Hello beautiful people!
Let’s settle our nerves with a surprisingly awesome vocal tool.
LAX-VOX is a breathing technique involving a silicone tube, a plastic water bottle, and some water. It’s super easy and it turns out it not only improves your vocal range but it also reduces anxiety! What the what?!?
Listen up!
Honestly, I would never have believed this if I didn’t see it happen pretty much in front of my very own eyes, the resulting “Future You” version of this client shining with glee right in my home office over a few weeks of doing this every day between our mastermind sessions. If you had told me that this vocal breathing technique could get someone with major nerves and anxiety off flippin’ beta blockers for cryin’ out loud — and in just a few weeks — I’d have said, “Shut yo’ mouth!” because it’s just deceptively simple!
But sometimes the simplest solution is in fact the best one. For lots of reasons!
Here I go into a #SoOnBrand explanation for anyone who is curious…
LAX-VOX is a type of “semi-occluded vocal tract” or SOVT exercise (basically, making noise with a partial closure of the instrument. Humming, making a “vvvv” sound like a car, or singing on an “ng” sound are all variations of SOVT exercises. If you were a trumpet, adding a mute would be a SOVT too).
SOVT exercises balance out the physiology of the vocal folds and tract so they work at their most efficient. The size of the straw does matter — the smaller the straw, the more resistance you get, and vice versa. Your body will tell you what it needs that day. Play with how deep the straw goes into the water, or by pinching the straw’s diameter.
SOVT exercises are stellar for building the voice, but also calming and resetting the voice if it’s tired, or if you lose it easily (trust me on that part!!). Vocalization and focused breath both stimulate the vagus nerve, which is hooked right into the amygdala, hence the anxiety reduction effect.
Google Dr. Ingo Titze for more on the vocal science. I just think it’s so cool and am so glad it’s here!
I’ll also share this tool that I bought myself, which works on the same principle: an OOVO straw. They have a necklace and ring version, and I love it for its portability and effectiveness. It’s cunningly disguised as jewellery, and you can wear it anywhere (which is great when you can’t do the LAX-VOX in water thing in the audition hallway).
I’ve secured a personal code for 10% off on OOVO straws, even if there’s a sale! Here’s the discount link. If that link doesn’t work, the code SINGDANCEACT at https://oovostraw.com will. They do ship internationally as well, just be aware of customs. Enjoy, ninjas!
One request: please keep the code within the DOJO or between friends. They’ll revoke the code if they find it picked up by discount sites like RetailMeNot. Thanks!
Thank *you*, Stephanie! This is sooooo going the extra mile and I love wearable tools like these! 🙂 Well done.
Today’s work: Explore a little of this LAX-VOX or OOVO technique. If you can manage to get an approximately-right-sized tube and try it out for yourself today, please do! Open yourself up to things that support artists in all sorts of ways to see if perhaps they could make a difference in the way you approach your craft or even your process for handling auditions and meetings… even if that might not have been the intent behind the initial undertaking!
Extra credit: Have you ever tried a new thing that was meant to support you in one area of your journey and found that it made a difference elsewhere? Share below your most ninja tips for “Who’dathunkit!” level stuff you’ve bumped into over the years. If you’ve got a need, pop it in here as well! Maybe someone else has just the fix! Being open to letting things solve problems other than those they’re meant to fix is a great way to rock around in this life. Lean into that a little bit more today, no matter what!
’til tomorrow… stay ninja!
