What's the best way to take care of your voice if you have to do a lot of speaking as part of your job?

Question

A lifetime dream for me has recently been fulfilled when I was taken on by a production company to do narration voice-over work. I'm 'middle-aged' and by this time thought such a career was no longer in the cards for me, since I don't live in a large metro area. At any rate, I am very concerned about how to maintain my voice, because even after talking on the phone for a long time today, it really hurts and I sound a little raspy. I'm concerned that I may not even be using my voice correctly (i.e., from my diapraghm as opposed to my throat). A few years ago, a local sportscaster had to leave his job because over a year or so his voice became so strained and hard to listen to. He almost lost his voice completely.Turned out, after he came back to the job months later and told his story, he'd been using his voice wrong his whole life without knowing it, and it took a long time with a coach for him to retrain it. Any advice from singers, reporters, or people who talk a lot for a living?

Answer 1

An at home remedy for this is honey and lemon.

Eating honey will coat the throat and keep it from getting all dry and stuff.

Putting lemon in hot tea also helps with this.

Answer 2

Always keeps your vocals cords moist, drink lots of water, and warm water is better

Answer 3

Did it for ten years every day on air. Shouted and screamed; did it mellow; did it in between. Never had a problem. Your parenthetical note is correct. Use your diaphragm. If you feel raspy or the roof of your mouth feels funny, you're talking from your mouth and throat. Don't.

Keep your sinuses clear. Use Sea Spray - NOT a chemical based nasal spray like Afrin (it is addictive and actually contributes to the problem). Clear your throat easily just before opening the mic.

There's also lots of stuff on the net, use your favorite search engine.

Good luck, old lady ;<)  Welcome to the club.

- a guy named duh

Answer 4

I estimate at 80% people who are totally ignorant how to speak in a phone. You must speak clearly, well articulated, slow, making pauses and most important low. If you speak hard you don't need a phone, of course.

So you will spare your voice and you won't have any problem and the listeners neither.

If you can't use a phone it's the same, but instead of speaking low you must speak with a natural hard voice without exagerating or forcing your voice.