Singing Tips and Techniques – How to Sing High Notes

by King Dumb

Ever wonder how some people manage to hit those truly high notes? What many people don’t realize is that your voice is a musical instrument, like a violin. And like a musical instrument, there are techniques for learning to produce certain sounds, such as those high notes. Here are some techniques for training your voice and tips on how to sing high notes:

1. Articulate: Use your mouth, tip of the tongue, and teeth to be more precise in producing your words. This will help you sing better and more easily. To improve your articulation, try this tongue twister at least five times: “Lips, teeth, tips of the tongue.” Make sure that the mouth, tip of the tongue, and teeth are exaggerated in movement.
2. Feathers: To learn how to sing your full range, you may experience cracking in your voice. To solve this issue, lighten up on the problem notes and let them float. The notes break because the membranes and muscles don’t have the “memory” needed to perform the transition required. Sing through the breaks; don’t stop, or a habit of doing so will develop.
3. Increase air speed: Increase the air speed for high notes and decrease it for lower ones. Different frequencies require specific air speeds to produce the best tone. Let your ears tell you when the balance is achieved. The tone should be clear, pure, and crisp.
4. Tense jaws: Stretch your jaws and face before singing to ensure they are relaxed. If they are tense, they will prevent you from hitting high notes.
5. Proper breathing: One way to tell if you are breathing correctly is if your chest isn’t moving but your stomach is. Avoid straining or hurting your voice. Drinking water can help keep your vocal cords hydrated.
6. Use your diaphragm: If you’re breathing using only your abdominal muscles, you’re missing out on the power that your back muscles can provide. To breathe correctly, fill your abdomen and feel the expansion all around, including your back. Then “compress the air” to support the vocal release by lifting the diaphragm up from the center of the body.
7. Vowel modification: Everyone has specific vowels that work best for them when singing “above the staff.” If you know the vowels that work for you, practice modifying them as you ascend the scale.
8. Range extension: A good way to sing high notes is to start by singing as low as possible, which allows your vocal cords to stretch so that when you go to sing the high notes, you can increase your range. Be cautious, though, and don’t strain your voice when singing below your typical range, as your voice may break and prevent you from hitting high notes.
9. Technique check: An easy test to see if you’re singing high notes correctly is to place a finger on your voice box, or larynx, and then sing up the scale to see if your voice box moves higher up the throat. This is the wrong way. Another way is to hold your tongue and sing to see if your tongue gets in the way. If your throat hurts, drinking peppermint tea with lemon juice and honey can help.

Manuel Marino

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