hoarseness

[Janet . PAPE <Janet.PAPE...>]

Singing outside in crowds without amplification can really wreck havoc
on your vocal chords.  One preventative measure is to thoroughly warm-up
your voice before performing.  You can do this quietly amidst a crowd by
starting very low in your voice and gently humming or oo-ing, ever so
slowly, an ascending scale, (a glissando), and then returning by
descending.  This is also a good test of your breath control.

Also, don't push to sing your loudest - make the crowd/group hush up to
hear you at your comfortable dynamic. It is easy to overdo it outside
because you don't get any return on your voice from walls - you don't
hear yourself as well and so you sing even louder to compensate.

Janet Pape