Food and Drink

by Serguei Ourazov
(Ottawa, Ontario, Canada)

The biggest struggle most singers have nowadays is eating and drinking before singing. Everyone thinks that they need to eat before singing for more energy.

However, after eating, your stomach becomes filled and you have less air to use for singing, thus causing breathing struggles.

Best advice is not to eat anything for six hours prior to singing. Afterwords, you can eat anything in any amount as a reward.

When it comes to drinking, everyone makes the same mistake. Alcohol does not improve singing abilities, on the contrary, it kills the range, shriveling the vocal chords making it harder to reach high notes. No alcohol, especially beer before singing.

Same goes for cold drinks. If singing on a hot day, any cold beverage will shrivel up the vocal chords, even cause temporary loss of vocal ability depending on the temperature ad volume drank. Milk is the worst of all.

Suggested drink small amount of hot beverages such as tea or just hot water, best with honey and lemon. Honey lubricates the vocal chords for better durability while lemon expands the throat, making it easier to reach high, as well as low notes.

Coffee can work at times, but made sure that no milk in it, and should be drank in small quantities. Putting honey and lemon into coffee can cause dizziness and passing out if drank in large quantities.

Coffee is best drank black, not too hot, with some sugar in it.


If these steps are followed, there would be less of a struggle in singing.

Comments for Food and Drink

Average Rating starstarstarstarstar

Click here to add your own comments

Oct 19, 2015
Rating
starstarstarstarstar
Food and Drink
by: Anonymous


Great post. I was checking constantly this blog and I am impressed! Extremely helpful information specially the last part :) I care for such information a lot. I was seeking this certain information for a very long time. Thank you and good luck.

Dec 13, 2012
Rating
starstarstar
Blues
by: Anonymous

If you want to sing like howling wolf a beer might be beneficial for that raspy blues vocal tone!

Dec 13, 2012
Rating
starstarstarstarstar
Thank You
by: Kimberly

Thank you so much for this. I am in a performance this weekend and the next and due to pneumonia and the flu, I have lost my range completely and cracking through the whole song with a cough. This information comes in handy and I will follow all the advice.

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to What Is Your Biggest Question About Singing? .

About The Author

Roger Burnley - Vocal CoachRoger Burnley - Vocal Coach

Roger Burnley is a vocal coach located in Hollywood, California. He has been teaching singers for over 30 years and singing for even longer than that. 

Notable past and present clients include Macy Gray, Brandy, Ray J, The Beastie Boys, James Torme, Taylor Lautner, Nona Gaye, and many more.

His clients have collectively sold more than 30 million albums, with several reaching Platinum and Gold status. 

Roger has been featured on VH1, TV Guide Channel, TV One,
and MTV appearing as a vocal expert.

About The Author

Roger Burnley - Vocal CoachRoger Burnley - Vocal Coach

Roger Burnley is a vocal coach located in Hollywood, California. He has been teaching singers for over 30 years and singing for even longer than that. 

Notable past and present clients include Macy Gray, Brandy, Ray J, The Beastie Boys, James Torme, Taylor Lautner, Nona Gaye, and many more.

His clients have collectively sold more than 30 million albums, with several reaching Platinum and Gold status. 

Roger has been featured on VH1, TV Guide Channel, TV One,
and MTV appearing as a vocal expert.

Hot Topics