Vocal Injury

When you think about going to a concert of a band that has been on tour, what do you think about?  Maybe it is the music itself, or the band you are seeing.  What about the pyrotechnics or other technologies that you get from being at a live concert?  These are common, but very few people other than the artists themselves think about injury. 

            With fame, comes hard work, strain on your body, and even on your voice.  Musicians are put through the ringer with their voices and bodies.  The lead singer, going through the most.  When a band or singer finally gets recognition or signed, the demand to get them out to the public is high.  They are pushed to the limits, given very few days off.  Having interviews virtually around the clock, and performances every night, sometimes multiple performances throughout a day. 

            What does this mean for these musicians?  For starters, it means almost continual use of their voices, their instruments.  While fame does not happen over night, the increase in demand for them does.  These musicians are used to practicing and performing, but not at the demanding schedule that they are at once they become famous.

            If they are not used to using their instruments or voices properly, then they can do some serious damage to themselves.  We need to start to train to use our bodies instrument properly from the beginning.  It is this strain that can cause muscle strain, polyps, cysts, vocal nodules, even hemorrhage. 

            So, with this demand, what can we do to assist the musicians?  Besides offering proper vocal training, we can have them start by seeing a specialist for regular checkups.  By establishing a starting point, or baseline, doctors will have an idea of where the musician needs to get back to after treatment.  If the musician, or anyone else, notices that they are straining, having difficulties, or just soreness, then they need to have vocal rest.   By taking care of a “sore muscle,” their voices, at the first sign of a problem, they can usually heal themselves before they get to the point where they will need surgery.  Signs that a singer is having a problem include difficulty with stamina, having a longer recovery time between injury, and the actual acoustic quality of their voices has changed.

            Once they have notices a problem, whether it be just a sore throat, or larger needing surgery, we need to allow them time to heal.  If they continue to go at the rate that they are normally being pushed, it could lead to irreparable damage.  No one wants to see that. 

            Some tips everyone should know: Try to keep caffeine, alcohol, and spicy foods out of your diet.  Do not do more than a couple shows in a row without a day off in between.  Drink plenty of water, your body, your muscles, but most importantly for singers is their vocal chords, needs to remain hydrated.  Anything that can dehydrate them, they should keep away from. 

            Who does the responsibility of maintenance of their instrument fall to?  According to Santigold, “It’s really up to the artist to lay down the law.”   They need to know their bodies and in a sense demand what they need to keep their body in full working condition.  Thankfully in today’s industry, the vocalists do not have to feel like they are on their own.  According to Dr. C. Gaelyn Garrett, “Management has now recognized  It’s a marathon, and a lot of the new artists they they’re signing, they’re sending them over right from the beginning [for assessment].”  If their artists have an issue, they are not making money.  It is not a race.  The artist is in this for the long-term.  If we allow them to have the time needed, keep them in peak condition, then they will continue to earn money.  The lesson, keep your artist healthy.

that this is not a sprint for the artist.