Fall is coming to an end and winter is upon us. We are lucky here in Southern California not to have to deal with snow and ice. But we do still have cold temperatures, especially at night. And when do most performances happen, night time! After the sun has dropped and the temperatures along with it. If you have to perform outside in the cold it can be stressful on your vocal cords. Here’s are four great tips to keep those vocal cords warm and really to go.

1. Nose breathing, it’s a must! Breathing in through you nose does more than just clean out the dust and junk in the air. It also warms the cold air up before it hits your cords. This will lessen the impact and keep your cords from drying out as fast.

2. Hydration, hydration, hydration. No matter what time of year it is hydration is important for singers. But during the winter then air is typically dryer than normal. This means that your vocal cords will dry out faster than normal so keep the water going.

3. Don’t forget the Warm-ups. When the air is cold it will take more time to warm up those cords and get them ready to sing. Don’t cut your warm-ups short.

4. Scarfs are your best friend. These are more than just a fashion statement ladies. They are meant to keep the throat warm. No scarf equals cold throat. Scarf equals warm throat. It’s obvious which is better.