I wrote recently about Why your throat might be sore after singing. One of the reasons can be overuse. You’re just doing too much.
But how can you spot when you’re in danger of doing too much so you can stop in time? Here are three ideas that might help.
We all overdo it from time to time. We get involved in something so much that we don’t notice when we’re over our limit. It’s only when we stop that we might realise that our throat is sore or we’re very tired or our legs hurt.
The difficulty is that, when we’re truly focused on something, there’s no space in our brains or attention to check in with ourselves. It’s only when it’s too late that we tend to notice.
Here are three ideas that may help you look after yourself and your voice better.
1. time-limit the task at hand
Whether it’s
leading a choir or singing, decide in advance how long is sensible (based on
previous experience) to do that particular activity. Then stop, or take a
break. You might sit down for a while, give the choir a tea break, or not sing
the next song while you rest (even though everyone else is singing). You need
to be disciplined to look after yourself even though you might be the odd one
out.
2. train yourself to check in regularly with your own body
You can practice shifting your focus (from singing or choir leading)
every now and then to quickly run a check: any tension? soreness? aching? This
takes a lot of practice since your tendency will be to fully focus on the task
at hand rather than your own body, but it is possible. As soon as you notice
any problems creeping in then stop or take a break.
3. do the same thing differently
If you
always notice that your throat gets sore when you sing, even if you limit the
time you do it, then it’s time to try a different technique. If leading your
choir for a two-hour rehearsal wipes you out for the next few days, you could
reduce the rehearsal time or try leading using less energy. Find different
ways of doing the same thing that will help to preserve your energy. See
Energy conservation for singing leaders: how not to get carried away
and
No energy? Sing different, sing better!
What do you do to prevent yourself from overdoing things? I’d love to hear from you.
Chris Rowbury
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