Vocalist.org archive


From:  Isabelle Bracamonte <ibracamonte@y...>
Date:  Wed Apr 12, 2000  2:18 am
Subject:  Re: [vocalist-temporary] help for female problem


During this delicate time, I find that my major vocal
issues have to do with swelling of the cords. My
supposition is that it's due to water retention.

Don't eat any salt. Drink tons of water. You should
actually be okay for the competition, since two days
after Day 1, your body (or at least, mine) starts to
flush out all that extra water. I find the first day
the hardest, the second day still fairly fragile, and
the third day very workable. I also last for eight
days, so I've grown quite accustomed to singing under
the influence. Slow, gentle warmups throughout the
day help me, since it's easy to oversing before I'm
warmed up and on-track/in-line enough to sing
correctly.

I don't take Advil unless I'm really in pain, since
I've heard (a rumor) that it somehow messes up the
functioning of the cords. This may be hooey.

You may have to resort to honking those bottom notes
out in chest -- unless you are very allergic to chest.
If I were in your situation and were still feeling
fragile, I would rather run the risk of being seen as
a Butterfly with no taste (as some auditioners are
hard on sopranos who put all their low notes into
chest) than a Butterfly without the vocal goods. But
I don't take chest higher than an e-natural, as a
general rule.

Sitz baths (I'm not really sure how to do this
ideally, but I just get into a hot, hot bathtub) may
make you feel better. If you want to start flushing
out the extra fluid by yourself, asparagus is a
diuretic, or you can take something like Pamprin. I
take lots of extra time warming up, and make sure I am
singing on the clean, lean line of my voice -- no
"fluff" or extra air, which can be easy to slip into
because you're naturally more tired. I have to work
to keep my concentration, and not get lazy.

Strangely enough, I've had my best vocal days (high
E's flying out of nowhere, everything sailing and
easy) the day *before* I start. Odd. Don't know why.

Good luck! If you're really feeling horrible, don't
be afraid to cancel, although I suspect that most of
these first-day vocal issues will be greatly resolved
in two days. Let us know how it goes! We all love
the wrapups.

Isabelle B.

=====
Isabelle Bracamonte
San Francisco, CA
ibracamonte@y...




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  Replies Name/Email Yahoo! ID Date Size
423 Re: help for female problem leskayc@a...   Wed  4/12/2000   2 KB
426 Re: help for female problem Jennifer   Wed  4/12/2000   3 KB
427 Re: help for female problem LikeSoMuchFish@a...   Wed  4/12/2000   2 KB
430 Re: help for female problem Cynthia Donnell   Wed  4/12/2000   10 KB

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