Sam Pai Kenpo
1 post
Jul 31, 2009
11:00 AM
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I am a blues singer/harmonica player. A little over a week ago I felt something weird in the side of my neck while practicing high notes on my harmonica. I never felt anything like this before. I originally thought I was getting sick, but never did. My voice went out and still hasn't returned. I can sing low notes, but my high range and falsetto have disappeared. I didn't think it was from my harmonica practice, but now I'm thinking it probably is. I was putting in a lot of time practicing and working a lot on my high notes. Has anybody else experienced anything like this? My drummer said he has heard that people who play wind instruments have problems like this sometimes. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
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Christelle Berthon
47 posts
Jul 31, 2009
11:13 AM
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Hi Sam
first of all I don't have the final answer, but there's really NO chance that a wind instrument can damage anything in itself.
May be you're using your air column when you sing exactly the them as the one you use for your harmonica playing which can stress your vocal cords. In this case I would say try to play harmonica the same as you sing, trying your best to have the SAME sensations.
Something can help you to recover, this is to relax before you sing, with breathing in and out VERY slowly, during 10 min without any instrument (yoga relaxation)...Then do a series of glissando from a lower note to the high.
Finally my best answer would be for you to consult a speech therapist.
Last Edited by on Jul 31, 2009 11:17 AM
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Buzadero
110 posts
Jul 31, 2009
11:58 AM
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Breathing correctly and with varying levels of control, rate, force etc is a key component of what I've been doing for aliving for the past 30 years.
That said, I know of, or have experienced myself, several instances that could be similar to what you described. Offhand, as Christy said, I wouldn't attribute it to the actual instrument, but more to the physical dynamics of what you were doing. I could probably go on and on in speculation, however it would all be guessing. To my knowledge, we have no respiratory therapists, doctors or formal ear and throat docs on here.
My intial advice would be to relax your injured area, stop talking -- at all, none, zero, nada -- and avoid cold air intake for a recovery period. Don't push it and stress it. Give it a week. Then, without trying to push excessively, ease into trying to see if it's recovered. If, at any time you sense that you are on the verge of re-damge, back off and either give it more time or head to the specialist.
That's my tucense.
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~Buzadero
Underwater Janitor, Patriot
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Sam Pai Kenpo
2 posts
Jul 31, 2009
12:48 PM
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Thanks for the responses. I gave up harmonica for 1 week. I played yesterday, but will not pick it up again until Saturday. I have a gig on Saturday which probably won't be any fun.
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Sam Pai Kenpo
3 posts
Jul 31, 2009
5:18 PM
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BTW...Buzadero's advice about not talking is excellent. I have gone entire days without speaking a word. Unfortunately, I have to talk on my job and couldn't do it this time.
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ElkRiverHarmonicas
125 posts
Jul 31, 2009
10:29 PM
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There have been times where I tried something new, worked on it, or back in the days when I didn't play harp for long periods, then went back, my throat would hurt. I think that was due to resonaance then getting them sore (sound energy is energy and your throat is either resonant or not) or due to using new muscles that get tired and sore. It'll get better, I'm sure.
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mickil
410 posts
Aug 01, 2009
3:52 AM
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The only thing that has ever hurt my throat with harp playing is when I've gone about throat vibrato in the wrong way: 'very aggressively' is the easiest way for me to describe it.
To be honest, I think I'm only just starting to get the hang of it.
Any one else had this?
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'If it sounds GOOD to you, it's bitchen; if it sounds BAD to YOU, it's shitty' - Frank Zappa
http://www.youtube.com/user/SlimHarpMick
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Buddha
893 posts
Aug 01, 2009
5:25 AM
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I don't what I did, but on three occasions I have hurt my throat from playing harmonica. The first time was from playing over six hours straight at music festival.
The 2nd time was from playing a 33 1/3 hour non stop gig.
And the last time was playing a 14 hour gig.
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Andrew
479 posts
Aug 01, 2009
8:11 AM
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Only pain in my throat I've had so far is trying to bend the 2-draw on my low c.
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kudzurunner
618 posts
Aug 01, 2009
9:03 AM
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I had a student once who practiced vibrato for three hours in his basement one night--vibrato on extended notes--and called me the next day, very very hoarse, and croaked "Adam! I can hardly talk!"
When I'd play Times Square with Sterling Magee, I'd play really loud and hard, and occasionally my glottal stop--the thing that makes the noise when you suck inward and clear your throat in a disgusting way--would give out. I couldn't bend a note. (Bending seems to require that you close down the glottal stop.) I couldn't do it.
But I was fine the next day. No pain.
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ness
43 posts
Aug 01, 2009
9:03 AM
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If this doesn't go away, totally, pretty quickly I think I'd go see a doctor. When something in your body suddenly quits working, it could be a problem.
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