Welcome to the community Shy!! So glad you are here. Hope the group will give you a welcome shout out!

Herbal Vocal Remedies-(J Deva) This information is not intended as medical advice and does not replace competent medical treatment when symptoms are severe or the result of infection. The following four herbal/plant derived supplements can usually be purchased at natural whole food markets and health food stores. All four can assist in reducing vocal hoarseness and fatigue. None of these will eliminate or fight infection. If your vocal fatigue or hoarseness is from straining or singing with tension, then the best remedy is preventing it with good vocal technique. Singing with tension for one performance will likely make your voice hoarse. Singing with tension over a prolonged period may result in more serious vocal problems. Straining and tension are the result of the way you sing, not what style or for how long you sing. Until you can address the vocal tension with better technique, here are a few temporary remedies for the hoarseness. Licorice Root Tea: Place several licorice twigs in a saucepan with water. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer for 20 minutes. Strain the liquid, allow to cool a bit and sip slowly. You may find licorice sweet enough, but if not, sweeten with honey. This reportedly helps with vocal fatigue, hoarseness, and coughing. Ginger Root Tea: Another remedy for coughing is ginger root tea. While coughing is a natural way your body expels mucous, it can be very rough on your vocal folds. Buy a piece of ginger root in your grocery store, slice it thinly and follow the same cooking directions as for licorice root tea. Sip the resulting ginger tea throughout the day and especially at night when coughing can tend to be more severe. This may be more effective for a cough than licorice. Chewable Papaya Enzyme Tablets: Take a tablet and tuck it between the gums of your upper teeth and cheek. This permits the enzymes to go straight into your system through your membranes instead of your stomach. Let it dissolve without chewing it. You can do this every few hours while the fatigue or hoarseness is severe and then reduce frequency as the condition alleviates.

The Vocal Basics Never Go Out of Style No matter how experienced you are, always come back to the basics. Great singing starts with solid fundamentals: diaphragmatic breathing, steady airflow control, proper mouth position, and simple daily vocal exercises that keep your vocal folds strong, flexible, and responsive. If you notice you're singing off pitch or feeling "pitchy," don't immediately jump to difficult songs or advanced techniques. Instead, go back to the basics. A few minutes of focused vocal exercises can help reset your voice, improve coordination, and rebuild confidence. Here's something many singers don't realize: professional singers practice the basics every single day. They don't skip the fundamentals because they know that's what keeps their voices healthy, reliable, and performance-ready. Whether you're just beginning or you've been singing for years, the basics are your foundation. Master them, revisit them often, and you'll build a stronger, more consistent voice that you can depend on every time you sing.

This post is not about me, this post is about Coach Ellen. I was sent this a few days ago, I don't do social media so I have no idea what is said or not said unless someone explicitly tells me. I do not know the woman who made this comment, I have to my knowledge not ever seen her, it's a large place. THIS....IS WHERE WORKING WITH ELLEN CAN TAKE YOU. From a beaten down, not good enough, never will be good enough, no self esteem, no belief in self really. Someone who hid, and was afraid to come out and meet the people, to hear feedback positive or negative. I have learned to step forward, embrace my gift, understand that there will always be someone better than me, but that doesn't negate my talent, to know that I will fail and learn and get back up. Recently, three months ago, I am relearning how to sing because i suddenly went deaf in one ear. I would have given in and given up if it weren't for Ellen who over our many years together has taught me to keep going. If you have ever considered coaching from her, I beg you to stop considering and do it. Believe in yourself, or at the very least believe and trust Ellen, who has enough belief in you, for you, until you eventually catch up to her understanding of who you already are.

What is your BEST karaoke Go-To? The backing track that you know you can nail, the best song that you can count on?