Why Your Throat Gets Sore When You Sing — And How to Fix It for Good
Body - Voice connection| Vocal Health
Do you feel your throat getting sore every time you sing?
If so, you’re far from alone — and there is a clear reason behind it.
After coaching adult singers for over 15 years, I can confidently tell you that most vocal soreness comes from one single habit almost every beginner shares.
It’s not your range.
It’s not your “lack of talent.”
It’s not because you're doing anything “too advanced.”
It’s simply how you start the sound.
Let’s break down what’s actually happening — and how to fix it permanently.
1. The Real Reason Your Throat Hurts: The Harsh Onset
Most adults start every phrase with what vocal science calls a hard onset.
That tiny click at the beginning may seem harmless, but it’s extremely damaging over time.
Even the smallest click means your vocal folds are slamming together before they’re ready.
This is the #1 pattern I see in new singers, and it’s the fastest way to:
strain your throat
get tired quickly
lose your voice
develop chronic tension
To fix your voice, you must fix the onset.
But to understand the onset, you need to understand the breath.
2. The Breathing Mistake That Causes the Hard Onset
Most singers breathe in the worst possible way for singing:
shoulders lift
neck tenses
breath is loud and high
air intake is tiny
(To see how it looks like, take a look at the video!)
Here’s what’s wrong with that type of inhale:
❌ It uses a lot of effort for very little breath
You're working hard, but taking in barely any air.
❌ It activates the wrong muscles
Neck, shoulders, and upper chest tighten — the exact opposite of what the voice needs.
❌ It creates low lung volume
Low air volume = high air pressure when you exhale.
High pressure slams the vocal folds.
❌ It forces a micro-hold
Because the breath is so effortful, you unknowingly pause before singing.
This leads to the deadly trio:
Holding
Closing the vocal folds
Releasing high-pressure air into already-closed folds
→ The hard onset click
This is why your throat hurts.
3. Why Breathing Through the Nose Makes It Worse
This part is controversial, but it’s important:
For singing, breathing through the nose is NOT ideal.
Nose breathing is great for health, sleep, and relaxation —
but not for vocal efficiency.
It causes:
delay between inhale and singing
unnecessary closing of the vocal folds
more micro-holding
more pressure buildup
more soreness
For singing, the healthiest breath is a mouth inhale.
Let’s train it.
4. How to Fix the Sore Throat: Learn the Gentle Onset
Here is the quickest way to eliminate the hard onset completely.
Step 1 — Open your mouth into a relaxed “ah”
Not wide.
Not dark.
Just gently open with lips slightly forward.
Step 2 — Inhale through the mouth silently
Feel the fresh air at the back of your throat. Make sure you inhale silently and without tension - simply let the air in withour ressistance.
Step 3 — Exhale immediately with sound
No pause, no holding.
In the video, I show you an exercise you can do to train this skill in an organic, natural way.
You’ll notice:
less throat effort
softer onset
reduced soreness
easier sound flow
more comfort
healthier voice
This one coordination alone can transform your singing.