Does smoking really affect the singing voice and in what way.?

Question

I have been studying voice as a tenor for 5 years now and have been smoking for about half that time now my concern is i am sure wether or not my range is affected or not by my smoking. i have seen many singers that i really admire and have beautiful voices but also smoke so beside my healthh does it affect my voice and more importantly in what way .

Answer 1

Of course your voice is affected it if you smoke!!!! Smoke pass between your vocal chords and burn them. To smoke can cause serious damage like Smoker polyps, Throat cancer, lung cancer, mouth and tongue cancer...

If you think your voice is completely healthy, then sing and record it.

Raspy voice, whispering sound, poor stamina, and poor projection are just a few characteristics of the voice from people who smoke.

Yes, you are right, many singers smoke, But many singers have lost their voices because of diseases related with smoking.

If you really wants to sing, professionally I mean. then quit smoking. My experience will Tell you I used to smoke too.

One day I woke up and I cant sing a note. I had to go to the doctor, he said That I had a serious inflammation in my vocal chords they were seriously affected. So I decided to quit smoking immediately.Before I quit smoking I used to say exactly what you say. "Many singers smoke, Why I can't then? " Well I quit, 10 years ago my voice was affected for 2 years after I quit. I had to start studying voice technique again.

After I quit, my voice slowly started getting better. Now I can sing really good again, because the damage wasn't big. I mean I did not have cancer,polyps, or nodules. So I quit before that happened.

Well, I hope my experience can help you. but finally Is your choice, Is your voice, is your health.

Answer 2

There are many ways that smoking can affect your voice, but many smokers can sing fine. Smoking affects an individual's body in different ways. The rule of thumb as a singer or performer is to take care of your instrument, and as a singer that's your whole body. If you want the best voice possible and singing is your livelihood, you won't risk it. Because, even though there is no guarantee you will ruin your voice with smoking, there's a chance.

Answer 3

I have a degree in voice and can give you the information you need.

Smoking is very detrimental to the entire singing apparatus. It affects the vocal chords by drying them out, it affects the nasal passages by drying them out and it affects the lung power by cuttiing down on the ability to draw a breath correctly. Smoke encourages phlegm in the throat because of the drying of the sinuses (as well as the additional tar which lines the sinuses) which makes it hard to sing and attain a note correctly, as well as clogging up the breathing passages.

The longer you smoke, the more damage is done but even a small amoung of smoking affects the smokers ability to sing properly. Even second hand smoke can be bad for a singer, this is why many professional singers will not perform in smoke filled bars or halls. Second hand smoke can be tolerated with proper care of your instrument, but smoking at all should be stopped cold.

Answer 4

Yes, it can affect your singing voice. Smoking can take a full 5th off the top of your range. Some singers smoke because they prefer Jazz, and it does gravel out the bottom end, but if you're a tenor that may not be for you anyway.

Answer 5

Well, two guys immediately come to mind for me - Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. Both had singing careers that lasted for decades and both smoked. You have to remember that the goody two-shoes of the world are down on cigarettes at this point in history and it has become politically correct to be against smoking. We must keep up with the Joneses, don't ya know. Before you believe everything they say, do a little research on your own. You'll find that it's not all that cut and dried when it comes to dangers in smoking.

Answer 6

Yes. Singing and smoking is like spraying air freshener then laying out garbage. When you smoke, you are drying out the vocal chords, and if you're singing with dry vocal chords they can rupture and develop cysts and eventually the cysts will burst and you'll be lucky to talk again without very good professional help. Sing or smoke. Not both.

Answer 7

Putting any kind of substance into your throat and lungs that isn't supposed to be there (like oxygen, for example) has the possibility, but not the guarantee, to do damage. Marijuana doesn't have tar but it does have components that aren't healthy for your lungs. Vocal cords are extremely sensitive, and therefore it's quite possible that smoking marijuana could damage your singing voice. However, speak to a professional regarding your lungs.

Answer 8

if choking out a lung in the middle of a song doesnt tip you off then i guess ill just have to tell you. smoking is good for cancer, destroying your lungs, destroying your mouth, and not much else. as far as your voice goes the smoke that has gone down to destroy your lungs passes through your vocal chords and will cause deterrioration. you always have to wait as long as you've been smoking for the side effects to wear off, so in another 5 years you'll be fine, granted you stop smoking

Answer 9

I have two words--Sinead O'Connor. Listen to her first CD, then her latest. She still sounds good, but there's a real difference, including more huskiness and less power.

I have two more words as well--Marianne Faithfull. She pretty much doesn't have a voice anymore!

Some singers may not sound like they've been affected (like Willie Nelson), but take care of their voices in other ways, like by not going as high and loud as they can and drinking hot tea.

Answer 10

Yes. Smoke passes through the vocal chords. Smoke is not good for you in case you never read the warnings on the package.