“Vocal noose”.... Could it lead to a, so to speak, “vocal suicide”?

Teaching and consulting for over 37 years, I have dealt with a lot of different people from all walks of life.

Some of them were already professional singers and some were just beginners.

However, they all had something in common....

Almost every one of them was gripping on their necks and some more than others.

Those, with incorrect vocal technique, and those who just did not know better, were looking very stressed and sounded not at ease at all, to put it mildly.

In my books it’s called a complete “vocal suicide”.

Why so drastic and so dramatic, any of my readers could ask?

The fact is that in the real sense, it is very detrimental not only to your vocal performance, but also your overall health in general. 

When the vocal performer tightens the neck, the veins supplying the oxygen also tighten and thus, the brain becomes naturally depleted of air.

Many years ago, a Russian singer/actor dropped dead on stage for exactly the same reason. His neck turned blue and he passed out. The doctors tried to revive him back to life, but they evidently did not succeed.

The Vocal Science technique advocates the lift of the sound off of the vocal cords and the vocal box, which automatically releases the chest, shoulders and needless to say neck muscles from the pressure of the sound.

Now, restructured to the facial cavities, the voice will begin to work in full conjunction and coordination with the abdominal muscles, and thus the pressure from the whole body will be released, not to mention that singer’s voice will never be in jeopardy.

On this note, I have to point out that the breathing mechanism is also extremely important.

If all three components-lower abdominal muscles ,upper diaphragm muscles and the proper mouth breathing are not simultaneously activated and in alignment with each other, the voice will then become strained and constricted.

So be sure to employ the correct parts of your body while singing, and thus arrive alive to your next show.