Cold? Winter? Singing Event?...

Between low humidity and the increasingly frigid weather, along with more performances in December, singing (even indoors!), can truly be a vocal challenge. Sure, it's fun, however singing outside for Carols in December can negatively affect your voice and can take up to a month to fully recover. Signs to watch for are a raspy sound, decreased vocal range, less flexibility, dysphonia, hoarseness, and the need to use more air just to activate the vocal folds. Solution: refrain from singing in cold weather! Second solution: stay as warm as you can, bring a thermos of warm tea or water, hydrate extensively for several days before the event, wear a scarf, and when not singing, a face mask. When possible, inhale through your nose to warm the air. Don't sing loudly - keep it light. Make sure you have had enough nutrition to keep you going for the 1 - 3 hours outside. Keep moving the body. and most of all, keep the heat inside the body as much as possible! Here is a lot of information from the American Red Cross about being outside and how it affects the body. Included in the info is hypothermia, blood pressure levels, the extremities and why they get so cold, and much more: https://www.heart.org/en/news/2025/01/03/what-cold-weather-does-to-the-body-and-how-to-protect-yourself-this-winter

If you are cold, your vocal cords are cold. Remember that ice water and cold drinks contract the vocal cords and the sound becomes raspy. Being physically cold from your head to your toes can have negative affects on the vocal cords.

Stay warm!!

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Article by Zoe Vandermeer (except the link), and copyrighted 2025, all rights reserved