Expanding my range

[Fotowns Finest]

Hey all, been a loooong time since I've been on here, but I'm simply wondering if it's possible/what I can do to expand the higher end of my voice. With the few months and some gigs I've done with my band, I've drawn in some more influences and i'm starting to think my range is very lacking. There's been some songs my band has suggested we cover and I have to turn them done because they're just barely outside my range and it's getting really frustrating.

 

Any help would be appreciated. Also sorry if this is already a thread, I didn't bother looking lol

[davie]

I find that its really difficult to expand the upper range. I've been trying for years. I've managed to increase my range by like.. 2 semitones each year or something like that. Though its much easier to improve with a qualified voice teacher, I haven't had one in years. When I feel that song is too high for my range I would either adjust the song either by transposing the song's key down a bit OR depending on how flexible is the song, I sometimes modify/improvise different notes. But if you're stuck in a scenario and you're finding that you're struggling/straining with the higher notes, then you can try compensating the high range notes by using falsetto/head voice instead of full voice.

[Fotowns Finest]

I do use my falsetto for the high stuff, it's the stuff inbetween the 2 voices. Like for a lot of songs I sing, I have to sing it half chest and half head, and I HATE that, I'd much rather do either-or.

[davie]

Range takes time to develop, especially if you want to develop it properly. You can probably do it in chest voice sparingly, where there's more of a climax in the song. And do close-miked falsetto at other times. You could also get other band members to pitch in with backing vocals to reinforce it as well (especially for heavy choruses).

 

But if you're finding that almost all the notes of the song is in your upper range limit then I suggest you either transpose the song, modify some notes in it, or worse case.. abandon the song completely and maybe select a song that suits your voice more.

[Bajazz]

Unless you have access to a vocal coach that know these things, I recommend the methods "Singing success" by Brett Manning for pop/rock/country and lighter rock styles and Jaime Venderas "Raise your voice" for heavier stuff. Or better get both, and throw in Roger Kains "Complete vocal workout". Work a few hours a day with those and start to use the principles of middlevoice or mix (or whatever) to get those high powerful notes.

 

You already have the tools, it's a matter of technique. Range is something you stumble upon or master, sometimes a mix of both. I used to fall in and out of correct technique until I learned to control it. When you expand a few semitones a year, i believe your learning to stretch the tension for the chestvoice, which is OK, but not THE WAY to expand range. You can theoretically sing near a high C in chest, but it's like using the tuning peg on a guitar when you can just fret the string.

 

You also need to understand that a wide range is something that anyone can have, it's nothing mystical, genetic, magical. Nor does it take 10 years to develop. Just grab your mp3-player and sing along to excercises and a lot of songs. It's just a matter of nailing it.

 

I used to have a terrible range, then I upgraded to fine range tru books, CD's and videos. When I joined my present band, I had the range, but lacked the power to nail those high notes the way they sounded originally, but I just kept singing, and now I've almost forgotten how frustrated I used to be. Almost. :-D

[rpc66]

Mixed/middle voice is the sweetest part of singing. It connects the voice bottom to top. Also, look into Roger Love's - Set your voice free...excellent middle voice exercises and cheap to buy. I also have Jaime's "raise your voice" and find it to be a really excellent tool. Well worth it!

[blackeyed28]

i was just like you, ...i sang for many years wondering if i could expand my upper range. even though i felt like i was a much better singer (after years of singing/gigging), ..i never expanded my range. i then decided to really try hard, and watched probably every video on youtube, ordered singing success, ordered the pillers, bought "raise your voice", ...and through all of that, i finally had a break-thru. almost overnight i increased my range dramatically. but, then i had to practice and practice to be able to "get to this place" consistently. now, i know my voice well and can easily "get to this place". before, i couldn't sing a lot of the songs my band wanted to play (like journey), ..but now, i can do it without any strain. in fact, once you "get to this place", ...you will realize if you're straining, you are going the wrong direction.

 

and, i believe "this place" is when you're able to thin your cords out (instead of stretching them) to get a higher pitch. the problem is that it involved coordinating muscles you can not feel. so, you have to practice weird sounds and techniques that try to get this coordination.

 

hope this helps.

 

btw, the first time i was able to hit some really high notes, i was driving in my car headed back to work from lunch. i honestly was freaking out because telsa's "love song" came on the radio and i've never been able to sing that song. after work, i had lost it. i couldn't come close. about a week later of trying to "get there", it happened again. i got so excited i drove home and recorded it with my camcorder. here is a piece of that footage:

 

 

 

if you notice, i still have tension (not so much strain, but close). getting rid of tension/straing from your upper chest to the top of your head is key to expanding range (at least it was for me).

[davie]

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a00PFPVCIgo

 

 

hey blackeyed28, I watched your clip. Your range is good. I've been struggling with expanding my upper range a lot. And its frustrating, it's really holding me back. Just wondering.. when you sing the higher parts, does the larynx/adam's apple rising? There seems to be noticeable change in your timbre/tone when you go higher, maybe its more head voice being used? I'm just curious how is it working out for you.

[DeadNight Warrior]

Vocal fry is a good way to start accessing higher notes because of the way it's a technique that naturally keeps your vocal bits relaxed. Once you can comfortably hit the note in vocal fry, you can then take the fry part of it away and you'll be left with a very light and pure head voice sound, with no strain involved. From there, stuff like Singing Success and whatnot, or probably just instructional Youtube vids or whatever should be able to give you exercises to work on expanding the sound to make it sound full.

 

Vocal fry is the only way I could find my head voice. No other way ever clicked with me. Funnily enough, I only discovered the vocal fry thing (which I've since read is also used by Manning and others) because I use fry to make incredibly irritating noises to annoy my best friend with.

[blackeyed28]

 

hey blackeyed28, I watched your clip. Your range is good. I've been struggling with expanding my upper range a lot. And its frustrating, it's really holding me back. Just wondering.. when you sing the higher parts, does the larynx/adam's apple rising? There seems to be noticeable change in your timbre/tone when you go higher, maybe its more head voice being used? I'm just curious how is it working out for you.

 

 

at the time i shot that video, ...my larynx was rising as i went higher in pitch. i'm not sure if it changed the tone, but it caused tension. before every gig, i include a scale of "NO's" sung very dumb sounding to help keep the larynx in a neutral position as i sing higher (this is a bret manning technique). it works for me.

 

i know it's frustrating. it took me a long time to figure it out. but, once i did, it opened up a whole new range and i realized i had been singing wrong. i basically had to retrain myself which took months. the best part is, i no longer blow my voice out every gig. i could always make it through a gig, but the next day i sounded pretty rough. now, there is no strain, and the next day i don't sound like death.

[Jersey Jack]

Lots of good advice here. Expanded range is the holy grail/primary marketing tool of almost every pop vocal coach these days, primarily because high vocals are highly prized in two dominant vocal styles: Metal and Jackson-esque RnB. Both of these styles insist on a dedicated LEAD SINGER--it's not cool for the singer to play a guitar or something else, we're looking at a vocal athlete.

 

So, two bits of advice:

 

1. If you want to get a higher range, follow one or another program; they all focus on range and I've made some progress in this area;

 

2. Don't obsess about range. Plenty of singers (e.g., Sinatra) had very little range and did quite well, thank you! No one (outside of, possibly, a few purists with perfect pitch and a fair amount of arrogance) will notice if you bring the song down a step or three.

 

It's about emotion, soul, & mojo, and vocal athleticism is the obsession of only a few lead singers. Music is what matters.

[Vats]

great advice from everybody...and i second the recommendation of jaime vendera's raise your voice...it's a brilliant, brilliant book, focused on expanding your range, but also a hell of a lot of other things. it's also inexpensive, you can't go wrong with it.

[davie]

blackeyed28, does your larynx still rise? Apparently raised larynx is bad for the voice.

 

Vats, Vendera's method seems promising, I looked up his website. I might look into it.

 

The Radman, that's an interesting approach. Lately I've been using my falsetto more than usual and I noticed a drop in excess vocal weight. I might give it a try. Do you have an vocal recordings? I'm interesting in hearing you.