Welcome

Welcome to my blog! My name is Rebecca McGarry, and I have a passion for the voice. The voice is a very delicate instrument, capable of producing incredible sounds and having amazing stamina, yet subject to trauma, illness fatigue and abuse. Voices are designed to last a lifetime, but often, this is cut short. People have no trouble seeking the help of a physician when they break a leg. After the leg is healed, a course of physical therapy is recommended to return the leg to normal function. However, when a voice “breaks,” most people simply ignore it, thinking there is no cure. The voice becomes hoarse, breathy and raspy, yet no help is sought. Most people are unaware of therapy designed specifically for voices. My purpose is to assist those whose voices have failed them, to “find” their voice again, and return to normal functionality. Of course, the best cure is to prevent injury from happening in the first place, so tips will be included to keep the voice healthy and strong for a lifetime. In spite of our best efforts, however, voices often “give out.” Like breathing, we don’t usually notice our voice unless something goes wrong and it doesn’t function normally. Suddenly, we pay attention and wonder what is wrong. The human voice is a unique instrument. It takes longer to train a voice than other instruments, because it is part of the anatomy and so many factors affect how the instrument responds from day to day. Unlike a piano, which sounds the same whenever you strike the keys, the voice responds to illness and fatigue and is not as predictable as a keyboard. Because of this, it’s important to take good care of your vocal health in order to have the best voice possible and to have it last a lifetime.

BREATHING

Breathing for singing and speaking should be easy. Children and animals automatically breathe correctly, but adults tend to breathe inefficiently. Stemming from bending over desks in school, computers, steering wheels or cell phones, many develop a habit of clavicular breathing, or breathing from the chest rather than from the abdomen. This creates problems when speaking or singing for extended periods of time. The body was designed for diaphragmatic breathing. The diaphragm is a large muscle which divides the lungs from the abdominal cavity. When inhalation occurs, the diaphragm contracts, dropping downward, creating a vacuum which pulls air into the lungs. As the diaphragm returns to its “resting,” dome-shaped position, air is expelled from the lungs. Maintaining an upright position, with chest high and wide facilitates diaphragmatic breathing.