Hoarseness

Camille...after hitting the lessons and exercises hard for several weeks, twice a day, I developed some hoarseness in the upper ranges. I took two days off and it's better now, but I wondered if there's a way to avoid hoarseness in the future, and if there are specific things that would cause it in the upper registers. Thank you! Randy

Hi Randy, I'd recommend cutting back to once per day and see how that goes! We do tend to squeeze or constrict for high notes, if we're not mindful, which can contribute to hoarseness.

Please substitute any tricky vowels or syllables for ones that feel easier, if needed; replace vowels or syllables with something semi-closed (like a lip trill), if needed; take more frequent breaks during your singing practice; "reset" with something gentle like a lip trill or straw phonation if you're feeling tired or like things aren't moving smoothly; drop out if any exercise goes too high or low to be comfortable; and take rest days, especially if your voice isn't feeling great!

Thanks Camille and Bobence!