You use your voice all day long.  So why do we only think about how we are using our voice when we have a big performance or speech to deliver?  At the basic level, every time you use your voice, you are practicing how it is going to function all of the time.  I see so many people who struggle with tension, vocal fatigue, lack of range, and lack of volume in their singing and speaking.  And it is often obvious to me that they have these issues because when they use their voice to say hello or describe their day, they lack the technical knowledge and vocal awareness needed to maximize their potential.  So where do we start in shifting this?

Here are three common mistakes you may be making and three tips to help set yourself up for success.

1. Unconscious Breathing.  We don’t have to think every time we take a breath during the day or while we sleep at night, and although this is fantastic for our survival, it leads to complacency when we try to use our voices in a bigger way.  Lack of awareness about how you are inhaling and exhaling when you speak (whether it’s talking on the phone or raising your voice at a game or concert), can lead to excess tension, a worn out voice, and in the worst cases, vocal damage.

Tip #1 – Become conscious of how it feels when you take a deeper and more engaged breath.  Feel the lower rib cage expand in all directions (to the side, front and back) when you inhale.  Try this before you speak on the phone or if you need to raise your voice to someone down the hall.  Does your voice feel differently or sound differently?  Don’t judge it yet, just take note.

2. Dehydration.  Have a water bottle with you at all times!  It takes time for water that you drink to get to the vocal fold membranes inside your throat.  So if you are thirsty now, you should have started drinking an hour ago!  The voice is a small and delicate instrument and water is the biggest friend you have to keep it functioning properly.

Tip #2 – If you suffer from dry mouth, saliva is your best friend.  Sipping water will actually wash the saliva away and make the problem worse.  Hydrated bodies create more saliva, but nerves can also inhibit its production.  Try having grapes or a slice of apple nearby when you know you are going to be performing and might need a boost of saliva.

3. Vocal Fry.  Yikes – this sounds scary right? This creaky sounding voice is hard to describe but can often be heard at the ends of sentences as the breath falls away and the throat closes.  The bottom line is that it isn’t a pretty sound and is a sign of lack of vocal awareness.  An article in the Washington Post (June, 2014) reported on a study that suggested that women who have vocal fry are considered less desirable for hire.  See the full article here.

Tip #3 – Raise your awareness of vocal fry by recording yourself speaking and listening back to it.  Do you hear any creaking or roughness in the voice?  Listening to yourself will give you a chance to really hear what you sound like.  Try not to judge it.  Every voice can be altered to sound more resonant, open and relaxed. Consider speaking with a slightly raised pitch to your voice and see if there is any difference.  Try keeping your throat space more open when you speak.  And go back to Tip #1 – how are you breathing before you speak?

You can always learn even more advanced techniques to help with breathing and vocal fry in one of my training programs.