Music Tip Monday #2 - World Voice Day

It’s World Voice Day tomorrow Tuesday 15th April and so it seems appropriate today to talk about voice care for music teachers.

Last Monday’s tips about straw phonation would be a good starting point.

Here are some more ideas:

1. Use non-verbal cues to get the students’ attention when they are working in groups – for example, establish a routine of clapping a short rhythmic pattern (which the students then clap back to you) when you want their attention. Vary the patterns from lesson to lesson to reinforce rhythmic concepts as well.

2. Avoid aggressive and  / or habitual throat clearing  - it can cause vocal fatigue.

3. Focus your speaking voice forward  - straw phonation helps establish this.

4. Drink water before you feel thirsty.

5. When you need to talk over loud background noise, use the vocal technique of twang to increase your projection without placing stress on your throat. We will look at twang next Monday.

Let us know if you have voice care tips to share!