Singing after a break: Why getting back into the game sucks

Time for some honesty:  I didn't sing much this semester.  It's a little hard for the voice majors I know to understand since they sing all the time at school, but when you're in a non-music major, music starts to take a back-seat to your studies.  I sang a couple of concerts back in March and April, and since then...nada.  So I decided this week to get myself back in the game.  


If there is ever a time when you get reminded of all your bad vocal habits, it's when you start singing again after a break.  I think in part it's because you think you can just jump back in where you were, but the truth is, you've got to ease back in, at least for a couple of days, before you can sing like you used to.  If we think about this in terms of daily workouts, I think most people know that if they stop jogging, weight lifting, or fitness classes for a few weeks and do absolutely nothing that the first day back will hurt!  Your muscles will be weaker and your stamina just won't be there like it was before.  Don't know why I always forget it's the same with my voice, since it is muscle after all!


So here's what I've figured out as a recuperating singer/voice teacher:  First, allow the laryngeal muscles to balance out again and the resonance will come shortly after, with some work.  (Or, to follow the South Park model:  Step 1:  Balance laryngeal musculature, Step 2: ?, Step 3:  Perfect singing!...maybe that's just what it feels like to me sometimes.)


Here's another confession:  I've always had easy high notes.  I'm one of those freakish sopranos with the easy high notes that drives the rest of the folks trying to get high notes insane.  (Sorry about that.)  When I come back from a break, however, while I still have the high notes, the stamina is just not there at all!  I can't sing up there for very long before I feel tired.  So I've learned to just not do that to myself.  I go back to practicing really short bursts of time and that's it, until I feel I can go longer without tiring myself.  


However, the very first practice session back in the game:  I always, always wear myself out!  Singing just usually feels so good after a break.  I find myself enjoying it so much that I just don't stop until I can't sing anymore.  This is like my little "bowl of ice cream" I allow myself that one day.  I just allow myself to enjoy the heck out of it, even if it's not perfect by any means.  By allowing myself this moment of "singing for singing's sake", I gain so much motivation to go back and practice again the next day.  I give myself the motivation to do those short, intentional practice sessions that aren't that much fun.  I remind myself of how great singing is in general, and I'm reminded of how great it is when my voice is really in shape by struggling a little through what was easy a few weeks ago.  (Now, I do always allow myself a good 20 minutes or so of vocal rest, along with laryngeal massages, at the end to curb the fatigue a little for the day.)


Does it take long for my muscular balance to come back?  No.  Takes about 2-3 days of intentional practicing at most.  (Just like it takes your body about 2-3 workouts before you're back in that fitness class for real.)  Is that time going to increase as I get older?  Absolutely.  Heck, it used to only be one day before I was back when I was in my 20's, so the amount of time has already extended a little.  (And these are breaks of a few weeks, not a few years.)  But hitting that grind stone again after I've reminded myself why I need to hit it is worth my one day of vocal extravagance.  


My best advice for those coming back after a break:  Just enjoy singing a couple of times before you really hit the grind stone, cause the grind stone alone sorta sucks.




Next up:  The bad vocal habits I always, always have to work through every time I come back to singing.  Fun times.