Commercial Vocal Sprays - Any Good?

I've used a spray called "Entertainer's Secret" that does seem to help...but what's the opinion of people here? Are these things any good, or just snake oil? And if they're good, which one is best?

The thing that worries me about some of the vocal sprays is that often they numb the sensation of soreness, but they're not acually HEALING your throat...

... so you're going out and continuing to do damage to your vocal chords instead of concentrating on proper technique or pacing of song choice.

no. hydration is more important. keep the chords wet.

and everybody take in hydragen.

I'm vaguely familiar with that spray (I know alot of the musical theatre actos I worked w/used it) but have never used it nor seen the ingredient list. IIRC someone told me it was mostly aloe vera and water. If this is the case, that's good cuz it would keep your throat moist and lubed up. (yes I just used moist and lubed up in the same sentence and this isn't even OJ!)

If it has any type of alcohol, sugars or propylene glycol in it though, forget it. They will only dry and irritate. If it's numbing or cooling, forget it...no mint or cinnamon.

That being said...water water water water water.

If you've been having a rough few days before a show, like after a cold, you can mix up some simple remedies.

Regular old fashioned tea with honey is a great combo. Make it real syrupy, with almost too much honey. Don't chug it, just sip on it slowly. Don't swallow a mouthful, just a little bit at a time. If you take 3 times as long to drink it as you would any other glass of water, it'll help to coat your throat.

Also, caffeinated drinks suck. Coke and its phosphoric acid sucks. Beer sucks. Carbonated drinks suck. Spicy foods suck. So if you've gotta keep your voice healthy or get it back in shape, there's a HUGE quantity of drinks you should be avoiding.

If you're still in the middle of the cold and really rough, here's a few combos. First, get some red wine, mint tea, lemon juice and honey. Mix it up, and microwave it. Get it piping hot. Then sip on that. Two glasses a day should be enough. The other is just plain ol' warm milk. It also coats the throat. Microwave or boil it, doesn't matter.

And of course, WATER WATER WATER WATER WATER. Not vitamin water, not Gatorade, not any of that processed crap. Just clean plain water. Those Brita pitchers are awesome. I fill a hockey bottle and take it to every gig, and leave it room temperature. Iced or cold water is HORRIBLE for your throat! Counteracts any warmups you did before the show!

Tea and honey to restore your throat.

Red wine, mint tea, honey, lemon juice, nuke it when you're suffering through a cold.

Clean water, room temperature, during the show. No iced water no matter how hot the stage is.

I've tried about everything. I used to keep a squeezie bear of honey on my amp, take a squirt between songs, that helped for most of a song, all the throat sprays seemed to coat OK, chloroseptic is aweful, both in taste and usefulness for this need.. Liked Vocal eze but found that once I used it, I had to keep using it all weekend, even if I felt fine in the vocal area and was woarmed up.. Now I stick with hydration, and keep ricola on hand, if I need to I bite off a little peice and keep it in my jowl, seems to work for a number of songs or a whole set...

But yeah, warm up, know your limits, water, water, water, a good monitor mix helps, water, sing don't scream... all that rot.

My coach recommended "singer's saving grace" to me a few years ago, and I've been using it ever since. It's great stuff. Get the extra strength one.

That said, nothing helps better than keeping hydrated throughout the day several hours prior to performing. Water you drink on or just before you go on stage doesn't go through your system fast enough to properly hydrate your voice.

Also, You can buy honey sticks at trader joes in the tea section, mixed in Lemon Tea is great for post performance recovery, herbal lozenges are helpful too.

http://www.hbees.com/sisagr.html

I agree with most of the things that Bryan316 suggests, room temp water is an excellent tip that most people don't seem to realize. I don't know if I agree about the warm milk, not if you're going to be singing at least. Dairy thickens your mucus and sticks to your vocal chords, neither of which are conducive to good singing.

Lead guitarist/singer/bandleader in my band recommended slippery elm lozenges to the keyboardist. Anybody know anything about that?

I agree with Branwyn...

Water is key, but if you are straining that much technique and song choice will make a difference.

That being said Clear Voice works well, but if you take a drink after using any of these sprays the effect is lost.

Anything that numbs can be dangerous for your vocal chords so be careful.

I tried several of those sprays during the year house gig I had in Key West.

I had to sing 4 hours a night....with no breaks. one 4 hour set solo acoustic. it was kinda brutal.

I drank a lot of water and soda (no alcohol), and used some of these herbal sprays, also some slippery elm lozenges and occasionally halls mentholyptus candies.

the sprays seemed to help a LITTLE.....maybe some of it was mental, who knows?

Good for soothing throat: http://zand.com/product_individual.asp?productid=658

Good for nose-sinuses:

Good for moisturizing the mucous membranes of larynx, trachea, and lungs: Human Bong Trick

I recommend avoiding sprays with lots of alcohol. Also, note that none of these (same goes for water) directly affects the larynx/vocal folds, but rather soothe the upper throat and mouth, or may have medicinal effects via absorption from mucus membranes, stomach, etc.

How about we all drink some 409

I actually developed Vocal-eze throat spray in 2001. It was the first herbal throat spray to be sold in Music stores. I developed it with the help of the A&R department of Sony Music in Nashville and Artist at the country music awards. It lubericates as well as works medicinally. It doesnt have alcohol.. Guitar center sells 30,000 bottles a year so it must work!!!!! you can check it out at www.travelwellness.com .I care about taking care of YOU!