5 Secrets to Stop Your Voice From Breaking Up or Cracking in Performance

5 Secrets to Stop Your Voice From Breaking Up or Cracking in Performance

The voice cracks and breaks when there is a disconnection in the vocal folds, often due to weakness, tension, interference from environmental or lifestyle factors or improper technique. This often occurs at the weakest or more challenging spots in the voice i.e.; during transitions between vocal registers, or when hitting high notes.

In today’s blog, I’m going to outline the common reasons and their solutions.

For further information about developing a strong, healthy and consistent singing voice, click here to Learn more about the Cole Vocal Method

Here’s a quick outline of the topics covered in today’s blog:

• Strengthening vocal weakness in areas of the range that cause instability
• Preventing excessive vocal tension and strain that causes cracking
• Insufficient breath support can contribute to vocal breaks
• Environmental, lifestyle, or dietary factors that cause vocal instability
• Vocal techniques that help prevent vocal breaks or cracking

Let’s dive in!

1. Strengthening vocal weakness in areas of the range that cause instability

The number one cause of vocal cracking or breaking usually comes from a weakness in the voice. This stems from a lack of vocal strength in the core voice.

Try this:

• Start with gentle vocal warmups and release sequences to warm up and open the voice.
• Practice 20 minutes a day for 3 days a week starting out, building up to 20 minutes a day for 5 days a week.
• Decrease tension in the surrounding vocal muscles practicing vocal self-massage and movements that free the voice. Unlock your voice, decrease strain, anchor your sound and expand your power and resonance with my Better Voice Challenge. Click here to get access now.

2. Preventing excessive vocal tension and strain that causes cracking

To reduce voice cracking or breaking while singing, focus on reducing tension in the vocal muscles and relaxation techniques to ease tension in your vocal cords. Practicing these movements will help to reduce the strain that causes cracking.

Try this:

• Practice yoga, somatic release exercises to open up your body to connect to your breathing and improve vocal resonance
• Stay relaxed: Maintain a relaxed mindset while singing. Thinking positively about the outcome will help you to stay in a good headspace and avoid mistakes.

In my 4-Day Better Voice Challenge I walk you through 8 Release Sequences from my Cole Vocal Method that will unlock your voice, decrease strain, anchor your sound and expand your power and resonance. Click here to get access now.

3.Insufficient breath support can contribute to vocal breaks

To reduce voice cracking or breaking while singing, focus on proper diaphragmatic breath support and relaxation techniques to ease tension in your vocal cords. Practicing vocal exercises that connect your chest and head voice can also help smooth out transitions and strengthen your overall vocal range.

If you’ve been doing my Singers Gift Vocal Warmups for a while, you’re probably a bit ahead of the curve — because we get you started breathing diaphragmatically — I’ll tell you the secret.

It starts with moving the ribs. This is where diaphragmatic breathing and real support begins.

Let’s do a quick exercise.

Try this:

• Put your hands on your ribs.
• Exhale.
• Now hold your ribs firmly with pressure and breathe slowly into your hands.
• Do you feel the ribs slowly expand and swing outwards into your hands?
• The trick is to breathe slowly and not too fast and you’ll feel the ribs move. This is the beginning of breathing diaphragmatically.
• Repeat this movement daily to open up access to true breath support.

4.Environmental, lifestyle, or dietary factors that cause vocal instability

Environmental factors like a dry climate or allergy season can cause vocal irritation and inflammation that lead to vocal issues. In addition lifestyle factors and dietary choices can also cause vocal instability.

One little-known vocal issue singers can have that cause vocal instability is laryngeal reflux (LPR). Because the valve to the stomach is looser (diaphragm area), singers can have a backup of stomach acids that burn the vocal folds, causing inflammation that results in vocal instability and accentuated noticeable breaks. LPR it is not as obvious as GERD where stomach acid is burped up and can easily be missed.

One of the signs of LPR is constant throat clearing, extra mucous in the morning and throat irritation in general. The best way to get it under control is to improve gut flora and microbiome as it is an imbalance of stomach acids. Watch the documentary “Hack Your Health: The Secrets of Your Gut,” on Netflix which explores the importance of gut health and its impact on overall well-being.

Try this:

• Dehydration is the number one reason for cracking. Keep your vocal cords hydrated by drinking plenty of water and eating foods high in water content.
• Use a humidifier in dry climates. Keep it on during the evening while you are sleeping. I recommend the Carepod humidifier, which has an easy-to-clean tank that avoids mold which accumulates in most humidifiers. If you are traveling then steam often throughout the day with hot water. Make a cup of hot water and cup your hands over the cup while you breathe in the steam.
• To avoid LPR: stay away from fried foods, marinara sauce, carbonated drinks and other irritating foods and beverages. Click here to get the full list: The Three Day Rule: Performance Prep For Singers
• Stop clearing your throat before singing. This actually causes more inflammation and swelling at the vocal folds making singing more difficult. To reduce mucous, steam for 5-7 minutes before singing. This will slough off any additional mucous in the throat.
• For allergies, get my natural health protocol for singers to reduce allergies inside of my Vocal Resource Library here: https://caricole.com/product/vocal-resource-library/

5.Vocal techniques to prevent voice cracks

Practicing vocal technique will help you to use your voice correctly avoid cracking or breaking. Cracking or breaking often happens due to improper use of the voice during speaking or singing that causes vocal instability.

Rooting the voice in vocal technique will help create stability in the vocal muscles that support the voice.

It starts with decreasing tensions in the muscles surrounding the voice and breathing, opening up the resonance, and increasing strength and tone. The process starts with vocal warmups and release sequences and then once the voice is less tense we start the process of vocal strengthening and rooting the voice down into the “trunk” of the body.

Try this:

• Warming up is the number one technique that will help you avoid cracking or breaking. Always warm up your voice before singing to prepare your vocal cords.
• Practice good postural alignment: Align your posture while singing to avoid tension from postural imbalance. Click here to learn more about alignment.
• Develop diaphragmatic breathing opening up the rib cage to access deeper breath and support.
• Onset: Avoid pushing too much air out at the first note (called the onset) of the phrase.
• Connect registers: Work on blending your chest and head voice to create a smoother transition.
• Voice-building exercises: Engage in voice-building exercises that strengthen your voice, laryngeal position and improve breath control.

Start here:

1 – Release Sequences: Get my vocal release sequences to decrease tension and improve resonance. Click here for access to my Better Voice Challenge and learn the 8 CVM Release Sequences.

2 – Vocal Warmups: Get my full vocal warmup series that opens up your voice and helps prevent strain and vocal cracks and instability: Click here for my Singers Gift Vocal Warmups trusted by Grammy winners.

3 – Voice Building: Get my voice-building techniques (the Master Voice-Building Exercises) inside of my Vocal Freedom Circle: Click here to learn more.

Professional Guidance: Consider vocal coaching for personalized techniques and feedback. By understanding the causes and applying these techniques, you can reduce the frequency of voice cracks or register breaks while singing.

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