Kristin Linklater's List of Vocal Dos and Don'ts By David Finkle | Posted July 21, 2010, !

"1 #$%$ &Kno' your voice(it's stron), it's sensitive, it's resilient, and it's you,& says Kristin Linklater, founder of t*e Linklater +enter for Voice and Lan)ua)e, ,efore launc*in) into *er lists of voice dos and don'ts$ &-o ,e )ood to it,& s*e continues, as one of t*e fore%ost voice e.#erts do%estically and internationally$

Dos for the Healthy Voice / Do get lots of sleep. 0est relieves t*e vocal cords, for o,vious reasons$ / Do try to persuade your director not to set your play in a sandpit. -and can seriously %ess 'it* your voice$ / Do a 20-to-60-minute voice and body warm-up as close as possible to the start of every rehearsal and performance. 1 lon), slo' 'ar%/u# in t*e %ornin) and a s*ort, 2uick one in t*e evenin) 'ork 'ell$ / Do fall in love with your breathing. 3t's you$ 3t's your e%otions$ 3t's your voice$ 3t's not a %ac*ine$ / Do open your body down to your pelvis, into your belly, and round to your bac for many deep-down en!oyable sighs. / Do pant loosely, often, and happily, li e a puppy. 4*is is to a'aken your ,reat*$ / Do yawn a lot. 4*e idea *ere is to o#en your t*roat(and s%ile as you ya'n$ / Do stretch the middle of your tongue out of your mouth, placing the tip of the tongue down behind your bottom teeth. / Do laugh out loud, and do cry if you feel li e it. 3f you feel like it a lot, set t*e alar% and )ive yourself a deadline to sto# and do so%et*in) else$ / Do sing in the shower. -in)in) is )ood, *el#ful$ Join a c*oral )rou# for 'eekly sin)in)$ / Do practice tongue twisters. / Do lie on the floor and whisper all of your te"t to yourself before each rehearsal and performance. 4*e #oint is to rela. and let t*ou)*ts ,e freely in touc* 'it* your ,reat*$

/ Do drin plenty of water$ 5ne of t*e %any reasons is t*at 'ater reduces t*e viscosity of %ucus, %akin) it t*inner and less likely to ad*ere to t*e vocal folds and interfere 'it* %ove%ent$ 3f you are usin) a decon)estant %edication, ,e sure to drink lots of 'ater, as decon)estants 'ill dry out your tissues$ / Do consider mucus helpful. 0e)ard #*le)% as a friend$ 6ou don't 'ant to stri# t*e folds entirely of %ucus, ,ecause it does lu,ricate$ 7at fruit, ,ecause %ild acid *el#s clear #*le)%$ 1lso, fruit adds a ,it of natural su)ar ener)y$ Don#ts for the Healthy Voice / Don#t smo e$ -%okin) is ,ad for your vocal cords and your lun)s$ 3t also tran2uili8es your e%otions, so it's ,ad for t*e art of t*eater$ / Don#t drin alcohol of any ind. $lcohol acts as a diuretic and can dehydrate you. 3t also interferes 'it* your liver's a,ility to filter )er%s$ 3f you do drink any alco*ol, follo' u# 'it* lots of 'ater$ / Don#t drin caffeinated drin s. 1 caffeinated drink 'ill act as a diuretic$ 3f you do drink t*e%, follo' u# 'it* 'ater$ / Don#t stay up late. 9*en you do, it often %eans s*outin) over t*e noise in a ,ar$ / Don#t spend your afternoon yelling at a football match or the li e. 4*is is a te%#tation, es#ecially durin) c*a%#ions*i# seasons$ / Don#t do imitation %roadway belting at a arao e bar. / Don#t eat chocolate or cheese. 4*ese foodstuffs are #articularly *ar%ful to t*e vocal cords$ / Don#t drin mil before a show. -ee #revious &don't& for t*e effect on t*e vocal cords$ Do#s and Don#ts for the $fflicted Voice / Do, if you strain your voice, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. / Do get lots of sleep$ 0est is an o,vious tonic$ / Do hum gently in whatever clear bit of your voice you can find. Li# trill like a ,a,y u# and do'n your ran)e$ / Do rela". :et a %assa)e$ / Do, if you have to perform, rely more than usual on clear articulation$ 4*e sore t*roat t*at co%es 'it* a cold 'ill not necessarily affect your vocal folds$ 6ou %ay sound a ,it funny, ,ut t*ere's no need to lose your voice$ / Do, if you develop laryngitis, go to the doctor. Laryn)itis is an infla%%ation of t*e laryn. t*at causes s'ellin) in t*e vocal folds and is induced ,y stress or a virus$ 3f a,solutely necessary, find a very )ood t*roat doctor$ 3 reco%%end Dr$ Ben;a%in 1s*er for <e' 6orkers

='''$,en;a%inas*er%d$co%> and Dr$ ?adison 0ic*ardson for t*ose in L$1$ ='''$%adisonric*ardson%d$co%>$ / Do, if you are e"periencing postnasal drip, use a neti pot. 9ar% salt 'ater is )ood for t*e t*roat, ,ut *oney %ay not ,e, as it can con)est furt*er$ -li##ery el% is soot*in) to t*e t*roat$ 5s*a root(also called &sin)er's root&(is ideal for viral infections of t*e sinuses, t*roat, and u##er and lo'er res#iratory syste%s$ 3t *el#s ,rin) out res#iratory secretions and rela.es s%oot* %uscle, %akin) it ,eneficial for cou)*s and ast*%atic ,reat*in) difficulties$ / Don#t use decongestants& <asal irri)ation 'it* salty 'ater is a )reat alternative to decon)estants, ,ut do it earlier in t*e day$ Don't try it ;ust ,efore a #erfor%ance$ 4*at's ,ecause salt 'ater can, if t*ere is reflu. infla%%ation already #resent, furt*er irritate your vocal folds and laryn.$ 'emo( Do re%e%,er t*at all 'ork and no #lay %ake Jack and Jill a dull ,oy and )irl$