Just kidding. There
is no secret recipe. Really, the best and most basic way to keep your
voice in shape is to hydrate. Water is key to a great singing voice.
So you should definitely keep some water around while you’re singing
right? That’ll keep you perfectly hydrated! Not quite. Its good to
have water around when you sing, but it won’t actually reach your vocal
folds. Whatever you drank about two hours ago is what is really doing
all the work. So try to drink at least 8-10 glasses of water a day,
and keep your voice well lubricated.
But what about tea & honey, and boiled ginger water, and lemon
juice, and cough drops, or some liquid courage, and — none of these
will actually help you out. Caffeine, which is found in all teas,
(black, green, or white) is a drying agent, and honey is just a
sweetener. It might make you feel better mentally, but physically, you
need to intake water to help your voice. The caffeine in the tea will
dry out your voice, possibly making it feel scratchy. Caffeinated
sodas, coffee drinks and any tea other than an herbal tea will dry you
out, everyone reacts different. This isn’t to say you need to cut
caffeine out of your life, but counteracting it with plenty of water is
best. People claim to have all sorts of miracle voice cures – ginger,
honey, lemon, etc. but nothing works as well as plain old water; and
liquid courage? Not a good idea. Alcohol is also a drying agent, and
takes a lot of the hydration out of your body. It also takes a full 36
hours to leave your system.
Cough drops can be a hidden danger as well. People will often
inhale cough drops like a vacuum cleaner if they think their voice is
not feeling great. This is a really bad idea. Most cough drops
contain menthol, which will suck every bit of moisture out of you!
Check cough drop packages carefully; there are plenty out there that do
not contain menthol. Often times, standing in the shower and cupping
your hands around your nose and mouth an inhaling the water vapor for
five minutes will help your nose and throat feel much better than a
cough drop will. 
If you are in a bind, you aren’t feeling 100%, and need to perform
or audition – no way out – sprays like Entertainer’s Secret or Oasis
can help in a pinch. These products contain glycerin, which is a
lubricant. So its acts like oil for your car except it’s lubrication
for your vocal folds. If you just cannot get them to phonate. a little
bit of one these products will help you get your voice up and running.
My personal recommendation is Entertainer’s Secret
because not only does it contain glycerin, but it also has no alcohol
in the formula, and also contains apple pectin, which is a natural
moisturizer. Apples are another great way to counteract a parched
mouth during a performance under those hot, drying lights. Take a bite
of a skinned apple before you go onstage. The moisture will last in
your mouth much longer than a quick sip of water. Of course, this is
on top of the 8 glasses of water you drank earlier!
Water: its free, and you can get almost anywhere – and it’s the absolute best thing for your voice.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](/blog/wp-content/uploads/old/lsnmvyhuqzcs)
Suzy S.