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singing - what's best to drink

08 Nov 18 - 06:48 AM (#3960689)
Subject: singing - what's best to drink?
From: Andy7

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.


08 Nov 18 - 08:01 AM (#3960698)
Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: Waddon Pete

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


08 Nov 18 - 11:33 AM (#3960741)
Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: GUEST,bignige

Tonic water


08 Nov 18 - 12:57 PM (#3960756)
Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: SuperDave

Coffee - after a long tradition of singing in coffeehouses.


08 Nov 18 - 01:52 PM (#3960767)
Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: leeneia

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.


08 Nov 18 - 03:06 PM (#3960775)
Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: Joe Offer

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.


09 Nov 18 - 04:12 AM (#3960836)
Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: BobL

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.


09 Nov 18 - 04:30 AM (#3960846)
Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: JHW

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.


09 Nov 18 - 04:31 AM (#3960848)
Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: The Sandman

methylated spirits is not a good idea


09 Nov 18 - 04:43 AM (#3960850)
Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: The Sandman

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


09 Nov 18 - 06:24 AM (#3960865)
Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: Deckman

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


09 Nov 18 - 05:26 PM (#3960965)
Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: BobKnight

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.


09 Nov 18 - 06:33 PM (#3960977)
Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: Tattie Bogle

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!


10 Nov 18 - 02:14 AM (#3961018)
Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: r.padgett

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


10 Nov 18 - 06:07 AM (#3961046)
Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: BobKnight

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


10 Nov 18 - 08:53 AM (#3961066)
Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: Tattie Bogle

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


10 Nov 18 - 10:46 AM (#3961084)
Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: leeneia

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.


12 Nov 18 - 10:51 AM (#3961343)
Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: ST

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.


12 Nov 18 - 11:09 AM (#3961346)
Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: GUEST,Jim Knowledge

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??


12 Nov 18 - 01:48 PM (#3961378)
Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: leeneia

Too bad the original poster never came back.


12 Nov 18 - 03:04 PM (#3961402)
Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: GUEST,Pete from seven stars link

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 !


12 Nov 18 - 05:05 PM (#3961416)
Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: GUEST

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.


12 Nov 18 - 05:59 PM (#3961428)
Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: Andy7

"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! :-)


13 Nov 18 - 03:21 AM (#3961462)
Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: Mr Red

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


13 Nov 18 - 03:53 AM (#3961467)
Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: Mr Red

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


13 Nov 18 - 05:21 AM (#3961479)
Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: GUEST,Dave Illingworth

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...…..


13 Nov 18 - 05:42 AM (#3961484)
Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: GUEST,Mark Bluemel

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.


13 Nov 18 - 06:18 AM (#3961492)
Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: Jim Carroll

"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


14 Nov 18 - 12:39 AM (#3961580)
Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: GUEST,Jon Bartlett

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


15 Nov 18 - 02:13 PM (#3961837)
Subject: RE: singing - what's best to drink
From: The Sandman

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