Older singers, how often should we sing and rest?

I'm 58 and doing the lead vocals in a band that covers Motown, classic rock, & pop from the late 1960s and early 1970s. I'm having a hard time figuring out how much to practice and rest. While some instructors say sing everyday, others are saying sing six days a week. This seems a bit much for me, as I have days when I'm congested in the throat and just can't hit the notes. Also, after a gig of singing almost forty songs, I'm hoarse for two days. I've had vocal lessons and should perhaps return to get professional help. Perhaps I'm just old with a temperamental a voice. Do any of you senior singers struggle physically with your voice? Any suggestions about how often and how long to practice? Thanks!

My advice:

If you can, seek professional help from someone worthy who understands how aging affects the voice.

I'm only 36, so my voice hasn't really gotten to that point yet, though I really feel like my stamina would benefit from singing every single day for at least a little while.

Brian V.

Thanks for your response. I am going to an ENT later this month to get scoped and advised. However, while I respect physicians, my ENT is not a singer, and I trust the experience and tricks-of-the-trade of my fellow vocalists. Perhaps I'm unique (thus the absence of posted responses). Meanwhile, I still need some help and I would really appreciate any feedback/thoughts on how often and how long to practice and then rest, especially if you're a bit older singer like me. Much thanks.

I think (based on absolutely NO technical knowledge whatsoever!) that even if you’re older, if you’re singing and have BEEN singing for years with proper technique, your voice should withstand whatever you want to sing, within reason of course.

I think that even if you’re 70 years old, if you’re singing with a technique that doesn’t tire out or strain the voice, you should be able to sing the same as you did at 20-30 years old.

I think people notice their voices decline in endurance and stamina as they get older because they’ve been singing NOT using the proper technique for many years and so it comes out as you get older.

But this again, is all based on nothing.

Good point. I've had decent vocal instruction off and on, so with me I've probably been backsliding with technique. But if you control for the backsliding/poor technique, does the aging voice require some adjustment in practice and rest routine? Does it require some extra pampering?

I would think the voice is just like the rest of the body: You DO need more rest as you get older, especially after a serious "workout" like a whole night of singing. Plus, you need more warmup.

Think about if you are runner. With good technique you certainly do avoid injuries better than someone who has bad technique. But even so, even if you are in shape, as you get older you still need more rest to recover after a strenuous workout (strenuous being a relative term - relative to how fit you are already).

All this said, I'm 36 so I don't have firsthand knowledge of this myself. But since the voice IS part of your body it just makes sense that it would need more rest. Heck, I need more rest after a good physical workout than I used to in my 20's, that's for sure.

I know the voice is part of the physical body, but for some reason I don't see it quite as being like the rest of the body in terms of workouts and stuff...

Or if I DO, I tend to see it as...if you're really fit and strong physically you will have more stamina and endurance with workouts and demanding physical feats. No matter how old you are. It's all relative as well. A 20 year old who is unfit and physically weak will not be able to workout as intensely as a super fit 60 year old. I see it as the same with the voice in this way. A well-trained and properly-sung technique singer who is 60 will have more vocal endurance and strength than a 20 year old singer who belts incorrectly and strains their voice every night.

But I do get the point about needing more rest as you age. I am 31 and I do find my voice gets tired quicker than it did when I was 15. (though in my case, this IS because of my crap non-existent technique, lol)

How's everybody?...I've been playing music off and on for at least 30 years and it seems that the only time that I practice is when I play. My voice,as a result,suffers for it.Are there any exercises or homeopathic remedies that I can do or take? If so...please,...let me know.Thanks......

Get w/ the best vocal coach you can find and learn good warm-up techniques...

I sing daily, gig anywhere from 3 to 5 (2-3 hour) nights, plus a few 1-hour institutional gigs every week (except during the Xmas holidays, when I do a lot more), and rarely have problems, and I believe it's because of the excellent warm-up exercises and yoga that my Middle School choir teacher (Blessings, Mrs. Sexton ) taught us...she made us run through them for 10 minutes in the morning, and another 10 minutes in the evening, along w/ a half-hour of yoga, daily, and I still do, at age 53.

Also, drinik a lot of water...a well-hydrated voice is a healthy voice!

Does alcohol affect singing ability as in terms of vocal strain? I have a few bottles of water on stage but always reach for the cold beer instead after every song. It just taste better. But should i avoid the beer and force down the water? I sang this past weekend and share the lead singing with a fellow band member which helps too.

I'm in my 40s, but my voice is stronger now than it ever was.

I do a 30 minute warmup in the shower every morning, so I'm ready to sing 4 or 5 hours at a time, any day of the week.

Drink plenty of fluids, especially the day of a gig, and watch out for a raised larynx. This can indicate that you are straining, and can be one of the #1 culprits in creating a tired, hoarse voice the next day.

Seriously, if your larynx is "hiking" while you sing, a 4hr gig will KILL you.

Avoid the beer?!? Nah, just practice moderation. Drinking water (room temperature, not cold!) is fine if you find it soothing, but it won't hydrate you for the gig. It's not the touch of the water in your throat, but the processing of the water by your digestive system that hydrates your cords, so drinking water on stage will hydrate your cords after the gig.

Beer, on the other hand, will lower your inhibitions and set your mojo free! (It worked for the Lizard King. )

I agree , see an ent and vocal coach if possible.

My thoughts:

"Two days hoarse" after a session is a huge red flag . Huge ........

I don't think your age alone is any more a factor than the fact that younger singers can overcome vocal damage at a quicker rate, if that makes any sense.

Sounds like you are trying to cover several styles of singing, if so you might look into and seek the keys and styles that cause you less strain, i have trouble trying to cover too many styles, some people can handle it but not me.

Technique trumps age.

Best of luck , hope it goes well for you.

I'm hoarse for at least two days after a gig as well. Most of my gigs are 40 songs per night for a Friday & Saturday night. (That's 80 songs!). I usually recover by Tuesday or Wednesday and am able to gig again by Friday. I've been this way for years (I'm 49 years old now). It didnt take me nearly as long to recover when I was in my 20's and 30's, but my voice has never been stronger or my tone better than it is today.

I'm 48 and singing stronger than ever. Being hoarse would make me concerned. First thing I would say is see a vocal coach and have them tell you if you are doing something wrong. Could be nodes too, singing too hard, etc.