JPF Home Page Forums Musician Gear and Techniques Microphone and Vocalist Forum Choking Up ?

I sing like amy lee
from evanescence
and im good until
i feel like i have something
stuck in my throat and it wont
go away with anything
ive tried
has any1 had this if so
how was it fixed ?

Chances are you are singing way 2 hard and blowing your voice out. I've done this on a rare occassion, usually takes a glass of water and shutting my mouth for a few hours to get my voice back.

It sounds like you might really be in need a vocal coach. Seek one quick.

Jody

lol im sorry i miss-typed it
my voice stays but its just
harder to keep in rythym from
constantly having to clear my
throat at times when i should
be singing and when i drink water
it seems to make it worse.

Clearing your throat a lot will eventually irritate your vocal chords...You might want to get a medical evaluation from a specialist ( ear, nose and throat) and then study with a vocal coach/teacher.

Generally speaking, if you're using your voice properly, it shouldn't hurt.
Allergies, irritants in the air, fatigue and infection can affect the vocal chords.

Take care of your voice!

Emily

I agree with the suggestion for finding a voice teacher. They will understand the physiology of the voice and how it works. This is important for you to study - I think all vocalists need to do that! Stay hydrated, drink lots of water, and avoid mucous-producing stuff (like dairy).

Don't use mentholated throat lozenges; they will irritate the cords more. Don't "rasp" to try and clear your throat. If it doesn't "dislodge" easily, it may not be phlegm but something else going on with your vocal cords that is NOT good! Slippery Elm lozenges help. Warm liquids help.

A good voice teacher will help you to sound better, and to sing better and longer and healthier!

Brenda

Things not to drink before singing. Milk, beer, or any alchohol. Things that are ok: Water with lemon, Tea with lemon. Avoid caffine if possible. Caffine will cause your throat and jaw muscles to constrict or cramp up. Don't use cough drops, cloriseptic, etc...they will damage your throat over time. Obviously avoid smoking.
Conciously keep yourself as relaxed as you can. It helps me hit the higher notes with out a lot of strain. Try to warm your voice up as well prior to performing. All that said, I am not a vocal coach. I did however log 14 years of over the road stage time as a player/vocalist. A vocal coach may be just the thing for you. They may be able to help you.

Kris

I took a fabulous workshop this summer through Los Angeles Music Productions (LAMP) called "Vocal Mecca" and three top vocal teachers,Seth Riggs (he has coached Stevie Wonder among others), Elisabeth Howard (many Broadway singers have worked with her), and Lis Lewis (Gwen Stefani of No Doubt) each presented.

They all had different approaches, but the things they all stressed was:

Stay hydrated- drink lots of plain, old water! (Lis said, "Singers know when they are drinking enough water when they pee clear." I kid you not, she really said that!)

Always sing from the diaphragm, not the throat. If your abdomen is not powering the sound from your voice, you are are going to wreck your vocal chords in short order.

Get enough rest. The vocal apparatus is a system of muscles, and just as an Olympic athlete could not possibly expect to get a world-class performance by skipping on sleep the same holds true of singers.

If you are up till all hours singing in clubs, then make sure you sleep in, or if you have a day job, make sure you get naps in regularly.

Visit their websites for tips, info, books, tapes, etc. Educating yourself is important in addition to getting a live vocal coach who can get you started in correct technique.

Elisabeth Howard

Lis Lewis

Seth Riggs

Hope this helps!

All the best,

Veronique

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I agree with the others, I had this happen to me and thought I could just work through it. Usually by the end of the four hour show I could hardly talk, then the next morning it was back to business as usual, until last July it didnt come back the next morning, my Dr. told me to take off for at least two months and let my vocal chords recover. I would check with a Dr. and probably seek a vocal coach. Oh yeah the water definitly does help. Keep one onstage at all times now. Good luck.

You may want to have a specialist check you over if this is a constant feeling, as stated in the post above. There are a few other things that can happen to your vocal cords that need attention like polips or hernia etc.. I've had this happen to me when touring and you must perform when tired or sick and it causes excessive stress to your cords and needs medical attention to resolve the problem. Better to be safe than sorry. Hopefully its something simple like alot of the posts discuss. Good luck.

Dave

[This message has been edited by player4 (edited 02-14-2004).]