For most people, a minimum of thirty minutes every day is a good start. However, there is a thing as practicing too much, and you should always stop practicing if you feel a strain on your vocal cords. If you take breaks throughout the day, it will allow you to build the vocal stamina needed to practice more every day.
I suggest that beginners start with 30 - 45 minutes of singing a day maximum, to enable the muscles to adjust to this new form of "exercise." If you have excellent technique and are regularly singing, you may find that your voice feels "fitter" and able to sing for longer periods of time without tiring.
But just like eating too much makes you feel sick, singing too much has very real physical repercussions that can damage your voice, sometimes even permanently. Because of this, it's important to focus on maintaining healthy vocal cords and understanding your limitations.
Our voice therapists recommend that for every 60 minutes of voice use, you need 10 minutes of voice rest. Overuse can damage the vocal cords, and if you often find you have lost your voice by the end of the day or after an hour of singing, your vocal cords may be experiencing tissue damage.
Some experts claim 10,000 hours of dedicated practice is one of the requirements to achieve mastery at anything.
Record your voice.
Your sinus cavities make your voice sound different in your head than it sounds to others. This means that to get an idea of how well you sing, the best way to hear yourself is through a recording. Use a voice recorder or the recorder app on your smartphone and sing at least 30 seconds of a tune.
Most singers need at least 8 hours, and if you are only getting a few hours of sleep, it may contribute to a hoarse voice in the morning. Try creating a schedule conducive to good vocal health and optimal voice rest.
Aim for at least 20 – 30 minutes vocalising with exercises and then at least another 10 minutes working through songs. The trick is to build it up. Start off with small, regular (little and often) sessions to build up your strength, and as you get stronger, work for a little bit longer each time.
Even the most talented, best-trained voices need rest as part of general preventative care. Your voice will stay healthier when allowed opportunities to rest, recover, rehydrate, and relax. This can simply mean taking short breaks throughout the day.
Vocal fry is not physically harmful to the health of your voice. “The vocal anatomy is not damaged by speaking in vocal fry. However, like any behavior, vocal or otherwise, it can become a habit,” explains Johns Hopkins otolaryngologist, Lee Akst, M.D.
The first sign of overuse is vocal cord swelling. If you continue to sing with swollen cords, you may develop nodules (calluses), polyps (blisters), or a hemorrhage (bloody cords).
Singing enhances lung function
The way singing requires you to breathe makes you do just that, increasing your lung capacity as well as engaging the muscles around the ribcage. “The controlled nature of breathing in singing increases lung capacity and can also help people who are on a road to recovery.”
Singing for a natural face lift
Research showed that 30 days of singing each day resulted in an improvement in facial muscle tone and helped to counterbalance aging effects. Singing also helps increase blood flow to the skin.
The endorphins released when we sing (oxytocin and dopamine) enhance the neuroplasticity of the brain, boosts our immune system, fights illness, depression and strokes and help us manage pain.
Sing only in a comfortable pitch and loudness range for your voice. Do not sing in positions that can cause tension in your neck and head, for example throwing your head back, or jerking your neck forward. Keep your jaw open and relaxed, instead of clenching your teeth or tensing the jaw when you speak or sing.
Many professionals vocalists sing almost all day every day. Some of that will be vocal workouts, learning new numbers, perfecting a track, recording an album, or singing while writing. A minimum daily expectation for a pro singer would be several hours a day with at least a day a week of vocal rest.
A healthy voice requires a strong body with generally good muscle tone and endurance. So plan to eat a balance of protein, fruits and vegetables, whole grains and beans, and moderate amounts of healthy fats and oils. The current typical American diet of highly processed, packaged food lacks many essential nutrients.
Humming is one of the best all-around vocal exercises. This technique helps stretch the vocal cords, relaxes your facial muscles, and improves breathing. Humming also develops your vocal resonance and tone quality.
The best thing you can do to improve your singing is singing regularly. “Practice makes perfect” is a cliché, but practice really does make you better. Singing every day strengthens your vocal cords, improves your vocal range, and will gradually lead you to a better vocal tone.
Respiratory and cardiac function
Singing is aerobic, in that it is a form of exercise that improves the efficiency of the body's cardiovascular system, with related benefits to overall health. Aerobic activity increases the oxygenation of the blood, which also improves overall alertness.
Foods to avoid include foods with high fat content, like fried or greasy foods, eggs, butter and other dairy products; and acidic meals like spicy foods, peppers, concentrated tomato dishes, vinegar, and citrus fruits. It's almost impossible to sing well while burping.
Music improves sleep through calming parts of the autonomic nervous system, leading to slower breathing, lower heart rate, and reduced blood pressure.