Portfolio Week 5 - Vocal Health

Vocal Health

In this week of voice we learned about what affected the voice, and how to look after it.

We started off with a spider diagram naming things to do with Vocal Health. I said dairy, as I remembered that one of my friends would never have dairy a week before singing as it creates mucus, which can interfere with your voice. The class also managed to name things like alcohol, sugar, drugs and other things that our linked to Vocal Health.

Alcohol affects the voice as it also creates mucus and it can numb your throat and reduce your awareness on the force you are using when you sing. Unfortunately, in the profession, actors and singers are around drugs the most. Drugs like Cocaine affects the voice as when snorted through the nose, it combines with the mucus and drips down the back of the throat. Cocaine can scar your voice and because of this, people can loss their vocal range. It also can cause exhaustion in the vocal area.

Vocal Health Poster

In this lesson we were also asked to create a Vocal Health poster. With this poster Donna and I aimed to talk about the different causes surrounding vocal problems, and how to look after the voice.

To look after the voice so less problems occur, we said you need to get enough rest as you don't want your voice being tired. Also if it's possible not to smoke as smoking has been linked to laryngeal cancer. The effects of this cancer are loss of voice, loss of taste and surgery will be needed.

We also put pictures in, 'Stop Smoking' logo and 6 glasses of water to make the poster more enjoyable and easier to read.

Conclusion

For this lesson I have learnt how the voice is key to an actor as it is our instrument, and we have to keep it safe and healthy at all times, and avoid things that cause the larynx and other vocal organs to become distressed.