Karaoke Forums

Hello all.

Anyone familiar with the formation of nodes (nodules) on the vocal cords? I think I may have them. Within the last week I've noticed something occurring when I try to hit certain high notes. And I can reproduce it consitently.

It's hard to explain, but it's like feeling my vocal cords slamming together, and there's this "extra vibration" that occurs, right in the middle of a high note. And it changes the pitch, the sound of my voice. The closest example I can give in describing this "extra vibration" is like the sound of when you attached a playing card to the spokes of your bike, when you were a kid.

From what I've read, this sounds like the symptoms of nodes.

Here's a couple of MP3's where you can hear what I'm talking about. Like a before and after. On the MP3 with the earlier date of May 27, I sound fine:

http://www.4shared.com/file/50129434/fe ... ay-27.html


On the MP3 with the later date of June 3, you can clearly hear this occurring when I'm hitting the high notes. Pay attention to the line: "how my poor heart aches, with every step you take"

http://www.4shared.com/file/50129463/1d ... une-3.html

If anyone can recognize what this is a symptom of, and give me any insight, I'd greatly appreciate it.

Thanks!

- Dave

If you think you have nodes, you should stop singing immediately and see a doctor. Singing with nodes can damage your voice.

The usual first measure is complete vocal rest (that's right, no talking) for a couple of weeks. If rest doesn't do it, then and only then is surgery considered.

I strongly recommend joining the Yahoo group "theVocalist", and searching the archives. You can also post a question there. There are doctors and top pro singers monitoring the list, and you will get excellent advice.

Yes, the wise and prudent thing to do is to seek medical advice.

Next, seek advice from a competent vocal coach. Your voice is strained. I would suggest that you warm up properly and keep in practice. Screamers like "Every Move You Make" will tear your voice to shreds if you're not ready for it. It sounds to me as if that is what happened. But it couldn't hurt to see a doctor.

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Okay, who took my pants?

I listened, and I'm not sure if those are nodes, but it definitely sounds like vocal fatigue. You're either singing out of your range (most likely too often), or not completely from your diaphragm, either (or both) of which is causing the anomaly.

Keep an eye on it and if it continues for more than another few days, stop singing and get it checked out.

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hi-voxentertainment

hi, i had nodes on my vocal cords and had to have an operation, pretty sure i have them now also, i sang in a band and did 95% of the singing it took its toll...but the only way i found out i had them was my voice gave completely out, i couldn't sing any notes higher then what i could talk, not even that high...with nodes u lose all ur highs, i'm guessing mine went on for a long time before i had anything done....as far as the being able to notice a differents in ur voice other then loseing ur highs i didn't....i sing wrong plus i also talk wrong plus all the hrs a week singing pretty much did me in....if ur singing and r talkjing wrong unless u learn how to talk and sing the right way u will just gettum again...so resting ur voice will only delay what will come if u don't learn to sing the correct way....JMO....Billy

I see you went to theVocalist and posted. As I thought, they recommended a trip to the ENT.

Listening myself, and hearing you describe yourself as a bass or baritone, those are some pretty high notes. Are you sure you are meant to sing that way? Or if you feel it is in your range, do you mix up your singing? Constant singing at extremes of range -- either low or high -- can cause problems. You want to do a couple of high songs at most, then quite a few more in the middle of your range. Pushing your voice to the high end frequently is almost certainly wrong.

I know how much it hurts to rest your voice when you want to sing. But based on my knowledge to date, in your position I have some ideas what I would do. I would do about 3 days of vocal rest, with as little talking as possible. Then I would do a couple of days of songs only in the mid portion of my range. Then finally I would start stretching it again. If there were still problems during this process, I would immediately stop and see a doctor.

Thanks to all for the replies and suggestions.

Being that "nodes" was pretty much the only major vocal cord ailment I had heard of, that was my first thought. Turns out, after getting feedback from this board and other sources, that this is *not* what having nodes sounds like. That there are a number of different things (not just nodes) that could occur in the way of "vocal pathology."

Apparently nodes gives you a raspy sound, versus the kind of "fluttering" sound that I was experiencing. So instead of this being nodes, it sounds like simple "vocal fatigue." And that the best thing I could do is just rest.

Last night at my regular Thursday night spot I gave it another try. If it had happened again, I was going to keep my appt. with the ENT today. Fortunately it didn't re-occur at all! So I cancelled my appt with the ENT. I'm just going to try to rest a bit, and when I resume singing, I'll keep an ear out in case it happens again.

Thanks again!

- Dave