Touring Tips: How to Maintain Your Voice on the Road
Touring is the ultimate goal for most professional singer. They want to get in front of their fans and put on unforgettable shows night after night. But between the late-night performances, press, and meet-and-greets, there is a lot of tax placed on the voice. Adding to the stress is the burden placed by traveling city to city and country to country. Tour life may seem exotic but when the lights go down, that artist you love is hauling to the next city in the middle of the night. It’s also a marathon, not a sprint, with months on the road. So, how do today's top artists keep their voices healthy when they're on the road? We proudly care for today's most prolific, talented, and busy artists so we know a thing or two about vocal health on the road.
1. Hydration and Diet
Tour life is rough on that GI tract. Drying air from the buses and planes, exhausting schedules with limited time to fuel, pit stops on the road with questionable options... It is hard to keep hydrated and healthy on the road. Top tips are to consider water your best friend. Drink it—a lot of it and put it on every rider. Staying hydrated keeps your vocal cords lubricated and reduces strain. Keep a reusable water bottle with you at all times and aim for room-temperature water. Herbal teas with honey are also great, but steer clear of caffeine and alcohol, which can dehydrate you.
If you know you are sensitive to certain foods, avoid them while touring. Some of our touring artists opt out of spicy foods, high fat foods, and carbonated beverages, as these are all causes of reflux.
2. Time your Meals
What you eat matters. But so does when you eat. Many of artists hesitate to eat before a rigorous show, not wanting to get indigestion or reflux. Nerves and adrenaline also may make them less hungry before. After a show is a different story, when many are hungry and grabbing everything in sight. We advise artist eat an easy-to-digest meal after a show, like what you might have if you had an upset stomach. Fortunately, the adrenaline usually means they are still up for a few hours after a show, so the food has time to digest before they lie down. Reflux after a show affects the next few days, so make sure post-show meals are light or opt for pre-show meals instead.
3. Warm Up, Cool Down
You wouldn’t sprint without a warmup, so don’t hit the stage without moving the voice. Even five minutes of vocal exercises can make a difference. Humming, lip trills, and gentle scales are great but a customized workout from your vocal coach is priceless. a good coach will know how to help you hit the sweet spot and often will target certain parts of your set that are challenging. Cool down after to help the voice rebalance and settle. This is another great thing to work on with a coach.
4. Did we mention, get a vocal coach?
Many artists underestimate the value of a coach, until they struggle during a show. This is usually mid-tour, when they're sick, and now they're in a panic trying to figure out how they'll finish the tour. Get into a good coaching relationship at least 2 weeks before tour. They'll work your set lists with you, give you warmups and cool downs, and can help you troubleshoot on the road. Some will video in for your warmups and cooldowns and help you make adjustments according to what they hear. They're an invaluable set of eyes and ears and the best ones are well-connected and help you navigate vocal healthcare if you need it.
5. Rest
Touring is exhausting, and lack of sleep is a fast track to vocal fatigue. Prioritize rest, even if it means skipping the after-party. Invest in a good neck pillow for naps on the road and try to stick to a consistent sleep schedule. Your voice—and your body—needs time to recover. Account for jet lag when booking engagements the same day as arriving in a new time zone.
6. Humidify Your Space
Hotel rooms and tour buses are dry. A portable humidifier can help, especially if you’re traveling through colder or drier climates. No humidifier? A hot shower can help create steam to soothe your throat. Try to limit the air conditioning and heat to avoid drying the air too much.
7. Use Your Voice like an Athlete
Talking over loud crowds, shouting, or excessive socializing strains your voice. Use a mic whenever possible, even during soundcheck, and rest your voice during downtime. If you’re at a loud venue, don’t be afraid to write things down instead of yelling over the noise. Know which cities you're likeliest to have the most friends and family asking for your time and schedule voice silence hours in those cities.
8. Have a Vocal First-Aid Kit
Reach out to us to get a customized vocal health kit with medications for issues that most commonly arise on the road, lozenges herbal teas, honey, nasal sprays, medical devices and more. These can be lifesavers when your voice starts to feel the strain and you're far from home and your familiar pharmacy and doctor. Work with a physician/laryngologist who understands tour life and is accessible and connected with professionals around the world to help you get care when you need it. Establish that relationship before tour.
9. Get a Laryngologist and connect them with your Coach
If your voice feels tired or strained, take it seriously. Reach out to your laryngologist for voice symptoms. It will not always mean a canceled show; there is a lot we can do to support you through a show when your voice is feeling off. We work with coaches and artists on the road all the time to plan how to help singers stay on stage and injury-free when sick or vocally off.
10. Stay Positive
Touring can be stressful, and stress takes a toll on your voice. Practice mindfulness, breathe deeply, and find small ways to relax. A calm mind often leads to a healthier voice.
Your voice is your superpower, and keeping it healthy on the road is all about balance. With a little planning and a lot of self-care, you can keep showing up for your fans—night after night.
