Truth or Myth The Reality Behind 6 Common Tips for Singers

Truth or Myth The Reality Behind 6 Common Tips for Singers Sign up successful Myth: Drinking Milk (Or Eating Chocolate) Will Ruin Your Voice Fact: Unless You Have Acid Reflux, You Can Have Your Milk Have you ever swallowed something and commenced a loud coughing fit because it “went down the wrong tube”? That correctly implies that we have two tubes in our throats (one for air and one for food).  We are built so that food does not touch our vocal cords. The esophagus transports food and the trachea transports air. Unless you have a condition such as Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) â€" wherein stomach acid and food re-enters your esophagus and leaks past your epiglottis into your vocal tract â€" enjoy that glass of milk. Myth: You Sing From Your Throat Fact: You Sing Using A Whole Lot of Stuff Saying that a singer sings “from the throat” or even “from the diaphragm” is an oversimplification. It’s like saying that a flute can make noise by itself. A singer is a complicated, protean instrument with a power source (air), a sound maker (the vocal cords and the muscles that control them), and a resonator (the face and vocal tract). There are a myriad of parts involved in this process, from the intercostal muscles to the tongue to the soft palate. Myth: The Voice Is Strong and Can Take Lots of Abuse Fact: Your Vocal Cords are Tiny and Need TLC Vocal cords are squishy, miniscule, and helpless. They are made of mucous membrane (a soft tissue) stretched between muscles. Adult male vocal cords are about the length of a quarter; adult female vocal cords are about the length of a dime.  When you sing or speak improperly (e.g. yell in loud restaurants or sports games), your vocal cords slam together. There is only so much of this your poor little cords can take before bumps, calluses (nodules), or even bloody hemorrhoids form. So, if you think your voice is invincible, think again. Myth: If I Take Voice Lessons For A Month I Will Know Everything About Singing Fact: No One Knows Everything About Singing Expecting to know everything about singing after a few lessons is like expecting to know everything about cooking after taking a few cooking classes. There is always more to learn, even for the best chefs (and singers) in the world. Myth: If My Throat Hurts, A Special Concoction of Lemon Water, Tea, Honey, and Herbs Will Cure Me Fact: If Your Throat Hurts, Baby It There are a million reasons your throat could hurt. Illness, abuse, allergies, environmental factors, and medical conditions abound. Instead of trying to find a “magic pill” (here’s a little secret: there isn’t one), rest your voice the same way you would rest your leg if you hurt it. This is one of the most important tips for singers. Stay hydrated, get enough sleep, and use a humidifier in dry climates for a speedy recovery. Myth: Cough Drops are Good For Vocal Cords Fact: Mentholated Cough Drops are Bad for Vocal Cords Menthol, the active ingredient in most cough drops, numbs your throat. It’s just like taking a painkiller to mask pain from an injury. The injury isn’t gone; you just don’t feel it (and are therefore more likely to do further damage). Menthol can also be drying, which is the last thing you want if you have a sore throat. Stick to normal candy (glycerin coats the throat as well as any cough drop) or cough drops with pectin as the active ingredient. The biggest myths about singing probably evolved from people who genuinely wanted to sing well. Learning which common beliefs and tips for singers  are true â€" and which ones are false â€" helps you focus on actually improving your vocal health and technique. Toss those mentholated cough drops, enjoy that morning cup of coffee guilt-free, and work with a qualified voice teacher to see real results. Elaina R. teaches opera voice and  singing in Ann Arbor, MI, as well as through online lessons. She is currently  working on a Master of Music at the University of Michigan, and she has a B.M. from the University of Southern California.  Learn more about Elaina here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo by  Shandi-lee Cox