Jaron Putnam Naked Voice Chapter Summary Ch. 13

Jaron Putnam Naked Voice Chapter Summary Ch. 13

Key Sections to Summarize: Hydration- This is a key principal in singing! The bottom line is: drink water. That's it. Steam, or cough drops or whatever cannot substitute the effect of getting a lot of water to drink every day. The book recommends at least 64 fluid ounces a day. More if you are overweight. Hydrating the body, lubricates the vocal folds. Unhealthy Vocal Habits- Beware of chemical use, and straining the voice in talking for too long, or talking too loudly. Smoking- "Smoking is the stupidest thing a singer can do." It dries out the throat and decreases lung capacity. Two things essential for good singing! Diet and Exercise- Our body is our instrument! Therefore we must take good care of it. The guiding principle is to get into a routine that is consistent. Lifting heavy weights can be unhealthy because of the adduction of the vocal folds. Physical Appearance- The sad reality of the entertainment business, is that it is focused on Physical beauty. Opera singers, even, need to learn to strike a balance with working on being physically pleasing as well as being able to express themselves through the voice. As wrong as it may be, it is the way the world is moving and singers need to strike that balance. Weight Loss- Being heavier set helps you breathe better and sing higher with more ease. We need to understand this idea. If you lose weight you need to adjust your technique to sing. Nodules and Polyps- These things happen when unnecessary strain is placed on the voice. One should seek help from a vocal doctor, to see what needs to be done to fix the problem. Often Vocal therapy and changing the way you speak can be the best thing to happen. Sickness- Sickness is a problem all singers face. It is a tricky situation because we risk either looking weak when we say we are sick, or giving a weak performance because we aren't at our best. The key for this is remembering that good technique can get us through most sickness. When we are sick we tend to have to focus more on technique, but it can get us by. Unusual Lifestyle- Singers and performers in general have to adapt to a different kind of lifestyle. The important thing for this section is to do what will make you happy. An opera singer who hates to be on the road performing won't have a natural sound and won't enjoy life. So you need to find out what your priorities are and then stick to them! Confidence and Humility- These are traits that come naturally out of good singing. We want to avoid being centered on ourselves which leads to people who are either overly cocky, or who look for constant positive feedback from others. Be confident, but also be humble.

Key Concept: There are a lot of things we need to do to have a healthy lifestyle as a singer. The guiding rule: be yourself, and do what will allow you to have the most balanced, free lifestyle.

Making Connections: I received a good reminder today that I need to drink more water... I really don't drink enough, and my voice doesn't often feel tired, but I feel like maybe I could be a better singer by just adjusting this one aspect of my life.