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Singing With Allergies

-by Brett Manning

It's that time of year again! Your eyes seem to itch for no reason, you throat gets all scratchy, and your sinuses are easily infected. No one likes dealing with allergies, but for singers they are especially problematic. As human instruments, our tonal quality is dependent on the health and condition of our “instrument,” and nothing wreaks havoc on it quite like allergies.

The singer simply will not live up to his or her standard of singing if allergies set in. There are over sixty muscles that directly influence singing. If any of those muscles are affected by excess mucous production or by allergy-induced edema (muscle swelling) of the chords themselves, the singer will find that the voice is a stubborn instrument indeed. Fortunately, there is hope!

Many allergy specialists throughout the country have had success treating allergies medicinally. Unfortunately, the side effects are especially problematic for singers. Antihistamines, for example, cause such significant drying of the vocal tract that most singers find it impossible to perform with them. That, among other reasons, is why I usually recommend nutritional and herbal treatments.

For me, it’s really an issue of nourishing my body's endocrine (hormone) system and my respiratory system. Through my own research, I've learned that the majority of allergies are caused from weaknesses in these systems. The two herbal formulas I've used throughout the years are called Prime Again and Conco. I’ve been taking them for allergy prevention faithfully for over ten years now and have remained allergy free. As a singer who nearly quit a few times due to vocal inconsistency, I feel truly blessed to finally have some relief! Naturally, I’ve been recommending Prime Again and Conco to my students for many years with great success, and we have recently added them to our website as well. I also recommend a few herbal teas that work wonderfully for singers with allergies, including Calli Tea for prevention and Fortune Delight for quick relief.

Nutrition is also important. For starters, you should avoid refined sugars, excess dairy products, and wheat during the spring months. Be sure to drink plenty of fluids (but you do that anyway, right?) and lots of vitamin C. A great source for both is grapefruit juice, which helps by thinning mucous and carrying it out of the body. Radishes are also particularly helpful.

Remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and as a singer, nothing is more important than maintaining the health of your “instrument.” And be sure to check out our online store for a complete list of recommended vocal health products.

Happy singing!

Brett Manning

Vocal Coach - Singing Success Program

Singing Tips, Voice Lessons FAQ's

-by Brett Manning

Aren't voice lessons like pulling teeth? Every lesson I've had was a miserable experience where I was criticized for every little "wrong" thing I did.

You are so right. Unfortunately, most voice teachers are still training their students to look and sound like classical singers, using techniques that have nothing to do with developing a contemporary sound. That's why students who don't enjoy older styles of music often find voice lessons frustrating and fruitless. Brett Manning will never stifle your unique sound and style. In fact, the Singing Success Program provides tools and techniques that will allow you to sing with more style. Besides, who wants to listen to someone who sounds like every other "proper" singer?

Can I improve my tone quality?

Tone quality improves when the correct musculature is engaged in the singing process. Feel underneath your chin with your forefinger and slide it inwards to the point where your neck meets the muscles under your chin. Now swallow. Notice how your larynx (Adam's apple) raises up and the muscles under your chin tighten up as you swallow? These muscles that are engaged in the swallowing process are opposed to those engaged in the singing process. The use of these muscles while singing creates a myriad of problems that can take years to correct if left unchecked. For good tone quality, you must learn to sing without the outer muscles of the larynx. Doing so will set free your natural voice, drastically improving tone quality and ease of use. Naturally, the Singing Success Program contains techniques that will help you do this.

Is it really possible to teach style?

Until now, there really has not been a comprehensive system of teaching vocal style. There have been scales played to reflect certain genres, such as the Blues Scale, but that's really not enough. Brett Manning worked with hundreds of brilliant vocal stylists to co-develop training techniques based on their various skills. Using these techniques you can develop style skills so prolific that you'll be able to reinterpret any song you wish into a unique masterpiece. Think of it this way: As a singer, you are the artist and the final "painting" is up to you. Brett Manning's style training just gives you more colors to work with.