Don't Give Up: How To Thrive As a Musician With Chronic Pain

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Being a musician is an enriching experience. Whether you pursue it as a career or as a hobby, it is an invaluable creative outlet and technical activity. However, you may find yourself experiencing challenges that disrupt your progress. One of the most common of these is chronic pain.

One study of professional musicians found that 66% of respondents reported experiencing chronic pain. While there can be various influencers of this, the outcome tends to be a reduced ability and joy in pursuing the craft. Yet, this doesn’t mean you should give up. There are options to mitigate these negative experiences effectively. 

Let’s dive a little deeper into how to thrive as a musician with chronic pain. 

Get to Know the Triggers

As with so many other areas of life, knowledge is a powerful tool. The more you can understand chronic pain, the better able you’re likely to be to manage it and pinpoint the right solutions. Remember that experiences of chronic pain can be relatively subjective. As such, your approach to learning needs to take into account both your personal perspectives as well as information from external sources.

One area that many people struggle with here is recognizing what influences their symptoms. Take some time to review the common contributors to chronic pain, including both lifestyle elements and illnesses. Excess weight can put additional pressure on joints, which can influence osteoarthritis. In some cases, poor posture can contribute to muscular strain and digestive issues. Compare these elements to your personal experiences. When you play your instrument, do you tend to have a stooped posture? Have you experienced traumatic injuries that impact your fingering technique in certain circumstances? 

If you’re still unclear, it can be worth looking to key figures in your musical field that experience similar challenges to yours. Many top musicians have started to talk about their experiences. Max Weinberg — drummer for the E-Street Band — discovered his hand pain was not from drumming too hard but from drumming with poor technique. Searching out such anecdotes can point you in the right direction for information. However, it’s also worth reaching out within your musical circle. Many musicians face chronic pain issues and some of your connections may be able to share solutions.

Develop Tailored Practice Routines

The last thing you want is for your chronic pain to put a dent in your musical development. Therefore, once you have a good understanding of your triggers and symptoms, it’s important to develop practice routines that consider your pain. Take what you know about the condition and tailor your activities and schedule to both account for and better manage it.  

This could include specific practice exercises to strengthen your body against the symptoms. In some cases, targeted physical training can relieve the pressure that triggers or exacerbates your pain. Many musicians utilize the Alexander Technique to gain a mindful awareness of the body. Some people find this helps them adopt healthier habits while enhancing their musicianship. If you’re a string musician, it may be helpful to review your technique to establish where you can reduce strain, alongside performing strength-building exercises.

However, it’s also vital not to overextend yourself during your tailored practice routines. Part of your approach here is to be aware of your limits and schedule around these. Indeed, if you’re taking lessons, you may find traveling to the practice itself to exacerbate elements of pain.  Taking virtual lessons can provide you with the flexibility to navigate your symptoms while improving your skills. However, getting the most out of online classes still requires focus and dedication. Be fully engaged with the process and ensure you’re well prepared for your lessons. Make sure you have an environment both free of distractions and comfortable enough not to trigger pain symptoms early.

Identify Sources of Support

Living with chronic pain as a musician is a very personal challenge. However, this doesn’t mean you only need to rely on your personal reserves to navigate it. It’s vital to identify key sources of support that can help you through it. This is not just important for the physical experience, but also to maintain your mental wellness. 

Firstly, it’s important to identify those in your circle that can be genuine figures of support. If you’re in a band or orchestra, open up to your colleagues about your experiences. Of course, you may gain some empathy and moral support here, but that’s not the only advantage. It also serves the practical purpose of being able to plan studio time and practice sessions to mitigate any negative effects. 

Identifying key sources of treatment and therapy is also a vital support system. This doesn’t necessarily mean relying on medication alone. Physiotherapy, psychological counseling, and potentially alternative therapies may be helpful. Remember to plan for this if you’re going on tour in an unfamiliar location, too. Take the time beforehand to search for and note professionals and facilities you can utilize if you need them on the road. Remember that traveling for long periods may exacerbate your symptoms, too, so identify exercise facilities on your route.

Conclusion

Chronic pain can certainly be a difficult hurdle to overcome as a musician. It’s important to gain a better understanding of both the common causes of pain and those specific to your circumstances. You can then develop more mindful practice routines and seek out appropriate treatment resources. With some knowledge, focus, and planning, you can ensure you thrive as a musician in spite of these health challenges.

Don't Give Up: How To Thrive As a Musician With Chronic Pain

Saving for Retirement as a Professional Musician

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Saving for Retirement as a Professional Musician

Being a professional musician can mean many different things. You could make your living selling records, touring, playing an instrument, or singing. You may not win a Grammy for your work or end up on the Billboard charts, but it doesn’t make you any less of a professional. 

No matter what level you’re on, being a professional musician can be a lot of fun. However, it also comes with several challenges and uphill battles you’ll have to face throughout your career. 

One of those challenges includes saving for retirement. You might be able to make a living playing music now, but saving for the future is another story. 

Whether music is your primary or only source of income, it’s not impossible to save for retirement. However, the sooner you get started, the better! Let’s take a look at how you can make the most of your income, manage your money, and build the capital you need to lead a comfortable retirement. 

Managing Your Money

If you have a consistent, day-to-day job as a musician, setting money aside is easy. You probably don’t have to worry about things like tax penalties or even calculating how much you can afford to save. 

However, not every professional musician has that luxury. When you’re concert-hopping or living gig-to-gig, it can be difficult to practice healthy money management. 

It’s easier than you might think to manage your money, but it can take some organizational skills. Start by creating a budget for yourself. Look at the income you’re bringing in each month and how you’re spending it. From there, you can come up with ways to “cut back” on your spending habits, both in your personal and professional lives. 

For example, as a traveling musician, you might spend a lot of money on gas to get from one gig to another. Think of ways you can save on gas, like preserving your car’s efficiency and optimizing your driving. Choose to bring your own food along rather than stopping at fast-food joints, and keep a separate “road budget” so you don’t end up buying things you don’t need. 

In your personal life, you can manage your money and decrease your spending by cutting back on things like subscription services and dining out. 

You should be budgeting to save, not just to pay your bills now. Whether you set aside a section of your budget as an emergency fund or specifically dedicate some of your monthly income to savings, it’s easier to manage your money when you have something tangible written down. 

Taking Care of Taxes

We touched on tax penalties above, but are you aware that some of your savings could actually be costing you money? Taxation penalties are destructive and can take away some of the hard-earned cash that you’re trying to store away for retirement. If you want to maintain and grow your savings accounts, it’s important to be aware of exemptions. Some of the most common tax-exempt savings accounts include:

• 401(k)s

• IRAs

• Roth accounts

• FSAs

• HSAs

You can still be taxed for things like early withdrawal and minimum distributions. However, if you work with an investor or accountant on setting up an account, they can guide you through the process and help you mitigate penalties. 

As a musician, you probably pay your taxes every year. Maybe you even pay quarterly taxes to avoid a large lump sum owed at the end of every fiscal year. The last thing you want is to deal with more taxation when you’re trying to get ahead. In fact, you should be looking into expenditures that you can write off and deduct! Invest your time and money into working with a tax professional that can help to ensure financial stability for your future. 

Have a Back-Up Option

Whether you’re gigging every night, you’re a “seasonal” musician, or you rely on record sales and royalties for income, it can be hard when things aren’t consistent. Even if you tend to do well throughout the year, you might find that most of your income is going directly to the here and now, just so you can get by. 

One of the best things you can do for yourself is to have a backup option when it comes to your finances. Thankfully, there are a few different ways to approach a backup plan. 

One is to invest your money. 

You don’t have to have a lot saved up to invest, and your return could be something that sets you up for a comfortable retirement. Some of the best high-yield investments include

• Value stock funds

• Short-term government bond funds

• High-yield savings accounts

• Rental housing

• Cryptocurrency

If you’re not willing to take a risk with your money through investing, consider using a “side hustle” or part-time job as your backup plan. It might not seem very rock ‘n’ roll to have a side gig doing something more consistent, but it will allow you to live more comfortably now while you live out your dreams, and give you the opportunity to have a nest egg in the future. 

Whether you penny-pinch to save your money, invest in the stock market, or find ways to avoid tax penalties, there are plenty of ways to save for retirement as a musician. While it’s okay to focus on the fun you’re having now, it’s crucial to recognize that one day you’ll want to sit back and relax. Consider some of these ideas when it comes to making sure you can do so with comfort and ease.

Saving for Retirement as a Professional Musician

Traveling Considerations for Musicians

Now that the COVID-19 pandemic is beginning to wear down and vaccinations are making the rounds, many musicians are taking advantage and hitting the road. Since most artists make a majority of their money on tour, it is important to take this opportunity, but before you hop in the van, proper planning is essential. It’s a new world out there, and you need to do what you can to prepare for everything and keep yourself sane.

If you are planning on taking your music back on the road, then we are here to help. Read on for essential tips for smart packing, planning, and how to stay sharp in body and mind. 

Smart Packing Is Key

If you’re touring the country or taking an international trip, you’ll likely have a lot of outfits and accessories so it is important to plan ahead and make a list so you don’t leave anything behind. The longer you are away, the more luggage you will likely have, but you should keep your most essential items in a breakaway bag, which is a smaller carry-on that you keep with you at all times. You never know when your luggage could be lost by the airline or an issue could happen to your tour bus, so the breakaway bag could be a lifesaver.

In addition to necessary medications and your lucky guitar pick, make sure that you use this extra bag to store your identification. Before you leave, verify that your driver’s license and passport are up to date and keep them on you at all times. It is also a wise idea to keep a copy of the addresses to any hotels and venues on your person at all times so you are never lost when you need it most.

While most musicians will likely pack comfortable clothes or their stage outfits, it is important to keep in mind that not all cultures will appreciate your wardrobe, especially if you are going overseas. For instance, in England, people tend to dress a bit snazzier than we do in the United States, so your sweatpants may not impress them how you’d like. Research your landing spots before you leave and pack accordingly.

Maintain Your Physical And Mental Health

Traveling on the road for a long period can be hard on the mind and body, especially if you have gigs planned daily. Staying healthy is essential. Even though you won’t be in one place for long, you should still make it a habit to eat well. Focus on high-protein foods like nuts and fish that will keep you lean and naturally energized. Exercise is important too. Even if you don’t have access to a gym or equipment, you can still do plenty of exercises with small hand weights or nothing at all, including squats, push-ups, crunches, and many other moves that will get the blood flowing.

While physical health is important, mental strength is just as important when on the road, especially if you are traveling solo. You need to keep your spirits up, so make it a point to call home every day and talk via video chat whenever possible so you can see the people you love like you were there in person. If you are ever feeling down or anxious, utilize technology to get the support that you need. With the touch of a button, you can use a telehealth app to talk to a mental health professional face to face and get the support that you need. 

Even though life on the road can be a blast, do your best to party in moderation. Drinking to excess can be especially dangerous because it can leave you dehydrated, and over time, it can lead to serious ailments, including heart and liver disease. A drink here and there is fine, but if you are thirsty, hydrate with water instead.

Plan Ahead

Before you head out on your trip, you must solidify all of your arrangements and have a contingency plan in place just in case. When it comes to lodging, it is a good idea to call the hotel ahead of time or earlier that day to make sure that your room is still available, so you don’t show up exhausted only to find that there is no longer an open room. If you do find yourself in a hard spot, then consider using an online lodging app like Hostelworld or Couchsurfing, where you can find somewhere else to stay on short notice.

It is also a good idea to verify your bookings before you head to the venue or at least call ahead of time and make sure there aren’t any big changes that require an adjustment on your end. If your pay depends on how many people you get in the door, then you will want to do plenty of promotion the day of the show. You can spread the word by sending press releases to radio stations in the area, and you can buy ads on social media that will get people in that area excited.

If your only source of income while you’re on the road is the cash you earn at your shows, then it is a smart idea to have a second income stream in place, which could be essential if your shows are canceled. Many musicians have side gigs to bring in extra cash that can include anything from giving online music lessons to freelance writing. Consider adding in some side work during your downtime for that financial safety net.

As you can see, there is a lot to consider when you take your musical act on the road, but with the proper preparation, you can have a relaxing and successful trip. Consider the tips above and have a prosperous 2022.

Traveling Considerations for Musicians

The Straw: A Singer's Best Friend

Have you ever tried singing through a straw?  Today I introduce you to Voice Therapist extraordinaire, Mary Hanson, who will share why straw exercises are so effective, and how to do them properly.

1.     Let’s start super basic - what does phonation mean?  What is a straw phonation?

 Straw phonation is what it sounds like! Really this means that you are “phonating” (i.e., making sound) through the straw. If you put your straw in water, you can think about it as making bubbles with your voice on. Typically, it’s made with an /u/ sound, like we hear in the word “you”. It’s a great exercise for the casual speaker and the professional singer, alike! 

Straw phonation is part of a group of exercises called “Semi-Occluded Vocal Tract Exercises” or “SOVTEs”. Really this means that you have a small opening for the air to escape at the mouth or nose. That small opening creates back pressure, which is super beneficial. 

2.     What are the benefits of straw exercises?

Straw phonation can really be quite magical, and its benefits are endless. However, it really does three main things. It reduces the tension, impact and collision at the level of the vocal cords.  Vibration at our vocal cords can only happen because some of the pressure from our lungs is reflected back once it reaches our lips. When we use straw phonation, we increase the level of back pressure, essentially making the vibration at the vocal cords even more efficient. This efficiency acts as a little massage and reduces vocal fatigue.  

This efficiency also balances the vocal cords in a way that provides extra support for changes in pitch.  Practicing those transitions with a straw can improve flexibility and power of the vocal folds and can translate to when they are not using the straw. That balance also provides singers with the opportunity to expand their range, without tensing as they explore new notes. 

 Lastly, that efficient voicing and balance, gives opportunity to strengthen the vocal cords in a safe way.   

3.     Is there any voice type or condition that should NOT do straw exercises?

There is no one condition, or voice type, that straw phonation is automatically not appropriate for, but the type of exercise that you do, and what you focus on may be different depending on your voice goals! If you are attempting straw phonation and it’s not clicking after a couple minutes of playing with it, and especially if you feel tense or have increased tension with its practice, its best to consult a professional. Straw phonation should only feel beneficial, and a voice professional can walk you through how to best use the tool for your voice! 

4.     Does it matter if you use a glass of water or not - is there a greater benefit each way?

It depends on what your goal is and also the size/shape of your vocal tract! Water will provide more resistance, resulting in increased back pressure. For most, that is beneficial and can help stabilize a tone and create more tension relief. However, for some that can turn a tension relief exercise into a strengthening exercise, and they may not be ready for that yet. I like to trial both with everyone and do what feels best for the person. (*Note from Your Online Singing Coach - I prefer using a glass of water, but it can be messy, so make sure you use a large/tall glass and don’t fill the water too high. ALSO, I have found that glass straws and paper straws don’t work as well as plastic, silicon, and stainless steel).

5.     Does size matter (ha ha) - straw size, that is?

Straw size does matter! In this case, the smaller, the better (generally)! However, that doesn’t mean you should go grab a coffee straw from your favorite locale. A smaller opening means increased back pressure. While this can have more therapeutic benefit for balancing and tension relief, that’s only if you are doing the exercise correctly! It’s generally recommended to start with a larger sized straw and then work your way down to something smaller as you get better at maintaining a clear forward tone and balancing the back pressure from the smaller opening. Its also important to keep your goal in mind, if your goal is purely tension relief, do what feels easy-and that may be a whopping smoothie straw! 

6.     Can you talk us through how to do a straw exercise correctly?

 Straw phonation can look different for various people, as we all have different shaped vocal tracts.  However, there are a few things that we like to think about for “successful” straw phonation. 

The first is lip placement. Its important to ensure that all airflow is going through the straw. You need a good lip seal, but at the same time it’s important to not over-tense the lips, as we want straw phonation to feel open and easy. 

 The next is airflow. You want to take a deep (*low, diaphragmatic) breath and start your voice off gently. You can use a  /u/ sound like in the word “you”. Use a full breath but keep your volume soft. You should have steady airflow flowing through the straw. You can tell you have that good airflow by either feeling for it with your other hand or putting the straw in water (just the tip!) and make sure you see bubbles. Our voices are really just chopped up air! If you don’t see bubbles or feel air, that’s a very clear sign that your phonatory system (your voice box) and your respiratory system (your lungs/air supply) are out of sync. 

 Pick a note in the middle of your speaking range and hold out the note for as long as is comfortable. Don’t go near the end of your breath, as we need the good pressure in the lungs to balance the back pressure from the straw. If you hear the tone sounding wobbly, or feel pressure in the throat, think about the placement of your articulators (i.e. lips, tongue, teeth). Can you adjust them in ways that makes the tone clearer? Feel easier? If you are unable to make the tone feel good and sound stable, don’t push it too much. (*Note from Your Online Singing Coach - pitch glides into a straw in a glass of water 5 minutes at a time delivers incredible bang for your singing buck.  Try it, and I’ll see you when you join the Straw Phonations fan club!)

Mary Hanson is from Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin and holds a Master’s degree from George Washington University in Speech-Pathology.

Your Online Singing Coach provides live, private online singing lessons and vocal coaching for singers of all levels.

The Straw: A Singer's Best Friend

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