Part 3- My Tongue Tie Journey as a Singer and Vocal Coach- I've started treatment!
How do tongue ties affect the singing voice? Vocal coach Gemma Milburn shares her personal experience.
🎤 How I Now Help Singers with Tongue Tie
Since sharing my own experience, I’ve connected with so many singers who’ve realised they might be affected by tongue tie too — whether they’re preparing for a release, recovering afterwards, or just trying to make sense of the changes they feel in their voice.
As a contemporary vocal coach and Vocal Habilitation Professional, I now specialise in supporting adult singers who want to sing with more ease, freedom and confidence after dealing with tongue tie–related challenges.
In our online sessions, we work gently and holistically — combining proven vocal technique, Buteyko breathing, and tongue-awareness exercises to help your voice rebalance and feel more effortless again. Every singer’s journey is unique, but you don’t have to figure it out alone.
🎶 If this resonates with you, you can book a free Discovery Call below.
My Tongue Tie Update: What I’ve Learned So Far
Hello everyone!
It’s been — honestly, I don’t even know when the last time I uploaded a video was. My tongue tie journey started back in the summer, and now it’s January 2024.
I’ve been waiting until I had something concrete to share, and over the past six months I’ve learned so much about tongues, tongue ties, how they affect singing, who treats them, and what the current research says. I wanted to give you an update on everything I’ve discovered.
Why I’m Sharing This
My aim has always been to help others learn from my experience and to pave the way for anyone who might go through something similar.
I’ve recently started myofunctional therapy — I’ve had an assessment, my first session, and I’ve been doing exercises three times a day for just under a week.
I’m feeling great and genuinely excited. It’s such an interesting process, and I’m looking forward to seeing how it improves my singing and overall health.
Speaking to Specialists
Since learning about my tongue tie, I’ve spoken with four different practitioners who specialise in this area:
One over the phone
Two online
One in person
All of them described my tongue the same way.
There’s a grading system for tongue ties from Grade 1 (the most mobile) to Grade 4 (the least). Every specialist agreed that mine sits around Grade 3/4, which is quite severe.
Facing Skepticism
I’ve also encountered some mixed opinions. Two non-specialists told me my tongue looked fine, while all the tongue tie specialists disagreed.
I even applied for funding to help with treatment, but didn’t receive it — probably because research in this area is still quite new. There’s a bit of skepticism out there, partly due to articles warning of overdiagnosis for profit.
But I’m in the UK, where our healthcare system works differently, and I truly believe this isn’t about trends — it’s about understanding how anatomy affects function.
Why I’m Doing This
My main motivation is to address long-standing issues and insecurities with my voice.
During my full myofunctional assessment with Emily at Breathe First Speech and Myo in Manchester, I learned a lot about my tongue, jaw, and body. She looked at posture, chewing, and swallowing patterns and found that I use compensatory muscles when swallowing — something that directly impacts my singing flexibility.
Emily also pointed out that I have a narrow palate and restricted jaw motion, which could influence whether I’m a candidate for a tongue tie release.
What I’ve Discovered
One of the biggest surprises? I can’t lift the back of my tongue — something that’s actually crucial for certain singing techniques.
This journey has been so eye-opening, and I’m genuinely excited to see how these exercises and treatments will help.
If you suspect you might have a tongue tie, find a specialist. There’s so much to learn, and truly nothing to lose.
Where I Am Now
I’m not an expert, but I love talking about this and sharing what I learn.
If you’re in the UK and looking for an assessment, I can highly recommend Emily at Breathe First Speech and Myo in Manchester.
There’s still a lot more to uncover, but I’m hopeful that this process will help not only my singing — but also my sleep, focus, and overall health.
What’s Next
I’ll be posting more videos soon with the scientific side of what I’ve been learning.
If you have questions, insights, or your own experiences to share, please feel free to reach out. I love hearing from others who are on similar journeys.
See you soon — and take care of your voice. 🎶
You can watch the rest of this series here:
