POSTURE AND VOICE: STRAIGHTEN UP AND SING (OR SPEAK) RIGHT!
One of the first foundation skills that I teach at Professional Voice Care Center in Voice Session 1 or Singing Lesson 1 is posture and alignment. As soon as I present this concept in our sessions, people look at me, sometimes with confusion, like “Why posture?”, with abject fear (“I have to sit up straight?”), […]
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STOP GIVING 150% – YOU ALREADY GOT THE PART!
Let’s face it, the entertainment industry is competitive. A recent study from Queen Mary University in London revealed a not-surprising statistic: the acting profession’s unemployment rate hovers at about 90%, and only 2% are making a living in the profession. I don’t think anyone has done a study on the “unemployment” rate of community theater […]
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MAKING DAILY VOICE CARE SIMPLE
As a vocologist for 38 years, I’ve heard every excuse in the book for why my clients didn’t practice or follow my therapeutic recommendations: I was busy with my family, work was crazy, the dog ate my homework, I forgot…and on and on. But as I always say in my office, no one is too […]
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CLEAR YOUR THROAT SAFELY AND PROTECT YOUR VOCAL CORDS: LET’S “CLEAR UP” THE CONFUSION!
By now most of us know that repeated forceful throat-clearing is not a good idea, as far as your vocal folds are concerned. In fact, my friend and colleague, laryngologist Dr. Joel Portnoy, says “Throat-clearing is like injuring your vocal cords just before you want to use them”… to sing, to teach, or even to […]
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CIRCUMLARYNGEAL MASSAGE DE-STRESS YOUR VOICE
As a vocologist, I see people in my office every day who have voice problems. They have many different ideas as to what factors have contributed to their voice issues. So, what’s one of the biggest obstacles to having a healthy voice, whether speaking or singing? Reflux? Surely a big problem but probably not the […]
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DRINK UP! HYDRATE FOR A HEALTHIER VOICE
Hydration – we all know it’s important for your health in general: for digestion, flushing toxins, healthy joints, for staying alert and clear-headed, etc. But why is hydration so important for your voice? The answer is simple: vocal folds (which aren’t really skinny “vocal cords”, but rather multi-layered folds of tissue) are covered with mucous […]
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DIAPHRAGMATIC BREATHING DE-MYSTIFIED: IT’S NOT A LOT OF B.S.!
In this fast-paced world of work deadlines, high-stakes presentations, and competition for clients, stress is a given. Add to that the stress of your SECOND job: caring for your family, with carpooling, rushing to your kids’ appointments, and trying to keep up with exercise, a good diet, and enough sleep. Sure enough, stress becomes an […]
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Happy Holidays – AND a Healthy Voice
It’s that time of year again: holiday parties and reveling, New Year’s festivities, and LOTS of talking to friends and relatives. It’s also a time of stress, rushing, too little sleep, and too many germs invading our mucous membranes. So, it’s the perfect time to talk about voice care, now and throughout the year. Winter […]
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IT’S NYSSMA TIME – DON’T PANIC! READ THIS!
Your child has come home from school and announced that he/she would like to participate in the NYSSMA (New York State School Music Association) Festival voice evaluations for this coming spring. You look at the forms and immediately get that helpless feeling of “Uh-oh; what do I do now? My child has never even taken […]
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“Tune In to Tune Up” Episode 5: Stress & Your Voice
This Isn’t Just for Singers If you’ve ever been sidelined by stress or anxiety (and who hasn’t), especially as it relates to performing or public speaking situations, you won’t want to miss the next episode of Tune In to Tune Up with Karen Sussman, MA, CCC, voice therapist and singing voice expert. On Wednesday August […]
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