4. Responsible Voice Use (Part 1)

The Mindful Voice Users Podcast

There’s this idea that unless you’re a super famous voice user - like a huge pop star or, maybe to a lesser extent, some kind of big deal keynote speaker of sorts, you have no right or even the smallest amount of freedom to set boundaries or conditions for the benefit of your voice. Choosing to dress warmly in cold and windy situations, or maybe not drinking a drink that you personally feel makes your voice feel uncomfortable - those things are so often met with a lot of misunderstanding from others and unfortunately, may even encourage judgemental comments about being a “diva” or “taking your voice too seriously”.

But is there really such a thing? How does one GET to be that “GREAT” of a voice user, without having a voice in GREAT condition, then? Or is it ok to just ride off the way we’ve always used our voices, regardless of any possible negative habits, and just hope against hope that it’ll last and serve us for...ever, I guess? I mean, almost everyone else in the world has a voice and THEY use it to communicate daily, so why should it require any further preference or special care just because we RELY on it to DO OUR JOBS - even if those jobs don’t yet provide any income?
With every choice of profession, or lifestyle, comes some very difficult decisions that need to be made as we try to balance our work life, home life, our passions, our beliefs. There really isn’t a single right or wrong answer that can be used as a blanket solution for all sportsmen, or pilots, or doctors. And nor is there one solution or right way or wrong way for the mindful voice user. From personal experience as well as extensive observation, I know very well that voice users find it very hard to prioritise their voices. Over the years vocal coaches, singers and speakers have said that they "try to be mindful" of their voices by doing random things like eliminating dairy or swapping out coffee for lemon tea with honey. But you might find those very same people at a gathering the day before a gig and they’re shouting in a crowd, drinking excessive alcohol, not getting decent sleep.
What is responsible voice use? And why can't one method of care be applied to all people when it comes to both observing and then maintaining healthy voices.

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Recorded, edited and mixed at Sampsongs Studio, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Music: "Much Adore" by RaFa Sessions and Rasmus Faber, Epidemic Sound