singing - what's best to drink

Subject: singing - what's best to drink?
From: Andy7
Date: 08 Nov 18 - 06:48 AM

Before/during singing in public, what drinks do you find are best for your voice?

Water is obviously fine. I also find that weak, flat beer is okay.

I try to avoid anything fizzy, strong alcohol, thick juices or anything milky.

Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: Waddon Pete
Date: 08 Nov 18 - 08:01 AM

I find that a pint of Adnams and half a pint of water does the trick. Always a mistake to drink too much.....I well remember that Rugby Club gig....

Pete

Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: GUEST,bignige
Date: 08 Nov 18 - 11:33 AM

Tonic water

Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: SuperDave
Date: 08 Nov 18 - 12:57 PM

Coffee - after a long tradition of singing in coffeehouses.

Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: leeneia
Date: 08 Nov 18 - 01:52 PM

According to my sister-in-law, a trained singer with a gorgeous voice, luke-warm water.

According to a voice doctor interviewed in People Magazine, avoid caffeine, chocolate and alcohol, all of which dry the throat.

General knowledge says that if your throat is phlegmy, drink fruit juice, but don't overdo. Clear your throat, but don't strip it.

According to my high school glee club director, do not drink carbonated beverages before singing.

Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: Joe Offer
Date: 08 Nov 18 - 03:06 PM

My preference is a slowly-nursed beer or ale, with alcohol content lower than 5%. Colas, fruit juices, and other sweet drinks seem to thicken my throat.


Here's the bottle, as it passes,
Do not fail to fill your glasses,
water-drinkers are dull asses,
    When we're met together.

Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: BobL
Date: 09 Nov 18 - 04:12 AM

In my (comparatively) wild party-going days, I had a look to see what was available, and stuck to either wine or beer depending on whichever it appeared would last out the longest. With wine, I found I could more easily sing the high notes.

Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: JHW
Date: 09 Nov 18 - 04:30 AM

In a routine folk club singaround, beer because I like beer (real ale of course) but on the rare occasion that I am the 'turn' only water. Keeps the throat going and was what my singing teacher insisted on.

Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: The Sandman
Date: 09 Nov 18 - 04:31 AM

methylated spirits is not a good idea

Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: The Sandman
Date: 09 Nov 18 - 04:43 AM

a small amount of real ale is ok hops are a throat relaxant, water without ice.

Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: Deckman
Date: 09 Nov 18 - 06:24 AM

A small cup of: hot water, honey, and whiskey … but just ONE. bob (deckman) nelson

Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: BobKnight
Date: 09 Nov 18 - 05:26 PM

Room temperature still water, fruit juices contain citric acid, not good for the vocal chords!! Anything fizzy can lead to you burping in the middle of a song, and stay off the alcohol, it makes you THINK you're doing fine.

Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 09 Nov 18 - 06:33 PM

Are you inhaling your drinks, Bob? As that's what you'd have to do for them to get into your vocal cords! Sure, they are nextdoor to your oesophagus, which is where your drinks should go!

Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: r.padgett
Date: 10 Nov 18 - 02:14 AM

Coke is a stimulant and can create a build up of internal gas ~ but I believe Roy Orbison sang on it! It does dry the throat and causes frequent bathroom breaks ~ so has good and bad points

Beer is ok but needs to to be weakend

Ray

Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: BobKnight
Date: 10 Nov 18 - 06:07 AM

Sorry Trish, my medical knowledge isn't as informed as yours, what with you being a retired doctor and all, but I was just passing on something I read a few years back. THEY, obviously got it wrong - not me!! See, that's my personal motto coming into play there. "When in doubt, blame somebody else."

In any case, I can see that citric acid may not do the throat a lot of good, so I'll stick to still water. :) xx

Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 10 Nov 18 - 08:53 AM

Hi Bob, I was partly joking, and have oft heard various things suggested as being bad for your vocal cords, from milk, to fruit juice to whisky. Of course if you do accidentally inhale liquid, i.e. choke, it will be very uncomfortable, so perhaps water is safest and least irritant!
As for any other things if you have to sing with a rough throat, lots of folk seem to swear by Vocalzones, but then I've seen others use mixes of port and brandy! No, stick to water, I think

Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: leeneia
Date: 10 Nov 18 - 10:46 AM

Re alcohol - I have found that one glass of wine is enough to make my fingers go all wobbly when I try to play piano. I doubt if alcohol helps a performance of any kind.

Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: ST
Date: 12 Nov 18 - 10:51 AM

Good old plain drinking quality water at, well, street temperature worked nice for me until I got to Ajara. Here, by a warm sea coast, I also have to bring a little bottle of same water with a spoonful of salt in it. This surely helps when I lose too much salt sweating. Whenever the world around becomes a bit unreal, a sip brings me back.

The latest experiment was pouring water into a bottle where wine used to be. Tastes much better and is less likely to turn stale as most bacteria must have crawled home drunk.

Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: GUEST,Jim Knowledge
Date: 12 Nov 18 - 11:09 AM

I `ad that Tim Martin from "Wetherspoons" in my cab the other day. I saw `e was reading an old copy of "Melody Maker" and looking up the list of Folk Clubs.
I said, "Morning Tim. You won`t find many names from that era around now"
`e said, "Nah Jim. I`m just looking to see `ow popular they were in pubs then. We`re always looking for the main chance and if we tried to re-introduce them in some of ours we`d wanna make sure we got the right drinks for singers and audience. You and your band `ave been around for ages, what do you reckon?"
I said, "Two of us get by on a good pint of bitter. Orange juice for the lady and it was whisky for Tony."
`e said< "Whisky! Which one?"
I said, "The cheapest!!"


Whaddam I Like??

Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: leeneia
Date: 12 Nov 18 - 01:48 PM

Too bad the original poster never came back.

Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: GUEST,Pete from seven stars link
Date: 12 Nov 18 - 03:04 PM

A lot of people saying water ; I don't suppose a pub ful of singers only drinking tap water would go down well . I suppose you could order spring water if they do it !

Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Nov 18 - 05:05 PM

I often drink boiled water with some honey and lemon juice. I recently learned that coffee mixed with apple juice helps. I plan on trying it out.

Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: Andy7
Date: 12 Nov 18 - 05:59 PM

"Too bad the original poster never came back."

I never went away! Very interested in everyone's posts, but I've got no further drink ideas of my own to suggest! :-)

Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: Mr Red
Date: 13 Nov 18 - 03:21 AM

1) A guide at the Black Country Museum (Dudley - owr kid) said

"Tea or coffee but nothing with milk in it" and he was certain that the milk would affect the voice over his shift of maybe 8 hours talking.

2) And Paul Metsers, the Kiwi singer living in Cumbria, reckoned:

"Water with just a hint of lemon juice" would preserve his voice.

3) I read in the New Scientist that your recall is best in the conditions you learned. Which is why I prefer cider**, even at dances/folk clubs/session where there is no alcohol on offer.

**other nectars are available

Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: Mr Red
Date: 13 Nov 18 - 03:53 AM

As Humphrey Littleton said "Alcohol does not make you play any better, but everyone else sounds better"

Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: GUEST,Dave Illingworth
Date: 13 Nov 18 - 05:21 AM

Each to their own. Obviously full-time professionals must be careful.
I am a mere semi pro who has been singing for over 60 years   -
skiffle. folk, 50s rock'n'roll, jazz, blues, Americana plus songs for old folks and children.
Depends on the environment - when singing for children and old folks
it is obviously water. In other venues, a good real ale (or three) or red wine. If a sore throat or panic attack occurs, then an Irish whiskey or Southern Comfort always does the trick. But then I am not a full-time professional...…..

Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: GUEST,Mark Bluemel
Date: 13 Nov 18 - 05:42 AM

Dave Illingworth's comment about sore throat reminded me of a time when one of our singers got a really sore thraot during a gig.

The barman prescribed Drambuie if I recall correctly. It seemed to work.

Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 13 Nov 18 - 06:18 AM

"got a really sore thraot during a gig."
I think you can still get Vocalzones - originally made for Caruso
They may taste like tar and make your tongue go black but they are worthy of singing arathos
I remember when one of the Singers Club venues (accustomed to serving WAtneys, which could be drunk all night with little effect), introduced a real ale
By 9 O'clock, the room resembled The Somme - dead bodies everywhere
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: GUEST,Jon Bartlett
Date: 14 Nov 18 - 12:39 AM

This thread suggests another - "Drinking - what's best to sing?" We are taking part in a Table Songs Festival nexct week - a table of Hungarians, one of Balkan folk, one of Georgians and us, the Princeton Porch singers. I'll send a full report of what worked or didn't

Jon Bartlett

Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: The Sandman
Date: 15 Nov 18 - 02:13 PM

sore throat during gigs, best is in my experience gargling with salt water