Hello,

I had a question about my voice changing and how to regain my old voice. I am currently 28 years old and really haven't sang for 8 years now. Until I was 21, I was really into singing and would frequently go sing at karaoke rooms and sang a LOT in my car. I never had one of those stunning voices, but listening to tapes of myself and from what people told me, had a decent voice. Well, I don't know when I stopped (21 is just an estimate because that is probably I last went to a karaoke room), but I stopped singing regularly almost completely. I sing every now and then, but I probably destroy my vocal cords by trying to mimic groups like all american rejects. But I can't really seem to figure out why my voice changed from then to now. And I have no idea how to regain the voice I once had. My speaking voice is the same (I think) from then and now, but my singing voice has changed. And also, I am not sure since when, but I get this build up of phlegm in my throat and my throat feels tight as I try to sing in a high pitch, something I haven't really encountered before. For a while I tried to forcefully cough out the phlegm, but I have recently read that the vocal cords take damage when doing that. Is it just a lack of practice I need?

Are you a male? I have been singing all my life and my voice seems to get deeper as I get older. It is possible your range is just changing. Do you smoke? Have you ever? I smoked for 2 years, but quit when it started affecting my singing. Now I feel like my voice is back to normal. Another possibility is that you have allergies to something that was not present before. What has changed about your environment since then? It is possible that you are just out of practice, and will need to build it back up. I can't keep from singing, so I can't imagine what would happen if I quit for 8 years.

Voice tone may change, as does breathing and other issues from no practice.

You may never have the tone and pitch you did at 20, but you can train your voice if you want to take voice lessons, work on pitch, tone and breathing

That's a good question to ask hauser5, "Do you smoke?" Smoking can have a big influence on your singing as well as your speaking voice.

It would also help to know if you are a male or female in order to best answer your question. I am a voice instructor as well as director.

As you get older, your voice is going to change and the maturity level for singing is going to be different depending on your age. Your vocal folds (cords) will also change in shape as you get older and you will need to adjust how you produce singing tones depending on how your body and vocal folds have changed.

are you a male? I have been singing all my life and my voice seems to get deeper as I get older. It is possible your range is just changing. do you smoke? Have you ever? I smoked for 2 years, but quit when it started affecting my singing. Now I feel like my voice is back to normal. Another possibility is that you have allergies to something that was not present before. What has changed about your environment since then? It is possible that you are just out of practice, and will need to build it back up. I can't keep from singing, so I can't imagine what would happen if I quit for 8 years.
Sorry for responding so late. I don't really use the computer much :( . Yes, I am a male. And yes, I have smoked, although I started at an early age and quit for a while. I can't really think of anything else that has changed except maybe age? Ah yes, something that has changed is that I have post nasal drop now. Some people tell me I should keep singing and it will come back, but all it does is make my throat sore and hoarse (maybe I am forcing it too much?). And is trying to force myself to sing, especially songs that go up high, actually doing worse for my cords?