THE VOICECONNECTION
Welcome to the November issue of The Voice Connection! The weather is getting colder, the holidays are approaching, and cold-and-flu season has apparently decided to introduce itself. I recently got sideswiped by a bizarre bug that reminded me how quickly your health and voice can turn when you miss those early warning signs. We’ll get into that during this month’s vocal health hack.
I also have plenty happening behind the scenes. Vocal Strength Trainer continues to grow, Voice Rescue is getting closer to release, a new DOCTORVOX site is being developed, and I’m helping complete a very special final book from my late friend and co-author Anne Loader McGee. I may not have been traveling or making television appearances, but trust me, things have not exactly been quiet around here.
Since November is also the month of Thanksgiving, I want to thank all of you for reading, supporting my work, downloading the app, buying the books, and trusting me with your voices. Now, let’s jump into this month’s issue.
This Month’s Vocal Hack
Don’t Wait Until the Cough Arrives
Man, I got sideswiped by some bizarre bug that seems to be making the rounds. My wife brought it home from work, but the problem was that I did not realize I was getting sick. At first, I thought I was simply exhausted. I had chills one night, but they were gone by the next morning. Then nothing happened for several days. After that, my hips and joints started burning, which I blamed on moving heavy objects around the house.
By the time I woke up in the middle of the night coughing, the bug already had its claws in me. Because I did not recognize those early warning signs, I never started the recovery steps I teach in books such as Voice Rescue, Voice RX, and Vocal RESET. If you know anything about how I approach a cold or vocal emergency, you know that timing matters. The earlier you reduce your vocal load, rest, hydrate, and respond to what your body is telling you, the better chance you have of keeping the situation from snowballing.
This is the time of year when more of my students start getting sick, so begin paying attention before the cough, congestion, and hoarseness arrive. Get enough sleep, wash your hands, hydrate consistently, and make sure your diet provides adequate vitamin C and zinc. I also keep Airborne effervescent tablets around when I know I will be traveling or spending time in crowded places. Just remember that supplements are support, not an invisible force field. Follow the label, do not blindly stack several products containing the same nutrients, and check with your doctor or pharmacist if you take medications or have a health condition.
Where’s Jaime?
Vocal Strength Trainer continues to grow. We recently developed two separate apps that we originally planned to release on their own. Session Singer is a mini digital audio workstation designed to give singers an easier way to record and build sessions. Video Starr allows you to record yourself singing while playing an instrument, mix the vocal and instrument sources independently, and even add vocal effects to the finished performance.
We were preparing to launch both apps separately when we realized they belonged inside Vocal Strength Trainer. Instead of asking singers to purchase two additional apps, we decided to include Session Singer and Video Starr inside Vocal Strength Trainer at no additional cost. The app is becoming much more than a vocal-training tool. It is growing into a complete practice, recording, and content-creation studio for singers.
We are also revisinf doctorvox.shop. This is where we will offer carefully selected products from companies such as Superior Vocal Health and several new products I have personally helped create. I am dying to tell you what those products are, but the patent process currently requires me to keep my mouth shut. Apparently, “Jaime got too excited and announced everything in his newsletter” is not considered a sound legal strategy. Ha ha! As soon as I am legally allowed to reveal them, Voice Connection subscribers will be among the first to know.
Now Playing
I’m still writing and recording music with several different projects, although everything is moving a little more slowly than I originally planned. The music has not stopped, and I have several songs in various stages of development. I would rather take the time to finish them properly than rush them out simply to meet an artificial release schedule.
One of the biggest reasons for the slower pace is a very special publishing project that has been receiving much of my attention. I’ll tell you more about that in this month’s Off the Record.
Fresh Off the Press
My newest book, Voice Rescue, is complete and currently going through the editing process. This is a quick-reference guide for those moments when your voice is struggling, the gig is approaching, and you desperately do not want to cancel. It brings together the vocal-health and recovery information I have discussed throughout several of my other books and organizes it into one direct, easy-to-follow roadmap.
Voice Rescue is designed to help you respond early, protect the voice you still have, and make an honest decision about whether and how you should perform. It does not waste time with unnecessary filler. When your voice is in trouble and the clock is ticking, you can open the book, find the phase you need, and get directly to work.
I will share the release date as soon as the editing and final design are complete.
This Month’s Deals
This Month-Long Black Friday Sale
Why wait until Black Friday? Throughout the entire month of November, you can receive 25% off any digital item at JaimeVendera.com. That includes my digital books and downloadable training materials covering vocal development, breathing, songwriting, performance, creativity, mindset, and more.
Simply visit JaimeVendera.com, choose the digital products you want, and enter the discount code NOVEMBER25 at checkout. The offer lasts through November 30, so you have the entire month to take advantage of it. Just remember that the discount applies to digital products only.
Upcoming Events
I have officially started doing TikTok Lives, and I am now going live several times each week. These sessions give me a chance to answer vocal questions, demonstrate different DOCTORVOX products, share training and recovery ideas, and connect directly with singers in real time. Follow DoctorVoxVocalShop on TikTok and stop by whenever you see me live.
I also owe everyone an apology because I have not started the monthly VOX-owner Zoom sessions yet. Between finishing Voice Rescue, helping complete Anne McGee’s final book, filming approximately 50 Vocal Strength Trainer tutorial videos, and continuing to work with all my students, I have been completely overwhelmed. The Zoom sessions are still coming, but I want to make sure I can give them the time and attention they deserve. In the meantime, come hang out with me during one of the TikTok Lives!
Off the Record
Finishing Anne’s Final Strory
Some projects should never be rushed. Nearly two years ago, my friend and co-author Anne Loader McGee passed away. Many of you may recognize Anne as my co-author on the Sing Out Loud children’s book series. Before she passed, Anne was working on what would become her final book, The Time Door.
We are now helping finish that book and bring it across the finish line so Anne’s final story can reach readers and her creative legacy can continue. That responsibility means more to me than simply releasing another title. This was Anne’s last book, and we want to treat it with the care and respect it deserves.
That is one of the reasons my music has been moving a little more slowly. Songs can wait. Helping preserve the work of someone who meant so much to us cannot. I look forward to sharing The Time Door with you when it is finally ready.
See you in December,
Jaime Vendera
