Beginner Voice Therapy Exercises
When making adjustments to the voice, it is important to make sure we are taking the proper steps from the start of therapy to optimize vocal health. Below we have outlined a few simple exercises and vocal hygiene considerations that will help to mitigate risk of vocal fold injury and ensure that you are using your voice in the safest manner possible!
Abdominal Diaphragmatic Breathing (AD Breathing)
Abdominal Diaphragmatic Breathing (AD Breathing) is a breathing technique that can allow us to fully engage the muscles that are involved in controlling our breath. Because good breath support is necessary in order to sustain healthy voicing, implementation of AD Breathing is a simple way to ensure that the voice is supported during vocal practice. Furthermore, because voice practice can understandably cause us to become tense and/or lead to feelings of anxiety, AD Breathing can also serve as a wonderful way to help calm the nervous system before practice.
When practicing AD Breathing, make sure that you are seated in an upright position with both feet on the ground and shoulders relaxed. Keep a hand placed on your chest and belly during this exercise. As you breathe in through your nose, pay attention to how the stomach fills up with air and expands outwards. We want to have minimal movement of the chest, so placing a hand on the chest can serve as a good reminder to eliminate recruitment of the upper body when breathing. Although typical exhalation is a passive relaxation process, during AD breaths we use the muscles more intentionally. When exhaling through the nose, pay attention to how the stomach contracts back to a neutral position.
Semi-Occluded Vocal Tract Exercises (SOVT)
Semi-Occluded Vocal Tract exercises, also known as SOVT, are a collection of exercises that promote balance between the vocal cords and the vocal tract. SOVT improves the efficiency in how we use our breath for speech and can help us to produce a healthier, more “resonant” voice. These exercises require little to no equipment and can make a big impact on your vocal health. Utilize the information on AD breathing (above) to support this practice. Below are some examples of exercises you can try at home.
Exhale through a straw
Using the same AD breathing technique as described above, direct your exhale through a straw. The thinner the straw the more resistance and support you will feel. If you feel your exhale is coming out too quickly, try using a smaller straw or occluding the straw with your fingers by squeezing it near the mouth.
Blowing bubbles
If you want to increase the resistance and support for the above exhalation exercise, you can place your straw into a cup of water and exhale to blow bubbles.
Pitch glide through a straw
While using the straw, produce a pitch glide. Start at a comfortable pitch, increase as high as you can comfortably go, and then decrease to as low as you can comfortably go.
Pitch glide through a straw + blowing bubbles
While using the straw to produce a pitch glide, place the bottom of the straw into your cup of water. Start at a comfortable pitch, increase as high as you can comfortably go, and then decrease to as low as you can comfortably go.
Vocal Hygiene
Hydration
Water helps keep your vocal cords moist and gets rid of extra mucous. Optimal water intake is estimated around 64 ounces of water each day, but this can vary based on each individual’s body, activity level, and other sources of fluids. It may help to use a cool mist humidifier at night to keep your throat, lips, and nose from getting dry.
Avoiding irritants
Some examples of irritants to the voice include smoking, vaping, spicy foods, and menthol throat lozenges.
Avoiding vocal misuse:
Screaming, shouting, straining to reach an uncomfortable pitch/volume, prolonged talking, and even whispering can be harmful to your vocal cords. It may be helpful to rest your voice for approximately 10 minutes after every hour of talking, and to avoid shouting or screaming. Bothersome mucous/post-nasal drip can be irritating and cause the sensation that there's something that needs to be cleared from the vocal tract. However, throat clearing can cause swelling which then causes more saliva to collect. You can try using a hard swallow with a sip of water, or using a “silent” throat clearing method (e.g. saying “huh”).
Remediating any conditions that impact the health of the voice
Certain medical conditions can impact the health of your voice. Examples include acid reflux (also known as GERD or LPR) and allergies. Managing these conditions with support from your doctor can also help to avoid irritation to the vocal cords.
