I’m in the process of getting over a two-week bout of some vile and disgusting respiratory Thing. (“Thing” being a technical medical term in this case.) It went from a dry hacking cough that prevented me from breathing, to my voice transforming into a Harvey Fierstein-esque gravel, to that productive part of a respiratory Thing that involves icky things I won’t describe here.
In the midst of this, it occurred to me that sometimes folks who want to create and produce audio products get respiratory Things too, and sometimes this (inconveniently) happens when you’re scheduled to record. This also applies to in person seminar-like presentations or speeches.
What to do?
How to cope?
I have some thoughts.
Thought 1
Reschedule.
No one does her or his best work when not feeling well. If it’s at all possible, put off recording until you’re feeling (and sounding better).
If we’re talking about a seminar or other in person dealio, I know that rescheduling may be impossible. But if you’re recording an audio product, you probably can. Yes, even if others are involved. Trust me, pretty much everyone is understanding of sickness. And if they’re not, do you really want to work with them anyway?
Thought 2
Plan ahead to increase the time needed to edit.
If you’ve got a one-off shot to interview someone amazing and otherwise inaccessible, you may have to go ahead with the recording. Or you may have to do the in person gig (the one you planned on editing on the back side to make into a product for those who couldn’t be there in person).
Plan now to double or even triple the time it will take to edit. If you’re doing it yourself, it’s just a matter of reordering your personal schedule. If you’re paying someone to do the editing, expect a bigger bill.
If you can’t do this, please refer to Thought 1.
Thought 3
Prep your voice.
You need to take care of your voice at all times, but if you’ve got a respiratory Thing, it’s even more important than normal. And “better living through chemistry” will often have side effects that, while you may sound okay, will cause you to make no sense. (Think narcotics here, folks.)
I’m not a doctor, so this isn’t medical advice. These are tricks I’ve used forever for public speaking and necessary recording times.
Tea.
Hot tea with honey and lemon. NO MILK.
Why? The heat is good for you. It helps to loosen up your chest. The lemon is an astringent which helps with the goopy stuff that you don’t want ejecting from any membranes while you’re working. The honey (and yes, I mean honey; not sugar or sugar substitutes) coats your throat, reducing the pain.
Ibuprofen or your personal pain reliever of choice.
A pain reliever will help you push past fever and soreness and actually pay attention to what you’re trying to say. The kind of pain killers that require a prescription because they are nonsensical-vision-inducing are not a good idea. Just saying.
Drambuie (this is my father’s favorite solution to a respiratory Thing)
Any viscous liquor will have a similar effect as honey. And the alcohol, because it’s a system depressant, can calm your cough reaction as well. But again, remember, you don’t want to not be coherent, so use with caution!
Thought 4
Take many breaks.
This one applies more to recording than it does to live stuff.
Plan on stopping every 10 minutes or so for about 10 minutes. When your throat is sore, using your vocal cords only exacerbates the situation. Take many breaks to ensure that you can make it through to the end.
The live version of this is to have access to enough water so that you can consume the equivalent of a glass of water every 15 minutes or so. Yes, you will need to pee more quickly, but that will help keep you on schedule.
To Sum Up
Getting sick stinks, more so when you have plans to record a product or present to actual 3D people. But by taking some simple steps you can get through it, without creating something that is entirely unusable for future product sale.
And just for the sake of saying it … no, no one will want to buy an audio product that sounds like absolute rubbish unless you happen to be someone like the Dali Lama, providing the secret to life, the universe, and everything. And frankly, he’s important enough that he can reschedule.
Do you have tips or tricks you use to get through a sore throat or respiratory Thing? Please share in the comments.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Gargling with a mixture of hot water. whiskey and garlic
That one’s new to me. And while it sounds thoroughly disgusting, I can see that it might work. Garlic is a great panacea for a large number of body-invading bugs. Thanks!