Effects Of Alcohol On Voice

[Rhythm Junky]

I'm torn on this one. Sometimes I think it makes a difference, and other times I think it doesn't. It can't be good for the singing voice.

[flemtone]

I've found that drinking (at least in my case) doesn't necessarily allow a wider vocal range, but will uninhibit me enough to push my voice harder than it should be pushed. I definitely feel it much worse by the end of the gig and the next day. This is one of the reasons I stopped drinking at gigs, especially when I had a gig scheduled the next day. Just too much chance of wrenching my voice and being unable to hit the high notes or bring dynamics at the next day's gig.

[Bajazz]

Varies with me. Sometimes, I can get by OK, but mostly it kills the high notes. So I never take a drink when playing important gigs.

[sydfan]

I find that drinking makes it more fun to play and sing.

[b_nehpets]

this is the only pertinent thread in the singers forum, imo.

[cherri]

I don't hear the effect of alcohol the first night, but I do hear it the next day. I'm not sure if it's the alcohol per say or the smoke, yelling, and other wear and tear that comes with a night of drinking.

I have noticed that exhaling alcohol fumes is very tough on the vocal cords. Dries them right up.

[Rhythm Junky]

I don't drink for two days before I know I have to sing, and never during gigs. Look out after the gig is over.

[SevenString]

So, two singers walk past a bar.


Hey, it could happen! :mad:



:badump:

[RupertB]

While I'm convinced that alcohol, especially in excess, has long-term detrimental effects on a singer's voice, in my experience a few sips of B&B does wonders for smoothing out & tightening up a rough voice.

I have no idea why or how but I keep a flask of it in my gig bag just in case. My bandmates (all sing) who never tried the stuff before they met me will occasionally get some to sip on during a gig.

[DeadNight Warrior]

Alcohol dehydrates you. In the very short term it might help loosen you up a bit, but I'm guessing the next-day result would be from the strain of the gig combined with the dehydrating nature of alcohol.

I say a bit of drinking shouldn't really be a problem, provided you do everything else to look after your voice (which you should be anyway).

That said, I can hardly preach about anything, being a smoker 'n' all... :o

[zax2000]

this is the only pertinent thread in the singers forum, imo.

lol! Not sure if it does or not, but the more I drink the better I sound to me. The more the audience drinks my voice seems to sound better to them, too! Seems that's the case with everything, though, I sing better, play bass better, definately golf better - I have scorecards to prove it :lol:

[SevenString]

Alcohol dries out my vocal chords almost immediately, so I avoid it like the plague.

But on the flip-side, I never had the "dairy" issues that a lot of singers seem to have. Hot fudge sundae before a gig? No problem! :lol:

[Nick*]

Yeah...alcohol dehydrates you, and that is where the negative result comes in. And smoking also limits my range......either way, I do both. Maybe that's why when I bust out the higher notes my voice gets so rough?

[g400man]

when recording Van Halen Davide Lee Roth stopped drinking to take things more seriously, turns out, when he was sober, he couldn't sing worth shit! got back on the Jack Daniels and it was all good.:thu:

[Bajazz]

My experience from many years on the road is that there is many factors, and all are different from person to person. For example I can't use the air conditioner in my car driving to the gig, but quit smoking didn't have any effect on my voice at all. The sum of mental & physical shape, hydration and rest will dictate yor performance. And if everything is fine, I don't think a drink, a smoke, Milkshake or a greasy burger will do much difference.

But once one of the factors are out of tune, the danger is that something "harmless" can push you over the edge. If you've had little sleep and are dehydrated, then a drink can make a big difference. Take a little nap and drink lot's of water 1 hour before gig, and you've pretty much prepared well.

[Guitar Centaur]

I don't have any problems with hard liquor. I usually do a shot between sets, and sometimes am offered a shot while onstage. Beer, on the other hand, completely rags my voice out.

I also stay well hydrated as I'm chugging water like crazy during the sets.

[PigWings_v2.0]

You wanna sound like Tom Waits? Keep drinking! Light that cig up too, you're almost there.

[THeLoveGun]

My Brother does buy them lil Baileys, and just have a couple of drinks before singing...not sure, but aren't they supposed to warm up your vox cords?

[search now]

Alcohol dehydrates you. In the very short term it might help loosen you up a bit, but I'm guessing the next-day result would be from the strain of the gig combined with the dehydrating nature of alcohol.

I say a bit of drinking shouldn't really be a problem, provided you do everything else to look after your voice (which you should be anyway).

That said, I can hardly preach about anything, being a smoker 'n' all... :o


what he said

[Miket156]

I can't handle alcohol when I gig. I sing and play KBs. I do a solo act and sing every song. I do my own roadie work and haul my rig in a U-Haul trailer. By the time I tear down and load-out, I'm driving home late. I usually have "company" on my tail when driving back to my "rural" homestead. I guess the cops have nothing else to do at that time of night.

I know from years of past experience, that alcohol and playing music just doesn't mix. Maybe it relaxes you, but it also dehydrates you. I tend to sing flat when I drink, so I just don't do it.

I've heard bands that drink while they play, and if they have a few too many, their performance deteriorates as the night goes on. The only advantage they have is by that time, almost everyone else has had a few too many too!

Mike T.

[isaac42]

I'm torn on this one. Sometimes I think it makes a difference, and other times I think it doesn't. It can't be good for the singing voice.

Back when I was singing full time, I noticed a few things.

Alcohol didn't seem to directly affect my voice, but it did reduce my control. Staying on pitch became a problem for me when I drank.

Alcohol reduced both inhibitions and the pain reflex, so oversinging was a real risk.

Given those issues, I stopped drinking when I sing. I save the drinking for afterwards. The downside there is that I'm often the only sober person in the room.

[isaac42]

lol! Not sure if it does or not, but the more I drink the better I sound to me. The more the audience drinks my voice seems to sound better to them, too! Seems that's the case with everything, though, I sing better, play bass better, definately golf better - I have scorecards to prove it :lol:

I think that "to me" are the operative words.

[micmike]

I find if I've drunk a lot, a lot, a lot of water, and am well hydrated then alcohol has little effect. Within reason. If I'm drunk, I'm in trouble.

[FUBTAG]

Drinking DEFINITELY affects your singing.. and your ability to recover. Singing while dehydrated is especially tough on your vocal chords. you may not notice it during the gig... but the next morning when you can't talk and can't remember a song where you felt you were stretching your ability is where it is shown.

in prep for a gig I make sure that the day before I hydrate well so I CAN have a beer or two as the gig goes on. I also have alot of water with Ricola (cough drop) in it. .. yeah it looks like urine and doesn't taste much better... but seemingly cheaper than throat coat and works just as well (for me at least)

[vanlatte]

Hey, I noticed that when I am drinking I sound much better.

At least to my own ears!

Woooohhoooo!

*takes another shot*




:poke:


( Actually I have "friends" with video evidence of some of my drunken-singing attempts and it's not pretty )

[WillieNeis]

I feel like it makes me a better singer becuase I get more heart when I'm drunk... but I also am playing guitar so I can really only take a few big chugs between songs, which keeps me from getting too shitty... its a good natural moderator.

[jerrye]

....B&B does wonders for smoothing out & tightening up a rough voice.

As in Benedictine and brandy?

[Al Koehn]

When I was gigging on the road (9 years) I drank a lot. I had to deal with that later in life, but that's another story. I recorded myself a lot, and discovered when I listened the next day that I was nowhere as good as I thought I was when i was drinking. Surprise! Alcohol screws with our mind.

Al

[ChordGirl]

My experience from many years on the road is that there is many factors, and all are different from person to person. For example I can't use the air conditioner in my car driving to the gig, but quit smoking didn't have any effect on my voice at all. The sum of mental & physical shape, hydration and rest will dictate yor performance. And if everything is fine, I don't think a drink, a smoke, Milkshake or a greasy burger will do much difference.

But once one of the factors are out of tune, the danger is that something "harmless" can push you over the edge. If you've had little sleep and are dehydrated, then a drink can make a big difference. Take a little nap and drink lot's of water 1 hour before gig, and you've pretty much prepared well.

Air conditioning and lack of sleep are the worst for me, although smoking more than half a pack a day has a huge effect on my ability to support the tone.

I did two 4 hour gigs yesterday where I sang 1/3 of the leads and harmonized on every other song. I was also running on less than 6 hours of sleep from another 4 hour gig with the same group the night before. The last few songs I led were noticeably weaker, and I pretty much blew out my voice by the end. Today I'm not talking to anyone. I have a two hour show where I'm the only lead vocalist tonight, then a day's rest before my next 4 hour solo gig. It's been awhile since I've pushed my voice this hard.

[ChordGirl]

I always start out the show with at least 1 beer and usually a shot. Drinking relaxes me and I really do sing better when I'm buzzed. I have heard the difference in the recordings, too. I do wish that wasn't the case, but it is for me.

[Dr.Innovation]

I've been tempted to become a drunk because I heard it makes your voice deeper? (Or was it marijuana?)

[AdamCh311]

when recording Van Halen Davide Lee Roth stopped drinking to take things more seriously, turns out, when he was sober, he couldn't sing worth shit! got back on the Jack Daniels and it was all good.:thu:

David Lee Roth could never sing, quit fooling yourself. I love his vocals with VH, but he wasn't a great singer as much as a great frontman.

[Dr.Innovation]

David Lee Roth could never sing, quit fooling yourself. I love his vocals with VH, but he wasn't a great singer as much as a great frontman.

I'd love to know WHO are your favorite singers are:thu:

[AdamCh311]

My favorite singers, there are a ton of them. I didn't say his voice doesn't fit what he does, he's just not the greatest singer I've heard. Sammy way better singer, but not as good with VH.