Vocal Damage from air tube…
Hi Ariella,
I’m working through a music theory course and was looking for interval training when I came across your Web site. My question regards possibly damaged vocal chords and what exercises might be helpful for healing. Although not professionally trained, I’ve sung all my life, mostly in choirs but also as a church cantor for the past decade. I’m 63 now and hope to continue singing until my last breath. As a middle-range lyric soprano and I have been able to sing up to a high A. During recent abdominal surgery, they put a beathing tube down my throat. I didn’t try to sing for quite awhile. Now at C above middle C, my voice often breaks into harmonics - but never in the lower range. I’m surprised and dismayed to have trouble in what has always been a really comfortable singing range. These things help: 1) long, slow warm-ups, 2) well supported breath, and 3) open throat singing. Are there vocal exercises that will strengthen and retrain the vocal chords? Is any particular vocalese beneficial? Do I need a consultation? Thanks for your help! –Lois
Lois,
Poor thing. Sounds like you did get some vocal damage from that abdominal tube. I have heard of that happening before. For the most part those things usually heal- but you need to be careful with what you do in the healing process.. How long ago was the surgery? Also, are you experiencing any side affects from it such as gastric reflux? This can be hard on the chords as well. Yours is a complicated question since I haven’t heard you and we are talking about possible vocal damage. If it has been a while since the surgery you may want to see a larygologist and have them look at your chords to see if there are noduals or any other type of damage.
In the meanwhile, or you may want to try this for a while first, I would suggest that you sing only what is comfortable. But if it is comfortable then sing it. Humming and simple vocalizes is where you should start. Do not try and challenge you range at this point. Only sing what is very easy. Hopefully each week more tone, range, etc.. will present itself in a healthy voice. I can give you more specific advice if I hear you of course. You can sign up for a vocal assessment on my site. You don’t have to send me anything special. Just sing some vocalizes where it is working for your voice and then show me some that are in the problem areas so I can hear it for a further assessment. if you are looking for interval training, that would be specific to my second volume Do Re Mi Ear and Pitch training,. For simple exercises for the voice I would start with v.1 and take it easy. Let me know how it comes along.- Ariella
Tags: Vocal damage
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