12 inches by placing pillows or a foam wedge under the mattress or bricks under the legs of the head end.
• Wear loose clothing. Avoid clothes that fit tightly across the middle of the body viz. girdles, belts
• Minimize activities that require heavy lifting or bending.
• Lose weight if you are overweight
• Stress can increase acid production. Learn strategies to manage stress. Maintain a relaxed attitude in your activities.

About Dr. Sadhana Nayak

She is a Mumbai based vocal medicine specialist and voice coach for professional and artistic voice users. She has trained business leaders, corporate speakers, actors, news anchors and singers in India and the U.S.A


Website: www.drsadhananayak.com
Email: drnayakvoice@gmail.com
Mobile: +919819752312
Timing: 11 a.m- 5 p.m

Are you projecting a positive and winning vocal image?

A positive vocal image is the secret of successful business, corporate & political leaders, and media personalities. The inflections, modulation, projection, energy & quality of your voice, and clarity of speech comprise your vocal image.   During verbal communication, your vocal image sends signals about who you are and helps your listeners decide whether they will continue to listen to your ideas & words and act on them. And all this happens in a few seconds at a subconscious level. It is well known that our appearance and how we present ourselves has an instant impact on the people we meet. What we are not aware of is that once the initial impact of our appearance has worn off, what stays with people is our vocal image.

Your vocal image is the instant impression that listeners form of you, based on the sound of your voice and it is an impression that stays with them. Your vocal image decides how your listeners perceive you and respond to you. Within 6-12 seconds of listening to your voice, your audience has assessed you and made up their mind about what kind of a person you are, and what they think & feel about you. They have already formed an impression about your personality, character and intellectual ability, and decided whether they will continue listening to you or mentally switch off.

Dr.  Sadhana Nayak M.S [Otolaryngology], D.O.R.L

Your vocal image defines your personal and professional image. It has the potential to make or break your career, since your listeners often draw conclusions about your ability and personality, based on the way you speak. In situations like job & promotion interviews, presentations & public speaking, client briefs, business & professional interactions, videoconferencing & telephonic communication, speaking as an expert on television or radio, your voice image helps you create a lasting first impression on your listeners in a short time. Studies have shown that people with an effective vocal image were considered more intelligent and attractive as compared to those who looked good but had a negative vocal image.

What is your vocal image saying about you?

We automatically associate voices with personalities. Following are a few examples of a negative vocal image and the personality traits attributed to the speaker, based on their vocal image:

•  High pitched, squeaky voice - Nervous, high strung, irritating, immature

•  Hard hitting voice - Aggressive

•  Nasal, whiny voice - Complainer

•  Curt staccato tone- Rude, unfriendly

•  Soft inaudible voice, mumbling - Introvert, shy, diffident

•  Overtly loud voice - Dominating, arrogant

•  Monotonous - Boring, uninteresting, dull

•  Upward inflections at the end of sentences - Indecisive, unsure

•  Shrill, piercing tone of voice - Irritating, pushy

•  Sing-song rhythm of speaking- Immature, childish

•  Fast pace of speaking -  Anxious

•  Slow pace of speaking with long pauses - Boring

•  Dropping sounds at the end of words & sentences – Careless, lazy

Is it possible to transform your vocal image?

It is possible to cultivate an effective voice image and convey the professional and personal image you desire. Almost 45-50% of professionals in urban India are dissatisfied with the sound of their voice. Most of them accept it as their natural voice, as they have always sounded like this, from as far back as they remember. This is not true.

You are born with a free, vibrant, clear and expressive voice, which is your authentic voice. Your physical vocal instrument involves various systems including your body, breathing, throat, mouth, vocal folds [vocal cords] and speech organs. We often develop negative vocal habits, patterns & tensions at each stage in the process of voice production, without being aware of it.  If you want to transform your vocal image, you must work on your vocal instrument to unleash the free, vibrant, clear and expressive voice that you were born with- your authentic voice. If you want to project a personal and professional image of confidence, credibility & authority, you need to unlearn all the vocal & physical habits and patterns, that restrict & limit your authentic voice. Voice science & medicine have made great progress in the last 20 years and we have a much better understanding of how the voice works and effective approaches to enhance your vocal image.

Most of us spend a lifetime, acquiring the necessary knowledge and expertise in our area of work. We also need to learn how to convey our personality & expertise through the right vocal image. Whether you are on stage or on camera, in the boardroom or at a client brief, it is a positive vocal image that helps you sound authoritative & credible, command attention, and connect with your listener.

Tips to Improve Your Voice for Public Speaking

While speaking, your most important tool is your voice. The impact your speech will have on people is very much influenced by your voice, and it can make its success or break it. Fortunately, with voice training for public speaking, you can train your voice and enhance the power of your voice. Similar to playing musical instruments, you can train your voice to improve your persuasiveness and power in any given speech or during conversations. All that is needed is some guidance. Even singers can benefit from voice coaching for singers.

Here are a few tips to improve your voice for public speaking:

1. Slow down. If you want your voice to have more authority and power, then speak more slowly. This way the listeners will have sufficient opportunity to contemplate and reflect on the things that you are saying. Speaking rapidly lowers the impacts of the words you say.

2. Use voice exercises. Human voice can be considered a type of muscle in our body. With proper exercise, it can be developed to be stronger. Many people who had weak voices have reached great heights and become powerful and confident speakers by focusing on voice training for public speaking and voice exercises.

3. Record phone conversations. Record your side of the conversations you have had and listen to them later. This practice can improve your mastery over your voice, as each time you listen to your conversations, will notice various ways in which you can improve your articulation and delivery for next time. 

Training your Voice, Speech and Body for Confident and Effective Communication

All the preparation in the world can go into a presentation. You can have an impressive PowerPoint, excellent content and wear your best suit. However, the words of your presentation or communication count for next to nothing if your voice squeaks, cracks, sounds monotonous, is tremulous or weak and it looks like you want to run from the room.

Training Your Self- your voice, speech and body, so that you can communicate fully and confidently, even when you are nervous or under pressure, is essential if you are a corporate or business speaker, professional or entrepreneur making a presentation, selling an idea or a product. Working on the quality, expressiveness, modulation, power, projection and tone of your voice, clarity of speech, and physical presence is a vital aspect of communication skills training. Vocal communication training is about tapping into who you are and seeing what you can bring to the communication moment. As a voice specialist and coach, I stress on the importance of consistency in the messages conveyed by the body, voice, words and language.

Dr Sadhana Nayak

For example, if your shaky, inaudible voice is saying ‘I’m terrified and I don’t want to be here’, or your monotonous voice fails to convey your message effectively while you are trying to sell a business strategy or get your dream job, your credibility is shot. To make matters worse, an audience or listener will take most of their information from your body and your voice, rather than the words or language you use. So even though the content of your presentation might be excellent, your body language and voice will attract a lot of unwanted attention, if they aren’t equally well prepared. Within the first few seconds of speaking, the audience decides whether they are going to continue to listen to you.

An increasing number of corporate leaders, business owners, professionals and entrepreneurs find that their voices let them down at meetings, presentations, media interviews, and are taking lessons to improve the way they sound. An authentic, free and flexible voice emanating from a relaxed body conveys confidence, increases your credibility, brings out your uniqueness and is essential to a good presentation or interview.

Prior to the 1950s globally and 1980s in India, voice training emphasized on developing an elocution based style of speaking which was very different from the integrated and organictechniques of voice training today. The style of training in the past imposed a system of speech that sounded artificial. The approach to voice training today is to develop an individualistic style of speaking that sounds credible, authoritative and conversational.

Voice training teaches you to look at the way you use your body and breathing when you speak. Your voice is your breath turned into vibrations. When you are anxious or nervous before a presentation, the resultant stress tenses up the muscles of your body and vocal system, squeezes your throat and makes your breath shallow. As a result you fail to effectively express your ideas and your uniqueness as an individual. Voice coaching initially involves an organic process to help iron out all the tensions, to release the breath, to find freedom and flexibility in the voice and to allow the full resonant flow of the voice. On achieving this, the focus of voice training shifts to learning how to highlight key words, develop the right rhythm and pace of speaking, vocal tone, modulation and projection to make an impact on the listener.

Most corporate and business speakers, I work with, say they don’t like the sound of their voice or they dislike listening to their voice on a recording or an answering machine, and yet did not seek help. Many believed that speaking well is a skill that just came naturally to some, who are leader material. Until recent years, people presumed that they were born with their voice and could do nothing to improve it. But it is not. There are skills involved, just as there are for actors, media professionals and singers. And it is possible for every individual to maximize the potential of their voice and speech for communication through effective vocal training.

   Website: www.drsadhananayak.com

   Email: drnayakvoice@gmail.com

   Mobile: +919819752312

   Timing: 11 a.m- 5 p.m