Happy Halloween! I love this time of year, with all the decorations and costumes. I realized this year that I’ve outgrown the really scary movies, though. After having gone through some very real scares in life, they’ve lost their entertaining edge for me.

In the same way, there are things as a vocalists I’ve found harmless in the past that I now have a new fearful respect for. I remember teasing another vocalist in a live band for over reacting every time there was any feedback. In the last two years I’ve had my eardrum bruised by excessive feedback and later permanently damaged the same inner ear due to feedback. I now have permanent pain in that ear and have to wear special ear plugs to prevent completely blowing the ear out.

As I’ve written about in the last post, my ignoring a seemingly insignificant acid reflux issue turned into an acid monster burning my vocal cords, damaging my voice and requiring surgery. All said, this has been a scary year for my voice.

So, what vocal habits are you playing around with that you really should be scared of? Do you find yourself almost screaming to get more volume? Does it hurt sometimes when, or after, you sing? Do you protect your voice when you’re not singing? It’s easy to think these things are harmless. Most singers do, until it’s too late and they’ve developed nodes or bleeding in their delicate vocal folds. Sure surgery can help repair them, but if you ever get to that point your voice could be changed forever.

Healthy fear is a good thing. And combined with a solid solution, you can protect and make the most of the voice you’ve been given. Learn good vocal technique from a qualified instructor: technique based on a solid understanding of the anatomy of the voice, not just a list of singing exercises. Understand that little things like feedback, singing incorrectly or even singing correctly when your health is compromised can cause serious problems.

Be aware of what to avoid, remember to take potential risks seriously and put vocal fears in their right place… and keep the really scary stuff for Halloween!

Ready to take your voice to the next level? Check out online training at The Voice Club Academy