Technique is consistency. And consistency is the key to confidence.

Most pop singers I work with arrive with a vocal injury. There’s a reason.

Pop singers are one-person shows. They’re entrepreneurs who start out doing everything themselves. They write their own music, book their own gigs, promote themselves, lug around heavy equipment—the list goes on and on.

From working local clubs to plowing through stadium one-nighters, the stressors of running their businesses have taken a toll on their voices.

Because many singers start as instrumentalists, when they encounter first-time vocal issues, it’s often their introduction to technique and vocal hygiene.

Singers are athletes, and nine times out of ten, their voice needs a trainer.

Eight shows a week on Broadway can wreak just as much havoc on an actor’s voice.

Singing eight shows a week can be just as taxing as a string of one-nighters on the voice, if not more. The physical stamina required for performance after performance, the stress of auditioning in between, and the struggle to maintain work-life balance can fatigue a voice in no time. And God forbid you get sick.

rock singer singing

The good news: Most vocal injuries are manageable.

When singers come to me describing a problem, I listen for what is and isn’t working in their voices. Sometimes a voice doesn’t indicate an injury, but when it does, I work with New York City’s best otolaryngologists and speech pathologists to rehabilitate it.

No matter the injury, we work through specialized exercises designed to restore a voice’s health and longevity.

Vocal injuries are a huge professional inconvenience. The best way to prevent them and their resultant interruptions to your career is to make sure you’re singing with proper vocal technique and an understanding of vocal hygiene.

ABOUT RIC RYDER

I help performers land roles on Broadway, survive eight-show weeks, and endure one-night-only pop tours.