Strong mints make my voice sound way better. Is there any way to keep this effect?

Question

I've recently noticed that having a strong mint before I sing makes it a lot easier to hit notes (and to hold them with less wavering), it increases my vocal range, and altogether just makes my voice sound a whole lot better even while just talking. Unfortunately this only lasts for around 10-15 minutes after the mint is gone.

I don't know much about this (so please correct me if I'm mistaken) but I'm assuming the mint opens my airways more or relaxes some muscle in my throat which causes these positive effects on my voice.

My question is: Is there a way that I can retain these effects for longer periods of time, or even permanently? Perhaps there are some vocal training exercises I could do?

Answer 1

You are correct that menthol can act as a muscle relaxant, and that relaxed muscles in the throat will help with your singing.

There are numerous exercises for singers designed to work on throat relaxation. A google search with "vocal exercises relax throat" or "how to relax throat muscles for singing" will give you plenty of material to check out.

You can also look into the bel canto technique, which includes relaxation work as part of it.