How to "heal" my voice after singing absence?

Question

I've written music for about five years now. There was a temporary absence recently lasting about two to three months when I haven't been able to sing or play as much. I am now heavily involved with my music again but I find myself not as easily able to sing the songs I wrote those few months ago. They seem a little bit too high for me. I want to know if anyone knows of some ways to get my voice back into shape and expand my range to the point it was once at. The quicker the better, as I start band practices again tomorrow.

I tried guru's suggestion. I think it worsened the situation. =\

Answer 1

Drink a lot of scotch and chain smoke for a few days.

Answer 2

Nathan is correct, your body needs some re-training time. those muscles which we use in singing are like any other in the body; if they go through periods of inactivity, they need as much time to get back into shape. Please don't try pushing it just because the band starts up tomorrow. Explain to the folks that you have to take it easy for another couple of weeks ( that's a minimum guess) but that you are working on it. Meanwhile practice gently every day. That doesn't mean letting your mind wander off to Never-Never Land while you do scales and exercises. You will find that 15 minutes of absolute concentrated practice will get you much farther than an hour of training o n cruise control.
If your absence was due to illness, make sure that your voice is in good working order by visiting your ENT doctor.
If this was not the case, excuse my impertinence.
Best wishes and keep on singing

Answer 3

It's like running, you can't just stop for a few months and start again with the same force as you left it. You'll need to first warm up really well. This means singing a lot starting in a range that is very comfortable, and then slowly moving higher, then lower, then a little more higher, than back down, and so on. Make sure you are standing up or siting up straight. Sometimes we feel we can sit or stand in any position, but this is harder on your voice, so if you're having problems, help it out by sitting or standing up straight. eventually it will get back to normal.

Answer 4

Get with a good voice teacher. Look for one who teaches classically trained voices. It will take time, even years for you to have a good technique. You shouldn't be loosing your voice just because you ha vent sung for a couple of months. Be patient with yourself and your voice. And, don't abuse it. That means no cigarettes, no drugs. Treat yourself like an Athlete. its all about muscle memory and physical fitness.