Have Problems with the Singing Voice…? Considering Speech Therapy to rectify it?

Please think again!!

Needless to say that, over three and a half decades of my voice and voice repair business, I have been getting a lot of calls where I was asked if I am a registered speech therapist and if I accept insurance which would cover speech therapy and speech pathology. A majority of those inquirers had already been through numerous conventional ENT doctors and speech therapists. Nonetheless, according to them and throughout my observations, they had never achieved any tangible results which them, or me, for that matter, could account for. 

After their quite-negative experience, they decided to look for something else - like an alternative form of speaking and/or singing voice therapy. However, while trying to embark on the above-mentioned matter, they still wanted to derive conventional benefits…? It is peculiar, isn’t it, my reader?

I usually tell them that “when something does not work, try something else. It might work better”. But please don’t expect that alternative holistic practitioners, specializing in non-surgical voice repair, will act as if they are conventional therapists accepting all the work benefits… It would be, the least to say, foolish, nonetheless!

I also always say that “there is no change without change”. But, my potential clients, evidently, expect exactly that (change… without change). Go figure!

But the most peculiar thing which is happening is that singers are also on the lookout for conventional speech therapy. This is mostly due to the fact that they possess some form of insurance or work benefits ($500 coverage in most cases); and thus, they feel that conventional speech therapists or pathologists (who had never sung a note in their life) will miraculously not only fix their singing voices but also “will teach them how to sing”…?

Those voice disorder sufferers, evidently, do not realize that in the majority of cases, it’s not about “fixing” voice, especially singing - which is complete nonsense! It is about an adaptation of a new voice application for both the speaking and singing voice.

As far as the singing voice is concerned, to make it work in its fullest capacity possible, will definitely require much greater effort from both parties (the singer and the instructor). Some singers lose their ability to hit high notes due to succumbing to vocal cords strain (pushing and pulling their voice nonstop during their rehearsals and performances; thus drowning their voice in the lower throat position).

The sound is a physical material body and it travels as such. 

With the law of physics and geometry in mind, the sound is travelling in a circular direction and relatively, respectively and prospectively to the height, width and central line of the human body. In other words…, vertical, horizontal, central.

If the sound of the voice takes off below the parameter of the upper facial muscles, the 360-degree radius of the aforementioned circle will never be met. Also, if the sound is slanted outside of the circle and its central/vertical parameter, it will never reach its aimed projected destination.

It is like in figure skating. When the skater attempts a triple axel or quad but ends up taking off “with the ice” under their skates, that will cause the skater to be completely off centre. The skater ends up “out of the circle” and, no doubt will be unable to complete the jump, which definitely will cause the skater to fall on the ice - and possibly even succumb to an injury.

With all of the above said, please stop thinking of your insurance or benefits you might possess, but think legibly, use common sense and simple logic…

On that premise, you will achieve your goal:

• A healthy speaking and singing voice.
• A proper speaking and singing technique.
• And nevertheless, you will achieve the results you were dreaming of and aiming for!