Singers: 5 Ways To Stop Shredding Your Vocal Cords

Do you ever wonder why singers get vocal problems and how to avoid them for yourself? Who wants to lose their voice and worse, end up having surgery? Does it happen to everyone eventually or can it be avoided? And doesn’t that just freak the bejesus out of you? It should.

It’s not so easy to be out on the road singing for a living and keeping your voice in great shape. Matter of fact, touring will pretty much deteriorate your voice over time. I often meet with touring singers who have blown out their voices from years on the road. It’s way more common than you think. But most of those singers never trained or didn’t get the right training or guidance. They just kept going until they burned out.

It’s not inevitable, but it’s highly probable that you could develop vocal problems if you don’t learn how to use and care for your voice. Your voice is an instrument inside your body and how you treat it and your body greatly affects your voice. There is a way to stay vocally healthy and free from strain with the right techniques and wellness adjustments to lifestyle and diet.

Your voice is not an instrument you can replace when a string when it breaks. Your vocal cords are irreplaceable. You only have one set, so you can either care for them or go down the road of deterioration that befalls so many singers. My vote is that you take the high road of prevention, preservation, and health for a long successful career. Stick with me, and you’ll learn exactly how.

I am often struck by how many stars suffer, and sometimes needlessly. Mostly it’s a matter of technique (or lack of), health, lifestyle, diet and daily care and hygiene.

You can pick up a ton of tips on my holistic recommendations to stay healthy or get your voice back in my Vocal Road Warrior Formula, but today I want to talk about vocal technique and preserving your voice while you sing. I want to teach you how to master your instrument and the key things to do to ensure that you never have to experience vocal problems of this magnitude. Of course, there is MUCH more than what I can present in this article, but I picked out the biggest contenders that cause issues as it relates to the technical voice.

Let’s take a quick peek at what some of these vocal problems are and how they develop.

Vocal abuse or misuse, such as excessive use of the voice when singing, talking, smoking, coughing, yelling, or inhaling irritants can cause abnormalities of the vocal cords, such as nodules, granulomas, polyps, or cysts. The difference between these abnormalities is mostly a function of what kind of tissue is involved. Symptoms of throat granuloma (and nodules & cysts) can be hoarseness, chronic throat clearing, throat pain, cough (sometimes with a little blood), and the feeling of having a lump in your throat. Surgery is a less optimal treatment for throat granuloma than vocal therapy, although “granulomas are often slow to regress,” according to NYU Voice Center’s Website.

Most disorders of vocal abuse and misuse are reversible. The best treatment is to identify and eliminate the vocal behavior that created the voice disorder. In many cases, a brief period of voice therapy is helpful so the individual can learn good vocal techniques, such as proper breath support for speech or eliminating high pressure at the vocal mechanism.

5 Ways to Stop Shredding Your Vocal Cords

1. Avoid coughing

Coughing shreds your vocal cords. When you have an infection, the body will naturally cough to get rid of it. The best remedy for this on the market is Bronchial Soothe with ivy leaf (available at Whole Foods). It’s the only remedy I’ve ever found that actually stops a vicious cough.

2. Stop using glottal attacks

Glottals’ happen when the edges of the vocal cords bang together in over-closure. This results from poor vocal technique. The way to avoid it is to add a soft “h” to the onset of words that begin with vowels, i.e.; “hh-everyone”, “hh-“I”; “hh-always”. It can happen in the middle of a word too: “st-ay”. A really good vocal coach can teach you more about how not to glottal, however, the operative word is “really good” vocal coach – most mid-level coaches do not have this kind of expertise and can even cause vocal problems like these.

3. Get your voice out of your throat

Speaking low in your throat can cause nodules and granuloma. Associate your voice with less pressure and move it higher into your mouth or head cavity. Speak higher in pitch and raise the soft palate to move out of the throat (Learn how to raise your soft palate in my Singers Gift Warmups and free your voice).

4. Stop talking so loud! Don’t yell or talk excessively for long periods of time

Yelling and speaking for a long time (especially over loud music) is an immediate burnout and can ruin your singing voice. But whispering is just as bad. If you know your speaking voice is a problem, find a speech therapist, or vocal coach that understands speech therapy to help you get back on track. Sometimes just stop talking until you feel better. Especially on tour.

5. How to have a healthy voice

To keep your voice in great shape and free from strain, the best solution is to find a great (not just a good) professional vocal coach who specializes in vocal health and recovery from strain (Cari Cole ;)),. You’ll want to find one who knows a thing or two about holistic approaches to speed you back to health. Make it non-negotiable to keep your speaking and singing voice healthy for life.

Keep your voice free of strain! Register at www.caricole.com and get your FREE GIFT: The Vocal Road Warrior: 3 part audio series on how to stay healthy on and off the road! We need you and your music!

Share this post

Categories

Hi, I’m Cari Cole.

You’ve got talent, but you want to become great at it. You’re in the right place! My mission is to help you refine your unique artist vision to bring to the world.

About Cari Cole

Cari Cole is the CEO / Founder of caricole.com and CCVM: Label Without Walls. She is a Holistic Vocal Coach, Artist Development Expert, A&R Director, and Songwriter based in New York City helping artists for the past 38 years. She is a mentor for Women in Music and The Association of Independent Music Publishers.

Her latest venture, CCVM a label services company, provides artists with a seamless path from creation to completion. After 30+ years of observing the overwhelm and challenges that artists face, Cari pulled together the best top creative professionals and designed a new approach to supporting our artists.

Disclaimer:
The information provided on Cari Cole's website is informational only and should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease. Those seeking personal medical advice should consult with a licensed physician. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health provider regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on Cari Cole's website. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room immediately.

Worried About Losing Your
Voice During a Performance?

In a few minutes you'll learn:

  • Where your voice rates on the vocal health scale
  • How to realign your voice and regain vocal health
  • How to stay healthy and vocally fit throughout your career

Get Your Free Vocal Health Quiz

A Gift from Holistic Vocal Coach, Cari Cole.

Assess your vocal health + get my proven techniques and holistic remedies to support your vocal health.

INSTANT ACCESS

FREE DAY TRIAL

FREE DAY TRIAL

... I’ll show you how to manifest your music and get on track to the career of your dreams.

Kickstart your craft + career with FREE access to my Step Up to the Spotlight Artist Development Program

30 Videos      30+ Worksheets      52 Week Artist Plan

Announcing a brand new experience...

Cari Signature_White

Presents:

VOCAL PERFORMANCE CIRCLE

8 weeks to your best performance, ever.

Ease. Execution. Excellence.

Cari Cole Vocal Coach Signature

free vocal workshop

The Power of the
Singing Voice

Thursday, May 4th at 2:30pm ET
*Limited seats available

Held LIVE on

Untitled design (3)

WORLD VOICE DAY

SAVe up to

50% OFF

ENDS APRIL 17!

Love yourself with a special gift...

VALENTINE’S DAY

SAVE UP TO

30% Off

ENDS FEBRUARY 15!

CCVM
Monthly Musician

MEMBERSHIP

CCVM

VOCAL
EXERCISES

CCVM

PROGRAMS

with Cari Cole

CCVM

PRIVATE
SESSIONS

with Cari Cole

Cari Cole Vocal Coach Signature
Cari Signature_White

Black Friday

SAVE UP TO

50% OFF

ENDS NOVEMBER 28!

CCVM
Monthly Musician

MEMBERSHIP

CCVM

VOCAL
EXERCISES

CCVM

PROGRAMS

with Cari Cole

CCVM

PRIVATE
SESSIONS

with Cari Cole

Back by popular demand!

Cari Cole Presents:

VOCAL FREEDOM CIRCLE

20 minutes a day.
3 months.
Your best voice ever.

*Program starts February 7 - April 10, 2024

By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions