What Not to Do Before a Singing Audition

Your audition is just days away. You've been practicing your piece for weeks, and feel like your more than ready for the audition.

But will your voice be ready?

Just as an athlete knows there are things they should avoid the week before a big competition, there are things a singer should avoid before a big audition if they want their vocal cords to be in tip-top shape.

Before an audition, avoid smoke.

Smoke will dry out your throat and irritate your vocal cords. So, you definitely shouldn't smoke before an audition. You should also avoid places where you're likely to be exposed to second-hand smoke, like bars and parties.

Breathing in dust, fumes, or chemicals (like strong household cleaners) can also irritate your throat. So avoid them as much as possible before an audition.

Watch what you drink before your audition.

Alcohol and caffeine can also dry out and irritate your throat. So drinking a cup of coffee, or having even a small drink, right before an audition is a bad idea.

Watch what you eat before an audition.

Acid reflux (which causes irritating stomach acids to be pushed backwards into your throat) can really irritate your throat. If you know there are certain foods that cause you to experience indigestion or acid reflux, start avoiding them a few days before your audition.

Before your audition, try not to clear your throat.

Clearing your throat causes abnormal vibrations in your vocal cords which could caused them to become swollen and irritated, which is not what you want when you're about to audition. And, once you start clearing your throat, it's hard to start. So, no matter how much you feel like clearing your throat, resist the temptation.

Before your audition, avoid mint, or mentholated products.

Sucking on hard candy or a lozenge, or chewing some gum before an audition isn't a bad idea. It will increase the production of saliva, which will moisten your throat. But candy or gum that contains mint (like peppermint or spearmint), and mentholated products (like some cough drops) will actually dry out and irritate your throat. Before your audition, stick with fruit-flavored hard candies.

Before your audition, avoid yelling, talking excessively, or singing too loudly.

Before your audition, you want to rest your voice as much as possible. So, no cheering at the concert, singing silly songs at the top of your lungs, or staying up late at night talking on the phone to old friends.

Don't whisper.

In order to save their voices for an audition, some singers start whispering a few days before. But whispering can actually put as much strain on your vocal cords as shouting would. So, instead of whispering, talk in your normal voice.

You want your voice to be ready when it's time to audition. And these tips will help keep your vocal cords in tip-top shape.