How to Avoid Getting Cracks in Your Voice When Singing

Last Updated: January 2, 2023 References Approved

Singing can be a quite embarrassing time to have your voice crack. There are several different potential causes of voice cracking, but luckily, there are also many solutions. You can prevent cracking by warming up, using your body properly, and taking good care of your voice.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Warming up Your Voice

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Start off by singing a few scales. A scale is a sequence of musical notes that either ascend or descend in pitch. Most scales are based around octaves, which are 8 notes that are each a half or whole step apart (do-re-mi-fa-sol-la-ti-do).^{[1]
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2
Do elevator slides. An elevator slide is a warm up technique that allows you to travel from head voice to chest voice and back in a smoother way that prevents cracking. To do this, start singing the vowel “e” on a low note and then make a siren-like sound as you move to higher and higher notes. Then, go back down to the note you started on.
- After this, do the same exact thing, but with an “ah” sound instead.^{[3]
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3
Sing along to a playlist. Make a list of four or five different songs you really enjoy singing. Then, rank them according to difficulty. Make a playlist that starts with the easier songs and ends with the harder ones. Warm up by singing each song on the playlist. By the time you get to the more challenging songs, your vocal cords should be more flexible and ready.^{[4]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Using Your Body Properly

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Relax your muscles. Many singers tend to tilt their heads up when they sing high notes and down when they sing low notes. These tense movements can strain your voice and even limit your range. Instead, always try to keep your throat and neck muscles relaxed when you sing.^{[5]
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- You may find that your voice cracks when you’re nervous. This is because your muscles are tense when you’re nervous.
2
Use your diaphragm. Many experience cracking because they’re singing from their throat instead of their diaphragm. Use your larger abdominal muscles when you sing and don’t rely on the smaller ones in your throat. This will allow you to have more support while you sing and transition more freely between registers.
- Train yourself to do this by practicing low breathing. To do this properly, expand your belly like a balloon when you take deep breaths.^{[6]
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3
Blend vocal registers. Vocal registers are different ways of producing sound. When you sing, your vocal folds look and vibrate differently when in different registers. Because of this, it’s hard to transition smoothly from one to another without cracking. Avoid cracking by training yourself to blend these registers.^{[7]
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- Head voice (the higher, lighter, sweeter register) and chest voice (the deeper, lower, more powerful register) are the more common vocal registers.
- Beginners naturally sing lower notes in chest voice and higher notes in head voice. Practice singing lower notes in head voice and higher notes in chest voice to help ease the transition.^{[8]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Taking Care of Your Voice

1
Drink a lot of water. When you drink water, your vocal cords are lubricated at a cellular level. This lubrication alleviates the stress to your vocal cords caused by heat and friction. Make sure you drink the recommended 6-8 8oz glasses a day and keep a glass nearby when you’re singing.^{[9]
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- Make sure to drink lukewarm water while singing; anything too cold or too hot can negatively affect your voice.
2
Eat hydrating snacks. You can also hydrate yourself and lubricate your vocal cords by eating foods that contain a lot of water. Eat a good amount of apples, pears, watermelon, peaches, melons, grapes, plums, bell peppers and applesauce.^{[10]
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Avoid consuming alcohol, caffeine, excessive sugar, or acidity. Many foods and drinks have negative impacts on your voice, including milk, juice, coffee, ice cream, and candy. Avoid these foods and drinks particularly on training and performing days.
4
Avoid yelling and screaming. When you increase your loudness, your vocal folds bang together harder than usual to produce the sound. Over time, this can cause your vocal folds to become swollen, red, and damaged.^{[11]
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Don’t clear your throat. While it might seem natural to clear your throat before singing, it bangs your vocal cords together in a destructive way that can lead to severe hoarseness. Instead, try sipping water when you feel the urge to clear your throat.
- If you find yourself clearing your throat a lot, see a doctor. There’s a chance that you could be dealing with some allergies or acid reflux disease.^{[12]
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Humidify your home. Moisture is great for your voice. Put a humidifier in your room at night while you sleep to make sure that you’re breathing in environments that are most beneficial to your vocal cords.^{[13]
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Don’t smoke. Smoking cigarettes can not only cause cancer but also inflammation to your vocal cords. This inflammation can cause your voice to sound weak and husky.^{[14]
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Expert Q&A
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Question

How can I stop my voice from shaking while singing?

Amy Chapman, MA
Voice & Speech Coach
Amy Chapman MA, CCC-SLP is a vocal therapist and singing voice specialist. Amy is a licensed and board certified speech & language pathologist who has dedicated her career to helping professionals improve and optimize their voice. Amy has lectured on voice optimization, speech, vocal health, and voice rehabilitation at universities across California, including UCLA, USC, Chapman University, Cal Poly Pomona, CSUF, CSULA. Amy is trained in Lee Silverman Voice Therapy, Estill, LMRVT, and is a part of the American Speech and Hearing Association.

Amy Chapman, MA

Voice & Speech Coach

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

Try taking a deep breath down into your ribs while holding your rib cage out. This can help stabilize your breathing, and therefore your voice, while you're singing.
Question

At what age should I stop singing?

Community Answer

There isn't an age at which you should stop singing. Many professionals continue singing until their final days. If it begins to cause you a large deal of pain to sing, you may want to see a medical professional. Otherwise, sing on!
Question

How to avoid cracking while singing high notes?

Community Answer

Take a deep breath before you sing and imagine the sound flying to the back of your head. Open your mouth and relax your voice. Good luck!