When I say travel I don’t necessarily mean long distance. Travel can be recording music in an outside studio, playing a gig in your home town or performing halfway across the world. Local vs global travel, the climate, and the type of gig effect what I pack.
Many of the things I’ve included in travel overlap with health and training. Please use whatever items you use for health and training when traveling. You may need travel size versions of larger items. If they are very big, heavy or cumbersome and you are traveling a short distance, consider using an item at home before you leave (such as a neti pot or humidifier).
First off if you do a lot of travel (local or global) you may want to get an organizer or just designate a bag that you keep packed with all the stuff you regularly use. This will cut down on the time you need. For example if you are rehearsing a musical every day or playing a gig every weekend you may want a pre-packed bag.
Organizers! An organizer is a great way to have a smaller case you can transfer from luggage, to bag, to other bag as needed (while still finding everything quickly).
This one’s great because you can bring your laptop, phone, kindle/tablet (if you have one), some highlighters, pens and pencils and rehearsal materials (papers/folders).
A phone battery will ensure your phone doesn’t die. It looks a little unprofessional if your phone dies when it could be useful - such as hot-spotting your laptop (wifi is notoriously spotty in many rehearsal rooms), exchanging numbers, or recording your rehearsal to practice later.
A kindle/tablet is helpful if you need to read sheet music on a music stand or piano and your computer doesn’t swivel and flatten. Please don’t go out and buy this unless you’re sure you’ll need one. Many singers can get by making sure their sheet music is printed out beforehand. This is most helpful for singer-songwriters or singer-instrumentalists who are potentially changing what is written during a rehearsal. Also black Friday tech sales are real and the discounts are huge!
A couple other things to throw in this organizer include:
All natural Lozenges
Vitamin D - if you are in rehearsal most of the day, or traveling and performing at night you may not see much sun so this will help you retain your energy.
Vitamin C, Emergen-C or airborne. If you think you may be getting sick or people in the room are sick, bring a packet or two with you. This is particularly good for those in musicals because you often end up getting so physically close in dances (you’re breathing each other's air).
Throat Coat Tea or Licorice tea: this is soothing to the throat. If it’s a long rehearsal and you have access to hot water you can just sneak a couple of packets into your organizer and make tea there. Otherwise make it at home and pour it in a thermos.
A straw - a straw is a good and easily transportable warm up tool. If you enjoy warming up with a straw bring one! I’d recommend using stainless steel or bamboo as it is more sustainable and stainless steel is particularly easy to clean.
Chapstick: Any chapstick is better than none but look for one that uses minimal ingredients and passes an EWG rating if you’re concerned. If you’re singing for long periods of time, you’re getting a lot of liquid on your lips, which is drying them out. Keep your lips nice and hydrated, in turn you’re keeping your comfort level high.
Frequency cancelling earplugs: if you are playing a gig this is a must. Some bands can get extremely loud, especially during an EQ. If you are in a lineup with multiple bands use these earplugs to make sure you aren’t ruining your hearing. If you’re rehearsing and the drummer doesn’t have a shield - earplugs may also help. These do not take out all sound - just those in a certain decibel range (the really loud sounds). They're also great for really loud concerts, or even a loud club if you go out for a night.
High quality earbuds. You may be asked to listen to something you've recorded. Having high quality earbuds is economic in terms of space. Moshi is my brand of choice because they are noise cancelling, have a heavier base (which I prefer) and are high sound quality. Pro tip: for affordable prices on more expensive earbuds try Ebay for steep discounts!
Business cards: You never know who you’ll meet.
Some CD’s - this is really only for those going to gigs or meeting agents. Generally you can send a digital download but sometimes having a physical cd isn't a terrible idea. They may forget to download something, but if they have the cd it’s a physical reminder. Also don’t feel like you need a completed album to have a cd. It’s fine to burn your 4 best EPs onto a disk. Just make sure there’s a sticker somewhere with your artist name and ways to contact (including an agent if you have one).
Vocal spray - this is a quick easy way to sooth your throat (go for something as close to all natural as possible).
Smelling salts, sinus balms - this quickly opens your sinuses but be aware that they may cause the mucus to migrate down your throat. Only use this if you have a half hour or more to clear out your sinuses before singing.
A couple other things I would include in my bag:
A reusable stainless steel water bottle - glass can break when traveling and even bp free plastic can contain other harmful chemicals.
A thermos (for tea!)
A scarf or neck wrap - this will keep the muscles around your throat warm. This way they are less likely to tense up. It’s particularly important in dry cold areas and when you have a sore throat.
Mini-steamer/nebulizer - these can travel well and are essential for anyone with very clogged sinuses, a cold or post-nasal drip. If you are from a humid area going to a drier area this will offset the drying effects. If the building has forced air (air conditioning) this will also help. There are compact steamers (although they are a bit pricey). To cheat the system, repurpose a salt steamer (don’t add the salt just add hot water) or go old fashioned, bring a dish cloth and make a steamer using a pot from the rehearsal room’s kitchen/green room or hotel.
Neti pot - For traveling I’d recommend the Neil med squeeze bottle instead of a traditional neti pot. It’s plastic so won’t break in a bag and it’s easier to use. Another good option is to use something that includes its own nasal wash so that you don’t have to worry about also bringing purified water.
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