Eight ways to look after your voice if you’re a podcaster

  If you’re a content creator, your vocal cords will probably be one of the most overworked muscles during your working day. Not only do you have to use your voice to record your program but you also need it to talk to the people you interview, talk to your listeners and work with your contractors, such as your graphic designer or your editor. I’d like to share eight tips on how to keep your voice in tip-top shape and to look after it the way a performer on stage would. But first, you need to check whether your voice is healthy in the first place. If you answer yes to the following, then you may have some vocal health issues:

• Has your voice become hoarse or raspy?
• Have you lost your ability to hit some high notes when singing?
• Does your voice suddenly sound deeper?
• Does your throat often feel raw, achy, or strained?
• Has it become an effort to talk?
• Do you find yourself repeatedly clearing your throat?

If any of these apply to you, there are two medical specialists that you may need to see. Either your ENT or a speech pathologist. They can then provide you medical advice on how to look after your voice. But if your voice is generally healthy and you just want to keep it that way, here are my eight top tips.

1. Stay hydrated – drink water before, during and after any performances or before you record a podcast

• Use a humidifier – have one handy in your recording studio
• Don’t scream or whisper – pretty self-explanatory. You don’t want to strain your voice.

• Practice good breathing techniques – support your voice from your diaphragm, not from your throat.
• Get a good night’s sleep. Lack of sleep can cause vocal fatigue.
• If you are sick, don’t strain your voice. Now, singers might take something for the congestion or for the pain if they are performing (because they are contractually obliged to perform and may choose to do this). But for content creators, it’s best to schedule your recording to another day.
• Following on from the previous tip, avoid getting sick. That means washing your hands regularly so you avoid getting the flu.
• Last but not least, and you probably won’t like this one is – don’t smoke, don’t drink coffee and avoid anything that exposes your vocal chords to alcohol – whether that’s drinking liquor or mouthwash that contains alcohol. I personally love coffee but I ensure that I drink a lot of water because coffee is dehydrating.

In short, treat your vocal cords as you would any other important muscle groups. You obviously don’t go to the gym or work out when you have a cold; you stay hydrated whenever you’re working out and you don’t strain your muscles to the point of overuse. Listen to your own voice. You’ll know when you are ready for a day of talking or not. Be mindful of how often you use your voice and talk from your diaphragm, not from your throat. Want to know how you can power up your voice for podcasting? I provide online coaching for content creators and singers. Book a time on https://highandloudvoice.as.me/, I’d love to hear from you!