Fess up, smokers!!!

[ChordGirl]

Are you a singer and a smoker? If so, do you think it improves the quality of your voice, or hinders your singing? :confused: Do you smoke a lot, or just a few a day?

[cherri]

I am an on-again/off-again smoker. I started up again in late August when a family member fell ill. I smoke 2 - 8 cigarettes during the average day, more on weekends. Some days I don't have any.

Yes, it affects my voice. It opens up some of the mids and lows, but reduces the high range. It adds growl (good for a blues singer) but lowers purity of tone. It decreases the amount of air available for sustain.

[Nick*]

Yeah, I've found that smoking does limit the high range a bit. Other than that I'm not sure how it has affected my voice. I'm quitting/limiting my smoking....so hopefully we will see what it does. I'm only 20....so right now the damage is probably minimal. If I kept it up until I was 40 or 50, then I think it would create a huge difference in my voice.

[Prages]

I smoke. I've smoked since I was 17. I'm 33 now. I've lost maybe a note off of my high range since then, and probably added a note to my low range.

My voice is raspier than it was when I was a kid though.

[zosoKing5]

i like the occasional cigar, and i smoke my pipe (tobacco) every 2 weeks or so. since i was 18. im 21 now, and no noticeable difference, probably because i ping them scales everyday.

on cold days though, i find it harder to hit them high notes...

[nixonjacket]

I smoke about a pack a day. It does take away from the crisp side of singing but I think it adds rasp. Though rasp can be something that is good with blues and rock.

[ChordGirl]

Thanks for all the replies! Cherri, I can't believe you smoke at all! I wouldn't have guessed it by listening to your music. :)

I smoke over a pack a day and have for 15 years now. I recently quit smoking entirely for 50 days. I had people coming out of the woodwork telling me how much stronger my voice sounded. I could feel it too. The tone was definitely more pure. The best part, though, was having enough air to power long phrases.

...but, I took the drag that eventually led back to buying packs.

It seems like this time, my phrasing has suffered the most. :( I didn't notice it nearly as much until I quit for awhile and got a glimpse of the difference.

As for the high notes, it affects me quite a bit as well with the tone. Smoking seems to clog up various little sinus cavities that I'd normally send sound through for a richer tone, if that makes any sense.

I guess I'm trying to convince myself to quit again. When I smoked only about 5 a day, my voice remained pretty strong. But seriously, I can't control myself and limit myself to 5. That's not really an option for me.


Thanks for all of your input.

[DeadNight Warrior]

Definitely does affect my voice, and in a negative way. Dries out my vocal bits, limits my already limited range, affects my ability to sustain long phrases and notes, affects my control, etc.

[KidAircrash]

I'm a pretty crappy singer, but I feel like smoking is really bad for my voice. I don't feel like I get any better when I am smoking regularly as it seems to hinder my progress a lot. It also makes my voice sound weaker and more nasally.

I wish I could quit so that my voice would improve and my gums would do better, but you know how it is..:blah:

[SBF3000]

Are you a singer and a smoker? If so, do you think it improves the quality of your voice, or hinders your singing? :confused: Do you smoke a lot, or just a few a day?


I smoke a pack a day, pack and a half if I drink that day. I think it helps with a lot of the dirty work, the gritty voice, but really hurts on the loud/sustained clean things. A good back up singer that can do the clean tone is key. ;) and I think it adds a lot of flavor to the song. But that is me. I should quit. :cry:

[Y0UNGBL00D]

smoker. dont let tom waits fool you. only he can pull it off.

it really depends though

[cherri]

Cherri, I can't believe you smoke at all! I wouldn't have guessed it by listening to your music. I don't smoke for weeks prior to recording.

The family joke is 'I quit every Monday'. I learned long ago that I can't carry a pack with me, it's like potato chips, I can't have just one. During the work week, I wait until I get home to smoke.

[WowieZowie]

I have smoked for several periods in my life. The last time was 4 years ago, and I smoked for one year. A pack a day. I had an extremely hard time quiting this last time.

With me, they do give me a lot more low end notes. (especially in the morning.) I can do all these Cat's stevens songs, and johnny Cash. And that really makes me happy, since I am a tenor. It almost seems like the perfect fit. I love em, they help me to sing lower, yippy!!

But, they also make my nose clogged. I weeze from flem, and choke, and spit a lot more. Further, my throat is dry, and sore most of the time. And, if I do stress my voice out, it takes a lot longer to bounce back.

Now that I am not smoking, I can sing for longer periods of time, and can hit notes that are much higher.

And most importantly for me, I am in a different mindset when I smoke. More things are possible when I don't smoke. I am more positive. So, I practice more often. My stomach feels much better. So, I can push with ease. If I smoke, my stomach is almost always tied in knots.

There are certainly times that smoking gives me the tone I always wanted. (I sing jazz and blues) But, it is not very consistent, and I feel much better with out them. My sound is much smoother now without them, and I am really beginning to like my voice.

[jive4005]

Smoking is truly bad for you, especially the voice... but we do it anyway. I'm a cigar smoker... my rule, no smokes the day before or day of...
And only 1 about ev. other day. I sing every day (17 yrs fulltime) and so far so good.

J. Slick

[grace_slick]

J Slick? Jerry Slick?

Anyway, when I used to smoke, I didn't find it really affected my voice in terms of my range. I used to sing Kate Bush songs (from the age of 20-24) and found it had absolutely no effect on the high notes or the ease and clarity with which I could sing them.

What I did notice though, which pleased me, was an increase in the lower notes. More Marianne Faithfull. I didn't lose the high notes, so I found this pretty cool.

The only thing that bothered me about it, once I'd been smoking for about 5 years, was the habit I developed of having to clear my throat a LOT while singing to keep a clean sound. Very annoying. That went away in about 3 months after I quit.

[rhat]

What i notice is ,,, if i lay off smoking I go through a phase where my voice doestn sound as good ,,,, then things get back to normal. I dont smoke more than 3 a day max... then will take several months off. I go in streaks. For the most part its a bad habit. I just add it to the list lol.

[kidwicked]

I dont understand all this talk about smoking increased my low range lol. Smoking is BAD for your voice period. It swells the vocal folds and drys your whole voice out. You Will lose range that means Hi and "usable" Low range. The inability to produce as much air will make your voice weak and brittle, There is a difference in rasp created by causing reflection in the back of your voice and rasp of a smoking singer one, sounds good, the other sounds like and old bar guy trying to sing. If your a good vocalist you will learn how to sing with and without a rasp when its required by the song.

[Consume]

I dont understand all this talk about smoking increased my low range lol. Smoking is BAD for your voice period. It swells the vocal folds and drys your whole voice out. You Will lose range that means Hi and "usable" Low range. The inability to produce as much air will make your voice weak and brittle, There is a difference in rasp created by causing reflection in the back of your voice and rasp of a smoking singer one, sounds good, the other sounds like and old bar guy trying to sing. If your a good vocalist you will learn how to sing with and without a rasp when its required by the song.


Yes, smoking is bad for you, but some people do gain a note or so on the low end from it for some reason. it seems mind boggling to me.

I've got just slightly more than a 4-octave range.
Give me a pack of cigarettes and a few alcoholic drinks over the course of an evening and I've got about a 2 to 2.5 octave range if I'm lucky and well hydrated.... and depending on what kind of cigarettes they are - I could have a big gap where my Passagio is.

I am simply one of those people who CAN NOT smoke and sing, so I had a choice to make:


Do I want to be a smoker, or do I want to be a singer?



And that was an easy choice to make because I love singing.

[Thamel]

definitely hinders my singing. I've stopped since, except for the 'after-a-show-cigarette' that I can't seem to let go of...

[grace_slick]

I can't sing that well anyway, so it never really hindered me that much either way. I find some people are more sensitive to smoking. They get mild lung issues, throat soreness, hoarseness, etc. I get none of these.

[kidwicked]

I can't see how smoking effects range in the gaining aspect. If any low range was caused from smoking it would be such a low registry that it would not even be noticed. Breathing in smoke can not gain vocal range. To go lower or higher in range it requires MORE air to push the notes. Therefore decreasing your air output by smoking can not increase any vocal range at all, You would lose Hi and low range.

[Phait]

I started smoking like 5 months ago, average maybe 4 to 6 cigs a day. One day I practically went through a pack, must've been a stressfull day (the entire reason I started smoking).

A couple times I've waken up coughing and having to clear my throat, but it's rare. Now this month I've got a sore throat which I don't know if it's the season or the cigs, or both - but smoking is not helping. Considering I'm trying to improve my singing voice, I'm done smoking regularly in '09. Maybe the occasional little cigar once a month. Not this everyday shit.

[grace_slick]

I had 2 cigs the other night at my office Christmas party. UGH. I felt SO sick. My mouth was so dry and the horrible taste just wouldn't go away no matter what I did - teeth brushing, eating, drinking, chewing gum, etc. I'm so glad I don't smoke anymore.

[rorylawford]

I've been a pack a day smoker since I was about 12 or 13 and I'm 39 now. I know it's NOT good for my singing. I WAS a classically trained opera singer in my teens, but discovering heavy metal and smokes put an end to THAT endeavour lol. When I started touring with my metal band in the late 80's I could sing ANYTHING - from super high and crystal clean to growly and mean. Now, 20 years later, it more to the growly side of things...I've especially noticed over the last year that my power and range has diminished as I habe less 'wind' than before. Therefore, I went and got a prescription for Zyban (the quit smoking drug) this past week and going to quit for good this time (I got kids I'd kind of like to be around to see grow up).

[Consume]

I can't see how smoking effects range in the gaining aspect. If any low range was caused from smoking it would be such a low registry that it would not even be noticed. Breathing in smoke can not gain vocal range. To go lower or higher in range it requires MORE air to push the notes. Therefore decreasing your air output by smoking can not increase any vocal range at all, You would lose Hi and low range.



Some singers do gain an enhanced or more pronounced lower range from smoking. I don't know why, but I suspect it is that they may actually speak in a lower pitch more often after smoking (iritation in their normal speaking range?), and thus are used to using that lower range. I have nothing to back this up, it is just a theory.

[Brighid Rose]

I'm 38, smoked most of my life, & just quit for almost 1 year. I could sing as a kid but hadn't really since. Last Sunday, I had my public debut at an open mic ( omg!) & it went well. My point being the only reason I could do that is because I quit smoking. I finally have AIR again! I'm amazed by people who can sing & smoke. But it's great motivation to stay quit!

[joncyberboy]

I smoke 10 -20 a day and it definoitely limits my high range. I quit for a month and the difference was huge. Just need to get the determination to do it again.

[flemtone]

I started smoking in 1973, was a 'pack-a-day' teen until I discovered the joy of Roll-your-Own tobacco. I was singing at the time and had noticed a definite effect from the Winstons I was pulling down. When I switched to rolling, I noticed several things: First, I smoked less. The ability to just reach into my pocket and grab a smoke wasn't there - I had to make the time to roll. Secondly, unlike pre-rolled cigarettes, the hand-rolled will go out when they're put down. This is for many reasons, the most important being that 'natural' roll-your-own tobacco is just that - natural. No added tars, nicotines, flavors, chemicals, fibers etc that, on a 'normal' cigarette, will make that puppy burn down to the bitter end when no one is smoking it. This is economically great for the tobacco companies, as it generates more 'waste by consumers, thus more sales. For your lungs, not so much.

I noticed a significant difference when I began rolling instead of snapping out a butt whenever I had a whim.

I finally (mostly) stopped on Jan. 1 of last year. If I smoke at all on a given day, I'll roll and smoke one cigarette after I get home from work, sitting on the porch and watching the world go by (that's what us codgers do). I haven't noticed a significant difference since I cut down so much - not nearly the difference that I found when I went from Winstons to roll-your-own Export.

[rorylawford]

until about 3 years ago when they banned smoking in bars, i used to smoke while singing. I'd be playing guitar, have a cigarette in my teeth and sing the lead vocals around the cig. People thought it looked awesome and were shocked someone could actually do that lol.

Now I realize it was not smart or cool. Since banning smoking in bars, my stamina for shows has increased 5 fold. Now I just to have quit smoking at all (the second the set is done, the other guys are still putting the instruments down and I'm already out back lighting up a smoke) Starting Zyban Monday morning...wish me luck!

[Brighid Rose]

All luck to you rorylawford! It was difficult for me but THE BEST thing I've ever done for my life. I do have to confess to "borrowing" a smoke or two when I drink tho so have probably had 6 in the past year-ish. Reminds me why I quit!

[Camel42]

I was a very shitty singer when I was younger.

I quit singing, and started smoking.

After about 12 years of smoking, and not singing, I decided to try singing again.

I all of the sudden am good. Really, really good. Not sure if its from smoking.

I smoke like a pack a day at least.

I have a higher range then I could imagine.

I have no problems with breath control.

[cherri]

Update: I quit on Valentines day.

The improvement in my vocals is huge.

Anyone who sez they sound fine when they are smoking is kidding themselves.

[rhat]

the thing that alot of singers say is that ,,, they have a period after stopping where their voice isnt as good, and then that goes away and their voice gets better than it was when they smoked. I would guess it has somthing to do with the fact that quitting lets them move more air. So that bad period is just from having too much wind. Smokin wont improve your voice for sure, but alot of smokers are great singers.

[Mamma Cat]

I was a very shitty singer when I was younger.

I quit singing, and started smoking.

After about 12 years of smoking, and not singing, I decided to try singing again.

I all of the sudden am good. Really, really good. Not sure if its from smoking.

I smoke like a pack a day at least.

I have a higher range then I could imagine.

I have no problems with breath control.

Maybe your attitude towards your voice changed, you just like your voice better this way. And also, maybe your vocal apparatus has developed completely.

[Camel42]

Maybe your attitude towards your voice changed, you just like your voice better this way. And also, maybe your vocal apparatus has developed completely.

My attitude has changed for sure, along with the age thing, but that doesn't really explain the range and air thing.

I seriously have no problems with it, except for some reason I get a mental block when I record, and just stop breathing. Its not physical tho, I would know if it was physical.

I have heard that contrary to popular belif smoking doesn't actually effect singing, but the way that you use the air that you have does. Don't know if its true.