Question:

Sometimes when I sing my throat gets so dry there is pain and my voice cracks. What can I do?

Answer:

Firstly, you need to see if you can determine the cause. Performance anxiety is a major cause of dry throat. Mouth breathing and general dehydration can also contribute to the problem.

If you are generally dry, see a doctor. If it happens only when you are singing, try breathing through your nose, drink lots of water, and imagine biting into a lemon to create saliva.

Try steaming before you perform and avoid anything that dehydrates such as salt, caffeine, menthol or extreme exercise.

If you suffer from performance anxiety you can work with a therapist or take a class that focuses on resolving it. Anxiety usually reduces with experience, so the more you perform the better. Try open mikes, house concerts, performance classes, churches, retirement homes – the more, the better.