How to prevent dry throat while singing?

Hi Camille, I am a new student and am loving your 30-day singing basic tutorial!

I have a question, and I'm not sure if someone have asked before but I couldn't find it in the forum. I always find that my throat dries up very easily while singing and that I have to drink water or pause singing to swallow my saliva and moisten my throat. Do you think there is something wrong with my technique and how can I improve it? 

Thank you!

Hi, Maryam! Welcome, and I'm so glad you're enjoying it! 

My guess is that you're experiencing dryness not from a flaw in your technique, but from a lack of hydration over all! There's a reason singers don't go anywhere without a water bottle - they stay hydrated 24/7, not just when they're singing! So I'd increase your water intake for the next week or so and see if that problem decreases. It's totally normal to need extra water when you sing, since your vocal folds are getting blood flow and exercise in a different way than they normally do.

Feel free to check back in and let me know how it goes!

Hi, Camille. I just signed up for the 30 day singer and watched your first two videos in the Beginner course. I too have a question about having a dry throat.

I am someone that's a regular smoker and just smoked before singing, so naturally, my throat was dry and because of that, I had trouble with my range. So my question is what are some tips on how to improve my singing, despite the fact I smoke? Should I wait a certain ammount of time between smoking and singing? And if I happen to smoke before I sing, besides rehydrating myself, is there anything I should do to help with my throat and vocal chords?

Thank you :)

Hi, Sam!

Waiting between smoking and singing may help with the dryness, but unfortunately you may still be dealing with irritation or swelling, regardless of the time that you wait. Here's more info on the relationship between smoking and singing: https://tobaccofreelife.org/resources/smoking-singing/.

Additionally, here are some self-care methods from the Mayo Clinic. One of the methods is to stop smoking, which I know might not be an option right now, but everything else on this list can help:

• Breathe moist air. Use a humidifier to keep the air throughout your home or office moist. Inhale steam from a bowl of hot water or a hot shower.
• Rest your voice as much as possible. Avoid talking or singing too loudly or for too long. If you need to speak before large groups, try to use a microphone or megaphone.
• Drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration (avoid alcohol and caffeine).
• Moisten your throat. Try sucking on lozenges, gargling with salt water or chewing a piece of gum.
• Stop drinking alcohol and smoking, and avoid exposure to smoke. Alcohol and smoke dry your throat and irritates your vocal cords.
• Avoid clearing your throat. This action irritates your vocal cords.
• Avoid decongestants. These medications can dry out your throat.
• Avoid whispering. This puts even more strain on your voice than normal speech does.