In my last article I stated that a singer needs to have full access to all of the muscles in the body in order to sing efficiently. A relaxed body, a body which has been stretched and toned, is an appropriate body for a singer. Even more important, it is a necessary body for a singer.

Exercise is, of course, the key to a fit body. But the problem then arises -where to start? What should you do first? There are so many forms of exercise, there are so many things to choose from. Where to begin?

Last month I just breezed over the subject, mentioning many different forms of exercise that are beneficial to singers. Now I am going to get more specific. There is an enormous amount of information to cover and we are going to begin with relaxing the muscles of the face and neck.

For a singer who is performing all the time, the first area which must be relaxed and stretched is the area closest to the larynx. The larynx, which is where phonation occurs, is very small. It is surrounded and supported by all the muscles of the neck and face. Most people don't give much thought to these muscles, however, tension registers first in the face, travels around the back of the neck and eventually down the spine. Normal physical movement and exercise usually relieves this kind of tension. If however, you don't get that much exercise, much of your tension will remain in this area. This can interfere tremendously with your singing.

When your neck and face are tight and restricted, your larynx is also restricted. If your neck is tight, it can literally choke you and prevent you from making any kind of sound. The degree of tension will determine the degree of interference and will also determine the flexibility and agility of your voice. Exercising the muscles of the face and neck will bring a vigrous blood supply to the surface of the skin. This fresh supply of oxygen is invigorating as well as relaxing. It is also necessary for the skin to be flexible, yet maintain its strength and tone.

The muscles of your face have many functions. When working to relax the muscles of your face and neck you will be moving muscles, tightening and flexing them, making them strong, firm and elastic. There are muscles which pull the head back, others which flex the head sideways, others which chew, smile, laugh, frown, and still others which draw the mouth up and down, raise the eyebrows and wrinkle the forehead. Add to these the muscles which compress the nostrils and control the lips and chin and you will see how important this area is. You need to have all these muscles relaxed in order to sing properly and comfortably.

You can begin by relaxing your face by chewing -yes, something as simple and accessible as chewing does wonders for relaxing the inside muscles of your face. Keep your mouth closed and chew in a very exaggerated way while making a humming sound. Vary the sound as if to indicate that you are enjoying the "food" you are chewing. Do this for a couple of minutes. Then begin to chew in a very sloppy way, opening your mouth as you chew. Continue to make sounds in a very primitive way while you chew. You will find that your voice feels very relaxed after doing this.

Next, massage your face to relieve the tension of the outer muscles. You should apply cream to your face first so that you don't break down the delicate tissues. Any good moisturizing cream will do. Massage in circles, beginning with your forehead. Make circles with your palms going outward and slowly work you way all over your forehead, moving out to your temples. Then massage the cheeks, around the eyes, your nose, around the mouth, the chin, the jaw line, under the jaw and back along the jaw line to your ears.

This massage, combined with the chewing exercise, will give you a wonderful sense of release and freedom in your face. A company called WAKI makes a 5-in-1 Heat Massage Kit (available for about twenty dollars), which will give you a tremendous massage for your face and neck. With all this to relax your face, your larynx willl be much more flexible and available to you. You will also find that it is remarkably easier to sing this way. You can apply wet heat packs to your face and neck as added protections. The wet heat will loosen and stimulate your face. You can do all this in about fifteen minutes each morning when you wash your face. It can also be done in the dressing room if you get to the gig early enough.

The marvelous thing about being a singer is that you always have your instrument with you, since your instrument is you. Take care of it and it rewards you immediately. Begin with your face -it is the closest thing to your larynx and the first thing the audience sees. The more comforable you are, the more entertaining you will be.

Next month we will see what else you can do to relax and take care of your voice through exercise and massage.