Practicing singing after giving up smoking.

Dave H

Hi, I recently gave up smoking (hopefully this is it for good) and started practicing singing again. For years I could sing no problem as a smoker, death metal growls in my teens, actual singing in my twenties. But in the last few years even one or two bars of a tune would have me in bits, not out of breath but coughing and spluttering. Last week I was singing along to a song on the telly, I'm not ashamed to say it was the Hot Dog Dance from the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (my boy loves it) and I held the notes and carried them etc so I've been trying to improve since then.
Have any of you got any tips on what techniques or anything to work on the voice, breathing, scales etc, it's been a long time since I've worked on singing and to say I'm out of touch would be an understatement.
And I know a lot of smokers have great voices and great range, I'm not one of those anymore so I'd be ever so grateful if ye didn't rub it in :P
Cheers.

Wurly

Dave H wrote: »

Hi, I recently gave up smoking (hopefully this is it for good) and started practicing singing again. For years I could sing no problem as a smoker, death metal growls in my teens, actual singing in my twenties. But in the last few years even one or two bars of a tune would have me in bits, not out of breath but coughing and spluttering. Last week I was singing along to a song on the telly, I'm not ashamed to say it was the Hot Dog Dance from the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (my boy loves it) and I held the notes and carried them etc so I've been trying to improve since then.
Have any of you got any tips on what techniques or anything to work on the voice, breathing, scales etc, it's been a long time since I've worked on singing and to say I'm out of touch would be an understatement.
And I know a lot of smokers have great voices and great range, I'm not one of those anymore so I'd be ever so grateful if ye didn't rub it in :P
Cheers.

You will get your range back. Perhaps you just need proper technique? I'd advise going to get a few lessons to see what's working for you and what isn't. From there, you'll get your progress. Well done on giving up smoking too. Fantastic achievement. Best of luck.

Dave H

Thanks Wurly.
I've thought about lessons and I'd say I'll go down that route. When I've been playing guitar lately, I have been moving a capo up the fretboard to try songs out in different, usually higher, keys and the same with piano too, just changing the key aswell. It really feels like I'm exercising the muscles and a lot of the the time it works with little effort.
Cheers for the advice and the encouraging words, yer a lej so y'are

9959

It is a lovely tune, though it really depends on how you sing it - I mean in which octave. The first two notes (hot dog) of the sublime melody are G-G the second two (hot dog) are G-B, if you're singing these notes directly above middle 'C' and holding the melody as you said you were then you're flying, if however you're an octave below that..well...you know...it's no big deal.

Have you tried singing 'Postman Pat'?!

CaoimheMalone

once you've conquered your breathing the rest will follow suit

Taajsgpm

Dave H wrote: »

Hi, I recently gave up smoking (hopefully this is it for good) and started practicing singing again. For years I could sing no problem as a smoker, death metal growls in my teens, actual singing in my twenties. But in the last few years even one or two bars of a tune would have me in bits, not out of breath but coughing and spluttering. Last week I was singing along to a song on the telly, I'm not ashamed to say it was the Hot Dog Dance from the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (my boy loves it) and I held the notes and carried them etc so I've been trying to improve since then.
Have any of you got any tips on what techniques or anything to work on the voice, breathing, scales etc, it's been a long time since I've worked on singing and to say I'm out of touch would be an understatement.
And I know a lot of smokers have great voices and great range, I'm not one of those anymore so I'd be ever so grateful if ye didn't rub it in :P
Cheers.

Im with you dave,. There is a huge difference from me
, just the breathing even, but I cant hit notes when I smoke alot
Still no hot dog dance for me lol

fayvirtue

I think your breathing has changed. I had the same problem and a friend suggested gargaling with salt water - big improvement ! Great that you quit smoking !