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[A version of this article was previously published in the Journal of Voice.]
INTRODUCTION
Warming up the voice is an accepted tradition among singers and is considered essential for healthy singing technique. Centuries of experience-based practice and publications have created the belief that warm-up is a necessary aspect in voice training. Vocal cool-down at the end of a lesson, rehearsal, or performance is not yet standard practice. In recent years, singers have more frequently been encouraged to cool down the voice, but empirical and scientific data remain in their infancy with regard to evidence-based information.1 For this to change, there is a need for more scientific research to substantiate cool-down exercises as a necessary aspect of a singer's vocal health. Until that time, it is reasonable to guide singers to cool down their voices based on current research and anecdotal experience of voice pedagogues.
WHAT IS CURRENTLY KNOWN ABOUT COOL-DOWN EXERCISES
The past few decades of research have provided more knowledge about principles of voice production. This has led to a new appreciation of the singer as a vocal athlete. Since there is historical precedence for vocal warm-ups, studies have focused on the efficacy of that aspect of training the singing voice.2 One recent study of 188 music theater singers found that approximately 90% of incoming freshmen used vocal warm-ups; however, only 15% of those singers used vocal cool-downs.3 Another study of 117 participants reported that 54% always use vocal warm-ups before singing and 22% use vocal cool-downs.4 A recent dissertation focused solely on the efficacy of vocal cool-down exercises in nine graduate students at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music.5 The results show that, based on the objective acoustic and aerodynamic measures, the impact of cool-down exercises on the voice remains unclear. The study found that there may be perceived benefits 12-14 hours after cooling down the voice, rather than immediately following. In 2012, a ground-breaking study by Verdolini Abbott et al. used secretions from the surface of the vocal folds to postulate that certain resonant voice (RV) exercises, when used after a heavy load, are more effective at helping inflammation than either voice rest or spontaneous speech.6 Studies exploring the method of cool-down exercises and their effectiveness are in early stages; there is still...