Throat
nodes, also known as vocal nodules, might not top a singer's list of things to
worry about. Or at least that is not until the problems start turning up. The
condition of a singer's throat is very serious business.
Many
singers advance to a certain point in their career where they begin to
experience success; they’re singing great and they start making great records.
Immediately other demands start to intrude and their lives change drastically.
They
begin a heavy tour schedule. They have a public to cultivate. They already sing
well enough to get picked up by a record label so they think, “Okay, the
voice is fine, I’ll worry about these other things now instead." Understandable,
but still, a bad decision. Life on the road combined with all the other demands
of a successful career are hard to handle. Too many singers lose the healthy
voice that brought them success in the first place.
This
is exactly what happened to Kim Wilson, lead singer of the Fabulous
Thunderbirds. You may be familiar with their hit song from the eighties, Tuff’ Enuff’.
Kim
is a very energetic blues/rock singer. Singing from his throat for years had
damaged his voice and he opted to have surgery to remove the throat nodes that
had formed. The surgery cleared up his problem -- for a while.
But
he hadn't really changed anything about the way he sang so he developed the
same condition again a couple of years later. Only now, the scar tissue from
the surgery compounded the problem. Kim was at the height of his career and not
eager to have another surgery, only to possibly be faced with the same
situation again two more years down the road. He began to wonder if he should
start thinking about a new profession.
Austin
singer Toni Price told him about my work. We decided he should come to
Nashville for a few weeks where we embarked on an intensive rehabilitation
program that included:
Passive
Breathing
Passive
Breathing is as relaxed and easy as falling down a drain. Quite literally.
Simply open up your throat and let the air fall in, like water going down an
open drain. Never fill beyond your resting capacity, It forces you to tighten
your throat to control the flow of air.
Lower
Body Support
Think
Elvis. Tuck your hips forward and put the power of your lower body under the
sound, like lifting a heavy chair. Relax your knees and support the sound with
strong legs. Imagine you are sitting on your tailbone.
Freely-Vibrating
Resonance
Direct
the resonance to almost any part of your body other than your throat. Do not
tighten your jaw and lift your chin. Again, think Elvis and keep your head
rounded over the microphone. Try feeling the sound resonate in your collar
bones. Imagine that they are hollow resonators.
Heed
Your Body
If
you think something is wrong, it probably is. A raspy voice, a throat that's
irritated after singing, and the constant need to clear your throat, are all
signs of trouble.
Heal
Your Body
Try
putting yourself on complete vocal rest. No talking, no singing, no whispering.
Then start back gradually, using the physical concepts above to get your voice
back on track. For throat nodes that persist -- call a good Ear, Nose, and
Throat doctor.
Kim
worked hard to learn to sing with more of his body. He decided against the
surgery and went back on tour and never did have to have another operation on
his throat. If you follow the suggestions above you should manage to avoid
falling victim to throat nodes.
Click here to see part 1 Vocal Nodules: What Are They Really?
Nashville
vocal coach Renee Grant-Williams reveals the trade secrets that have already
helped hundreds of aspiring singers become celebrities: Tim McGraw, Martina
McBride, Dixie Chicks, Miley Cyrus, Huey Lewis, Kenny Chesney, Faith Hill,
Jason Aldean, Christina Aguilera...
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