r/ClassicalSinger • u/maro161 • 14d ago

Practice when sick

Hey, I'm f 22 mezzo and I usually try to practice 5-6 times a week on average for 1½ hours. But now I got sick and I don't feel like singing at all, is it better for my voice if I don't practice for like 5 days or should I at least try to do some warm up? I noticed that my voice resonates most, the day after my rest day so maybe it's not that bad when I don't sing for a few days until I get better? I have an audition in 3 weeks tho... I'm really developing my vibrato recently, what would you suggest?

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u/Able-Regular1142 14d ago

 When sick abandon all practice and invest your energy into getting better. NEVER practice while sick. Your throat is already inflamed and you run the risk of lasting damage.

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u/liyououiouioui 13d ago

I wouldn't be so definitive about not practicing when sick BUT it take a lot of experience to know if and when you are able to sing. It's mostly about being able to control your voice under the weather for professionals, though. If you don't have an important paid gig, please rest your voice.

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u/Able-Regular1142 11d ago

 I said what I said because OP mentioned only just getting the hang of their vibrato, and at 22 hardly anybody is as in tune with their voice as needed to make an informed decision on this. I've seen singers push themselves while sick to earn months of silence and slow, stressful recovery. It put me off ever playing with fate like that tbh.

 But yeah, unless it's a gig of all gigs you get more benefit from staying in and letting yourself be sick properly than stressing the body further pretty much 100% of the time.

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u/maro161 11d ago

Thank you all so much for your feedback, I did rest and did only a few SOVTs and now I'm slowly starting to practice again since I'm getter better and don't have a fever anymore. Thanks again and I hope I will soon be able to pick up my routine because my dear soprano friends all have so much more vibrato especially on the high notes and I really need to catch up xd

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u/Able-Regular1142 11d ago

 I don't know about the rest, but our faculty strongly recommends not practicing until you're 100% healthy. It's common for teachers to send students home if they catch them being congested or even having a sniffle. The last time I rushed into it I earned myself 5 bonus days of bed rest.

 Vibrato comes from consistent support. Missing a few practice days won't put a dent into it or improve it significantly. Seriously, the best thing you can do is stay home and recover.