Often a bit hoarse after warm-up = normal?

Hi Camille,

I am currently in the beginner's course here and am really excited to correct especially my posture and breathing. I used to take some singing lessons (maybe 5-6 years ago?) and after that I moved and just sang by myself. During that time, I definitely neglected breathing, and pushed for high notes through my throat. It got to the point that I often got hoarse and so I started to be afraid of even singing at all. That and personal situation let to me kind of stop singing at all for the last 1.5-2 years.

As I am getting into a daily warmup routine now, I know I have lots of bad techniques and mental blocks to work on. After 10-20 minutes of singing warm up and exercises, my voice usually gets a bit hoarse, then I drink a tea or hot water and honey, rest my voice, and then maybe after 2 hours the longest, my voice is fine.

Is this a typical response for my situation, as I have so much to re-learn/ un-learn? Is it typical that my voice might need some weeks to work itself back to being able to have longer practice time? I just want to make sure I am not neglecting or ignoring the situation this time around.

Thanks so much for your help and this course!

Welcome! I encourage you to pay attention to the specific exercises/range in which you're feeling strain or pain. Given your history, you might consider using narrower vowels (like OO or OH), "dopey" sounds (like MUHM), and/or slightly reducing volume when you do encounter strain or pain.

Please see below for my best advice on strain & pain when singing, and let me know if you have questions!

Guide to reducing strain when singing: https://www.30daysinger.com/blog/how-to-reduce-vocal-strain

Article on preventing vocal injury: https://www.30daysinger.com/blog/vocal-nodules-preventing-injuries

Live lesson on strain & vocal health: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6HRdzfpT20

Thank you,Camille, for the tip and resources! Ive payed more attention to where I am straining at the moment and I think especially muhm exercises (e.g. in the beginner's warm up course on Day 2) usually is a bit hard to not use my throat.

I know for higher notes I am not supposed to use my throat but I am a little unclear where the higher notes then should come from instead (from breath pushing through an unstrained "uninvolved" throat?). I am not sure if that will be addressed later.

Thanks again!!

Hello this is deandra I'm new can I have some books to work on my singing please I recently joined to become even better singer every since I was little I wanted to become a better sing I sometime sing loud I don't mean to i just want to sing and became popular please and thank you I'll be working here for 30 days.

Hi, Deandra! I highly recommend "Beginning Singing" by John Henny, if you're looking for a good book on vocal technique for beginners. 

Geigesaj: the sound is always initiated in your throat, since that's where your larynx is! But we don't want it to feel like those muscles are squeezing or straining. 

If you're using a dopey sound for the MUHM exercise, see if using a slightly less dopey sound helps. If not, see if singing on a different syllable or with a different vowel helps! My favorite exercises to take pressure off the throat are lip trills and NG's, so you're welcome to use those and then then return to the MUHM exercise.