Morning hydration and turnaround times

Nisha Mody · **Voice Talent** Joined: 25 Jul 2007 Posts: 75

I had two unrelated questions for anyone out there...

What do you all do to hydrate yourselves in the morning if you have to do some VO related work? Drink loads of water? Anything else?

Also, what is the 'average' turnaround time for any response on TOS or V123. I would imagine that for rejections you'll just never hear from them again, but I wanted to see if there was even an 'average' for a 'yes'. I know this might be different for V123 since SmartCast.

Let me know your thoughts!

Nisha Mody · **Voice Talent** Joined: 25 Jul 2007 Posts: 75

Well, it looks like I might be answering one of my own questions here! I just saw this from Susan Berkley's online newsletter. Thought it would help others Smile

Morning Voice

So what do you think of your morning voice? Do you think you sound better or worse when you first wake up? Some people think they sound sexier. Others get annoyed because they have to keep clearing their throat and their voice gives out on them until they get warmed up.

For voice talent a "froggy" or hoarse morning voice can be a problem. In fact, some speakers or singers won't even work before noon because they think their voices don't "wake up" until later in the day. Actually, your voice can sound good at any time of the day if it's properly warmed up and cared for.

Your voice tends to sound lower or deeper when you first wake up for three reasons. First, fluids collect in the tissues of the throat while we sleep. It's the same temporary phenomenon that makes our eyes look puffy when we first wake up. Second, mucus builds up overnight from lack of use. And third, our vocal chords dry out from breathing through the mouth while we sleep. Due to lack of lubrication they can't move together as well as they should to form a higher pitch.

Here are some tips:

When you first wake up drink two big glasses of water before eating or drinking anything else. This includes coffee or tea, which are dehydrating. It will take a couple of hours for this water to cycle through your body and hydrate your vocal folds, so get an early start.

Sing in the shower. You'll warm up your speech muscles and the warm humid air will help replenish a dehydrated voice.

Turn on some music and hum along. Humming is one of the best ways to warm up your voice. Don't be shy. Hum loudly enough to feel a buzz around your mouth and lips.

If you have to make important phone calls or do any recording before lunch, cut back on dairy products and avoid eating anything fried or greasy at breakfast: fried eggs, donuts. These foods create more phlegm.

Diane Havens · **Voice Talent** Joined: 09 Jun 2006 Posts: 1281

Nisha --
I, for one, love my morning voice. It's when my lower range sounds its best. And it's before the tension of the day -- the demands of my family routine, being a working mom -- I get up early, before anyone else, and there is a beautiful calm. Stress is the killer for me, and it shows in my voice before anywhere else. I have a cup of coffee and a room temp bottle of water, and I'm good to go.
All my V123 leads come in the morning, when there ARE any, so I'd better be happy with my morning voice, or else I would never audition for anything!
Thanks for sharing this article.

Debbie Deutsch · **Voice Talent** Joined: 25 Oct 2006 Posts: 1338

Kathleen Keesling · **Voice Talent** Joined: 15 Jul 2006 Posts: 746

My morning voice is lower and slower and I save it for more huskier and gravelly reads.

I start drinking water as soon as I wake and have some coffee as soon as I can make it. My voice is clear and steady for the rest of the day, which is perfect for narrations. I cannot do narrations in the morning or late in the evening. The voice difference is too much and my pacing gets very poor.

As far as turnaround time for customers? I have had leads from 3 months ago contact me as well as "same day" customers. I don't have a rule to go by to gauge decision times. I just audition and forget it.

Kat

Randall Bigham · **Voice Talent** Joined: 13 Sep 2006 Posts: 90

when we had a "show us your best lafontaine" voice post my morning voice was my savior. I was able to use that to get that low sound and still have it sound good.

but for regular reads I wish i had something that acted like "drano" for my throat to get it all clean so i can do those regular reads. I was told that leafy greens and the like would help but i am wondering if pickles would do as well since it is the only food in that family that i actually like to eat.

what (if any) do you guys eat to clear the old pipes in the morning?

Don Randall · Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008, 10:03 (GMT) Post subject:

Scott Pollak · Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008, 13:06 (GMT) Post subject:

I normally have a fifth or so of Jack Daniels or Jim Beam.

Then I don't give a damn what my voice sounds like.

Wink