Get A Better Broadcast, Podcast and Voice-Over Voice

2023.06.19 – 0900 – Confidence And Self-Esteem·        Lack of confidence – most of us have a fear of failure, but we can only survive and thrive by putting ourselves in a situation in which we are tested, and you can’t easily replicate being on air without actually being on air. You’re also more likely to experience performance anxiety if by nature you’re a ‘worrier’ and tend to get anxious or upset in everyday situations·        Lack of self-esteem – that we subconsciously seek immediate approval from the non-existent feedback loop, our perceived vulnerability – who we are, what we have to lose by making a mistake. Modesty is a virtue but self-effacement can be debilitating. Respect yourself, your subject and your audience to help you heighten the conviction in your communication of your unique perspective or experience. You may have an unhappy memory of a previous performance – which may itself have been because of some of the issues here, but maybe you didn’t cope (or weren’t helped to cope) in the best way, told it was “experience”, “a learning curve” or “these things happen”. None of which are terribly helpful. The incident may’ve led to comments by colleagues or threads on social which’ll be around ‘forever’, leading you to mull, muse and ruminate and giving yourself a metaphorical kicking. Not the greatest ingredients for confidence. We may be uncomfortable with how we sound or look. We hear ourselves differently from how others do, and evolutionarily, seeing ourselves in any way other than a reflection can still be disconcerting.[1] Additionally we don’t usually see ourselves close up and in HD, and the famous line that “the camera adds ten pounds”[2]. But remember, how you look and sound are only a surprise to you. Everyone else has known you like this for years, and they still accept you, know, like and trust you… [1] Seeing ourselves on a monitor is not like a reflection that we are ‘programmed’ to accept. For millions of years, we only saw how we looked in a reflection in still water, and then in mirrors. It was only comparatively recently in evolutionary terms that we saw ourselves from the perspective of how others see us, via still and then video cameras. [2] https://www.businessinsider.com/cameras-can-make-you-look-fat-2016-7?r=US&IR=T Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2023.06.18 – 0899 – Underlying Reasons For Mic FrightWhat the underlying reasons could be So, just why are some broadcaster-performers exhilarated and energized in front of the mic, while others feel a crushing sense of fear and dread, and sometimes see studio work as something that must be endured rather than enjoyed? These can be summed up by:[1]·        Lack of experience – you simply need more ‘on-air miles’ especially if you’re working with new people, especially ‘difficult’ or ‘famous’ people·        Lack of preparation - there hasn’t been much time to prepare, practise and rehearse. Maybe the live or recording is ‘high profile’ or ‘important’, perhaps technically or creatively challenging, (maybe a big audience, a major brand). And what of this prep? Perhaps you’ve set rigid and unrealistically high standards for yourself which you (or anyone else) would rarely be able to achieve.Even though you cannot rehearse for every specific sports match, news story or studio conversation, you can get prepared for them. For instance, watching previous matches and preparing notes on all the players will help, as will really listening to similar news commentaries and noting what is described and how, and swotting up on your adlibbing skills (check out episode 593 for more on this) [1] With reference to “Television and Radio Announcing”, SW Hyde, publ: Houghton Mifflin (1983) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2023.06.17 – 0898 – Causes Of Mic Fright So, what’s going on?Extreme nervousness is one of the most unpleasant experiences to go through: physical and mental suffering that, if you are a broadcaster, may be in public and recorded and be played back - not just in one’s mind but also on social media for years to come.  glossophobia/ˌɡlɒs.əˈfəʊ.bi.ə/ noun The fear of public speaking (speaking to a group of people)Deriv: Greek glosso- (tongue, language) + -phobia (fear).   “Year after year in the UK, glossophobia claims the top spot as Britain’s no. 1 phobia, repeatedly knocking ‘fear of death’ down into second position. ... At a funeral, the average Briton would rather be in the casket than deliver the eulogy.”Richard O. Smith; The Man with His Head in the Clouds; Signal Books; 2015. What situations may cause ‘mic fright’?Nerves are usually quite normal. Even so there are some situations that may cause anything from butterflies to freezing:·        A radio or TV presenter, used to studio work, being asked to present ‘on the road’ or on stage in front of ‘real people’·        The ‘mic live’ red light coming on (sometimes it’s called, perhaps understandably, the ‘dread light’), and the accompanying sweating armpits, and shallow breaths·        Even working in a different studio, with a different format or with breaking news, perhaps with a new producer or co-host – all of these can cause usually languishing Lepidoptera to awaken…·        The audience – its size (twelve people is perhaps less daunting than 200), its importance, and how familiar we are with the members[1]. Before you know it, there you are, face-to-face with paying clients from major corporations who are looking to you to bring their message to the masses·        The difficulty of the subject·        Your familiarity, or not with the scriptFeeling a need to impress, perhaps it’s an audition or your first day [1] The size of the audience that you are in a room with, also affects how deliberate your enunciation must be. That’s because different frequencies and different types of sound, carry over distances with differing degrees of efficiency. Combined with ‘room noise’ and clarity or otherwise of the public address system and any reverberation, it means that some crucial letters may be missed and some words merging into others. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2023.06.16 – 0897 – Studio Excitement ExcitementYes, finally, nervousness might be excitement in disguise[1]. Physiologically, they certainly have some of the same symptoms: knees shaking, heart racing, hands sweating, gut misbehaving… Nervousness is often seen as a negative experience to do with fear and potential survival, shying away from risks and limiting success. Excitement is a positive experience, in which we can take advantage of potential possibilities and opportunities by showing competence, enthusiasm and personality.  The difference is all in how you interpret the feelings. Swap nervousness in which you focus on what could go wrong, for excitement, and you’ll see what could go right and be advantageous. Again, some or all of these situations are potentially serious and may need to be addressed appropriately, but, like a mis-interpretation of ‘excited’ for ‘nervous’, it’s often best to take a moment and think of what is really going on, and the name for it, as a first step.  Because they are broadly similar with common roots, for the purposes of this podcast/book, let’s look at them in the round, under the heading of ‘Mic Fright’. This in no way dismissive of the seriousness of these thoughts and feelings, for which a qualified medical professional should be consulted. [1] At the Royal Northern College of Music, Professor Jane Ginsborg asks students to write down what it feels like to fall in love, then, much later, write down what it feels like to stand backstage moments before a performance. Love and fear seem like contrasting emotions, but the descriptions most students will write for each are eerily similar. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/sep/08/how-classical-musicians-cope-with-performance-stress Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2023.06.15 – 0896 – Studio Sensitivity Sensitivity to snarkiness Like a physical issue any underlying emotion can also be ‘heard’ in your voice: angry or anxious, stressed or depressed, walking on eggshells or on cloud nine, your voice won’t be natural unless you are ‘centred’. All of these situations manipulate your mindset: how do I feel, how do others see me, am I letting them see the ‘real me’? and will affect your hormones, your physical tension and your body language.  Your emotions might be affected by:A colleague’s clumsy comment: “are you nervous?”A stupid studio soundman: “that’s not quite right, dunno why, can you do it again?”The insensitive intern: “can I just stand behind you and watch?”The flaky friend on the phone: “you care more about your stupid show than you do about me!”The messed-up manager who can’t manage to manage: who only feeds back when you f-up Try and give your ‘mind > body > voice’ connection a ‘reset’ to improve your performance and beat the invisible enemy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2023.06.14 – 0895 – Studio Workaholism Workaholic-ismStress may come from being too focused on your mic work, at the expense of your family and friends, hobbies and health. If you have too much on your plate or are continually hunting around for scraps, then anxiety may be caused by being too laser-focused on working hard: being a workaholic. A versatile voice belongs to someone who is experienced in the world, not world-weary, who brings life experiences to the recording, not exhaustion from life. Seek a better balance to ease yourself out of the rat race. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2023.06.13 – 0894 – Studio Perfectionism  PerfectionismYou may get stressed in the studio because everything has to be ‘just so’: asking for take-after-take because the next one will “be the best one”; continually cogitating about the cadence of every sentence; editing and re-editing so much that your saved files have names like ‘final’, ‘final version 2’, ‘final version 3’, ‘final final edit’ and ‘final edit, this one’. Those with perfectionism set themselves unreasonable goals. Constantly striving for the very highest standards is good and honourable, but when perfectionists achieve less than that, they can be excessively hard on themselves and a vicious circle of worry and self-doubt can follow: getting stressed and depressed, with panic attacks and social anxiety. Instead, set smaller goals in shorter, more realistic timeframes – achievable steps on the road to greatness. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2023.06.12 – 0893 – Studio Imposter Syndrome Imposter syndromeDo you sometimes feel overwhelmed by self-doubt and nervousness before turning on your mic or camera? You feel as though you’re “not good enough” and that you “may be found out”, “exposed as a fraud” and “don’t deserve success”. That’s even though you know you’ve had ten tons of training and continuous career accolades.  This may be imposter syndrome, a misplaced feeling of inadequacy that affects many successful people, (but not of course actual imposters, those who really aren’t any good!). These feelings are really common and are no respecter of age, status, experience or reputation. It might be narrow and only emerge around certain situations in specific locations and certain ‘important’ people, or broader and occur in the build-up and during every show or recording. Look back at your achievements, your body of work and your income and reflect on your success to realise that what you have done is really, for real! And don’t let imposter syndrome stop you from pushing yourself to do new things. Although it’s natural to feel wary of say, putting a new character voice out there, or putting yourself up for an audiobook recording, remember: the successes of your past are the foundations of your future.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2023.06.11 – 0892 – Studio ‘Voice Confrontation’ Voice confrontation (or “I Don’t Like My Voice!”) You may be visibly uncomfortable hearing your voice live, in your headphones, or when your recorded-voice is played back. You may become stressed at what you think others may think about your pitch, accent or diction. As we have seen before, this is down to a mix of physiology and psychology. First, the sound of your voice that you normally hear ‘live’ is a mix: partly out of your mouth and in through your ears, but mainly through your skull bones which give you the impression your voice is deeper and richer than it is. But when you hear yourself through headphones, or on a recording, it’s how everyone else hears you, through air conduction alone, that is, only through the ears, and sounds, by comparison thinner and higher pitched.[1] But there’s another reason hearing yourself back can be disconcerting: it’s the auditory disconnect between your self-perception and reality. Because your voice is an important part of self-identity, realising that others have been hearing something different all along, can be jarring.[2], [3] In psychology, the phenomenon of a person not liking the sound of their own voice is voice confrontation (related to self-confrontation). So, if your ‘voice in your head’ hates your ‘voice out of the speaker’ (or headphones), then you’re probably judging yourself a little too harshly. [1] We looked at ‘why your voice sounds different to you’ in episodes 207[2] https://www.npr.org/2019/07/15/741827437/finding-your-voice-how-the-way-we-sound-shapes-our-identities [3] In this 2005 study, patients and clinicians rated the patient’s ‘recorded’ voices. Patients tended to negatively rate the quality of their voice compared to the objective assessment of the professional. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2273.2005.01022.x Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2023.06.10 – 0891 – Studio Embarrassment EmbarrassmentAs a voice-over, you have perfected a cast of characters while alone in your home studio and then you get your big break: a director wants you for a big-budget part! You sit in the big-city studio, the microphone facing the control room and through the glass you see directors and producers, engineers and executives, script-writers and sales managers, assistants and interns… they’re talking but you can’t hear them… and you feel like a goldfish in a bowl.  It’s understandable that embarrassment means you struggle to find the thunderous voice of Thor for an interactive game, ‘Silly Billy the Steam Train’ for the kids’ cartoon, or that of the wicked witch for the theme park animatronics, that you had produced at home… alone. He’s another example of embarrassment, rather than nerves.Terry (not his real name) had bad teeth, they were stained from years of drinking coffee on overnight radio shifts, (and red wine at weekends). He also had rather more fillings than he’d have liked, the result of too many sweets and chocolates to help him ‘power-through’ the night. Terry was self-conscious of his physical looks and so was careful about opening his mouth when he spoke so he didn’t show his yellowing teeth, flecked with silver amalgam. And that caused him to mumble, and trip over his words. An easily-solved physical issue (teeth whitening and tooth-coloured fillings), would mean he’d be more confident in opening his mouth when he spoke and develop a richer, clearer voice.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2023.06.09 – 0890 – Studio Disillusionment Disillusionment On occasion, you may simply not feel up to presenting a podcast. Your voice may be fine but you’re not ‘feeling it’, not in ‘the zone’ and don’t know why. This may be boredom or negativity about the podcast topic, maybe disillusionment or resentment about its ‘return on investment’, the amount of work balanced with the number of downloads, feedback, reviews or sponsorship and it gets harder and harder to keep up the momentum. You may be able to ‘fake the feeling’ for a few episodes, but if you resent doing it while your friends and family are socialising, then the stress, frustration and tiredness will all affect your vocal performance.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2023.06.08 – 0889 – Studio Claustrophobia  Claustrophobia Sitting alone in a home studio booth with several screens, a mic and a mixer, but no air conditioning, recording a voice-over session for an hour, or an audiobook for even longer, may be enough to make anyone feel odd. If you feel a need to break out and run away, it may not be down to nerves, but claustrophobia or loneliness.  You may feel these emotions, and others may hear them in your voice which may become dull and drained, tense or nervous. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2023.06.07 – 0888 – Studio DepressionIf it’s not nerves, stress or anxiety, it may be something elseLet’s not just stick with ‘feeling nervous’, there are other feelings and emotions which may arise in and around a studio and affect your voice, sometimes these are temporary feelings, and sometimes they can last a long time. Here we look at other things that go on in your head, and how they affect what comes out of your mouth.  I am not a health professional and I would always urge you to seek personalized advice from someone who is, whether you are experiencing these emotions yourself or see them in a colleague.  Depression or PTSDIf you work as a news broadcaster you will be exposed to so much more evidence of the world’s problems than most other people: not just “man’s inhumanity to man”, wars, violent crime and so on, but also political tussles, economic worries, worldwide pandemics, sudden celebrity deaths and more and more. Day after day. And with many of these issues, the journalist sees or reads much more detail in terms of violence or hate than is ever passed on to listeners and viewers. Such ongoing exposure may lead to severe anxiety, depression, or PTSD.  You may feel these emotions, and others may hear them in your voice which may become flat and tired, or thin and strained, lacking resonance. You may lose confidence and concentration, tripping up over words.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2023.06.06 – 0887 – Studio AnxietyAnxiety is persistent and may not be linked to a specific situation. The intensity may ebb and flow, but it never completely goes away, and with ongoing feelings of unease or dread, anxiety can prevent you from doing something you enjoy and make it difficult to focus and go about your day. Persistent anxiety has links to physical illness including gastrointestinal conditions and heart disease.[1] Again, all of these thoughts feelings and emotions may be heard in your voice, and that’s what we’ll be looking at over the next few days/pages.   [1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5149447/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2023.06.05 – 0886 – Studio StressStress may be seen as ‘extreme nervousness’. It too is triggered by a ‘presenting situation’ and is usually short-term. If controlled appropriately, a rush of chemicals in your blood can lead to a heightened state of awareness, and a more powerful performance: a stressful person may be loud and energetic, seemingly thriving on the pressure (‘nervous energy’ or ‘nervous tension’), with symptoms similar to nervousness: a raised heartbeat and faster breathing. But stress can also show itself as irritability or even anger, nausea and a feeling of being overwhelmed.  Pressures in the news production process can be hourly, and largely unavoidable. Live ‘to time’ programmes, breaking news, altered running orders, no-show show guests, lost links to a reporter in the field, a frozen autocue, a producer in your earpiece as you present…  and you’re the ‘name and the face’ of this output… . Some people seem to love these kinds of settings, at least in the short to medium term and with the knowledge that there will be an obvious end to the pressure, say when an election programme comes off the air, so some kinds of stress isn’t bad. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2023.06.04 – 0885 – Studio NervousnessNerves, stress and anxiety Nervousness, stress and anxiety are part of the same bodily reaction of fight-flight-freeze which we’ll look at in a bit more detail later, and because they have similar symptoms it can be hard to tell them apart. Here is a rough, non-expert guide. Nervousness may be triggered by a specific situation but it doesn't usually prevent you from getting on and doing that thing.  Think of a great opportunity to present your first professional news bulletin or being the voice of a character in new cartoon series: you have prepped for this, you’ve dreamed about it and yes, you’re nervous, possibly apprehensive or a bit worried, but there’s no way you’re going to turn this down. Sweaty palms, an increased heart rate, and fluttering in your stomach are typical signs, along with pacing, fidgeting or nail-biting … maybe a desire to go to the loo, ‘nervousness’ is sometimes misdiagnosed, instead of what it may be: ‘excitement’.  And consider, a bit of nervous energy may be to your advantage. Some adrenalin may make you more alert, sharper, and maybe funnier, but it can also affect your performance and your voice as we will see in a bit. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2023.06.03 – 0884 – Mic Fright  "The actor's nightmare", “…what it must be like to give birth"Laurence Olivier, on stage fright INTRODUCTION Do you want to express yourself, but it feels like a boa constrictor gets hold of your throat?[1] In this section, we look at powerful mind shifts that can help you get a better broadcast, podcast and voice-over voice. Yes, because the mind does affect the voice. Indeed, you are your voice: what you say is shaped by your culture and experiences, dreams and nightmares; how you verbalise your thoughts are shaped by your mindset and vocabulary; what your words sound like are shaped by things you have little effect on, such as your body shape and length of your vocal folds, but also how, as we have seen, things like how you sit and how you breathe and how tense you are, and also what you are feeling (anger or anxiety, calmness or confusion, sadness or satisfaction are all heard in your voice). But central to all of this is the mind. It’s what drives the thoughts which we want to share, it’s what instructs other organs to breathe and articulate.  You can’t separate yourself from your voice. It is a window into your thoughts. And if you think “I’m nervous”, others may think that of you too when they hear how you talk. So, in this section, we look at what kind of things may create that feeling in you and then, how we can avoid those situations, or how we can re-interpret them. Then we look at confidence, how we get it and build it, and then finally, ways of coping if things do go wrong. [1] In 2014, 25.3% of Americans said they feared speaking in front of a crowd. In 2018 that was 26.2%. https://www.chapman.edu/wilkinson/research-centers/babbie-center/survey-american-fears.aspx Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2023.06.02 – 0883 – Self Massage Self-massage·        Put your first and forefinger together on each hand. Gently at first and then with stronger pressure stroke by stroke, draw your double-fingers in a diagonal line down the side of your neck from just behind your ear across to where your throat starts, just short of your ‘Adam’s apple’. This massages the large sterno-cleidomastoid muscles which support, turn and nod the head. ·        Now place one palm on top of the back  of your other hand and rotate them slightly to form a diagonal and place them high up on your chest just under your throat. Press and pull down but not actually hard enough to move your hands – keep them in position. Tip your head back and face the ceiling for a second or two, and then open and close your mouth to stretch the muscles down the front of the neck.·        This one may make you a bit squeamish, so do it gently. Take your two forefingers and your thumb as though about to pick something up from your desk. Instead, carefully hold your larynx and wobble it from side to side. You may feel a click or two which is quite normal. ·        Use your thumbs and a picture (from elsewhere in this book) to locate the root of your tongue under your chin and before your neck and ‘Adam’s apple’. Massage this area for 30 seconds.Use your fingertips on the side of your face just above your cheeks, in front of your ears, where your two jaws meet. Bite down and you will feel the bump of a muscle at this joint-point. Gently apply pressure here, massaging for about thirty seconds.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

 2023.06.01 – 0882 – Vocalisations of Different Voice Sounds  These are sometimes described different, with different words and terms[1]. Ok let’s go for this:·        Aphonic – a whisper ·        Biphonic – two pitches at the same time·        Breathy – air in the voiced is heard ·         Creaky – the sound of friction between surfaces·        Flutter or bleat – like the bleating of a lamb·        Glottalized – another term for vocal fry, the low clicking sound·        Pressed – loud and harsh·        Wobbly – a variation in soundYawny – sounds like a yawn in the voice [1] Adapted from the “All Things Vocal” podcast 3.5.22  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2023.05.31 – 0881 – Surgery And The Voice SurgeryIf you are given anaesthetic, it’s likely you will be intubated, that is have a tube put down your throat and past your vocal folds, to help you breathe.  This process can cause:·        Dislocation of your vocal folds - or more specifically the cartilage that attaches to them·        Injury to your vocal folds – the hard tube is inserted somewhat blindly and can rub or scrape on its way down·        Inflammation – where cartilage is exposed to any further damage, like acid reflux ·        Partial or total paralysis of your vocal folds – as the breathing tube puts pressure on the vocal nerves. Fully understand the risks of any surgery involving intubation, and ensure doctors know your area of work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2023.05.30 – 0880 – Vomiting And The VoiceVomitingWe’ve mentioned this a few times in terms of acid reflux and alcohol consumption. Let’s take a second to look at it a little more closely. (Ugh!)Vomiting is extremely damaging to the voice and it’s not surprising, as the stomach contents flows ‘the wrong way’ into the pharynx and larynx and potentially into and out of your mouth (‘reflux’ means ‘regurgitation’ or ‘backwards flow’).With Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (or GERD) the stomach contents stay in the oesophagus and produce symptoms like heartburn. With Laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) the acid-and-food contents rise all the way back up to and coating the larynx.In bulimia-induced vomiting though, the valve in the stomach that keeps acid down is deliberately overpowered, causing irreversible damage to the valve so that reflux occurs constantly; the entire contents of the stomach come back up.Acid on your vocal folds is not too bad occasionally but say, daily, they won’t have time to heal and so become:·        Swollen – leading to hoarseness, coughing, throat-clearing and a lower pitch·        Heavier – leading to less range ·        More easily injured ·        More prone to polyps and nodules Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2023.05.29 – 0879 – HPV And The Voice HPVThe Human Papilloma Virus can be sexually transmitted but can also be shared in other ways not fully understood. It causes many different diseases, often in the cervix and also in the throat sometimes leading to head and neck cancer and sometimes ‘recurrent respiratory papillomatosis’ which causes warty growths in the throat, most commonly on the vocal folds themselves, resulting in:HoarsenessVocal fatigueLoss of vocal rangeDifficulty breathing Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2023.05.28 – 0878 – Alcohol And The VoiceAlcoholIt’s unlikely you’ll be having a drink just before a broadcast show, podcast recording or studio session, but what might be the damage to your voice if you’ve had one (or several!) the night before, or for serval nights before? Alcohol can:·        Contribute to dehydration of your whole body – and drier vocal folds don’t vibrate properly, contracting your range and making you sound strained. I mean, you know this already right, because after a ‘session’ you feel thirsty and crave water·        Make you produce more mucus – reducing the flexibility of your folds and needing you to clear your throat·        Make you lose your judgement about how much you’re using your voice (for example at a pub karaoke or singing on the way home), leading to damage·        Be sold in places like bars and clubs which are noisy, causing you to raise your voice·        Have an anaesthetic effect that causes you to push your vocal folds harder to get a normal sensation when talking·        Promote acid reflux and vomiting especially if you have drunk too much·        Interfere with your sleep – and a rested voice is a better voice·        Make you more relaxed, decreasing your heartbeat and so reducing your breath support·        Lead to a hangover and brain fog and lack of co-ordination and clear thinking – slurred words, unable to read a script or operate a studio desk·        Cause cancer[1]o  Mouth cancer – tumours can also develop in the tonsils and saliva glands, lips, tongue, cheeks and gumso  Pharyngeal cancer – your throato  Laryngeal cancer – at your larynx or vocal folds The symptoms of all of these are wide-ranging and depend on where the cancer has developed. Between 22% and 38% of all mouth, throat and voice box cancers in the UK are caused by drinking alcohol. [2]Taking a look at some of the most common drinks:·        Wine is packed with preservatives which may will dry out your throat·        Beer is slightly acidic which can cause mucusCocktails are a literal cocktail of phlegm-causing, sugar-rush syrups, acidic juices as well as dehydrating spirits [1] https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/head-and-neck-cancer/ [2] https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2023.05.27 – 0877 – Steroids And The VoiceSteroidsThese might be used to reduce swelling in the body, in our case, the vocal folds, perhaps caused through misuse, which may then return to a more natural size and vibrate more efficiently and so make you sound like your real self. They should of course only be taken under professional medical supervision for a one-off reason. Habitual use can result in a worsening or permanent vocal injury, (as well as other issues such as mood changes, sleeplessness, weight gain and so on). Instead of masking a problem with steroids, search for the underlying issue: is the original swelling actually down to nodules or a cyst that is now going undiagnosed, and are all the while, still growing? Is ‘pushing through’ with the use of steroids, going to make things worse? Remember: there is no such thing as ‘working around’ injuries as the vocal folds are involved in every sound that is made.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2023.05.26 – 0876 – Vaping And The Voice VapingThis trend is too young for there to be hard and fast stats on how it may affect the larynx and voice, and that’s probably good enough reason in itself to be wary of taking up the habit. Personally, I’d not want a cocktail of vegetable glycerine, poly-ethylene glycol, nicotine, and flavourings, pyrazine additives, aldehydes (formaldehyde and acet-aldehyde), and trace metals (nickel, chromium, cadmium and tin), in my lungs… And of course, to get there, the hot vapourised chemical vapour pass over the delicate vocal fold tissues, irritating and inflaming them, leading to possible …hoarseness, loss of vocal range, voice fatigue and vocal injury. As we’ve seen before these factors cause a person to push harder for vocal production, increasing the possibility of further and more serious damage (think vocal fold nodules, polyps and cysts). And that’s before we even think of what the cocktail of chemicals is doing in the lungs, where the power behind your sound is produced. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2023.05.25 – 0875 – Cocaine And The VoiceCocaineWhile smoked cocaine will have a similar effect to smoking marijuana, snorted cocaine will damage your nose and nasal septum (‘nasal deformity’) and so affect the nasal resonance of your voice. As well as that think of this (it’s a bit gross). You know when you have a cold and sniff and then are able to swallow the phlegm? Something similar happens with cocaine that’s not been absorbed in the nose: it drips down the back of the throat and down towards your vocal folds. This is called ‘post-nasal drip’ – a lovely term! We all know how mucous alone affects the voice, now combine it with a irritable, non-natural drug (especially if it’s been contaminated): your voice will become hoarse and raspy due to chronic laryngitis, as well as having a loss of vocal range and chronic vocal fatigue. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2023.05.24 – 0874 – Marijuana And The VoiceWhile soft and hard drugs use is quite common in society, it’s even more prevalent in the entertainment business. It could be because of the amount of money some of the stars earn, the relaxing effects of some of the drugs or the social aspects.So how do both these drugs affect your voice?MarijuanaWhen it is inhaled the vapours of marijuana inevitably affect your mouth, throat and lungs. This commonly results in laryngitis: a tired, rough, raspy, or hoarse voice that could be the start of something more serious. The effort to produce a once-normal sound as swollen folds struggle to vibrate freely, puts extra strain on the folds which in turn causes more damage. Then comes the possibility of vocal nodules, polyps, scarring or a haemorrhage. Some of these injuries are irreversible. (There is no evidence that edible marijuana increased the risk of voice damage.)Not all marijuana is 100% natural of course, and there are concerns about the synthetic variation (“spice” or “herbal incense”) sold legally in some countries, but largely unregulated. Like anything you inhale there are risks, not only from psychosis, tremors, convulsions or high blood pressure, but for the voice:·        Vomiting – which will damage the pharynx·        Laryngitis – a swelling of the folds, making them easier to be injured Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2023.05.23 – 0873 – More Cures For Summer Allergies ·        Antihistamine or steroid nasal spray or antihistamine pills – although they can have a drying effect·        Something to suck on – lozenges and pastilles can promote the production of saliva which, when swallowed will help calm the urge to cough on a scratchy throat. Sweets with natural sweeteners and no artificial nonsense are obviously better than those crammed with chemicals and engorged with E-numbers. Beware natural flavours like menthol which can dry out the mouth and throat and have a mild anaesthetic which can mask pain, leading to you using your voice even more…·        Beware the ‘cycle of coughing’: a small tickle is eased by a cough, which irritates even more, leading to a greater urge to cough and so on. Hard swallows are good, a sip of water is better. If you want to clear ‘up’ phlegm rather than swallow it down (nice!), then a gentle, growly “huh huh” might do the trick, rather than the usual throat-clearing·        And of course, good natural eating and drinking (local honey is said to help some people), sleep and vocal rest. Summer can also see a decrease in air quality as pollutants stay in the hot, still atmosphere. Be aware that breathing in in such situations can affect your voice almost immediately due to the effects of a scratchy throat, blocked nose, shallow breathing, let alone any long-term damage that’s being done. Consider the use of air conditioning units or an indoor air filter machine, and a face mask.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2023.05.22 – 0872 – Cures For Summer Allergies Trouble is, you have to balance drying out the mucous and not over drying the folds[1]:·        Hydration - the mucous will be less thick, and the drying from antihistamine meds, less pronounced, if you drink more!·        Steaming – a plain-water steamer (no unnecessary synthetic oils or perfumes which can be an added irritant) can do wonders to hydrate the folds directly. ·        Nebulising – a nebulizer turns saline water into a finer mist, which you breath in, and is more easily absorbed directly (topically) on the folds than steam ·        Sinus rinse – a saline wash or spray to rinse away allergic particles before they can trigger that immune system response, but don’t use it too often or you will wash away the ‘good’ cells which are on patrol for the breathed-in nasties [1] Tell your medical professional that you are a ‘voice professional’ when you get advice form them, so they can be aware of any side effects of what they prescribe, on your folds.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2023.05.21 – 0871 – Your Pitch and Post Nasal Drips We already know about the ‘post-nasal drip’, a lovely term that refers to the secretions from your nose and sinuses which can drip into the back of your mouth and down your throat (think what you do when you have a cold…). With seasonal allergies such drip-drip sinus drainage (especially at night) leads to the vocal folds swelling, which can cause·        A lower pitch - and so a change in your range·        Less resonance – because some of your nasal resonance chambers (‘turbinates’[1]) are inflamed meaning less nasal airflow and so changed resonance in your sound·        A hoarse voice – because of inflamed tissue, which can lead to a tickle, a cough and a risk of vocal fold haemorrhage ·        The need for an increased warm-up time [1] The turbinates are the tiny nasal tubes that do the job of warming, moisturizing and filtering the air that you breathe, and the body’s first line of defence against bad and seemingly-bad, bacteria or pollen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2023.05.20 – 0870 – Pollens and Blossoms: Summer Allergies and Your VoiceWe all love the lazy, hazy crazy days of summer, right? Well not if you have a seasonal allergy, and by ‘seasonal’ I mean anything from early spring to late summer, with various pollens having an effect on breathing and sneezing, and therefore your voice as well. Allergies (pollen, as well as dog and cat hair, dust, synthetic chemical smells…) are really your reaction to your body almost working too well! These foreign particles are not threats like a virus or bacteria, but your immune system thinks they are and so puts up a defence, an immuno-logical response, such as more nasal and eye secretions to wash them away, and a  rush of chemicals (including ‘histamines’) to fight the threat.  Common allergies from trees, grass and plants include:·        General tiredness·        Runny and itchy eyes and nose·        A blocked nose·        A scratchy throat leading to an irritating dry cough. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2023.05.19 – 0869 – Your Voice in Winter - 4 8. Let Your Mic Do The WorkIf you’re on stage in a show, MCing an event, turning on Christmas lights, remember the difference between volume and energy (loads on this from episode 323). You have a mic for a reason, to make yourself louder, so there’s no need to shout into it and hurt your voice. If you do, you start a spiral effect: the sound team will simply turn down the level on your channel so your voice doesn’t distort over the loudspeakers, and you end up having to shout even more. And that of course will lead to you straining your voice and doing it harm. Remember ‘volume’ is not the same as ‘energy’ or ‘excitement’. Loudness can come from the levels on the mixing desk, energy comes from, all sorts of things we’ve looked at before: your resonance, pitch, prosody, some of which comes from your knowledge and confidence … and of course how you breathe… 9. Look After YourselfThe basics as always, especially in the hurried and harried holiday season:·        Hydrate, mate – balancing a festive tipple or pint with water, juice or cordial. Alcohol with a water-chaser if you like·        A balanced diet·        Skeletal and articulator warm ups and cool downs to dispel any tension·        Whether you are a merry gentleman or lady, dear god, rest Pushing through because “the show must go on”, or taking lozenges, pastilles or sprays which numb your throat – and so mask any pain, and lead you to think you’re OK - may cause serious damage. And remember nothing you eat or drink, suck or munch, chomp or chew, swallow or scoff, ingest or ingurgitate, gobble up or bolt down, … goes anywhere near your vocal folds!   Never skip your warm-up exercises and focus a lot on your good vocal technique, avoiding any strain or tension. Listen to your body and don’t perform if it hurts, so you don’t cause more harm and so you recover as quickly as possible. Also listen back to episode 776 – “Help! I’m Getting A Cold!”   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2023.05.18 – 0868 – Your Voice in Winter - 3 6. Prep and Pacing  Packed public transportation as people rush to prep, humans hurrying from one side of the city/county/planet to the other for the holidays, re-cycled aeroplane air, closed windows on buses and trains, big parties in small rooms, plus throw in mixed age groups, holiday hugs and mistletoe kisses and plates of food being passed around … frankly it’s a surprise we are all still here! It could all be an assault on your general, physical and mental health, so make sure you eat and drink properly; sleep well; hand sanitiser is not just for pandemics; stay hydrated; boost your immune system before the season as over the counter remedies can be drying to your voice (see episode 764). If you get ill, your voice will suffer.  7. Concerts and CarolsIf you are appearing in a performance, panto or show, it’s not just your voice you need to take care of but your colleagues. You have a responsibility to the rest of the cast to be careful with things like hygiene, hugs, and bugs. Joy is lovely to spread at this time of year, colds and flu aren’t, so have time off if you feel a cough. If you’re performing outside, maybe as a narrator or ‘local celebrity’ turning on holiday lights, or carolling, arrive early and allow your body and larynx to acclimatise to the cold air after being in a warm car. (Musicians and those with cameras allow their equipment to adjust first and so should you with yours.) Take more frequent, smaller breaths through nose and mouth rather than normal. Big, gasping breaths through the mouth will tend to chill the larynx. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2023.05.17 – 0867 – Your Voice in Winter - 2 4. Be Careful of Rich Food and RefluxParty and holiday food can be rich and creamy (think chocolates, fried or spicy finger food, plus carbonated soft or alcoholic drinks) which can lead to potential gastric or reflux issues (that we’ve looked at elsewhere, episode 755), so be careful how much you eat and when. And not too much and not too late!  Have a range of food sure, but balance the chocolate orange with an actual one, you get the idea.  Keep hydrated and not just with alcohol; hot drinks will keep you cosy and warm! 5. Party Warm UpsThere are more social gatherings in the holiday season, and that can mean lots of people crammed inside (with the possibility of germ-sharing – see next tip), and trying to talk over the hub-bub and loud music. Throw in some raucous carols or karaoke (as well as the rich food we just mentioned) and you have a party-petri dish of problems for you voice. Before you go to the party, warm up your voice with the exercises we’ve looked at before. On arrival be careful about immediately shouting greetings across a room, but ease your voice into anything with volume. Keep your voice lubricated during the event, but go careful on the alcohol. Find a quieter corner if you can, so you can talk softer.  A but niche perhaps but also consider what else you are breathing in: chemicals from someone’s vape, being spritzed with perfume in the department store, fake smells of pumpkin spice in a coffee shop’s air conditioning, the manufactured ‘Christmas pine’ scent in the bathroom, atmospheric dry-ice and smoke machines at showbiz events – all of these can be vocal fold irritants. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2023.05.16 – 0866 – Your Voice in Winter - 1Winter can be a challenging time for your voice. To quote the song, “the weather outside is frightful” with cold air, there’s warm dry heated air inside, and if the season coincides with Christmas and New Year (depending on your hemisphere[1]) there’s bugs picked up from socialising and travelling, holiday performances such as concerts and carols.So here are some health tips to follow for the winter months – over and above the usual ones that we’ve looked at before.1. Breathe Through Your NoseYou knows that your nose is your friend in this season. OK on the outside it may get as red as Rudolph’s but on the inside, it’s doing what it does best: filtering and warming the cold air you breathe in, before sending it to the back of the throat. So as your larynx prefers warm and moist rather than cold and dry air, breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth to help it do its best work. 2. Prepare Your HomeInside, the air is likely to be dry and dusty, another combination that’s not good for your cords. Dusty heaters, radiators and air conditioning unit may need a clean so you don’t breathe in the build-up from the months they weren’t used. Add some moisture to the air by using a no-heat humidifier or by simply putting a bowl water on top of the radiator.3. Scarf up!Wearing a scarf, balaclava or snood will help cut the amount of cold, dry air you breathe in and adds another filter too. In fact, keeping your whole body warm outside will makes you more relaxed and less stressed. [1] Obviously, the cold weather does not coincide with Christmas in the southern hemisphere, so some of these tips are less directly applicable.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2023.05.15 – 0865 – Coping With Covid Coping with long covidA small percentage of people who have had Covid-19 continue to have symptoms after 12 weeks, but because of the huge number of people who have had the disease, that’s a large actual number of people. This is known by health professionals in the UK and many other countries as ‘post covid syndrome’ or (by the WHO) ‘post covid condition’ (although some doctors still doubt the existence of this altogether).There is no specific treatment to what can be a cocktail of complaints (including but not limited to fatigue; shortness of breath; palpitations; stomach issues; brain fog; mental health; headaches and dizziness), which affects each person differently.For our purposes, shortness of breath is perhaps the most important symptom: ‘disordered breathing’, using the upper chest, shoulders and neck. Do not self-diagnose, as it may be caused by something other than covid, but go and see a health professional. Before the appointment, you could try some very gentle breathing exercises to train yourself how to breath properly again. Some people have subsequently been referred to respiratory physio therapists or attend rehabilitation groups. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2023.05.14 – 0864 – Don’t Forget Your Ears EarsYou need to know what you sound like so you can adjust your voice or your mic, and make some sometimes subtle changes in pitch or timbre. You may be asked to imitate a certain style of voice or personality, so attuned ears will help you hear, interpret and reproduce the subtleties. And of course, you need to clearly hear instructions from a director or producer, either through a talkback speaker or an earpiece. It is possible to act without full hearing[1], but, as with your eyes, things will be much easier for you if you look after and possibly enhance what you have already got:·        Avoid loud music in bars, sports events and concerts … and headphones·        Avoid pushing things like cotton buds into your ear canal·        Invest in some good headphones and speakers. The ability to hear yourself clearly and accurately will help reduce vocal strain. Ensure that the volume is not too high. ·        Adjusting your acoustic environment will avoid sound reflection and enhance your recording experience, help you hear more accurately and maintain your vocal health. We have looked before at how, how you hear yourself is different from how others hear you, and the reasons behind this (episode 595). Here’s a fun exercise: plug your ears when speaking. This will help you experience your own voice intensified through increased internal resonance as you won’t be able to hear your own voice with your ears at all. What do you do instinctively? Perhaps you lower the intensity of your voice, which will also have the effect of reducing the strain on your vocal folds. [1] The brilliant BBC actress and dancer Rose Ayling-Ellis is testament to that: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose_Ayling-Ellis#:~:text=Rose%20Lucinda%20Ayling%2DEllis%20(born,EastEnders%20(2020%E2%80%932022).  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2023.05.13 – 0863 – Eye ExercisesAnd a few exercises:Pencil Push-UpsHold a pencil at arm’s length and focus on the tip. Move it closer and continue to focus. Repeat, moving it back and forth forcing your eyes to work-out.The Figure of Eight Pick an imaginary point on the floor or across the room, about 10 feet away. Focus on it and with your pupils moving, draw a figure of eight in the space there, for about 30 seconds before switching direction.20/20For every 20 minutes of near work, look at a target 20 feet away for 20 seconds before returning to your ‘near’ work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2023.05.12 – 0862 – Don’t Forget Your EyesYour eyes and earsMost voice trainers overlook these critical body parts and the role they play in helping you get a better voice, but let’s spend a few moments doing just that here and now with a few considerations.EyesWithout stating the obvious, and with acknowledgement to the awesome voice actors who are blind and read their scripts with braille[1], eyes help you do your job. Not just clearly reading the words that you have to say, but also the notes you have made alongside the text with added instructions, and following what others are saying so you know when to start. Sharp visual focus will reduce verbal slips and so increase your confidence, and so your voice.It’s not purely ‘seeing’. Your eyes need to track and dart across the page and glance ahead to see your next cue too.I won’t go into details about eye-health apart from mentioning:·        Good diet·        Good glasses·        Rest from screens·        Blinking to keep them moist (blinking stimulates the lubricating secretion of your tear ducts and spread them across your eyes) and the possible use of eye heat masks to relieve eye fatigue and soreness.·        Refocusing at different distancesSleep - Six-and-a-half to eight-and-a-half hours is the healthy range for most adults and it not only benefits your eyes but also your whole body. A tired body, perhaps caused by a broadcaster’s shift work, is a tired voice! Weariness can drag down the muscles of the face, put a sigh in the voice and extinguish any sparkle. [1] Ryan Kelly is an actor in the BBC radio serial “The Archers” – and happens to be blind: https://www.bbc.co.uk/ouch/interviews/13_questions_ryan_kelly.shtml#:~:text=Blind%20actor%20Ryan%20Kelly%20is,Radio%204%20soap%2C%20The%20Archers. “A lot of the other actors read their lines, lucky things! I have to get the script emailed to me so I can edit it down to my part and learn it by listening. It ends up being in computer speak though, like a robot, which can be quite funny. In the old days I had to have someone read it out to me, and once I learned completely the wrong part, which was very embarrassing.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2023.05.11 – 0861 – Feeling Attractive vs. Sounding Unobstructed Even though Connie was a radio presenter, she always came in immaculately dressed. Fitted suits, or tight jeans or blouses that left little to the imagination. The problem was that Connie couldn’t get to the end of even a moderately long sentence without having to take another breath. The problem seemed obvious: the clothes were making breath intake, support and control all difficult. But Connie knew that how she dressed made her look good, and feel good and that gave her confidence. A balance that only Connie could make was reached between feeling attractive and being unobstructed.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2023.05.10 – 0860 – Tight Clothes, Tight Voice What else will affect your vocal performance?ClothesWhat won’t help, anything that causes constriction or discomfort Tight dresses, trousers, blouses and shirts. Belts done up a notch or two more than absolutely necessaryTight shoes worn more for style than comfort. That could be footwear that pinches your toes or heel, the height or slope of a heel, or simply wearing a style that you are not used to (for example, the heeled shoes that are super-comfy yet you totter around because you rarely wear them). If you feel unstable literally, you may feel ‘unstable’ emotionally tooGoing without socks or tights to look smart or trendy, but having shoe-rub on your heel or sticky soles.What will help:Looser clothes (A woman I once worked always turned up very smart and trim, but she struggled to read. It turned out that her blouse was so tight it restricted her diaphragm, and so created tension in her neck for her to produce sound. She was buttoned-up literally and metaphorically. She never wore that blouse to work again and was fine.)Clothes that make you feel confident about the way you lookClothes that won’t make you too hot or too cold so you are worried more about sweating or shivering than about communicatingShoes that you don’t give a second’s thought to. Lower heels that help you stand upright. Shoes that pinch, or heels that are too high, will cause problems either in the foot or elsewhere in the body as your posture tries to compensate. (High heels can affect your voice if you are standing up, because they cause you to change your posture, and so how your ribcage sits. Your body works really hard to support you: you contract various muscles, pitch forward and overcorrect in your back to keep yourself from falling forward.)Pain causes distraction and that will affect your performance. Many TV presenters who sit behind a desk will be smartly attired above the waist, but wear comfortable soft shoes that they know will never be seen.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2023.05.09 – 0859 – Myth 5: Dark-coloured Pee Means You Are DehydratedMyth #5: Dark-coloured pee means you're dehydratedPee is dark because of the concentration of various elements in it, but that doesn’t of itself mean you need more water.It’s actually more accurate to look at the concentration of sodium in your blood, but as that’s not usually practical, some experts[1] say drinking enough water to keep your urine a light, straw-yellow colour is a simple and effective monitoring system. [1] https://www.hydrationforhealth.com/en/why-hydration/everyday-hydration/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2023.05.08 – 0858 – Myth 4: Drinking Water Can Help You Lose WeightMyth #4: Drinking water can help you lose weightOK, maybe if you drink a few glasses before a meal, you’ll eat less[1] but that’s not the case for everyone[2], although obviously if water is replacing a sugar-rich fizzy drink then sure, you’ll be taking in fewer calories. [1] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25893719/ [2] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17228036/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2023.05.07 – 0857 – Myth 3: We Need ‘Sports Drinks’Myth #3: We need sports drinks to replace salt and other electrolytesThere’s usually no need to reach for the expensive coloured water after a work-out as you can usually replace lost salt by consuming more basic and cheaper, although not as trendy, food and drink.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2023.05.06 – 0856 – Myth 2: Caffeine Makes You Dehydrated Myth #2: Caffeine makes you dehydratedThe effect is almost miniscule and the 1928 research the claim is based on[1] doesn’t hold up to todays’ more rigorous research. NPR says “Essentially, with the exception of higher alcohol-content beverages like hard liquor, all liquids count towards hydration. As does food. The experts we spoke to say about 20% of your fluid intake comes from the food you eat, from fruits and vegetables to pasta.” [1] https://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/33/2/167 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2023.05.05 – 0855 – Myth 1: You Need To Drink at Least Eight Glasses of Water a DayH2O No-Nos – Busting 5 Myths About Water and Hydration[1] Myth 1: You need to drink at least eight glasses of water a dayNope: After all, how big are the glasses, how big are you? Have you done any exercise or need more water, or eaten a ton of watermelon and need less? How hot are you? Like the porridge in Goldilocks that had to be not too hot and not too cold, we each need enough to avoid dehydration and not too much to cause hyponatremia. Water is hugely important and drinking it is cheap, easy and helps the voice systemically and topically, but like “walk 10,000 steps a day”, the basic eight-glasses claim has seemingly no basis in fact [2]. As a voice pro, you need to be intentional about your water intake especially if you have less water from other sources, or you are using up more of it, but the rigid ‘rule’ of eight-glasses seeing you right, is a myth.  [1] Adapted from https://www.npr.org/2022/09/21/1124371309/busting-common-hydration-water-myths [2] https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/ajpregu.00365.2002 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2023.05.04 – 0854 – The Food And Drink Good List  The ‘good’ listHave these in moderation; you don’t want to feel full and bloated during a four-hour radio show. Neither do you want to feel nauseous, or feel the need for a toilet break, or suffer from either form of gas in a small studio.Eat enough of the right foods to keep your energy levels up – preferring fresh over anything processed. Fruit – in general fruits are good as they contain lots of water – especially ones such as mangoes, melons and peaches - but they’re not all made equal! Citrus fruits can be packed with ‘straight-to-your-bloodstream’ sugar, though a banana will give you studio ‘staying power’, and a green apple will help freshen your mouth. Chicken and fish – lean protein fills you up and gives you energy without the fat and oils from other meats and the associated problems caused by them.Water – yeah “hydrate, mate!”, especially with room temperature water, both before, during and after your performance. Before? Yes, you need to up your water intake a good day before to build up a ‘foundation of hydration’ in your whole body, with top ups on the day to keep your folds moistened and to clean and lubricate your articulators. How much water?: “If your pee’s white, you’ll sound all right…” Local honey – can help keep bugs at bay. Remember it may be soothing to drink and may calm a tickle at the back of your throat, but it won’t ever touch the folds themselves.Do eat and drink something. There’s no point starving yourself! You need vocal and mental energy to concentrate and perform.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2023.05.03 – 0853 – The Food And Drink Naughty List  The ‘bad’ listDairy - Milk, yoghurt, cheese can all be difficult for the body to break down and so cause acid reflux which can ‘burn’ your vocal folds. It can also thicken mucus, causing you to clear your throat more often and reducing the manoeuvrability of your tongue. Processed sugar - Boiled and chewy sweets and juice drinks can be heavily processed causing phlegm in some people. And after an initial sugar rush, comes the sugar crash affecting you mentally too. Caffeine - Coffee is thought to cause dehydration in some people. It will certainly cause a post-caffeine crash which you want to avoid.Chocolate - Chocolate contains not only dairy and sugar, but also natural caffeine - so it’s a triple-threat snack attack.Fried food and butter - Oil and grease are both heartburn triggers. Butter is of course a dairy product too (see above). Iced water - Water’s good yeah? Well room temperature is best, to avoid throat-shock has you swallow it. Carbonated drinks and sodas - These are certainly not, top of the pops. Not only do they have belching-induced bubbles but also invariably they’re full of sugar.Alcohol - Leave ‘warming up lubrication’ to the announcers of yesteryear. Not only will the use of drink affect the perception others have of you, it could make you slur your words. On its own it may dry your throat, and with a mixer it may overly increase your sugar intake.Spicy food - Heartburn issues again I’m afraid.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2023.05.02 – 0852 – The Food And Drink That Can Damage Your Voice   EATING AND DRINKINGIt’s not so much what you should eat as what you should not, because, apart from foods which add to your water intake, there are few which actively help your voice. Most foods either hurt it, or make little or no difference either way.If these ‘bad’ items affect you at all, it will be likely be to a different extent to other people – we are all different. It may need a diary and detective work to find out what to reduce your intake of, by how much and how far before a performance. Professional dietary help may be useful in this regard.Note that some of these items are not only affecting your voice directly, but have other associated side effects on your performance. And the regular reminder that none of these foods or drinks will ever directly touch your vocal folds, unless it’s just before you choke!  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2023.05.01 – 0851 – Your ‘Goldilocks’ Vocal Folds   ‘Breathy (or ‘aspirated’) onset’ – when they don’t close enough This happens when there is a lack of firm closure of the vocal folds, so excessive air escapes through them as you create sound and the resulting voice is ‘breathy’. ‘Glottal’ onset – the folds are brought together before air pressure is increased, and are ‘blown apart’ to start phonationThe vocal folds are over compressed and brought together with force to initiate sound. The air pressure then builds up below the folds before sound is released in a mini explosion. Excessive air pressure, when released, is traumatic to the delicate tissues of the vocal folds. ‘Smooth’ onset – this is when the air flow and the folds come together at the same time, resulting in a balanced sound.The folds are correctly positioned, the subglottal air pressure (that’s the pressure of air from the lungs) is correct, the sound is efficiently created.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.