I personally have the most fun when I sing high. In my upper range that is. And I know that I'm not the only one who feels this way! Why do we like to sing high? The answer is simple: it gets us high! Literally, haha!
It makes perfect sense... Singing higher creates great resonance. Resonance increases volume. Volume intensifies the amount of vibration we feel in our body. More vibration creates nitric oxide, a super important vasodilator for blood vessel health. It helps us relax and lowers blood pressure. Other happy hormones singing gives us are endorphins (pleasure) and oxitocyn (stress reliever).
When it works, it's amazing! We are on top of the world. But when it doesn't; it takes all of the fun out!
Have you ever struggled with a song that you loved only to realize that it was totally out of your range?
Does working on improving your range ends up in a sore throat most of the time?Are you worried that you have to compromise between awesome repertoire and saving your voice?
Have you ever embarrassed yourself hoping to impress friends and fans with an incredible song that you mastered during rehearsal but totally blew it on stage?
Sucks, right?
Most singers want to sing higher. I get it. It's not only fun, it's cool too. But attempting to learn how to cross from your comfortable register to your upper range is a risky business. Trying to do it on your own is a pain. First because it will hurt your throat. Second, because of the lasting impact straining has on the voice. If you don't fix this, you may even develop nodules that can only go away with surgery or complete vocal rest and rehabilitation.
If it comes to this, forget about your music dreams and career. Time will be wasted. Countless nights of joyful singing will be lost forever. Numerous potentially life changing opportunities will be missed. Some even lose the passion they once had for singing and become depressed. Time spent with family, work, finances, etc... may be affected by feelings of unhappiness.
If you injure your vocal cords and you want to get your voice back, you will need professional vocal coaching anyway. Why risk vocal injury when you can expand your skills and sing with vocal freedom now? High and low, soft and loud, and on pitch! Imagine the possibilities!What is your “Song I Always Wanted To Sing But Was Never Able To”?
In the meantime, know that connecting registers and expanding range have to do with two main components:
1) Relaxation: this is at the foundation of excellent vocal technique. Why? Because relaxation creates space and space allows the larynx to tilt back and forth in order to pull vocal cords to pitch. Now, there are many strategies to help you relax. It starts with adequate diaphragmatic breathing and support. It extends to enunciation. It is sustained by the ability to release tension in certain areas of your body while engaging others at the same time. The higher the singing, the more relaxation is needed.
2) Mastering resonance: this is about where the vibration of your voice travels in your body and at what volume. When you find the sweet spot where high notes are maximized, beautiful effortless sound is created. It is also smooth, it has substance and it feels free.
Naturally, there is a lot more to singing high than this to learn. Giving you just a few general pointers in a YouTube video wouldn't serve you,. Actually, it would most likely keep you at ground zero. That's why I'd like to invite you to watch my FREE masterclass instead in which I talk about this and more. Follow the link below to register:
Sing your heart out!
Val