Any singers out there? Need help!!

[MindyKay]

Last night in choir practice both me and another gal (who is an excellent soprano; I'm an alto) were having trouble hitting notes that we should have been hitting.  She is fighting a cold, and my voice will fail me over even the slightest thing (such as having a bass singer who is a smoker next to me).

Does anyone have a home-remedy recipe that will help our throats? 

[MindyKay]

offend anyone who smokes; it's just that I'm very allergic to many things and very sensitive to smoke.  If we forget to open the damper on our fireplace and the room fills with smoke, I have to go outside until it clears.

[MimisMomma]

What about hot tea with honey and lemon? I heard that works well for singers. I don't sing but have sore throats often and it always helps me. Hope I was able to help.

[Leslie]

"Fisherman's Friend Lozenges"

BUT a dead fish  might taste better.  If ya can stand it, they do work.

[Roberta]

My mother sings soprano in choral and muscials etc. She uses fisher mans friend to clear her throat prior to singing, but if you have an infection you should give your voice a rest or you could damage the vocal chords.
Gargling with salty water, or asprin, and you can get an iodine gargle .............disgusting but it helps (my mum made me use it once yuckkkkkkkkkkkk)

Roberta

[Mike]

There is an herbal tea called Throat Coat from Traditional Medicinals that actually tastes pretty good and I think does help (I sing some with a bar band so you can imagine the smoke in there).  I find it at the local grocery stores in the tea section.  It's also caffeine free if that is an issue for you.  The box claims it is a complex and aromatic blend of herbal tastes - seet, aromatic, earthy and viscous.

[Suzie]

Sorry I'm late w/ this, but for the future.  I used to sing in every choir, play etc in school.  My voice coach, a former Broadway singer,  gave me this recipe. 

1/2 cup honey
1 t cider vinegar (MUST BE CIDER VINEGAR)
Combine, warm, put in clean jar that doesn't leak.  Sip all day as needed.  Magic

Also, gargle w/ hot sugar water...

Good Luck!

[Teresa]

Randy had a cold all last week and had to sing in our church Christmas musical this weekend. He was getting better, but the voice was still not at it's best. I read the advice here and went out and got Fisherman's Friend. It was great. Couldn't tell you how many lozenges he used between Saturday night and Sunday night's performances, but they did work. I saw him sharing with a couple of people. Thought I would give you an almost first-hand account of something that helped!!