I've been having trouble with my throat hurting when I sing and I've been singing from the throat rather than up in my head. My teacher doesn't really know what to do about it. She says it's because my jaw is so tense. Sometimes my throat will hurt when I haven't even been singing at all apparently because of my tense jaw. (And by throat hurting I don't mean sore throat like you get when you're sick.) Anway, does anyone know of some good relaxation techniques for the jaw and/or neck? Any suggestions would be much appreciated!

initially go and visit an osteopath incase you have a neck or tmj problem. Half neck circles, shoulder shrugs, letting the jaw drop all help. A physio may also be able to give you more specific exercises.

If you are singing from your throat your jaw will kick in to support it, which won't be helping - the more you sing, the more tense your jaw will become. I used to get the most ridiculous tension headaches from this (and it had got to the point where, when I was singing, a person could lean on my lower jaw with both hands and it would not move AT ALL) and as far as I can tell the only way to get the jaw to let go is more breath support. If you're not using the breathing apparatus adequately that'll be why your jaw's taken over and become so tense.

Take up yoga. Buy a book or join a class and make sure you do lots of neck and shoulder exercises (search for "camel pose" on the internet...that's the one that helped me most). If nothing happens, find an osteopath or a chiropracter and explain the situation to them.

Also, the Alexander Technique is GOD. If you can find a teacher in your area, I can wholeheartedly recommend taking it up. It rebalances everything and since I've been doing it I'm infinitely less tense through my whole body. It'll make you much more aware of what your body's doing, which is invaluable for a singer.

If your teacher "doesn't really know what to do about it", as you say, start looking for another teacher. Ignorance is positively dangerous when you're instructing a singer.

I agree with Satine. If you are singing on your throat and your teacher doesn't know what to do about it, for goodness sake find another teacher fast. And don't continue singing in this way - you could do damage to your vocal chords.
Look on the ISM website for a recommended teacher in your area, and make sure they are qualified in singing, preferably with a teachers diploma.
How does your teacher sing? That's a good sign that they know what they are doing. If they can't demonstrate correct tecnique, they can't hope to teach you how to do it. The number of students I get from other teachers who come with bad tecnique, who say that the teacher couldn't sing very well herself.....grrr!

Ann

PS I'm not saying that those without a teachers diploma can't teach - just that if someone has had a bad experience, they should hedge their bets and make really sure the next one is OK. No good going out of the frying pan into the fire. You only get one set of vocal folds.

Thank you all very much for your replies. First of all as far as my teacher goes, she is a qualified singer. She has a master's degree in vocal performance. She's never had a student with my problem before. Getting a new teacher isn't an option right now because I'm graduating next month and will be going to college in the fall.

I've thought about doing the Alexander technique or yoga or something like that, the only problem is having the time and money to do it.

I do try to support my breathing but I still tense up. Apparently I mask the tension really well. The only way my teacher could tell was by actually feeling my jaw while I was singing because you can't really hear or see it. Anyway thanks very much for the replies!

Let me tell you a story. I once went for a consultation with a leading vocal coach in the UK, who was a very famous opera singer in her day, and was currently a voice advisor for a national opera company. I then had grade 8 and wanted to go to music college. In a two hour lesson she got me to completely change my vocal technique such that I was producing sounds I had never made before. I was hopeful.
BUT my throat felt like I had been kicked by a horse.
Overnight, I trawled the Who's Who of British Opera (where I had found the aforementioned lady), and tried someone else. I related the tale and was asked by the new lady who this person was, as she said she couldn't really help me if she didn't know. When I told her she said "how soon can you get here?". We made an apointment for the following day, and she advised me not to do anything "that woman" had told me to do.
I sang for her the following day, using my "old" technique and she said there was nothing wrong with the way I sung.
This new lady was an opera singer who had sung as a soloist with Glyndebourne, Covent Garden, Welsh National Opera, English National Opera, and all over the world. She was current head of Trinity College of Music - their first ever head of department. I started lessons with her, then went to Trinity and studied with her, and she is still my mentor after all that time. She had to admit to me that she had invited the first lady in to do a Masterclass for the Vocal students, and then had to tell them to ignore all her advice.
The bottom line is this- if your throat hurts while you are singing - you are doing something WRONG, and should seek advice NOW, BEFORE you do irrepairable damage.
I'm sorry, I don't agree that you cannot see or hear if a jaw is tense. If you can relax your jaw at will, you will soon hear the difference. Try a chewing movement whilst you are humming or singing.
Even if you don't change your teacher immediately because of you college situation, at least go and have a consultation with someone, as I did. Who knows, like me, you may never look back!

Ann

Tense jaws are one of the most regular technical problems I have to correct, and I can always hear it let alone see it in a performer. Yoga, Pilates, Alexander Technique will all work on body alignement and therefore help. The reason I suggested in my original post that you saw a complimentary therapist is that if there is anything mechanically wrong they will be able to correct it.

As AnnC has said if it hurts you are doing something wrong so stop.

Personally I fail to understand any professional singing tutor who can not detect or begin to correct this very basic technical problem.

Thanks again for the replies! I'm thinking of trying yoga. I tend to retain tension in my neck, shoulders, and jaw even when I'm not singing. Hopefully doing some kind of relaxation exercise will stop that or at least lessen it.

As far as teachers go I would like to take voice lessons while I'm at college. I've heard very good things about the voice department at the university I will be attending so maybe someone there will be able to help.

How can you see/hear a tense jaw? I sometimes watch myself sing to see what I'm doing. I can see tension in the sides of my neck but I'm not sure what to look for or listen to in regards to my jaw.

Thanks for all the help!

That's why there are singing lessons, and why even the most famous opera singers still have them! You cannot hear yourself properly. We all need another set of ears and eyes. If you are spending time looking at yourself in the mirror, wondering what's going on, you are only adding to the tension. Leave that to your teacher and just get on with the job of singing - i.e. doing what you know is right technically and enjoying your singing. (Though I agree you probably don't know at this stage, or you wouldn't be asking.)
The turning point for me, when I was at a conservatoire, was in the middle of a lesson, and I was being SO careful to get everything right. My teacher said, "For God's sake, Ann, JUST SING!" I never looked back.
Moral - find a teacher you can trust, and leave the technical side to them. You cannot do it by yourself.
Good luck at uni.

Ann

Similarly as a teacher, with many pupils there is a lot that needs doing, but if something is sounding and feeling right, you don't fix what is not broken.

I started a new pupil this week. Particularly likes soul. Has the voice to do it. Her chest register is well-supported, focused and produced so I plan to do very little with it. As she has to blend up through the voice, thats another thing, as is her breath control.

So what are we concentrating on: placing in the mid register and breath control. There is no need for me to tinker with the lower notes, not change her repertoire as it suits her and she's not about to do regular graded exams.

As Ann has said, at times it is best to concentrate on just singing.