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Have you ever wondered how some people manage to hit those incredibly perfect notes? What many people don’t realize is that your voice is your musical instrument, just like a violin. And like any musical instrument, there are techniques to learn in order to produce certain sounds, like those amazing high notes. Here are some techniques for training your voice and strategies on how to sing high notes.
Articulate: Use your mouth, tip of the tongue, and teeth to be more precise in pronouncing your words. This will help you sing higher and with ease. To improve your articulation, try this tongue twister at least five times: “Lips, teeth, tips of the tongue.” Make sure to exaggerate the movements of your mouth, tip of the tongue, and teeth.
Feathers: When learning how to sing your full range, you may experience voice cracking. To resolve this issue, try lightening up on the difficult notes and allow the notes to float.
The reason notes crack is that the membranes and muscles don’t have the necessary “memory” to make the transition you need. Sing through the breaks, and don’t stop, otherwise, a habit of doing so may develop.
Increase air speed: Increase the air speed for the high notes and decrease it for the lower notes. Different frequencies require specific air speeds to produce the best tone. Let your ears guide you in finding the right balance. The tone should be clear, pure, and well-defined.
Relax your jaws: Stretch your jaws and face before singing to ensure they are relaxed. When your jaws and face are tense, they will prevent you from hitting those high notes. One way to tell if you are breathing properly is that your chest isn’t moving; it’s your stomach. Avoid straining or hurting your voice. Drinking water can also help keep your vocal cords hydrated.
Use your diaphragm: If you breathe by engaging your abdominal muscles, you are only utilizing half of your resources. You are missing out on the power that the back muscles can provide. To breathe correctly, fill your abdomen and feel the expansion all around, including the back. Then “compress the air,” which will aid in the release of the vocal sound. This is done by lifting the diaphragm up from the center of the body. One way to tell if you are breathing properly is that your chest isn’t moving; it’s your abdomen.
Vowel modification: Everyone has specific vowels that work best for them when singing “above the staff.” Once you discover the vowels that work for you, you can practice modifying the vowels as you ascend the scale.
A good way to sing high notes is to start by singing as low as possible. This allows your vocal cords to stretch so that when you go to sing the high notes, you can expand the range you are capable of singing. However, be cautious not to strain your voice when singing below your natural range, as it can cause your voice to crack and prevent you from hitting the high notes.
An easy test to check if you are singing the high notes correctly is to place a finger on your voice box (larynx) and sing up the scale. If you feel your voice box moving up your neck, that’s the wrong way. Another test is to hold your tongue and sing. This will help you determine if your tongue is getting in the way. If your throat hurts, a way to alleviate it is to drink peppermint tea with lemon juice and honey.
Manuel Marino is a seasoned Senior Producer, Music Composer, and Artist with over a decade of experience. He specializes in branded entertainment across various mediums, including video games, films, and advertising campaigns. With 20+ years as a game music composer, Manuel has worked on numerous platforms, creating diverse orchestral soundtracks. HIRE ME
