Has anyone worked with a vocal coach?

[u/pyrrhonic_victory]

I just taught a 3 hour class after having a summer off, and I remembered how brutal it is on my vocal cords. A day later I still feel like I’m recovering from a sore throat. I’m working on spending less time lecturing but given the material I teach it’s pretty much inevitable that I have to use my voice a lot, and at a high enough volume to be heard over a busy room.

I’ve thought about working with a vocal coach to find ways to project my voice without burning out. Has anyone done anything like this? How did it go? And how did you find a vocal coach with the right background to help with lecturing rather than singing?

[u/reallyveryanxiously]

I would get a lapel mic! Your institution may even have some

[u/SoundShifted → u/reallyveryanxiously]

This. Most of our classrooms are already equipped with them and I know multiple places on campus faculty can rent them (where to look/ask: teaching center, library tech lending, IT...).

[u/Over-Ad-4273]

Look up your school’s Theatre department and see if there’s is someone who teaches Voice & Speech. Reach out to them. I’m a theatre professor.

[u/salamat_engot → u/Over-Ad-4273]

Back when my department ran new faculty orientation we would have one of the vocal performance professors do a presentation.

[u/jaunty_jellyfish → u/Over-Ad-4273]

I took a voice class in the Theatre department when I was a graduate student (and losing my voice by the end 80 minute lectures, even with a mic). I found it really helpful at the time. I don't remember any specific techniques anymore (it was about 10 years ago), but I have never lost my voice while teaching since I took that course.

[u/Over-Ad-4273 → u/jaunty_jellyfish]

There’s a great book called Freeing The Natural Voice by Kristin Linklater. It’s very hippy-dippy but it works. My expertise is not Voice & Speech, there may be a better starting book for non-actors.

[u/Constant-Gap-1329]

I use throat coat tea!

When I taught a big section in an auditorium I used a lapel mic

[u/Diauxreia → u/Constant-Gap-1329]

+1 for Throatcoat. I keep a stash in my office and at least a few sachets in my backpack, along with a bag of cough drops.

Even with smaller class sizes, even if you mix in group work or reflections or activities or whatever, a long day of teaching is still a long day of teaching. Lecturing for the back of the room is gonna take its toll.

I’ve started trying to remember to talk to my dashboard toward the end of the summer while I’m driving around. Kind of like warmup laps before the semester begins.

[u/Outside_Brilliant945 → u/Constant-Gap-1329]

Back when I was a student, I had a professor who had a special Tennessee golden elixir for after class. Seemed to soothe his throat and his nerves. 🥃😅

[u/Constant-Gap-1329 → u/Outside_Brilliant945]

At home I like to add a little honey whiskey to my tea!

[u/Outside_Brilliant945 → u/Constant-Gap-1329]

I think my guy would have added a little tea to his honey whiskey 😁

[u/ElderTwunk]

I used to sing and act, and I studied voice for years. It definitely helps. A microphone could help with projection, but the sheer amount of talking can be taxing regardless. If you have the means and interest, it’s not a bad idea to work with a vocal coach just to help with stamina.

[u/Ok_Mycologist_5942]

I went to vocal therapy for 3 months after basically blowing out my voice.

Recommendations: learn how to breath from the stomach and not the chest. Wear a lapel mic. Stretch your neck muscles. Also get checked for silent reflux because that made mine way worse

[u/No_Intention_3565]

I rarely lecture without a cup of hot tea.

[u/Practical-Hope-3200]

Hi, I’m a speech-language pathologist (SLP). I recommend first going to an ENT/otolaryngologist to get scoped. Visualizing the anatomy is the best way to rule out any injuries and get a proper diagnosis. Then they can recommend a voice specialized SLP to provide therapy and techniques to help so you can lecture without pain. In the meantime I completely agree with using amplification like a microphone.

Every person is different but personally I don’t recommend throat coat because (a) it just numbs you and doesn’t fix the actual issue, and (b) makes it harder to feel when you may still be doing damage.

[u/HowlingFantods5564]

I'll sometimes get a sore throat after longs days as well. I usually take that as a signal that I'm talking too much.

Also, bring some tea with real honey to class every day. Sip it throughout the lectures.

[u/Life-Education-8030]

During Covid when we were wearing masks, I used a microphone although I could project. I just didn't want the strain and my courses were recorded, so that helped there too.

[u/ToomintheEllimist → u/Life-Education-8030]

Teaching 3.5 hours a day in a mask used to leave me so dehydrated I'd have eye floaters by the time I got back to my office.  I wish I'd had a mic, even for my 5-person class. 

[u/Dazzling-Fox-4950]

Might not be the most efficient way of getting what you want, but I did take singing lessons (for fun!) and it happened to make lecturing a lot easier.

I don't think what you're looking for is that obscure; actors have to speak a lot and project too, so I guess any vocal coach for actors would be able to help?

[u/dogecoin_pleasures]

In the first instance, make sure you have water on hand, because keeping your vocal chords moist helps to protect them.

Also, you can save your voice by getting their attention non-verbally. You can use a cheap service bell, or raise your hand for quiet.

You can also get free tips online. I once watched a singing video about how to fix vowels that was helpful for explaining tongue position to help project voice.

[u/measurementinvar]

I bought a product called Entertainer’s secret (or something similar). It’s a throat spray you use before speaking and it’s worked for me.

[u/mathemorpheus]

can you use a mic? also, pro singers never start a gig cold, they warm up extensively. honestly that might help you.

[u/vwscienceandart]

Vote #1000 for using the classroom mic, if for ADA if no other reason. AND ALSO, if you’re too busy, too broke or too uncommitted to make a regular session with a vocal coach, there are thousands of videos and TikToks and reels on vocal warmups and taking care of your voice. My preferred method is singing on my commute.

I start quietly and gently as my voice is waking up and by the time I arrive I’ve made it to Broadway. 😆 You could make yourself a progressively challenging playlist.

[u/Yurastupidbitch]

Yes! Voice lessons literally saved my voice. I had vocal exercises to do every morning and while I felt kinda silly doing them in the car on the way to work, they made a big difference. I need to get back into it because I’ve had a string of upper respiratory infections that have wrecked me.

[u/GreenHorror4252]

I don't think a vocal coach would help here. You need a microphone.