• From: Houston
  • Registered: 2008-01-19
  • Posts: 278

Topic: vocal tensions

What are methods to deal with excessive throat or jaw tensions?  How about extremely excessive tensions?

Chen Sun
www.WebAndNet.com, Strategic Web Marketing
www.VocalPosture.com has unique singing-related content-- posture and voice, vocal structure, ergonomics, Zen and ancient philosophies' relevance to voice.  www.WebBIZcard.com is also in blog stage. Thanks

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  • Registered: 2007-08-20
  • Posts: 162

Re: vocal tensions

You can do some stretches before you warm up.  Stretch the neck around in all 4 directions individually, and then roll it around a bit clockwise and the counterclockwise.  Don't go to too much extreme, just feel the muscles getting a slight pull.  Then you can stretch your jaw out in a similar fashion although I would recommend doing it very lightly with the jaw as the jaw, unlike most other joints, is rather easily unhinged.  Some people like to do shoulder stretches by rotating their shoulders and then swinging their arms around a bit.  You might want to do similar stretching for your tongue even.

Something that helps me release throat tension is something Mr. Vendera put in his RYV book.  Sing very lightly through a few songs.  The light and quiet tone will allow you to sing with very little tension due to the lack of intensity.  Don't worry if the tone of your voice seems to change drastically with you ascend doing this sort of warm up exercise.  We are just interested in keeping tension out of the throat.

  • Registered: 2008-03-23
  • Posts: 73

Re: vocal tensions

Hi Chen

Depends whats causing them! Excessive jaw tensions may not just be vocal problems but actual structural issues...needing chiropractic adjustment and massage or even a sign of a heart problem..without being scary. (My husband had a heart attack so I know).
As you know I have FM and the temp manidibular joint gets the worst tensions...I live with it daily. When I sing it frees it.
You can lie down comfortably and sound a soft resonant hum and this will also ease it for at least 10 minutes.
You can also massage points just under the ears along the carotid muscles of the neck - like divers do - and across the jaw/cheek muscles.
Also check your teeth are in line at the dentists.
Hope that helps a bit
love Hilary

  • From: Dickinson, TX
  • Registered: 2008-04-10
  • Posts: 242

Re: vocal tensions

the pain from tmj can be devastating...:(

Hilary you are an inspiration.. smile

Last edited by Rychemaiden (2008-08-07 10:20:30)

Ancora Imparo

Rychemaiden's Website

  • From: Ohio
  • Registered: 2006-11-16
  • Posts: 550

Re: vocal tensions

Hilary is right, it depends on what you are specifically referring to. Rychemaiden, there are some exercises in the Part III of RYV for TMJ tension release;)

Jaime Vendera
JaimeVendera.com
theultimatevocalworkout.com

Jaime Vendera's Website

  • From: Dickinson, TX
  • Registered: 2008-04-10
  • Posts: 242

Re: vocal tensions

WOOHOO!! Cant wait for my order!! smile hey i used to be really really bad about throat and jaw, facial tension. Now i can feel if it "creeps up" on me smile and "release it". heck, i was really really bad about whole body tension.

Ancora Imparo

Rychemaiden's Website