Vocal endurance is the amount of speaking or singing you can do before your voice becomes fatigued. Maximizing your vocal endurance will enable you to sound your best through an entire performance and will also protect your voice from harm!
Here’s the strategy to maximize vocal endurance:
Vocal Hygiene
Vocal hygiene refers to the daily practices you use to keep your voice healthy. Always remember, it is muscles that produce the voice and these muscles must be treated with care. The healthier you keep your voice, the longer your vocal endurance.
1. Avoid overuse.
Don’t over-speak or over-sing. Stop vocalizing before your voice gets tired.
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2. Avoid alcohol and smoking.
Alcohol is dehydrating and it numbs your sensitivity to vocal abuse. Smoking is an extreme irritant that could easily cause voice disorders.
3. Nourish yourself well.
Stay hydrated. Feed your body a good diet. This will make your muscles perform better.
4. Sleep well.
The ultimate source of recovery for the vocal cords is good sleep.
5. Manage overall health.
Deal with any health issues such as acid reflux, allergies, a lingering cough, etc. This will improve vocal endurance.
Voice Training
Voice training involves many processes including eliminating bad habits, developing new skills, and strengthening the right muscles. Here are some of the highest payoff voice training items that will impact your vocal endurance.
6. Strengthen your chest voice.
Singers with little to no vocal endurance often have underdeveloped chest voices. Train your voice to produce a strong chest voice with no strain and you’ll be well on your way to having a more durable voice.
7. Start sustaining notes.
The inability to sustain notes well is often a reality for singers who lack endurance. Practicing your ability to sustain notes will make your vocal cords more resilient to the constant vibration required of them when singing songs.
8. Develop your vibrato.
Vibrato will help you sustain notes more comfortably and help to eliminate strain through your entire vocal range.
9. Practice new skills carefully.
New skills can easily fatigue your voice, even if your technique is perfect. Let your vocal muscles get used to new skills slowly over time.
10. Give your voice attainable challenges.
Your voice will not improve if it is not being challenged. Try incrementally increasing and expanding what you ask of your voice as it develops.
Singing Practice
Singing practice will make or break your vocal endurance. Proper practice will make your voice stronger, while bad practice habits will harm your vocal endurance.
11. Always warm up.
Vocal exercises condition the voice to perform optimally. Great technique means more endurance.
12. Practice away the mistakes.
You should practice every song you sing. Practice until you are able to sing through the song effortlessly with no straining or over-exerting.
13. Measure vocal endurance through songs.
Stay aware of how hard your voice is working when singing through songs. Sensitivity of vocal effort will bring about more vocal endurance.
14. Take breaks during practice.
Your voice can practice for longer if it is given breaks. The longer you’re able to practice, the faster your vocal endurance will grow.
15. Be patient.
Understand that your body needs time to develop more endurance. Don’t ask your voice to do more than it is capable of. If you are patient, you will get better significantly faster.
Train Like a Pro
Every singer has the choice to conduct themselves like a pro. Professionals don’t have the option of skipping practice or abusing their voice because that would prevent them from doing their job. Take yourself seriously and train like a pro, you’ll be amazed at what happens to your vocal endurance when you do!
Benny Meza is a Master Associate at Brett Manning Studios in Nashville, TN. He’s taught over 7,000 vocal lessons and has worked with clients from Warner Music, RCA, Universal Music Group, and many others.
Book a Skype or In-Person lesson with Benny today!