Bogart-Bacall Syndrome is the reward for speaking at a very low voice. Do you know what happens to your voice when you speak at a pitch extremely lower than your normal range? Generally people lower their voices to sound more sexier and appealing. Some also like to speak at lower voices to sound more authoritative. This can lead to Bogart-Bacall Syndrome.
Bogart-Bacall Syndrome is caused due to abuse or overuse of voice. Hence it is named as Vocal Misuse Disorder. Different people have different range of voices. Their normal range also varies. When people speak, scream or sing away from their normal range, they produce serious effects. The air in our lungs get exhausted. This strains our muscles involved in breathing and speaking. When we lower our voice, the vocal cords are pressed. Many people lower their voices to sound little authoritative. They suffer from hoarseness of voice, soreness of throat, fatigue of vocal cords and end up in loss of voice.
This disorder is named after a Hollywood-actor turned couples; Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. They were famous because of their husky tones. They lowered their voices deliberately. Bacall had a high voice naturally. She got trained to lower it to work in her debut movie – To Have and Have Not. Even Bagart had a nasal voice naturally which he converted to husky-effect deliberately.
Vocal fatigue and Dysphonia in the professional voice user is named as Bogart-Bacall Syndrome.
Dysphonia – inability to produce voice sounds.
Vocal fatigue – deterioration of voice due to excess strain on vocal cords.
Treatment of this syndrome involves increasing control over breath and voice therapy. Treatment is very difficult and requires too much of patience. So proper information is needed to be passed to all to prevent own self from getting this deadly disorder. This disorder can affect both men and women. This condition is thrice more common in women than men.
If you are a performer, then first find the correct range of your voice. Then stick to it to continue singing for longer period of time. You can do many more things to make your voice sound good and stylish. Choosing a different range is no solution.Bogart-Bacall Syndrome
