Vocal Training News

How Vocal Surgery Changed Sam Smith’s Voice

Sam Smith's Vocal Surgery Story

By MEREDITH ENGEL 5/19/15

The Grammy-winning British crooner underwent surgery last week to repair bleeding in his vocal cords that stemmed from a hemmorage. The trouabdour’s troubles caused him to start canceling shows back in April — and when he returns to the stage in July, audiences will notice.

“His voice will definitely change,” says Dr. Michelle Yagoda, an otalaryngologist at Lenox Hill Hospital and the medical director of the Brooklyn Youth Chorus Academy.

Vocal cords vibrate against each other in the throat to produce sound. When an injured blood vessel bursts into the vocal cords, it causes a bruise just like anywhere else on the body. This is known as a vocal cord hemorrhage.

Like other bruises, such hemorrhages mostly heal on their own. But some hemorrhages are large — large enough in this case that it may prevent Smith’s vocal cords from vibrating against each other in the same heavenly way.

Smith will have to lay off singing — and speaking — for three weeks post-op to give his voice adequate time to recoup. That may seem extreme, but it’s par for the course, Yagoda says.

“It’s a raw area that needs to heal,” she says. “Just like if you had surgery on your ankle, you wouldn’t be able to walk on it right away.”

She speculates Smith’s grueling profession, which requires him to strain night after night, is to blame.

“It’s like playing the World Series nonstop,” she says.

And it’s even riskier for someone with his talent.

“He goes extremely high, almost like he’s crying, and that is a very difficult technical maneuver (that can make someone) prone to injury,” Yagoda says.

But the injury could have also just been an unfortunate fluke. Hemorrhages don’t always happen because someone’s singing the wrong way.

“You could scream at a party or bar and have it happen randomly,” says Justin Stoney, the founder of New York Vocal Coaching. “You could have an allergy or cough and have it happen randomly.”

Smith’s recent weight loss — dropping an alleged 14 pounds in 14 days, and more since — could also have triggered the injury, due to his body’s “changing chemistry,” Stoney added.

Vocal problems are a risk for anyone signing up for a life in showbiz. Adele, John Mayer, Keith Urban and a slew of other stars have had surgery on their vocal cords, but all have come back swinging — and singing.

It wasn’t the same for Julie Andrews, who lost her magic touch after a 1997 voice surgery went horribly wrong.

Injuries aren’t always career-ending though. Rockers like Bob Dylan and Steven Tyler have made their fortune relying on raspy voices — which, Stone and Yagoda say, are essentially damaged vocal cords.

“You can damage your voice and use it to your advantage, then that becomes (your) sound,” Stoney says.

In the past, rockers would undergo their reparative surgeries in secret so that the industry — and fans — wouldn’t balk.

“People were afraid if their fans knew they had weakness they would not be booked and people would be afraid to take them on as a (client),” Yagoda says.

Time will tell how Smith sounds in the coming weeks, but the tenor, for one, is confident. Writing on Instagram pre-surgery, he told his fans, “In 8 weeks time I’m gonna be able to sing like never before.”

That’s true — since his voice will undoubtedly change, Yagoda says. He’ll also be able to hit notes a little clearer.

But he needs to be good to his moneymaker if he wants longevity.

“If he uses his voice properly after surgery it can increase (its) staying power,” she says.

 

 

After training hundreds of vocalists, I have concluded that  voice problems like Vocal Nodules can be avoided by learning and applying the fundamentals of vocal support and natural delivery techniques

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I am Jonathan Morgan Jenkins. I started coaching individuals and groups of singers in 1992 and have coached hundreds of singers and public speakers. Through the years, I have seen a disturbing trend of celebrity singers who have endured some form of surgery on their larynx, mostly vocal nodules. At the same time, I did not see this trend in Classical and Musical Theater singers. Why was this? It had to be poor  technique. While I was searching for ways to train my own limited vocal instrument, I discovered techniques that can create a healthy and powerful voice. My favorite moment is when a new students voice begins to come alive at the 1st lesson.

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Important Vocal Damage Information

Vocal Nodule symptoms include:

  • Hoarseness
  • Breathiness
  • A “rough” voice
  • A “scratchy” voice
  • A harsh-sounding voice
  • Shooting pain from ear to ear
  • Feeling like you have a “lump in your throat”
  • Neck pain
  • Less ability to change your pitch voice 

Vocal abuse can occur from:

  • Allergies
  • Smoking
  • Tense muscles
  • Singing Incorrectly
  • Coaching Sports
  • Cheerleading
  • Talking Loudly
  • Sore Throat not treated
  • Drinking caffeine and alcohol, which dries out the throat and vocal folds

Treatments for Vocal Fold Nodules

Treatment depends on what caused the nodules, how big they are, and what problems you have. You may require surgery to remove the nodules. This is usually done only when they are large or have been there for a long time. Children do not usually have surgery.

Prevention

Prevention involves proper coaching techniques that apply to all vocalists. After coaching hundreds of vocalists, I have discovered that the main problem is the initial techniques involving proper breathing and vocal support. The FUEL of the Voice is air. If that air is not of a sufficient quantity and it is not delivered to the larynx under proper pressure, the larynx becomes tight, stressed and unable to deliver sound in a free and powerful manner. This continued stress on the Larnyx can produce pain and eventually Vocal Nodules

Vocal Coaching

At Your Voice Is Your Life, I offer all vocalists a Free Vocal Review to determine the best individual vocal training approach for each student. I offer a 3 month intensive of weekly 1 hour coaching sessions in studio and virtual that are normally sufficient to coach a vocalist to produce sound in a healthy and powerful manner without creating vocal cord damage.

Vocal Student Reviews

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"I have had singing lessons with Jonathan for about 2 months. Before I started, my voice was breathy and I wasn't able to have good control. He taught me how to breathe correctly so that I could project my voice and be able to sing high notes that I have never been able to hit. Even though it has only been a couple of months, I have seen a difference in my voice.  I am pleased to be taking singing lessons with him."
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Hi There. I have been singing for 3 years now.I just came across you on Youtube while I was searching for vocal training videos. Because I feel that I am lacking certain basics which I tend to forget through my singing, I needed to find solution that worked for me. After researching endlessly on vocal techniques, tips and ways to how to utilize your body to become a singing machine. To me, it’s kind of like how Bruce Lee conditioned his body for martial arts. I do the same, but now with singing. Jonathan’s innovative coaching techniques have helped me find a strong foundation on which to now build my voice. Keep up the good work Jonathan!
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