Question about dangers of vocal use

[JKG1069]

I learned from an interview from matt stone (co creator of south park) that if your voice is gone since you're sick, if you suck on a lemon it will temporarily bring back your voice to either voice act, or sing.

I've been doing this for a while (about 2 weeks) since i've been sick, and within a couple weeks rose the range of my vocals at LEAST on octave. Now today my throat is reaally sore cause I think i overdid it yesterday singing. I mastered singing Jasey Rae (All time low) within these weeks. Before this, I could not sing anywhere near as good but I can sing it perfectly if not BETTER with a lemon juice squirt (only a few mili liters).

So uh.. as beneficial as it is for studio recording, I'm wondering if this is dangerous to practice. And even without lemon juice, is it dangerous to sing outside my comfort level if its stressful afterwards?

Like, I'm very careful as im singing to make sure i just don't completely tear my vocal cords. But I don't know the long term effects.

Another strategy i found on my own is that if you take N.O. Xplode, or Pump Fuel (both workout supplements from GNC, containing nitrix oxide and creatine) it also makes you better at singing. I don't understand that one, but what do you all think?

[loansindi]

At 1/5/10 07:39 PM, JKG1069 wrote: So uh.. as beneficial as it is for studio recording, I'm wondering if this is dangerous to practice. And even without lemon juice, is it dangerous to sing outside my comfort level if its stressful afterwards?

Your best bet for anything like this is to ask a professional rather than random folks on the internet.

But my (not terribly valuable) $0.02 is that if you're singing to the point that your throat hurts regularly, you're pushing too hard.

[JKG1069]

Yeah, I just dont know who i would ask.

But from the environment I'm in my throat hurts regularly anyway, and I wake up with sore throats all the time, so its not much of a difference and I can't even notice it really if it affects me too badly.

But i can sing and speak normally right now. earlier today i kind of lost my voice a bit from yesterday, and now its just sore. so for now, I'll keep doing what im doing maybe just cut back on the lemon juice lol

[loansindi]

At 1/5/10 07:56 PM, JKG1069 wrote: Yeah, I just dont know who i would ask.

a vocal coach of some sort. I'm sure you've got voice teachers in your area.

But from the environment I'm in my throat hurts regularly anyway, and I wake up with sore throats all the time, so its not much of a difference and I can't even notice it really if it affects me too badly.

If your throat hurts on a regular basis, you might visit a doctor.

[BrokenDeck]

Check THIS out! Imagine your vocal chords doing that.

[CWN]

Meh, i've watched that.
It's got some ok tips, but most of it is useless.
Screaming is screaming. Do it right or die.

[Back-From-Purgatory]

Lemons and any kind of carbonated drink "helping your voice" is complete bullshit... You don't want to be drinking anything carbonated while you're singing, stick with water, carbonated drinks damage your throat all by themselves (They are acids afterall), so drinking that stuff then singing or even worse, screaming will only damage your throat more.

Really, I think you are only singing better with the lemon juice because of the "super water placebo effect" (Go go Space Jam reference!). You are singing better because you are expecting it to make you better.

Put simply, you don't want to push your voice hard enough to make it feel stressed afterwards... And if you plan on singing/screaming for any period of time, for Christs sake, warm up first. I guarantee when you actually take the time to warm up your voice first, via scales or just some light singing, you will sing at least twice as well as you would if you didn't warm up.

Bottom line, if your throat hurts, you are doing it wrong, breathe from your diaphragm, and avoid trying to "amp it up" too much, drink tons of water before, while, and after your sing/scream, and build up some confidence in your singing abilities (Assuming you haven't already)..

A lot of people can't sing simply because they are so scared someone will hear them that they can't unleash their full potential. Confidence makes just a big a difference as technique does.

That's my two cents anyways.

[BrokenDeck]

At 1/5/10 09:01 PM, Back-From-Purgatory wrote:

A lot of people can't sing simply because they are so scared someone will hear them that they can't unleash their full potential. Confidence makes just a big a difference as technique does.

That's my two cents anyways.

How do you explain American Idol then? lol

[hhhh]

You can always find some helpful information on what to take and what to stay away from on google.

This has some info

So uh.. as beneficial as it is for studio recording, I'm wondering if this is dangerous to practice. And even without lemon juice, is it dangerous to sing outside my comfort level if its stressful afterwards?

It's always a terrible idea to force your vocals. Even being social after your vocals have had enough could potentially damage them. Sucking lemons to be able to continue voice acting is a lot different then sucking a lemon to scream into a microphone. (depending on what your acting.) If your gonna sing. Never force your vocals. You destroy them and you can't sing.(obviously) but you'll always have a voice to talk with.

Seek professional help from a vocal coach.
1. Causes and/or exacerbators of vocal problems in singers and professional voice users.
A. Lack of discipline and self-motivation.
B. Lack of self-restraint: Overuse and abuse.
1. Speaking too long, too loud, too low, over too loud noises -- particularly when voice is tired or "ill." Voice rest is not an excuse for not practicing. It is the reason to eliminate or severely restrict social talking.
2. Inability to say "no" socially and professionally when you and your voice are tired, sick, and overworked.

[Back-From-Purgatory]

At 1/5/10 09:03 PM, brokendeck wrote:

At 1/5/10 09:01 PM, Back-From-Purgatory wrote:

A lot of people can't sing simply because they are so scared someone will hear them that they can't unleash their full potential. Confidence makes just a big a difference as technique does.

That's my two cents anyways.

How do you explain American Idol then? lol

Well, in that case, some people are just full of themselves but don't actually have any talent. I did say "a lot of people", not "everyone".

[hhhh]

How do you explain American Idol then? lol

Confidence, No technique.

[WeHaveFreshCookies]

At 1/5/10 09:07 PM, hhhh wrote:

How do you explain American Idol then? lol

Confidence, No technique.

That, and some people simply can't sing. You can talk about technique all you want, but some people (such as me) just don't have the talent.

[Krank]

vocals are a gateway drug. they lead to things like chord progressions and percussion and should be avoided entirely

[Khuskan]

Lemons contain a chemical compound called Lemonine, which effectively numbs the vocal chords allowing them to be pushed. However, it has also been tied to testicular cancer.

You have been warned.

[nathanallenpinard]

Basically the first rule is to drink lots of water. I mean as if you were going to do a UA for work. LOTS.

You can try potato chips, but some believe sodium can screw things up. It's worked for me at times.

Lemon helps too, but why not add some honey and ginger as well. Honey, Lemon, and Ginger tea can knock out a cold, and clear your throat nicely.

Also, DON'T EAT OR DRINK ANY DAIRY PRODUCTS BEFORE RECORDING.

[loansindi]

Some of the vocalists I know use corn syrup before performances.

[nathanallenpinard]

At 1/6/10 09:29 AM, loansindi wrote: Some of the vocalists I know use corn syrup before performances.

That could also work too, but honestly it seems the OP might've pushed a bit far. My recommendation is...rest. Water and rest.

If you keep going, you WILL lose your voice.

[loansindi]

At 1/6/10 09:33 AM, nathanallenpinard wrote: If you keep going, you WILL lose your voice.

No doubt. Like I suggested before, if it hurts after you do something, there's a decent chance you're doing it wrong.

[Mystery-Moon-Pie-Aud]

I drink orange juice every day non-exaggerating, and my voice sounds like shit. It's all about practice. Lemon juice does nothing.

[BigRed]

If you have to ask, don't do it. Your voice is precious. Don't even risk fucking it up.

[JKG1069]

haha damn! you guys have been so helpful, not even kidding.

And yeah the lemon juice definitely does something Im actually with the guy that said it numbs your vocal chords cause i can ignore strain on my throat when i do that, so obviously that isn't a good idea to abuse like i have been.

Im DEFINITELY not attempting screamo until I master complete control of my voice to the point where I won't need to warm up for 30- 60 minutes before able to sing normally.

Obviously as I just stated, I do warm up and I have my good days and bad days, some days it takes about 15 minutes, some 30, and some a full hour.

And I'm RIGHT there with you when you say people can't sing since they won't unleash their full potential for fear of attempting to actually project their voices and people hearing them, I go through that on a daily basis. I only sing when I'm home alone and that's only for 2 hours at a time about 2 days a week, so it is very difficult for me to improve. I actually lose progress when I go without REALLY singing for a long time (instead of just singing an octave lower and along with the singer rather than just singing yourself.)

I'll definitely try the other methods though, including honey, ginger tea, and corn syrup even haha..

Any one have any take on the workout supplements I use though? N.O. Xplode is one, and Pump Fuel. Nitrix oxide (ingredient in both) helps your blood flow better, and creatine helps your muscles retain water better.

It isnt a placebo effect, because I realized it before I figured out what was causing it those days, eliminated possibilities of causes and attempted to recreate it. What I think it may be, is just more energy so you can just "get into it" easier