As an adjunct to meeting with a voice therapist a number of years ago, I have found the warm-up tapes she recommended, produced by vocal coach Roland Wyatt, to be extremely good in repairing damage, extending range to about three octaves and making singing and speaking more comfortable and effective. I've been using my soprano tape for almost 10 years now. I wasn't sure they were still available (one for each voice part), but I have just looked around on the web, and they are. The singers on the tapes demonstrating the exercises are the four members of the jazz ensemble Manhattan Transfer, and the tapes are available at their website (scroll down to see the warm up tapes). Using the tape you get to do a vocal workout with Cheryl Bentyne, or the M.T. person of your voice. Fun!

When I actually got to see the group Manhattan Transfer in person last year, I had them autograph my tape! (first time anybody had asked them to autograph the warm-up tapes!)

I also mentioned this series of tapes a few years ago (in my pre-cookie days) on the other Mudcat thread, the "Help My Singing Voice is Dying".

One side of the tape has about half an hour's progressive exercises. The other side has Roland Wyatt's explanations of why they are helpful. You can just do the first few exercises to do some basic relaxing and strengthening. The tape tells you how to know when it's ok to progress further. About halfway through, there is a specific exercise for smoothing the voice.

But see a pro, first. Sometimes a vocal coach and voice therapist are one and the same person (as in my case). Insurance paid for me to visit her, as my speaking voice was important to me as a teacher, and I had been losing my voice for weeks at a time after every cold. Hasn't happened even once, since.

You are really supposed to use the tape a few times a week. The last few years I've been lax, but I do try to use it before I sing in a concert with my choir, and it really does make a big difference in what I'm able to do.

Best of luck,
Linda