Bit of a personal question coming up but, does anyone else have problems with their singing at a certain TOM (time of the month)?

I find my pitch goes all over the place, and my teacher says I have a more breathier tone than usual. He says it's very normal because of physiological changes that take place during TOM that actually affect the vocal chords.

But surely there must be ways of overcoming this. Otherwise all professional singers would have to schedule their work for three weeks out of every four!

Any tips from more experienced singers here would be gratefully appreciated!

Thanks

Amber
x

(apologies for being entirely off topic but I had to laugh - I read "Tom - A Question For The Ladies" and was trying to imagine what you might be asking about Tom Jones or similar... just couldn't work it out... I thought maybe there was some classical artist I had missed who was really goodlooking or... I dunno... obviously I have a weird imagination... sorry, it made me laugh... I'll go away now please ignore me... )

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. This is a genuine question which I was hoping to just slip in subtly; and it's obviously going to attract enormous viewings just through people expecting to read about some great Adonis!

I wouldn't mind Tom visiting once a month if he looked like Aragorn, and sang like Thomas Allen. But he doesn't!



Amber
x

I think it's certainly a bit harder to use all those muscles you need for singing - reckon that's part of it anyway.
Friends of mine who were doing singing first study at college seemed to find it difficult, so you're not alone.

But I wasn't aware that changes actually affected the vocal cords - that's interesting.

M

ps meant to say like the reference to tom (as long as it's not tom jones - never could stand him!)

I hardly dare answer this one!

Muscles don't seem to be a problem for me, but yes, I do notice a difference. I often find that there is more mucus in my throat, so I try at all costs to avoid chocolate, milk, fruit juices, cheese etc, which helps. I also find that I don't concentrate as well.

Other than that, I was also looking forward to a discussion about a good looking performer!!!

lol this didnt half make me laugh sorry!

i agree with sarah, i was expecting something about a good looking singer called tom!oops!

lol... sowwi...

QUOTE (Amber @ Feb 1 2005, 09:23 PM)

I wouldn't mind Tom visiting once a month if he looked like Aragorn

mmmmmmmmmmmmmm... Aragorn... *swoon*

uh, sorry, what was the question again??

it wouldn't surprise me if it did affect singing somehow... considering how naff it can make you feel, even if it was just that... you're right there must be some way of counteracting the affects somewhat, well you'd think so anyhow.... or it would be a nightmare for professionals especially....

and for the record I don't think Tom Jones is goodlooking, he was just the only singer called Tom I could think of off the top of my head...

Ahhhh, us males have it easy


....for once

hmm interesting well it does make a difference because you feel ###### sometimes so yeah I havent had major probs but there definitaly is a difference....................

hehehehehehe I got bleeped! ############!

QUOTE

hehehehehehe I got bleeped! ############!

haha
congratulations.

I reckon that makes you a fully-fledged advanced member.

Maggie

I find everything generally a bit more difficult motivation-wise because all I want to do is curl up under the duvet with a hot-water bottle. However A-levels and the like don't permit me to do that, so...

I've never really thought about that before, but I generally like to sing at the certain TOM (lol I like that phrase) - I find using my stomach muscles can help to relieve any pain and also, you have to smile when you sing and smiling always makes me feel better! I find tone production a bit more difficult, and I can't sing as loudly... but my tuning is generally OK, I think. In any case, I look upon singing as a way to make me feel better.

QUOTE (freda_bloogs @ Feb 1 2005, 11:57 PM)

Ahhhh, us males have it easy ....for once

lol you have no idea how easy you have it compared to us!!

QUOTE (sarah-flute @ Feb 1 2005, 08:52 PM)

(apologies for being entirely off topic but I had to laugh - I read "Tom - A Question For The Ladies" and was trying to imagine what you might be asking about Tom Jones or similar... just couldn't work it out... I thought maybe there was some classical artist I had missed who was really goodlooking or... I dunno... obviously I have a weird imagination... sorry, it made me laugh... I'll go away now please ignore me... )

I thought Tom Jones too, so you're not the only one :-)

More seriously though - pregnancy also affects the voice (I should know, being 6+ months right now!!!!) but in a usually positive way - until breathing becomes a problem because of your diaphragm being pushed upwards. Something to do with hormones, and the same hormones are also responsible during pregnancy for almost constant stuffy nose: as someone said, something to do with increased production of, err, secretions (hate that word! just like mucus, ugh!)

So I would not be surprised if during TOM-not-Jones a similar phenomenon affects the voice. But since one is supposed to sing even with a cold, I suppose there are ways of ignoring it and singing through it????Maybe a little search on google would turn up something interesting.

QUOTE (freda_bloogs @ Feb 1 2005, 11:57 PM)

...for once

for once? hah...!

I'm trying to think if it affects my flute playing - which you'd think it might given that it could be something to do with breathing etc...

Hi all,

I don't sing now, but I used to - my voice died when I had children, so I suspect hormones play a great part in vocal control! I used to find it uncomfortable to sing difficult songs requiring lots of breath control at TOM, and my voice went huskier than usual. That aside, it was not substantially worse, and was noticeable only by me and my singing teacher. Can others tell your voice is a bit "off" at TOM, or is the difference subtle? If the former, I think that answers your question about professional singers - they just forge on and ignore it and hope no-one notices.

I suspect TOM affects women's performance whatever their job, it's not confined to singing. Do teachers say, "I'm sorry I can't teach this week, I'd snap at the children"? Oh dear, I'm afraid I'm not being very helpful. Plenty of clear fluids sometimes helped my huskiness, along with acidic fruit such as oranges. As someone said, avoid all mucus-aggravators (ugh, sounds like something from Dr. Who).

You might want to ask at Voicelesson.com - Mark Baxter Vocal Studios at www.voicelesson.com

He's a singing teacher into giving loads of help on the web, and has helped lots of top professionals in the USA, including in the rock/pop world.

Worth a browse, and an email.

QUOTE

Muscles don't seem to be a problem for me, but yes, I do notice a difference. I often find that there is more mucus in my throat, so I try at all costs to avoid chocolate, milk, fruit juices, cheese etc, which helps. I also find that I don't concentrate as well.

Although I don't sing (a good thing I don't, hehe), but today I was having an aural lesson and I found it really hard to get the higher notes of my range (huh, what range!) that I can usually get. I have also found that I tend to feel my throat closing up when it is the TOM, e.g, today 1/2 way through my aurals I couldn't really breathe! This probably is unrelated but just my 2 pennies worth!

I find that it's not the TOM week that's bad, it's the one before.....

Ferocious cravings for chocolate, and a tendency to burst into tears really don't help when you're trying to practise!

QUOTE (katyjay @ Feb 2 2005, 06:43 PM)

Ferocious cravings for chocolate, and a tendency to burst into tears really don't help when you're trying to practise!

Oh poor you! Give in to a few cravings and cuddle up to a hot water bottle... or perhaps that elusive good looking singer called Tom!

QUOTE (Emma C @ Feb 2 2005, 06:51 PM)

QUOTE (katyjay @ Feb 2 2005, 06:43 PM) Ferocious cravings for chocolate, and a tendency to burst into tears really don't help when you're trying to practise! Oh poor you! Give in to a few cravings and cuddle up to a hot water bottle... or perhaps that elusive good looking singer called Tom!

If he looked like Aragorn I'd probably just give up the singing altogether!

Or am I being smutty here?



Ambs
x

PS
Fred's made a good point. Maybe it's just something my teacher and I pick up on because we know my voice so well. Maybe the world at large would be none the wiser.

TOM doesn't really affect my singing because it's really bad anyway but it does make me feel even more *searches for a word that won't be censored* about my performance than usual (not just singing, all my other instruments as well).

QUOTE (Rainbow @ Feb 2 2005, 08:54 PM)

TOM doesn't really affect my singing because it's really bad anyway but it does make me feel even more *searches for a word that won't be censored* about my performance than usual (not just singing, all my other instruments as well).

I know what you mean there. I don't like singing where my voice might be able to be picked out from any other noise. Like if someone's playing the piano if it wasn't TOM I would join in, but if it was, I wouldn't want to. I'm really paranoid about whether I'm singing in tune or not aswell!

QUOTE (Amber @ Feb 2 2005, 07:51 PM)

QUOTE (Emma C @ Feb 2 2005, 06:51 PM) QUOTE (katyjay @ Feb 2 2005, 06:43 PM) Ferocious cravings for chocolate, and a tendency to burst into tears really don't help when you're trying to practise! Oh poor you! Give in to a few cravings and cuddle up to a hot water bottle... or perhaps that elusive good looking singer called Tom! If he looked like Aragorn I'd probably just give up the singing altogether! Or am I being smutty here?

thinking Aragorn is seriously dishy is not being smutty, just proves you have good taste...

QUOTE (katyjay @ Feb 2 2005, 06:43 PM)

Ferocious cravings for chocolate, and a tendency to burst into tears

...but that's me all the time! And can't we have Legolas instead of Aragorn? Please? He's LUUUUUVLY!

Moving vaguely back in the topic direction, I've heard it said that wobbly hormones can also affect sense of pitch as well. It was written in the context of pregnancy and perfect pitch, but I guess this depends on the individual as much as anything.

<removes wobbly hormones to eat chocolate and dream of Legolas>

Cwaah. Is LegoLass anything like Debbie M**re of Pineapple?

Hmm, sorry, I'd better keep this on topic since Deborah has moved it back. The OP said it was a question for ladies so I can't answer being one of the fairer gender instead and not a titled person anyway. Pregnancy does seem to affect a few things. Mind, for same reason I cannot speak from experience. I've always been extremely cautious in certain activities, not to let a girl get on top of the situation, just in case I find myself in that predicament.

Alas, I cannot match the Legolass thing. At times I've been legless but....

QUOTE

And can't we have Legolas instead of Aragorn? Please?

thank you - I was hoping I was not going to have to be the first to say that!!


M

QUOTE (Deborah @ Feb 3 2005, 11:47 AM)

...but that's me all the time! And can't we have Legolas instead of Aragorn? Please? He's LUUUUUVLY!

I shamefully have to admit that I can't remember which is which (prepares to be hit by eggs, tomatoes, etc) - but I'm sure I could recover my voice for one of them - the grown up one, not the pretty pixie boy who was in Pirates of the Carribean. If that makes any sense whatsoever...

QUOTE (maggiemay @ Feb 3 2005, 01:01 PM)

QUOTE And can't we have Legolas instead of Aragorn? Please? thank you - I was hoping I was not going to have to be the first to say that!! M

It's the silver hair you know.

Better stop there before I start waffling about Dmitri Hvorostovsky - better looking than Tom at any time!!!!!

QUOTE (Fred @ Feb 3 2005, 01:11 PM)

(prepares to be hit by eggs, tomatoes, etc)

<throws eggs, tomatoes and a few etcs at Fred>

Legolas is the one with pointy ears. Anyone who's read Hogwarts: A History should know that.

Ow, those etcs really sting! Aragorn, then, would be the gentleman of choice. Thank you for your guidance, oh ye of superior pop cultya nous.

The more people that go for Legolas the better, I think. (That way I don't have to share Aragorn with so many people.)



Amber
x

Legolas!!! Any time, though he was even better in "Pirates of the Caribbean"! (Lovely soundtrack, by the way. Do want to keep this musical )

I don't find that TOM affects me at all! My voice really depends on my mood! I was so tired today that my voice sounded really pathetic at voice class! My choir director (who runs it) looked fairly disappointed. TOM gives me awful stomach cramps though! I'd rather not be able to sing and get rid of the stomach cramps instead. But then singing distracts me and makes me forget the pain, so... Am I making sense?

QUOTE (Deborah @ Feb 3 2005, 01:12 PM)

Better stop there before I start waffling about Dmitri Hvorostovsky - better looking than Tom at any time!!!!!

Yes, if only he was as good a singer as a looker....saw him as Don Juan at the Met in NYC a few years ago and he was not particularly inspiring (Leporello was much better but can't remember who it was). Though I do have a recording of him doing Russian romances which is really rather good.

Anyone else a fan?

Thomas Hampson will do in an emergency

AAAH! Of course! That's it! The attractive young Tom we've been seeking

Can't you sell this as a soap - "Desperate Musicians" or something. Does it get worse at wild times?

lol lol

Amber, I'm afraid you do have to share a little

QUOTE

lol lol Amber, I'm afraid you do have to share a little

yes 'fraid so ... actually I quite liked both of them.


M

At the risk of sounding frivolous, maybe you could all give up on Tom! He does not appear to have been much of a hit with anyone.

How about TAMARA? (She sounds just as unattractive )

T hat
A wful
M onthly
A ffliction
R uining
A rpeggios

Sorry. Could not resist it, and believe me, I do sympathise!

Legolas is OK (actually I do prefer Orlando Bloom in POTC) but Aragorn is just so darn COOL! I think partly it's just the character, and he does do a great job playing him. And the swordfighting - like on weathertop when he just appears and gets all the nasty Nazgul... and sweeping into the hall when they get to Rohan... just the quintessential uber-King.

Uh yeah anyway...

QUOTE (Silver pianist @ Feb 3 2005, 09:36 PM)

At the risk of sounding frivolous, maybe you could all give up on Tom! He does not appear to have been much of a hit with anyone. How about TAMARA? (She sounds just as unattractive ) T hat A wful M onthly A ffliction R uining A rpeggios Sorry. Could not resist it, and believe me, I do sympathise!

And to think this was a genuine serious thread!

Yup, what I like about Aragorn is that he does "Windswept and Interesting" SO WELL !

QUOTE (Deborah @ Feb 3 2005, 06:23 PM)

Thomas Hampson will do in an emergency AAAH! Of course! That's it! The attractive young Tom we've been seeking

Ah yes, definitely a good one there! Also saw him in recital in NY at Carnegie Hall and he was wonderful (on both counts, LOL!!!)

QUOTE (Amber @ Feb 3 2005, 10:03 PM)

And to think this was a genuine serious thread!

Still is. Uh. Of a sort...

QUOTE

Yup, what I like about Aragorn is that he does "Windswept and Interesting" SO WELL !

mmmm.... *grin* actually, just to disgress even more - I think the "phwoah" factor is actually in some ways higher when he's just "strider"... or when he's aragorn but not yet king... when he's King Ellesar he's just not quite got that windswept thing happening anymore.

uh... and yeah... this is relevant, honest...

QUOTE (lafrog @ Feb 3 2005, 10:06 PM)

QUOTE (Deborah @ Feb 3 2005, 06:23 PM) Thomas Hampson will do in an emergency AAAH! Of course! That's it! The attractive young Tom we've been seeking Ah yes, definitely a good one there! Also saw him in recital in NY at Carnegie Hall and he was wonderful (on both counts, LOL!!!)

Goodlooking AND relevant? Wooo....

oooh *sits up and pays attention*

QUOTE (sarah-flute @ Feb 3 2005, 10:11 PM)

QUOTE (lafrog @ Feb 3 2005, 10:06 PM) QUOTE (Deborah @ Feb 3 2005, 06:23 PM) Thomas Hampson will do in an emergency AAAH! Of course! That's it! The attractive young Tom we've been seeking Ah yes, definitely a good one there! Also saw him in recital in NY at Carnegie Hall and he was wonderful (on both counts, LOL!!!) Goodlooking AND relevant? Wooo....

Trouble is girls, I understand that none of us are Thomas Hampson's sort (if you get what I'm trying to say without being moderated) - but feel free to correct me if you know otherwise!

Oh well, back to stuffing as much chocolate as possible before Lent, and swooning over Orlando and Dmitri

QUOTE (Deborah @ Feb 4 2005, 09:52 AM)

Trouble is girls, I understand that none of us are Thomas Hampson's sort (if you get what I'm trying to say without being moderated) - but feel free to correct me if you know otherwise!

In my ever-watchful role....
Oh dear. Did you mean a word that in another context means happy-go-lucky?
Check if his eyes are watering...
If yes, hmmm, you ladies need to turn elsewhere.

I'll leave it there...or I'll get modulated that's certain.

QUOTE

Oh well, back to stuffing as much chocolate as possible before Lent,

How did you manage to get a loan for chocolate? Can you get one for condensed milk and roostertail* barfi?

*You have to substitute "rooster" here as the computorial censor blanks out the proper word with sharps.

QUOTE

computorial censor blanks out the proper word

or in everyday language ...

mpoo'ah sez naow

M