Hoarseness After Gig

b.vivino

Hey Guys,

I had 2 gigs this weekend.  Friday night was a duo gig at a restaurant.  I used my full vocal range.  At the end of that gig I felt pretty good, no signs of hoarseness.  Saturday night I was the MC/band leader and one of the lead vocalists.  3/4ths of the way through the gig I started to lose range and my head voice/falsetto was almost gone.  This always happens to me when I sing with the full band, and usually doesn't happen in smaller situations (hear myself better?)

Today I was a bit hoarse.  I did my warmups like Ken said.  I actually warmed the voice up almost back to the full range.  I completed an entire round of warmups. The voice sounded good again.  Chest was nice and elastic.   

Later on I started a 2nd round, feeling good.  As I was finishing the 2nd round of warmups (volume 1) I seemed to lose my upper-mids once more.  I'm not sure if it's just that the chords were dry (I hadn't had any water on me) or if I re-swelled the chords once again?  Or if I was just not making proper closure.

Does anyone have any pointers on some other ways to avoid hoarseness as the MC?  Things I can practice?  Do you think I just outlasted the amount of strength I had in my chords for today with the 2nd round of warmups?

Thanks,

Bill

sspatrick

It sounds to me like you may have over worked yourself. Monitor how loud you are singing with the full band, you may be over singing causing you to wear out a lot faster. Warming up the next day is essential but the 2nd workout may have been over kill. Remember to pace yourself:). Dehydration couldve also contributed.

b.vivino

Thanks.  I have noticed this week at school that my voice has been hoarse.  This week it is hot outside.  I am betting there is some amount of dehydration going on.  I am also taking this antibiotic for an ear infection.  

So I have my water bottle at hand.  Going to try to hydrate more.

I do exercise 5-6 times per week, hour minimum, I do a lot of running/cardio and a small amount of light strength training (no straining/grunting).

I may be speaking rather loudly at these gigs to MC.  So I have to figure that out... maybe a lesson with Ken is in order.  I found myself going hoarse on these gigs but not the restaurant/purely music performance types of gigs.

Thank you for your input.

Bill

billthebaldguy

Went through same thing and for me it was singing too loudly because I couldn't hear well enough, even with a wedge monitor in front of me. Switched to in ear monitors and have never had the problem since, even if singing full, four set gigs on back to back days. I notice it now when I practice with the band that if I use the floor wedge monitor, I start to oversing/lose the highs as the practice goes on. In ears saved me. Sorry for delayed response, too:)

Alixandrea

Seconding the in-ear monitoring recommendation. They have literally changed my life and saved my voice. I'm in four bands, three of which have live drummers (one of which is a bunch of old dudes who are losing their hearing!) I wear an ear plug in one ear and the IEMs in the other. That way I still hear enough of the band, but have a boost of my voice in one ear that really helps me. Really, really helps. I can't overstate it!

With the fourth band - which is more electro and thus quieter - I don't wear the earplug but still have the IEMs in one ear. Works a treat, I can hear everything and everyone clearly, including myself.

IEMs aren't all that expensive these days, and they are worth every penny you will invest in them.

Joyce

Hello!
How do ear monitor work? Can we use them for an Open Mic Karaoke show for example? I always abuse my voice on these occasions.
Thanks
J

highmtn

Usually at an open mic situation they won't have a means to send a signal to your in-ear monitors. They tend to have one monitor speaker and not much variation in the way they can accommodate monitoring. You CAN ask them if they could bring the mic up in the monitor. They may have the music blaring out of the monitor and not much mic, so that they don't have much feedback, and possibly so that the vocalist won't hear how bad they might be sounding and freeze up.

Bob