Singing When Sick - Singing Tips - What To Do? - Ken Tamplin Vocal Academy

I would like to share some personal stories with you of how to survive life on the road when illness strikes. When you have a big show coming up and your temperature rises, what do you do?.

For about 3 decades, as I have toured the world with my voice, I have been encouraging singers (and aspiring singers) to sing through colds and flu.

This flies directly in the face of what almost all other vocal coaches teach.

But let me tell you my story.

I learned, that if you train (safely and carefully) through colds and flu, that you not only do not have to cancel a show or leg of a tour or recording date, but you can finish and finish well. (and canceling dates is extremely costly)

So here's why:

When we build correct muscle memory, stamina and accuracy with our voices, a great percentage of this "holds" even when we are sick.

And we should train so that our 60-70% is better than most people's 100%.

In this video, I also walk you through some things you can do to maintain good vocal health while training and singing when sick.

Now, if you have a bad chest cold or are getting close to or have laryngitis, we DO NOT train through this. In this case, nature must take its course of healing.

But anything other than that, if we do train while sick, we find our recovery time is only a fraction of that if we take 2-3 weeks vocal rest.

I hope this video finds you well.

Here are the links I talked about in the video:

Learn how to sing better for beginners, all the way to learning advanced PRO vocal techniques. Increase vocal range and become a better singer than you ever thought possible! Check out Ken Tamplin Vocal Academy and see what the possibilities really are!

Ken Tamplin Vocal Academy - Where The PROOF Is In The Singing!

Check out the KTVA website to learn more!

[TwoTwoFourSix]

literally was coughing when i saw you posted this and i was like
UGHUGHGOHYESUGHUGH yes, literally so happy

[TSmith-eelg]

I learned more in this video than all the visits to a voice specialist combined. Thank you.

[gkedzi]

I’ve found that octave slide exercises get the mucous off the vocal chords. I’m one of those phlegmatic persons, so I have a lot of experience with mucous. :)

[kaleyyyyyyy]

Thank you much I have an audition tomorrow and I was sick this week and I noticed my voice couldn’t sing as high it was cracking but I did the vocal exercise things and now it’s fine!

[wfenlon]

This is the one that resonates with me the most. I've been a dedicated student for over three years now with KTVA and the reason I found Ken was because I was looking for a solution to sing safe. I got laryngitis from over singing, you see, and it put me out of the game for three weeks. Then after a year on the course I got a really bad cold. I had a gig at new year. And was worth a good bit of money to me so I didn't want to just throw in the towel. I applied the techniques from KTVA and got through a four hour gig. Now don't get me wrong. It was probably one of the toughest nights I ever had but I made it. No one could believe how ill I was and how I managed to sing the way I did.
Anyways, what I really want to say is that this course is the one you want. I promise you. All the videos on the channel back that up. Its worth every penny and more. Thanks Ken.

[GrandmaGlitter]

Thank you for this! I am singing in a concert today and I woke up with a hoarse and congested voice, and this helps a lot!

[brendamoreno]

Thank you for this information! I actually have severe chronic allergies that cause a pressure headache and it never alleviates. My voice is greatly effected, I don't even remeber my real singing voice anymore. I have gone years with my allergies and I had actually given up on my dream for singing until I found your videos. Your scales have given me growth and ease of my voice. I only hope I haven't damaged my voice with trying to "force" the singing while this was happening over the years. I am saving up for your course and I have become so enthusiastic again, I will become one of your students soon! For giving me the biggest part of being me back, and for offering me the hope and love of singing back to me. I cannot have enough words, Thank you!! I hope someday I can show you myself, just how much I appreciate your videos and help. I will use these tips to help ease the inflammation and strive for the future!

[allenthesingerinstgram]

i like this video because i'm singer from myrtle beach south carolina but i'm in indiana right now i just got done get sick from my allergic

[carlosduran]

Experience and wisdom in one voice, thank you Ken❗👏🏻😉

[Vicky-zyqo]

The last thing you say "PEACE, OUT" Awesome! I Love That!😍😘😘

[BarbaraRomano-akatropicgal]

I've been following you for a while now. You give detailed, informed and important advice. It seems to me that aside from loving your profession, you genuinely care about your students and other musicians. Oh.. BTW The mucous video was very helpful. Enjoy your weekend!

[johnangel]

Ken can even do what you shouldn't do while singing without hurting himself 🤩

[micheldevries]

Ken! Thank you so much!!! I just came back from my gig and I pulled it off because of your tips in this video. I am not even sure I got to 60%, probably a bit less, especially at the end, but I got through it, people were happy and I got paid. Yesterday morning I really thought I had to cancel, but I followed your instructions and did the exercises and it worked. Again: THANK

[paulmcnutt]

all very good points thanks for sharing

[johnangel]

The last exercise was soo cool. Wow ken.

[harmonica]

I don't think you should be singing if you are sick but I guess if you got sick on tour or at a gig at some venue I guess you could get through it depending what you have and depending on how sick you are. It is good to know there is a way to get through the tour/gig/show.

[ec]

I have to sing tonite in Waikiki and was going over my gravely bad chest cold and asthma voice. I got it contained between throat and chest and have almost Zero highs, lowering the keys just to get past this gig. I'm am going to tea tree and mentholate my throat, forehead and nose and take a shot of Tennessee whiskey, and see how my lala ping exercising loosen my voice up. Thanks Sir. I saw you surfing in Hawaii once, meant to say hi, but the waves were on. Aloha Brudda.

[wbworkout]

Really important discussion for singer. As a singer and a teacher, I have had to deal with a lot of allergies, illness and at times I had no choice at times but to sing. I had to be very careful and had vocal set backs because of those circumstances. I even had to had voice therapy at one point. I have overcome those problems and developed a technique of vocal awareness and learned some things about herbs and other helpful habits that helped me get through such times. But there are times that you must bow out and take care of yourself. I have seen some very good singers perform when in less than good voice and used humor and relaxed singing and vocal honesty. I have been working on incorporating the Ping principle that you have talked about in other videos. It's is a new sensation and different from my training. I do remember the Opera Singer Eilene Ferrel and she said that her technique grew out of the french nasal not unlike your vocal core idea, the ping., I have found slippery elm helpful thought you do not recommend it. Agree about humidifiers. Sinus inflammation is a real problem for singers with chronic allergies and totally changes the instrument, the cavities do feel or sound the same. I take turmeric every day! Mix turmeric into a glass of V8 and some paprika and red pepper, It opened cup the sinus and helps the metabolism. You cover a lot of ground, good lesson!

[ashley_afton]

I have a cold and I have my audition for the talent show! Thank you so much!

[juarezlino]

Ken Tamplin I just wanted to thank you a bunch I started listening to you and watch every video you post on here I haven't caught on yet....working on it. But I have learned how to control my vibrato and headvoice I still tend to lose my breath from time to time but I didn't know how to sing well I still don't but I have improved so much thanks to you 🙂☺. I am also saving for your lessons 👌👍. Thank you so much for the free info but now you have proven that your teaching styles work . Thank you I wish I could send you my music videos so you can see where I make mistakes or where i need work . anyways thank you Mr.