Perserving the voice, need some tips

[Katana_Geldar]

By some uncanny luck, all four of my Paranoia games are full over for the con I am going to over easter. I am hoping, beyond all hope, that my voice will be in some degree audible by the time I am running the last game on the last day.

I have lost my voice to overuse before, and it was scary. Does anyone have any tips that should help me keep my voice in relatively good nick over the four, now possibly five, games I am running over the long weekend. And this doesn't even take into account the ones I am playing.

I cannot imagine how I would be Friend Computer without the voice. I ran Paranoia the other night and my throat was feeling strained after the game.

[Sarco_Phage]

A lapel microphone hooked up to a portable speaker?

[Katana_Geldar]

I don't have either of these things, and the convention does have limitations on using power points at the venue.

[dr.cello]

Musicians swear by Throat Coat for keeping their voices alive during tours and sickness. I recommend looking into it.

[Katana_Geldar]

What is this throat coat?

[Sarco_Phage]

Sounds like either a tablet that crumbles into a powder that protects your throat from damage, or some kind of throat-condom. I'm not sure I want to know for sure.

[Sacrieur]

An anti-inflammatory medication. It makes sense why it works. If you use your voice too much it'll become inflamed, eventually not working properly. However, anti-inflammatory medication counteracts the inflammation, allowing your voice to function.

[dr.cello]

It's an herbal tea of some variety. Amazon linky here (http://www.amazon.com/Organic-Herbal-Throat-Coat-pckts/dp/B0006MVRPE). I haven't personally tried it, but I've heard singers of all walks mention it while on tours.

[Katana_Geldar]

An anti-inflammatory medication. It makes sense why it works. If you use your voice too much it'll become inflamed, eventually not working properly. However, anti-inflammatory medication counteracts the inflammation, allowing your voice to function.

No, it doesn't if it's due to strain. When I lost my voice I had three or four different types of medication I was taking in desparation.

Did. Not. Do. A. Bloody. Thing.

As for the tea, I'll ask around as I won't be able to get it through customs by myself.

[BRC]

You're playing Paranoia.

ATTENTION CITIZENS: Internal Security has identified a Commie Mutant Traitor plot to seize control of audio surveillance systems in order to gain crucial information in their endless plot to bring down our Complex and our Friend the Computer.
Until the threat is contained, it is prohibited for citizens to speak crucial information. Whenever possible, citizens of GREEN or higher clearance should communicate messages nonverbally!
Happiness is Mandatory. A Quiet Citizen is one listening for signs of Treason.



Then convey their mission objectives via Charades.

[Katana_Geldar]

Epic win! But somehow I think that will just take longer...

I do give non-verbal instructions though. All service group and secret society information is written down.

[BRC]

Epic win! But somehow I think that will just take longer...

I do give non-verbal instructions though. All service group and secret society information is written down.

It's Paranoia, they should feel lucky if they know where the briefing room is in the first hour of play.

[Sacrieur]

No, it doesn't if it's due to strain. When I lost my voice I had three or four different types of medication I was taking in desparation.

Did. Not. Do. A. Bloody. Thing.

As for the tea, I'll ask around as I won't be able to get it through customs by myself.

http://www.entcenter.net/id283.htm

Anyway, water also helps.

[BRC]

Another idea: if you keep your notes on a Laptop, you can get a Voice-To-Speech program, for that authentic Friend Computer voice.

[Sarco_Phage]

http://www.entcenter.net/id283.htm

Anyway, water also helps.

She was saying it doesn't work, or didn't in her case, not disagreeing with you that loss of voice is caused by inflammation. :smallamused:

[Katana_Geldar]

Hmmmm, I know what I'll do...

I'll write the briefing down on small pieces of paper and I won't tell them the order, they have to work it out.

I still have to imitate a cheesy game show host though for Wheel! of! Treachery!, though my favourite part is right at the end when I do absolutely nothing and the players face a quandary.

[AslanCross]

Ugh, I just realized you're in Australia. Hard to get things in through customs, indeed.

When my throat begins to feel scratchy I drink tea made of this (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagundi). It's bitter and horrid, but its effects are almost instant and it somehow prevents the scratchy throat from progressing into a sore throat. No idea how you're going to get it, though---I've got a tree of it growing in the back yard. (And yes, I realize the leaves somewhat look like pot...)

[Popertop]

Epic win! But somehow I think that will just take longer...

I do give non-verbal instructions though. All service group and secret society information is written down.


Another idea: if you keep your notes on a Laptop, you can get a Voice-To-Speech program, for that authentic Friend Computer voice.

This is a great idea, I would even do this if you weren't worried about your voice.

Drink plenty of water, get lots of rest if you can, and think positively.

[Shademan]

strepsil. tons of strepsil.

[rayne_dragon]

From my experience with voice exercises the best advice I can offer is to keep your throat hydrated with water (or anything with no caffine or sugar) and not to overstrain it. Voice muscles are like any other muscles, they strengthen with use, so practicing using different voices for prolonged periods of time eventually builds up the strength to use those voices for longer. The key is to stop practicing IMMEDIATELY when your throat starts to feel strained and to keep practicing a little bit each day until the voice becomes very much natural.

I know it isn't much time, but if you start exercising your voice now you might build up the muscles enough that you won't strain them too much at the con.

[Rixx]

Do as many sit-ups as you can before using your voice extensively. It sounds weird, I know, but trust me, it works.

[Sillycomic]

Any sort of tea will work, but what you really want is something that says it has both honey and ginger in it. Those are the two most important ingredients. They will keep your voice sounding nice all day long.

Drinking plenty of water, making sure your throat and your mouth aren't dry. If they are, your vocal cords have to work twice as hard to make the right kind of sounds and then you're just on borrowed time until you become hoarse.

Try not to shout or do any low gravelly voices. Those kinds of things tear at the throat in order to make the sound come across.

Try a bit of a warm up before running the game. Go through all of the vowels, maybe hum a cord (just sing the do, re, mi song) Warming up your voice helps when you're going to be playing/talking for long periods of time.

Take plenty of breaks. Make sure there's down time when you're not talking at all. Give yourself 5 minutes or so where you're just silent. Breaks help a lot.

Also try not to drink anything sugary. Soda is no good. I heard dairy products aren't good either, but I don't know from personal experience.

While I don't sing, I have acted professionally for about 3 years now, and last summer I had to perform Shakespeare outside to an audience that was over 50 feet away. After a week of practice I had a a hoarse voice and could barely talk. My voice coach pulled me aside and told me these were the things to do. After I followed her advice I never had a bad vocal night again.

[Rixx]

Also don't take my advice, I just made it up on the spot. I'm sorry.

[Analytica]

Any sort of tea will work, but what you really want is something that says it has both honey and ginger in it. Those are the two most important ingredients. They will keep your voice sounding nice all day long.

Maybe make a Ginger Potion then? Take raw ginger, lots of it. Boil it for a long time to get strong ginger infusion. Add pressed lemon and honey once it cools. Bring in a bottle and mix in a cup with hot water on-site.

[Sillycomic]

Ginger potion sounds about right.

Also, there's gollum juice.

http://castlesandcooks.com/2010/10/19/gollums-recipe-gollum-juice/

[Karsh]

Drink lots of water that isn't super cold. Cold water causes your vocal chords to tense up, making them more likely to be damaged. Similarly, avoid super-hot drinks. Let your tea cool down before drinking it. It doesn't have to be room temperature, but it should not be hot.

Use throat lozenges - I highly recommend you use one that is sugar free because the other ones are like candy. I personally swear by the Ricola Lemon sugar free drops. Combining this with steam either from tea or by popping a cough drop when you take a shower will make your throat feel a kajillion times better.

Seconding tea, but make sure it's low in caffeine, as caffeine is terrible for your throat/voice.

Avoid speaking when not necessary (bring some cue cards or something to communicate with others between games) if you're feeling like your voice is starting to give out.

Honey and lemon juice mixed together and heated up for ~10 seconds in the microwave will do wonders for making your throat feel better once your voice is already strained.

Source: Personal experience as an actor.

[Gorilla2038]

An old dead head at a concert gave me this tip. It only really works after the event(so if you scream your head off at a concert, the day after), but all you do is take half a fresh lime and half a fresh lemon and squeeze them into a glass of root beer. Tastes pretty good too.

[valadil]

My voice can barely make it through GMing a single session. Luke warm water during game helps. Riccola afterwards helps more. Instead of tea, I like hot water with lemon and honey. Mrs. Valadil says she used that when she sang regularly and swears by it for any and all throat problems. It's also delicious and worth drinking regardless of how your throat feels.

[Dr Bwaa]

some strong ginger tea may do the trick. Easy to make:

Shred a ginger root
Boil grated ginger in water, then reduce heat for 10 min
Strain out ginger
Add lemon juice and honey to taste

Delicious, cheap, easy, and protects the voice reasonably well (very good for sickness-induced soreness as well).

[Toofey]

Strongly brewed chamomile with honey and lemon, it's one of those classics are classics for a reason things.

[OracleofWuffing]

Warm (not hot!) tea with honey++ and lozenges++. Water, too. My family (including me) has been in public speaking teams, and my brother is a music teacher and singer, so I hear that a lot. Avoid dairy, as that encourages Phlegm production, which will make it more difficult for you to speak properly. A heating pad or light bag of warm water applied to the throat might provide some relief, but I don't think it will bring your voice back quicker in this situation.

I know you said that a computer voice would probably be more trouble than it's worth, but even if you keep a couple of text-to-speech documents open for frequently repeated lines, it's going to help. You got this from speaking too much and/or too loudly, your body's telling you it needs a break from that, so it's best to let it rest whenever it's possible.

[AslanCross]

I'd also like to warn you that medicated lozenges should only be used under prescription. Perhaps pharmacies are stricter on the sale of those kinds of drugs there, but in the Philippines they go ahead and sell them. As such, people here with sore throats tend to suck on the lozenges as if they were any other old candy, and they actually end up getting their throats dried by up (ie, made worse).

[BooNL]

The best remedy in the long run would be to take singing lessons.

Most of the languages spoken in the world are very unnatural sounds for our throat to make, hence we get hoarse. This happens a lot when we're forced to talk louder than usual or for long hours at a time. Teachers, speakers and singers all face these dillema's.

By taking singing lessons you learn how to talk in a different, healthier way. I'm a trainer and I started taking lessons just to get rid of my soar throat at the end of the day. It worked like a charm.

Obviously, it's not a quick solution, but it really does help.

[Sarco_Phage]

I'd also like to warn you that medicated lozenges should only be used under prescription. Perhaps pharmacies are stricter on the sale of those kinds of drugs there, but in the Philippines they go ahead and sell them. As such, people here with sore throats tend to suck on the lozenges as if they were any other old candy, and they actually end up getting their throats dried by up (ie, made worse).

Over-the-counter Strepsils didn't never kill nobody. :smallamused:

[Jayabalard]

delivering some lines via some sort of Text to Speech engine might be appropriate.
take breaks
avoid caffeine.
stay hydrated; avoid overly cold or hot drinks (drink water close to room temperature, herbal/decaffeinated teas that are warm to hot but not ridiculously hot)


What medications did you try? It's possible you just picked stuff that doesn't work very well, and we might be able to offer something better.


When my throat begins to feel scratchy I drink tea made of this (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagundi). It's bitter and horrid, but its effects are almost instant and it somehow prevents the scratchy throat from progressing into a sore throat. No idea how you're going to get it, though---I've got a tree of it growing in the back yard. (And yes, I realize the leaves somewhat look like pot...)You know; that's in the mint family. Quite a few plants in that family are good for sore throat.

[TroubleBrewing]

Vocal warm-ups before each game.

Also, instead of clearing your throat, try humming at an ever-so-slightly higher pitch than your normal speaking voice. The usual trick is to say "M-hm" instead of "yes" to somebody, and then hum the pitch you make on the "hm" part. Humming is less vocally stressful, and has a similar clearing effect.

[Amphetryon]

Tips for preserving your voice unrelated to lozenges and such:

1) Speak in a slightly higher register than normal. Most people will find it easier to hear.

2) Don't shout; speak as though to a person just beyond arm's reach from you. Your voice carries better than you think, generally.

3) Use a talking stick. Whoever holds the talking stick/token should have the attention of the table, so that you need not talk over each other.

[AslanCross]

Over-the-counter Strepsils didn't never kill nobody. :smallamused:

I know someone who popped a blood vessel in his throat, and the doctor related it to overuse of Strepsils. Not fatal, but the point is that taking them like candy is more harmful than helpful. Drying up the mucous membrane is, I'd think, like using a nuke to destroy both the invaders and the wall that's keeping them out.


[LIST]

You know; that's in the mint family. Quite a few plants in that family are good for sore throat.

Ooh, didn't know that. Thanks for the info. The stuff really is quite effective.