Mucus in your throat inhibits your singing, causing your voice to sound raspy and creaky. Clearing mucus from your throat before singing will ensure that you can hold long and clear notes without issue. However, if you attempt to clear your throat incorrectly you can further damage your vocal cords and voice. So long as you use methods safe for your vocal cords, you can clear your throat before singing without damaging your voice.
Suck on a menthol cough drop directly before your performance. Menthol cough drops will clear your sinuses to prevent mucus from draining into your throat. Additionally, a cough drop will loosen the mucus from your throat, allowing you to clear it with a sip of water.
Pour 1 tbsp. of lemon juice into a 16 oz. glass of water and sip it over 10 minutes. The acids in lemon juice will help clear mucus from your throat and prevent it from returning for up to two hours following. Keep a glass of lemon water near you to sip in between songs if you continue to have a problem with mucus production.
Emit a soft cough to clear existing mucus from your throat. You should not exert energy or loud noise when coughing; rather, the soft cough should sound like a whisper.
Do not eat dairy on the day of your performance. Dairy products such as cheese, milk and yogurt increase mucus production and make clearing your throat more difficult.
Tip
Avoid yelling or talking too loudly before a performance. Yelling causes abnormal vibrations in your vocal cords and can damage your throat, causing excess mucus production.
References
- "Singing For Dummies"; Pamelia S. Phillips; 2010
- "Strengthening Your Singing Voice"; Elizabeth Sabine, Jaime Vendera and Anne McGee; 2008
Writer Bio
Serena Styles is a Colorado-based writer who specializes in health, fitness and food. Speaking three languages and working on a fourth, Styles is pursuing a Bachelor's in Linguistics and preparing to travel the world. When Styles isn't writing, she can be found hiking, cooking or working as a certified nutritionist.