Here are some the most frequently asked questions I get.
I often deal with phlegm and morning voice. What causes that?
Many people complain about phlegm and blame it on allergies. Are allergies the culprit when it comes to this? Usually not. Allergies usually produce post-nasal drip, where as phlegm is most likely the result of reflux or hydration issues. My suggestions are to drink even more water and go on a strict reflux management program for a month. Usually, the best way to find out if it is reflux is to treat it as it is. If you suffer from phlegm, morning voice, or prolonged warm up, please write me through my Contact Page so I can send you a reflux management plan.
My range is limited and I crack a lot. What can I do?
This is a common problem. You have different muscles that help create your low voice (chest) and high voice (connected head voice). The key is to get them to work together in the middle (mix), where you transition from low to high, and vice versa. The key to singing, at its root, is mastering mixed voice. If you cannot, singing will always be a mystery.
I hate the way I sound. What is the issue?
You are not a good judge of how you sound. We have two different ways of hearing; air conduction and bone conduction. We hear others through air conduction where the sound goes through our outer ear, then the middle ear, and finally the inner ear. We hear ourselves through bone conduction. The outer and middle ear are not involved as much, and the inner ear is predominant. There are some tools you can use to reconcile the difference so you can accept your sound.
I get hoarse often. What is causing that?
It could be a variety of things. Without hearing you, it’s difficult to diagnose. It could be reflux, it could be tension, it could be a lesion like a polyp or nodules. The one common trait is over use. People that have problems like this usually rate on a 6 or 7 on a scale where 1 is quiet as a church mouse and 7 being can’t shut up. If you feel hoarse, chill out and let it return to normal. If you don’t, you are putting yourself at risk.
Next time, How do women belt!