Stretch Your Vocal Cords!

Hey y'all! It's Maeve. An actress's most important tool is her voice, so here are a few tips to keep your vocal cords in tip top shape!

Rest Up Your voice needs rest, just like every other part of your body. Try to speak and sing at half your normal volume (this is called "half voice") as much as possible. Avoid any unnecessary yelling or screaming.

Tea, Soup, & Honey These three are a sick actress's best friends! They coat your throat and soothe your vocal cords. You should keep an eye out for special kinds of tea that are made to help out your voice. A quick tip: Immediately after you pour the tea, breathe in the steam. Steam does wonders for your vocal cords. Try to avoid dairy and caffeinated drinks. Milk, cheese and other dairy products create mucus in your throat. All that mucus will build up and clog your throat, which will make it really difficult to sing. Staying hydrated is one of the best ways to stay healthy. When you drink a lot of caffeine and eat a lot of sugary foods, you get dehydrated. Water is always a good choice -- drink as much of it as you can!

Super Immune System The stronger your immune system, the smaller chance you'll have of getting sick. Wash your hands as often as possible. Whole grains, fruits and vegetables that contain vitamins A, E and C also help keep your throat in good condition by fueling your body with healthy foods.

Warm Up When it comes time to use your voice, make sure you do a proper warm up! Remember all those crazy noises Sharpay made before her audition in High School Musical? She wasn't speaking some alien language! She was preparing her voice for the work it was about to do. Here is a simple speaking warm up:

1) Repeat the sound "VEE" 10 times at normal volume (your normal voice is called "full voice").

2) Do the same with the sounds "VA" and "VO."

3) Make sure you're speaking with a round voice, meaning your mouth is making a circle shape. If you’re speaking or singing with a wide mouth, you're not getting your best sound and you won't be able to project (or, speak loudly) as much as you can with a round voice. When speaking or singing, remember your mouth always goes north to south, not east to west!