Unlock a world of musical knowledge by connecting with passionate musicians across the globe.

Music Teachers Forums Music Forum Hoarse and Scratchy Voice After Teaching (Singing Teachers)

  • Hoarse and Scratchy Voice After Teaching (Singing Teachers)

    Posted by Lydia Hedjazi on November 27, 2018 at 5:13 pm

    Hi guys. Just a quick question, does any other singing teachers on here voices get really hoarse and scratchy after a full day of teaching?

    Mines become really bad over the past few weeks and it doesn’t seem to be recovering due to having to teach 6 days a week. Im constantly losing the top end of my voice, and it’s really hard to give examples ect to my students on how it should be sang!

    I’m worried I’ll be doing serious damage to my own voice!! 😕

    Veronica Wakeling replied 3 years, 10 months ago 2 Members · 5 Replies
  • 5 Replies
  • Guest Teacher

    Member
    November 27, 2018 at 5:15 pm

    Hi there this used to be really bad for me when I started teaching in schools and had to sing as well as speak quite loudly over all the kids. The basics you should be doing is warming up yourself at the start of the day, a proper warm up not just what you do with students. A hot drink of lemon and honey through the day if you can manage is good and of course lots of water. Also resting your voice in between as much as possible, no talking or when you are, speaking softly. If you can implement some techniques to try singing less in lessons, maybe make some recordings, singing softly, humming the tune while the student sings it. Take care of your voice, I lost mine once which took quite a few weeks to recover from… sorry it’s happening, so hard to manage sometimes…

  • Lydia Hedjazi

    Member
    November 27, 2018 at 5:15 pm

    Great advice. Thank you!!!

  • Veronica Wakeling

    Member
    November 27, 2018 at 5:15 pm

    Brush up on your own technique of singing “in the mask”I feel sure you know this method,I never have a problem,because I use this method.

  • Lydia Hedjazi

    Member
    November 27, 2019 at 5:15 pm

    Ive been to see a specialist and turns out i have bloody vocal nodules.

    Told i need to be on voice rest for a while. So teaching is becoming extremely difficult!!

  • Veronica Wakeling

    Member
    November 27, 2019 at 5:16 pm

    Oh Lydia it is vocal rest time .Then change your technique ,making sure you place everything you sing before you actually sing it ,through the nose to feel the vibrato in that place.Well away from the larynx and softly only.First of all get well…..No singing and only talking softly with plenty of breath even air is a healer.They found that out from patients with severe bed sores.A steady stream of oxygen to the bedsores worked much better than any topical application.Let us know how you get on.