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Doing the Tom Jones Cough ("Oi!")

One thing I'm trying to do while in lockdown is get my voice back into shape.

My voice goes through phases where I'm either actively keeping it ticking over with daily warmups because I'm using it regularly (like when I was playing Buddy Holly) or not touching it save a quick once-over before a one-off gig. I know the latter's inadvisable as it's expecting too much at little notice - particularly when I'm suddenly trying to hit top As in the Mostly Comedy theme, for example - but I know I'm not the only singer guilty of it. At least I'm not as bad as bands in the 1960s who'd class a coffee and a fag as sufficient prep.

As a former actor/muso (and you'd best take that 'former' with a pinch of salt) I've found myself occupying a strange hinterland between real band-member and musical theatre performer as regards limbering up, where I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't. Believe it or not, I'm a trained singer (laughable), and my training taught me that looking after my voice was essential. But despite that, I've been mocked for warming up by fellow actor/musos more often than I can count (and I can reach fifteen unaided). Yet if I were in a musical or a play, I'd be expected to be on stage at an allotted time to do scales, whether I liked it or not. And, while I don't exactly like it, I expect to do it anyway as I always feel better when I know what my voice might be capable or incapable of on a given day. And doing a run of shows is an exercise in stamina, and you wouldn't expect an athlete to not stretch before a race (unless they're shit).

This mickey-taking would result in me often actively hiding away to warm up. Admittedly, buggering off somewhere's probably advisable as no-one sounds good doing scales. Well, no-one of my dubious calibre anyway, though the Three Tenors would probably give my statement a run for its money.

But if I'm honest, I resent this warmup shame. I want to sound the best I can whenever I'm performing while protecting myself for the long run. So, what's the problem with me doing what I need to do to do my best? Though I draw the line at a dance call.

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