We always hear of warming up the vocal chords before singing and we should, in fact, take it quite literally.  Simple observations of the world around uss show that cold shrinks while heat expands, and when we sing, we want our vocal chords to be flexible and wide open.  According to Ghill Brown of The Modern Vocalist Journal, “the throat and vocal chords need to be warm and pliable to vibrate properly giving us the sounds we desire.”  Apart from typical practice warm ups, we may consider warming our vocal chords with teas and herbal infusions.  To obtain the best results from teas or infusions, it is best to not only consume warm infusions, but to make infusions out of herbs that are naturally warming.  Warming herbs include:  ginger, pepper, cayenne, cinnamon and cloves, to name a few.  Herbal infusions may be best, as they are usually caffeine free and can be selected to be low in acidity as well, two factors that can damage vocal chords.  At Tin Roof Teas, we currently have two blends that we’d recommend for vocalists:  Red Chai and 5th Chakra Tea.  Red Chai is a Rooibos based Masala Chai heavily blended with spices, is naturally caffeine free, and has a low acid content.  The 5th Chakra represents the throat thus this tea is specifically blended to nourish the throat and vocal chords.

For vocalist, caffeine free and low acidity are important, yet for those of us who crave a little caffeine in our daily routines or simply love our tea (Camellia Sinensis), a low caffeine tea such as green or white are the best choices.  A loyal customer and local college student studying theater and with lots of vocal performance experience recently came into the store looking for tea for her voice.  She had previously been a black tea drinker, but had been instructed by her vocal coach to switch to green tea to lower caffeine and acid intake.  she agreed that the warmth of tea helps to warm her vocal chords and that she would not want to sing without it nor would she want to go without a little caffeine.  After discussing her needs we decided to go with two green teas, one classic and one aroma.  She chose Japanese Bancha as her classic choice because of its sweet and wheat grassy scents and Le Toureg (Peppermint Green Tea) because the peppermint oil can open up the vocal chords simply by breathing it in.  She left the store very pleased with her selections.

Whatever one decides for warming their vocal chords, we are happy to guide and pinpoint the specific tea for each individual’s needs and wants.  Happy Singing!