What foods and drinks make the voice sound better? Are there any things one should avoid both on the singing day and during the days or weeks that preceed thay day?

I have always heard to try and avoid milk-y things like cheese and, um...milk and drink tea with lemon as that will cut flem like a knife... but it feels so right!

Janis Joplin swore by Southern Comfort, if you're going for that aesthetic...

bananas have an oil that soothes the throat. I read it in a recording book, I forget which one (I have many). Avoid alcohol, but I don't... For me, I have to be in a certain frame of mind to do vocals.

Make sure you have plenty of saliva in your mouth if you decide to do a cover of "the great deceiver".

chocolate probably, I think someone told me that in 10th grade.

stay away from dairy. stay away from beer. i have found that sipping a little bourbon before tracking vocals actually helps loosen up the throat.

DO NOT DRINK COLD WATER.

contrary to the beliefs of many, cold water is one of the worst things you can drink, especially in a studio situation where you have a microphone picking up all your throat's clicks and whistles, and people care what you sound like. room temperature water is best, though i've heard the tea thing... haven't tried it myself. water works wonders, though. especially in screaming/yelling situations.

and if you end up wearing out your voice, a low-pass filter is a wonderfully cheap-ass way to keep you from sounding like a trans-gender lunch lady. but that's an anecdote for another day, another thread.

I'd recommed a good "throat coat" tea, usually with anise or liquorice in it the day of a show or recording. I buy the "Traditional Medicinals" Throat Coat and it's great. You can get it at Jewel or your equivalent grocery store. Great for helping out when your voice is rough from several shows in a row.

As for "food" food, I'd go with anything that doesn't make you feel bloated or loagy. Feeling refreshed and not stuffed can have an invaluable effect on the psyche required to be comfortable singing, more so than what you have actually eaten.


Faiz

Basically, avoid anything with sugar. Which in American beverages is usually corn syrup. But any sugars will have a generic sort of "coating" effect on your mouth, throat, and vocal cords.

So soda pop, beer, whiskey, coffee (aside from black) and fruit juices are all a bad idea. I mean, if it makes you feel like you're performing better, then drink it. But in terms of what's actually keeping your vocal cords free to vibrate, you want to stick to water and tea.

Most of all, though, it's important to just stay hydrated. I mean, milk or Pepsi aren't good for your singing voice but if it's a choice between that or nothing, drink it. If you get dehydrated you'll start to feel and sound shitty in a hurry.

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions.

This morning I woke up early, and hungry. I ate some salty olives from a jar. When I woke up for good, I was able to sing well. It is hard to say what actually made the difference, but I recommend olives. They loosened my 'chords.

-Noah