Can You Decrease Vocal Fatigue and Swelling…Even After Singing For Hours?

Posted In Singing Tips | 20 comments

Wait…I Know About Vocal Warm Ups, But What’s A Vocal Warm Down?!

If you’ve read much of what I’ve written, then you know how important I think vocal warm-ups are. But what about vocal warm downs? What is that? And is it really important? And if so, what is the benefit?

As you may know, vocal warm-ups are essential to warming up and waking up your voice. But what about after you have sung for an extended period of time, and your voice is a little bit tired?

Is there something that can be done to help soothe it and decrease the amount of potential swelling in your vocal cords?

The answer is, ‘Yes!’

When I get finished with a longer performance or even an extended vocal warm up and vocal strengthening regimen, sometimes my voice feels a little tired and is even slightly hoarse. This often happens when I perform for a couple of hours doing a couple of different music sets.

And this is particularly common when I haven’t paid a lot of attention to my vocal technique (yep, even I do that!) but sing mainly just out of passion and maybe push or force a little too much.

So when this happens, what I do is about 30 to 60 seconds of vocal warm downs.

Vocal warm downs are similar to warm-ups where you can do lip rolls or tongue trills or hum with a closed mouth kind of exercise, but instead of starting low and going into your higher range, you do just the opposite. You starting your high range and just allow it to slide and descend down into your lowest range and then repeat by starting up top again.

My favorite to do our lip rolls, because I can do these undetected with my mouth mostly closed and without a ton of volume. That way I can do my vocal warm downs while I’m packing up my guitars and gear, without people looking at me like I’m strange.

The overhead music usually drowns me out!

So the next time you sing your heart out and your voice feels a bit fatigued just take a minute or two to do a quick vocal warm-down routine and I promise you that your voice will thank you the next day!

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As always, I love hearing from you, so leave me a comment or question, and I’m really good about posting a quick response.

 

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Leave A Reply (20 comments so far)


  1. Bob
    500 days ago

    Good morning Aaron, I’m having my wife set up scales on a tape for me. I’ll then do my voice strengthening twice daily in the car. thanks for the tips. Bob


    • Aaron Anastasi
      500 days ago

      Bob,

      That’s great, man! Glad to hear it. Nothing will help you more than consistently doing your vocal warm ups and vocal strengthening exercises.

      Aaron


  2. shaneka
    482 days ago

    Hi Aaron,thank you for the tips, my mother is a crazy singer and she wants me to be like her so am asking for all your help. Thanks again for those tips!!!!!!!!!!!
    Shaneka


  3. Collins k
    392 days ago

    What about nutrition?what can nutrition do to me as a singer?


    • Aaron Anastasi
      391 days ago

      Collins,

      Nutrition has a ton to do with it. In fact, one of the products that I have, along with my 8-week, systematic course (‪http://www.howtosing.com/best-vocal-training-program‬) is 15-page vocal health manual. Too much to leave here as a comment, but avoiding sugars and drinking lots of water to keep your voice hydrated are a couple of the major things.

      Good luck to you!

      Aaron


  4. Elizabeth
    372 days ago

    People always tell me that I have an excessive vibrato (my voice shakes a lot when singing) and that I tend to pull back the sound coming out of my mouth. This happens when I change from chest to mix or even head voice. Apparently, the positioning of the larynx to achieve the register change is what causes that voice pull back. I don’t notice it but I have been told that I kind of swallow my voice. How do I fix this? Please help.

    Elizabeth


    • Aaron Anastasi
      371 days ago

      Elizabeth,

      Hmm, with something like that I’d really have to hear you sing to figure out what is going on. Are you wanting to sing Pop but come from a background of classical? Is that where the ‘excessive vibrato’ comes from? It sounds to me like you’re holding back, trying to keep your vibrato under control, and in doing so, your not singing out but ‘swallowing’ your voice. That may be too simplistic of an explanation, but, again, I would need to hear you.

      I wish you all the best.

      Have you had a chance to check out my 8-week, systematic course, by the way? I think that you will go a long way toward correcting any difficulty you’re having as you work through the course. If you want to find out more about it, check out this link.

      http://www.howtosing.com/sing-better-fast-ssm/

      And, there’s nothing wrong with a good bit of vibrato, depending on your target audience.

      Aaron


  5. giselle
    367 days ago

    hey aaron , you’ve given me lot of tips to improve my singing thank you soooo much……..
    but what i’m having problem with is the vibrato……..i can’t do if i try my pitch is very low it also made me think of giving up soo could it have to do with my vocal health or something???? help me and believe what you say i ‘ll definately do i totally respect you as a singer !!!!!


    • Aaron Anastasi
      367 days ago

      Giselle,

      Let’s see. I couldn’t know for sure without hearing you, but what I can do is point you in a couple of directions.

      First, here is a YouTube video where I give some of the basics of singing vibrato: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_14SLuVYYzQ

      Also, here is my 8-week, step by step, video course, Superior Singing Method, which would give you a much more in depth approach to your entire singing ability, which will naturally address and correct your vibrato issue. You can find the course here, if you’d like to find out more. 

      http://www.howtosing.com/sing-better-fast-ssm/

      I also put together a video mini course on vibrato that I’ll just give you, if you shoot me your email address, and if I can find it. :)

      Hope that helps!

      Aaron


  6. Bridgett
    343 days ago

    Ummmm hi im 13 and im not shure where to start I watched some of your YouTube vids but I dont know where to begin I know my parents would flip.if they knew about me trying this but its my dream. I have a problem singing around other people cuz I mess up. So what should I start with and how do I over come my nevrenous of singing in front of to many people??


  7. the kingpin
    335 days ago

    yo Aaron wassup bruh??great tips ’round here yo gotta admit with no doubt..but i gotta ask u some tip for my vocals as in doin rap-songs recording,talkin with ppl outside,or within my friends,and the dopest at night after drinkin a bit water and talkin plus freestylin all alone..nobody alone..and when u wake up u know how it iiiiss…rouged..like sooo much.point is…they alll sound different…so..how can i eliminate all this routine illusions of tiiiimes and crash ‘em all at one tone..plus i wanna raise my voice..how can i do that man?


    • Aaron Anastasi
      333 days ago

      You have a couple options. I’ve got a bunch of videos up on my YouTube channel (howtosingdotcom) that can help you, but if you really want to improve quickly, in a step by step kind of way, I’ve got an 8-week, intensive program that you can find out more about here: http://www.howtosing.com/sing-better-fast-ssm/. That’s the best way I know how to help. I spent a few years developing and refining this course and this method to help people just like you, Kinpin. :)


  8. Cody
    318 days ago

    Thank you for this guide. I am currently in two different choirs and I have trouble with my voice sometimes because I over use it. I find this information very helpful and maybe it will address my issue, I also found that drinking lemon juice helps so much. I hope that with proper training I will become a great singer. I have to sing a solo for my final next semester. Wish me luck.


    • Aaron Anastasi
      316 days ago

      Good luck to you, Cody! I’m glad you found the information helpful. :)

      I’ve got a bunch of videos up on my YouTube channel (howtosingdotcom) that can help you, but if you really want to improve quickly, in a step by step kind of way, I’ve got an 8-week, intensive program that you can find out more about here: http://www.howtosing.com/sing-better-fast-ssm/.


  9. shinyboy180
    316 days ago

    i could sing but not with that grate singing voice


  10. Mikayla
    293 days ago

    Thanks! These help a lot! I’ve been trying to get prepared early for an audition next spring and these tips have really been helping my voice. Do you have any recommendations for audition songs?