Vocal Massage
Hands-on treatment for the muscles that support your voice, from a working singer who knows what a touring schedule does to them.
Vocal massage is manual treatment of the muscles and soft tissue surrounding the region of the vocal tract: the larynx and the muscles that suspend it, the jaw, the tongue, the neck, and the head. It works on tension that builds up from heavy use, often from compensating for a problem elsewhere in the voice, or from the voice doing a job it hasn’t been properly set up for.
It is not a replacement for voice work, and it is not a medical treatment. Tension is often a symptom rather than the cause, so every session starts by working out which one you're dealing with. Sometimes the answer is massage. Sometimes it's a change in how you're singing, and sometimes it's both.
What is vocal massage?
Before you arrive. Every client completes an intake form before the first appointment, covering your voice history, your current work and anything that has changed recently. Session time goes on your voice, not on paperwork.
The first 5 minutes. We talk. I ask about your recent voice use: what you've been singing, how much, and where you've noticed things shifting. That conversation sets the scope of the session and the goals we’ll work towards. I use the EQUATION framework (Flock and King, 2022) - I explain what I'm proposing and why it relates to what you've told me, and I check that you've understood. You can ask questions or ask for a different technique at any point. Before I start, we agree how you'll tell me to stop.
The hands-on work. Sessions are split between the massage table and seated work, and the balance depends on what we find
What happens in a session?
Who is it for?
If:
Your voice tires faster than it should
Singing feels effortful, or like you're pushing
Your jaw is tight or won't open fully
Your tongue feels held or stuck
Your throat feels tight, or you clear it constantly
Your neck and shoulders are locked after singing
Your register transitions have become harder or less even
Your voice feels worse after a run of shows or a heavy rehearsal week
You have a lump-in-the-throat sensation
You have a diagnosis of muscle tension dysphonia, TMD or silent reflux and want to work on the tension that goes with it
Then vocal massage is probably for you!
Disclaimer:
Vocal massage is not medical diagnosis or treatment. It works on muscle tension and sits alongside medical care, not in place of it. If a symptom is new, if hoarseness lasts more than three weeks, or if you have pain or difficulty swallowing, see your GP or an ENT specialist first.
Rates
East London
45 mins - £75
60 mins - £95
Leipzig Zentrum-West
45 mins - €75
60 mins - €90
30 minute, ‘check-in’ slots are available upon request but not offered as standard for new clients.
Concession rates available for students, conservatoire singers, and Musicians' Union members — please mention when booking.