It's so frustrating when your vocal cords are weakened by colds, allergies, dryness, age, overuse, or underuse. Producing a strong, free sound seems next to impossible. Singing may be uncomfortable, your sound may be airy, raspy or tight, and it can be hard to stay in tune or reach high notes.
I've coached thousands of singers, and I've learned which sounds and techniques work best to bring your voice back if it has been weakened by illness, fatigue or irritation. Many of the same sounds and techniques work well whether you are a beginning or a pro singer (or somewhere in-between), and whether you are dealing with vocal fatigue, illness, age, or dryness.
Most of the "how to sing" methods on the market are geared towards singers with young healthy vocal cords. The Vocal Recovery Warmup is designed for singers with challenged voices, singers for whom a slower, gentler approach is needed. These singers include:
• Singers with colds or allergies
• Singers with vocal fatigue from too much singing, improper singing, or singing when sick
• Beginning singers
• Older singers with dry, crackly, or wobbly voices
• Singers recovering from an emotional or physical trauma
• Returning singers who are rusty
• Singers taking meds that dry the vocal cords
• Singers coping with environmental factors like smoky bars or air conditioning
• Post-menopausal singers
• Singers in the midst of intense tours or recording sessions
...or anyone else who wants a gentle, easy vocal warm up.
The Vocal Recovery Warmup is a five part method designed to help bring your voice back. Experienced or trained singers can use it when they are dealing with colds, allergies, dryness or vocal fatigue. Beginning, returning, or older singers can use the warmup to slowly and safely build vocal strength and knowledge.
The Vocal Recovery Warmup download includes:
• Over 100 minutes of audio singing lessons and exercises.
• A 52 page ebook, updated in 2019.
Click here to see the Table of Contents. Just below that is the chapter How to Use the Warmup from the ebook, which includes an overview of the five different parts of the warmup.
The audio files include step-by-step instructions and dozens of vocal exercises. The Part 1 exercises are very easy, perfect if you are a beginning singer or have a very challenged voice. The Part 2 exercises cover a bit more range and difficulty, and are a good starting place if you only have mildly challenged vocal cords. Each subsequent part gradually increases in difficulty and range. As you improve you can move on to the next part and continue to build more strength and range. The ebook explains how to use the warmup successfully depending on your particular vocal challenge, and dives deeper into vocal technique, vocal cord health and more. It includes specific information for working with fatigued, sick, dry, weak or older voices. At some point you will grapple with one of these vocal issues. That makes The Vocal Recovery Warmup a useful part of every singer's toolkit.
While using the warmup you’ll learn which sounds and techniques to use when you’re singing with a cold or allergies. You’ll learn to recognize when you’re singing correctly and building strength, and when you’re wearing out your voice. You’ll learn troubleshooting tricks to free up your voice when you feel stuck, and you'll learn how to avoid many vocal problems in the future.
The slower, gentler approach of the warmup is also ideal if you are a beginning, returning, or older singer who wants to learn vocal technique and build or rebuild your vocal strength slowly and safely. The essentials of good singing technique are all covered: breathing, posture, facial resonance, tongue and mouth position, throat relaxation and more.
Exercises are great for building strength and technique, but eventually you'll want to sing songs. The Vocal Recovery Warmup also includes three versions of the song "Wade in the Water", along with instructions on how to easily and safely transition from singing the exercises to singing songs.
Click here for frequently asked questions.
Please note: if you have laryngitis and have no voice at all, you need to wait until you can produce some sound before using the warmup. If you have nodules, cysts, or polyps on your vocal cords or if you are post-op for any of these conditions, you should work with a professional one-on-one as you recover. Please read the first two questions and answers pertaining to this on the FAQS page.
