Singin’ Guru – An Xperience Column

Singin’ Guru – An Xperience Column – by Jeff and Crystal Moore.

Dear Singin’ Guru,

My voice gets raspy when I work out doing vocal exercises. I’m new at this and practicing an hour a day. I think I’m just old, and on the internet, they say that your voice degrades over time, so I should probably just sing stuff that is easy to sing, right?

Yours Truly,
Ms. Raspy

Dear Ms. Raspy,

That’s an awful lot to unpack, but we’re going to do it! Your problem is not that your voice is old. Your voice is untrained, and you’re overworking it with an hour-a-day workout. With the right workout—one that is supported by modern science, integrates your vocal break, considers your range, and meets your needs—you should spend no more than 20 minutes as a beginner (and even 10 might be plenty). Right now, you’re simply working too much and stressing your voice.

While aging affects all parts of the body, the notion that non-use preserves ability is entirely unfounded. In fact, all muscles—including your vocal folds—respond to use and training.

Know this: YOUR VOICE CAN IMPROVE AT ANY AGE. Yes, I am yelling this. It is a question we get all too often, and we wonder how many people out there don’t follow their lifelong dream to improve their singing because they think they’re too old. As the legendary Pablo Casals once said, “To retire is to begin to die.”

This applies not just to life but to singing as well—growth and improvement are lifelong processes. If you only sing in your comfort zone, your voice will not develop beyond its current state. Remember, many legendary performers have continued refining their art well past what some might consider “prime” age. Singing has also been linked to cognitive and emotional benefits—especially in older adults—because it promotes better breath support, posture, and mental acuity.

Your voice can be at its best at any age, even if you start training at 75. Sure, your body may not respond the same way it did at 15, but you also have advantages now that you didn’t have then—like discipline, maturity (well, at least some of us!), and the ability to commit to a structured practice routine. Numerous studies have shown that maintaining a vocal routine can help preserve lung capacity, increase range, and support overall well-being. Simply put, when you keep singing, you keep thriving.

Why Most Singing Schools Fail You

Most traditional singing schools neglect actual vocal workouts. They focus on singing songs and tell students, “If you can’t sing it, you’re just not meant to sing it.” This is completely unsupported by modern science. The great Joan Sutherland, one of the most renowned sopranos of all time, said: “Technique is the basis of every pursuit. If you neglect it, you limit yourself.”

If you continue to focus only on your chest voice, your head voice will never improve. The only way to strengthen your voice is through consistent, targeted effort—just like physical exercise.

You Are Not “Range-Bound” — You Are Just Misunderstanding How the Voice Works

Another common misconception is that your range is fixed. It isn’t. As Maria Callas, known for her vocal agility, once said: “An opera begins long before the curtain goes up and ends long after it has come down. It starts in the imagination, it becomes my life, and it stays part of me forever.” Singing is not about static ability—it’s about constant refinement and effort.

Physiologically, if you neglect your head voice (which for most female voices begins around F4), your vocal cords will never engage the necessary CT (cricothyroid) muscles. That means you’re cutting off your own ability to access your full range. Many singers get overdeveloped chest voice muscles and assume they can’t sing higher. In reality, they are range-bound due to misunderstanding, not because of actual vocal limitations. Challenging yourself is essential.

Luciano Pavarotti famously said, “If children are not introduced to music at an early age, I believe something fundamental is actually being taken from them.” But the reverse is also true: if adults stop challenging themselves, something fundamental is taken from them—their ability to fully express themselves through their voice.

What to Do If You Feel Raspy or Fatigued

If you’re experiencing discomfort, don’t panic. The first step is to assess your technique. Symptoms like raspy voice, loss of voice, coughing, or choking are often signs of incorrect form or overtraining, not indicators that you should stop training altogether.

If you feel pain, we can modify your approach. If discomfort persists, a voice-specialized ENT (Ear, Nose, and Throat specialist) can check for any underlying medical concerns. But avoiding vocal use is not the answer.

Singing well is about consistency. If you commit to just 15 minutes a day, over the course of a year, your voice will change dramatically. We see it all the time in our work with students of all ages. Whether you’re 20 or 80, consistent training leads to noticeable improvement—stronger breath support, clearer tone, and an expanding range.

Final Thoughts: Engage With Your Voice

Your voice is a living instrument. It will respond to care, challenge, and discipline. As Eddie Van Halen said (he’s a guitarist, but his advice is timeless), “You only have twelve notes. Do what you want with them, but be serious about it. If you put in the time, you’ll get what you want out of it. You have to love it enough to sit there and go at it harder than anybody else.”

You are not too old, it’s not too late, nor are you incapable. But you must engage with your voice to see progress. If you need guidance, let’s work together to unlock your full potential. Contact me at jeff@peakmusicstudios.com. Take that next step!

Always Yours,
The Singin’ Guru

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