“House calls” for Vocal Athletes: On-location vocal checks
On February 11, 1963, John Lennon, suffering from a cold, was gargling warm milk and sucking on Zubes lozenges, in a desperate attempt to salvage enough voice to record “Twist and Shout” in this, their 12th hour of recording. The one take of this song became the final, as he lost his voice that night and for several weeks after. 1 (Note to all - any song called a ‘larynx-tearer’ by the producer should probably be handled differently)
Decades later, countless vocal athletes have experienced the same dreaded moment when they are recording or on stage and their voice gives out.
Pressure on, all eyes and ears are on them. These athletes are hurting, hoarse, and if they’re being honest with themselves, a bit scared that they are injuring themselves. More scared of the consequences of calling it and admitting they need to stop, fear is what leads to serious vocal injury.
Most injuries I see start with this story. The athlete goes in feeling sub-par and over the course of rehearsals and recordings, they get worse. When there is just a little left, they face that awful moment, wanting to stop but unable to. Maybe there is a live audience or a team relying on them to finish their recording.
As part of the conversation that reframes the vocal artist as an athlete, we need to shift how we handle this moment. A soccer player gets the medic to tape their sore ankle. A basketball player has ice applied by the trainer, the boxer gets their nose cauterized by the ringside doctor. The vocal athlete? Warm tea and a prayer.
This is where on-location stroboscopy can play a vital role in protecting the artist (should we use vocal athlete here instead?). I am not talking about “backstage butt shots.” A skilled laryngologist can do an examination that includes stroboscopy, on-location. I bring the same technology I use for a full exam in the office, to the vocal athlete’s location, to assess vocal fold vibration. By bringing stroboscopy to the set, studio, or stage, I have the information I need to assess vocal health and the performer’s ability to continue. Most times, I am able to support the performer through completion of their work. The on-location technology equipment has improved to the point where I may also do these exams off-site to provide maximal privacy and comfort for a high-end performer.
Very few physicians have the ability to do on-site stroboscopy and rely instead on a regular scope. Laryngoscopy (a scope to look at the vocal cords) without stroboscopy is a distant second in its ability to assess vocal health. A laryngoscopy doesn’t tell us anything about vocal cord function and vibration. Stroboscopy is vastly superior in assessing vocal safety, which is why I insist on bringing this to any on-location evaluation I do.
The time and money spent on this care is small compared to the benefit to the performer who may be spared an injury that requires surgery. Being proactive and on the offensive in your treatment plan can improve the session and give a better vocal performance than just “pushing through.” Incidentally, “pushing through” and “working around” usually result in injury.
On-location evaluation and treatment is a vital part of a vocal athlete’s tool kit, if a laryngologist cannot be present throughout the performance. It saves studio time, post-production time and vocal health, while preserving the artist’s ability to work and create.
https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/beatles-song-ruined-john-lennon-voice/
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