Vocal Training- How to hit higher notes

[JohnDX]

Hi,
This might not be the right thread or even a good topic. But Griff addressed it in at least a little length in one of this month’s AAP sessions. This may be covered in some other video, if so please send a link. Everyone’s voice has a natural vocal range. Singing in key is the first problem. The second problem is range which is bigger, at least to me. I hit an upper limit which generally precludes me from singing songs while playing guitar. I can’t hit the higher notes. Right now, I seem to sing ‘Wish you were here’ pretty well. Then I get to the phrase ‘heaven from hell’ and I screech like some wild bird. It’s really unpleasant. I came across something that suggested that you had to transition to your falsetto voice and the trick was to smooth out the transition from your normal voice to your falsetto voice more and more smoothly. I tried this a little with somewhat moderate success. Griff mentioned something very similar in working just above and just below your vocal limit in the AAP session. Right now, I’m pretty much resigned to being a guitar instrumentalist - which is my total desire/dream/wish. But being able to sing while playing would be a really nice addition. I know this topic is probably too short or out of scope for an AAP session, but maybe for one of the daily email/blog posts.
Thanks,
John

 

[leftymike01]

For me I started out with a singing course Beginner Singing by Peter Gelling
come's with a dvd,and cd and booklet to guild you through cost less the 30.00
you might want to review online youtube on reviews and short lesson from the course
hope this helps
leftymike

 

[JestMe]

Just before the lockdown I took a couple of singing lessons locally. Here are a couple of things that I got from that.

You can increase your vocal range by practice and doing the proper warmups/exercises... unless you are an old coot. I am an old coot! I guess younger voices can adapt and stretch more so than old coots.
Changing the key of a song to match your range is really easy and does wonders for making the song much easier to sing... it also helps make it sound better! Find your vocal range and then play songs within that vocal range. It will really help.

 

[leftymike01]

good advise

 

[artyman]

In the guitar duo I'm in the first thing we do with a song is find the key that matches both our voices where the harmonies are going to work. You will also find it is easier to hit high notes at the top of your range if you give it a bit of welly, trying to reach them at softer volume usually results in a screech. The vocal chords like any muscle needs to be exercised. Regular singing in church helps keep mine in trim, however since that is currently off limits due to covid, I did notice that our last gig a few weeks ago it was more of a strain than usual.

 

[ChrisGSP]

1. Find the key that suits you for each song. 2. Alter the melody line a bit, maybe to a harmony part, for the bits that are out of your range. There's nothing wrong with singing the note an octave (or a fourth or third) lower than it was written, but make sure the notes around that one lead in to and away from it - don't just suddenly drop an octave.

 

[sdbrit68]

the notes I sing in are not known to man

 

[PapaBear]

There's always vise grips

 

[Griff]

Vocal range and control can absolutely be learned and improved. I was horrible when I started and am less horrible now

Honestly, I don't consider myself a great singer, but I've spent the time and trained my voice to do things I never thought it would be able to do.

The key is CONSISTENCY. I can't encourage private lessons enough, and practicing every day, no matter what. You're trying to build small muscles and train them, and they need constant reminders.

Also, be prepared to feel exceptionally silly making all manner of strange sounds. They help, don't get in your own head.

And, while it is natural for a voice to get lower and less elastic with age, you can still improve what you have a great deal, regardless of your age.

That being said, if y'all are down, I'll show you some simple stuff

 

[MikeS]

Vocal range and control can absolutely be learned and improved. I was horrible when I started and am less horrible now

Honestly, I don't consider myself a great singer, but I've spent the time and trained my voice to do things I never thought it would be able to do.

The key is CONSISTENCY. I can't encourage private lessons enough, and practicing every day, no matter what. You're trying to build small muscles and train them, and they need constant reminders.

Also, be prepared to feel exceptionally silly making all manner of strange sounds. They help, don't get in your own head.

And, while it is natural for a voice to get lower and less elastic with age, you can still improve what you have a great deal, regardless of your age.

That being said, if y'all are down, I'll show you some simple stuff

I'm always down for trying to improve my voice. There are songs in my set that have one or two note where I have to back away from the mic and fake it.

 

[JestMe]

One thing I should have added to my previous post is...
Though my voice instructor did say it was unlikely that a man of my maturity [age not actions!] would not likely be able to add to my vocal range, she did say that I could strengthen notes that I would otherwise struggle with... so my higher range notes would be stronger and less ahhh screechy!
I was surprised that a couple of people actually claimed to notice an improvement in my singing after a few lessons...

 

[sdbrit68]

Vocal range and control can absolutely be learned and improved. I was horrible when I started and am less horrible now

Honestly, I don't consider myself a great singer, but I've spent the time and trained my voice to do things I never thought it would be able to do.

The key is CONSISTENCY. I can't encourage private lessons enough, and practicing every day, no matter what. You're trying to build small muscles and train them, and they need constant reminders.

Also, be prepared to feel exceptionally silly making all manner of strange sounds. They help, don't get in your own head.

And, while it is natural for a voice to get lower and less elastic with age, you can still improve what you have a great deal, regardless of your age.

That being said, if y'all are down, I'll show you some simple stuff

ummmmmm heck to the yeah

 

[JohnDX]

Thanks for all the responses. This is an amazing place. I admit to inconsistent effort to improve my vocals. I’m always focused on guitar learning/playing. I need to insert 10-15 minutes into my daily (M-F) practice routines to include singing. I was doing this for a while but results were mixed. Exercising the vocal muscles makes good sense. And certainly potentially working with a voice coach. I sang in the church choir as a kid. We had weekly practices and I remember having to do some weird exercises. But I did end up singing solos in church. Of course range wasn’t a problem then and I never remember having any trouble singing on key. It seems like when my voice changed, it all went downhill. I know for sure that now if I don’t have a guitar or some musical reference, every note I sing is horrible.

 

[CaptainMoto]

My guess is most of us who try to sing are rarely happy with the results.
I know, that's where I'm at.

I've always envied those who have great voices and can sing so smooth and effortlessly.

Although I'm not a good singer, I do it anyway.
I enjoy making my own music, writing and singing my own songs so, I've just put my vocal short comings to the side and forge ahead.

Years ago I sang in choirs, choruses and musical productions.
That gave me some exposure to vocal training but, It's long been forgotten.
Back then, I was great in a group and was never called upon to sing solos.

Now that I'm singing and recording my own songs, I'm much more aware of my faults.
I'll share a few tips I've learned...............even though I don't always follow them myself

- Practice breathing from the belly
Take deep breaths expanding your tummy without raising your shoulders or chest.
Place your hand on your chest to monitor your progress, your chest should not raise.

-Prepare your voice, neck, mouth muscles
Yawn, make lip trills ( like motor boat sounds), do tongue trills.
Move your head up/down & side to side

-Exercise your vocal chords
Sing a simple scale ( do re mi fa so la si do)
Move up to higher keys in small steps

-Warm up for 15- 20 minutes

-Do not "stretch " for high notes at the edge of your range
Relax, do not lift shoulders when going for the high notes this adds tension, making it more difficult.
Practice moving up to higher notes smoothly, without stretching, reaching or adding tension.

-Stay hydrated
Yes, have a glass of water near by to wet your mouth throat.
However, your vocal chords need to be hydrated from within, that means plenty liquids as a routine and certainly at least 24 hours before singing.
Avoid alcohol, caffeine and dairy .

 

[Elwood]

Avoid alcohol, caffeine and dairy .

plenty of time for that later, ain't dead yet!

 

[JPsuff]

Since the OP mentioned "Wish You Were Here", it naturally brings Gilmour to mind.

Something I have noticed over the years is that as he got older, the height of his microphone got higher so that he was singing more upwardly. I believe he did that to stretch his throat to allow as much airflow and muscular consistency as possible so that he could be able to still hit the notes he needed to hit.

I don't know if that would work for everyone, but it seems to have worked for him.

 

[BigMike]

Good advice from all, my singing teacher always told me to sing up into the microphone as it open up your airways better, I see a lot of singers doing this. The hydration is also a good tip, dry vocal chords are no use for singing. She also used to tell me off when I coughed to clear my throat! She said sip water instead as the coughing is not doing your vocal chords any good.

 

[JohnHurley]

Ok so my thoughts on the first post.

Its not going to be easy for older non native singers to stretch their natural range up much. Going up into falsetto is not a thing that comes easily or naturally to most. Plus the lower falsetto stuff is probably above the notes you want to get to ...

I can kind of sing its all relative right? I did a whole bunch of singing and choir into 7th grade ... between 6th grade i was a soprano then alto then tenor then barotone and that messed me up for a while. But for a long time i could switch gears falsetto into the upper range. Yikes i used to get into the vocal games Deep Purple Made in Japan stuff ha ha.

But that switching ranges does not come easy and dang at older ages i am not thinking its going to be much fun to me.

Transposing a song you want to sing into a key more naturally suited to you thats a lot easier. Theres some really good karaoke sites that have a huge selection of “custom songs” that you can buy typically 3 bucks a shot. The one i use allows you to download it in the key you want it in they generate it for you! Plus you can control what instruments or vocal parts are in ( or out ) plus what percent volume each piece is. Custom mixes.

Not endorsing them i have no stake ha ha. But i use karaoke dash version dot com and yeah they do have custom mix available of wish you were here.

The other standard trick of when notes are going up above the upper part of your range is to switch back down an octave ( maybe even two sometimes? ).

But dang your already succeeding by going outside of your comfort zone best luck!!