Tis the season for sore throats!
As I'm writing this, I have a bit of congestion. I probably ran myself too hard the past couple weeks getting this website going and the Sebastian Bach show at Mercy Lounge on Friday night sure didn't help. Btw, Sebastian Bach.... one of the best technical singers I've ever heard live in person. Ever. He's pushing 50 and sounds just as good as he did almost 30 years ago. Unreal. Anyway, back to the lovely topic of congestion and sore throats. If it hurts to swallow, don't sing. Simple as that. In fact, try not to talk. If there's a lot of gurgle fun going on in your throat, and you have a runny or stuffy nose with a bit of congestion, but your throat feels ok, you might not sing as well as you want or as well as you usually do, but it'll be ok. Go ahead and sing. Sing through the gargleness. Use air flow to help break it up. Don't be afraid of what it sounds like. Most of it will break up after singing, EASILY, for 20 minutes or so. Like I stated in my vocal health tips, stay away from medicines that dry out your head best you can. Only use those as a last resort. I've sung through many a colds without that stuff. When you take that stuff and try to sing on it, your cords will be very dry, and it causes friction. Friction is not good for the voice. So be wary! It's better to take a day or two of rest with the voice rather than an entire week or more off because you tried to sing with dried out vocal cords! Like everything else in life, use common sense when you're sick. If you don't feel like singing when you're sick, and you don't have to, then don't do it. If you must sing, be careful, lots of hydration, the onion family is great for the immune system, don't eat too much food that takes a long time to digest, lots of fruits and veggies, you know, the healthy stuff none of us wants to eat, and cayenne pepper will warm that throat right up. I'm currently drinking some Egyptian Licorice Root tea, and it's not only delicious, but my throat feels soooo relaxed and soothed right now. It's my favorite go to "sick" beverage. And it's naturally sweet. So good luck! Don't get sick! Don't stay out too late at an 80's hair metal show! Eat well! And if you get sick, use your brain! :)
- Chris Keller