The Singer's Toolbox

Tongue depressors can assist in assessing and strengthening the various muscles in the tongue to relieve unnecessary tension and to find more specificity in your diction.

TONGUE DEPRESSORS

Blowing into a balloon is a simple party trick for engaging your airflow and core.

Balloons

Essential oils have healing and therapeutic uses, from energizing to calming. A whiff before singing awakens the sense of smell and helps to open the nasal passages. Note that all oils are not created equal, as many contain fillers and impure ingredients. DōTerra’s high quality standards make them my essential oil brand of choice.

DŌTERRA ESSENTIAL OILS

BELTBOX is vocal mute that is great for traveling and warming up at odd times of day when you need to be considerate of your neighbors.

Beltbox

OOVO STRAW NECKLACE

The OOVO straw necklace offers a beautiful, portable, way to practice semi-occluded vocal tract exercises (aka straw phonation) on-the-go. The OVOO’s small diameter is great for warming-up quietly or working on material that requires a more concentrated airflow, such as belting.

Standard size drinking straws are great for vocal rehabilitation or warming-up with semi-occluded vocal tract exercises. Use a straw by itself or blow bubbles into a cup of water to manage your airflow and hook into your support.

DRINKING STRAWS

Stretching your tongue with gauze can be quite eye-opening. Hold out your tongue without phonating for general tension relief, or hold out your tongue while singing to notice on which words and vowels you tighten and pull back. You can also use a washcloth or a paper towel in a pinch.

Gauze

Stimulate sensation in your oral cavity with Z-Vibe’s targeted vibration. You can use it to awaken feeling in your tongue, soft palate and more. Thanks to newfound tactile awareness, you can sing with increased resonance and ease.

Z-Vibe

A tuning fork helps you to see where your body lacks resonance. Slap the fork on your palm and then place the prong on various parts of your head and face. If you can’t hear the pitch buzzing well, then grab your vibration tool to wake up that area.

Tuning Fork

If you are prone to a stiff neck, stress and tension headaches, then this tool provides subocciptal relief through powerful trigger point release. The Twin Block Pro can be used to apply acupressure and relieve tension in other parts of the body, as well.

TWIN BLOCK PRO

The Thera Cane is a great tool to massage sore muscles in your shoulders and back that are hard to reaching. Use it to apply acupressure to specific trigger points for focused relief.

Thera Cane

Hydration is essential for a healthy voice. Water and hydrating foods enter the body through the esophagus, but steam enters through the vocal tract and hydrates the vocal cords directly. You can steam in the shower daily, but consider breaking out the steamer to combat dryness when traveling, under-the-weather, vocally fatigued, working against environmental allergies and irritants, or warming up for an extra-special gig.

Facial Steamer

Resistance bands (or strength bands) help to divert unnecessary tension by engaging the core and back chain muscles, leading to greater stability, balance and support.

Resistance bands

The sensory feedback of breathing against a waist support belt helps you to tune into the motion of the diaphragm. It assists with calming and lowering the breath and encourages 360 degrees of expansion and release while breathing.

Waist Support Belt

If you want to improve your posture, then this gadget is your new best friend! Upright GO has a training mode that vibrates when you slouch or a tracking mode that monitors your posture during the day. Use the training mode while singing for real-time sensory feedback on your alignment.

UPRIGHT GO

The LEVOIT humidifier is super easy to fill and clean. (I own three of them!) Quiet and aesthetically pleasing, it also doubles as an essential oil diffuser. There are three humidity settings and night mode, which automatically adjusts the moisture output to the humidity level in the room.

LEVOIT humidifier

An alternative to a neti pot, the NeilMed Sinus Rinse keeps nasal passages free and clear. It helps to relieve sinus pressure, nasal stuffiness, and common cold symptoms. It especially great for allergy sufferers and those with sinus issues.

NeilMed Sinus Rinse

Vibration awakens areas of the body for increased access to resonance and freer, more efficient singing. Originally designed for skin care, these facial massagers cover different amounts of surface area, allowing for broad, less intense vibration or super targeted stimulation.

Facial massagers

Lay on this inflatable sponge ball to activate the vagus nerve, stretch your psoas, access your innermost abdominal muscles, and engage your core. Self-massaging with a Coregeous Ball relaxes muscles, aids digestion and stimulates respiratory function.

COREGEOUS BALL

Science shows that inhaling through the nose results in substantial health benefits. Nasal dilators open the nasal passages to improve airflow, resulting in greater access to resonance and freer singing.

NASAL DILATORS

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