how do i expand my vocal range?

E

emokid

New member
I want to be able to have better control in singing higher notes.

For example, one band i like is saosin. THey have a male lead singer and he sings fairly high pitched.

I want to get in that range. WHenever i try to sing that high, i always end up yelling and hurting my throat.

HELP :)
 
emokid said:
I want to be able to have better control in singing higher notes.

For example, one band i like is saosin. THey have a male lead singer and he sings fairly high pitched.

I want to get in that range. WHenever i try to sing that high, i always end up yelling and hurting my throat.

HELP :)
Click to expand...

do it true emo style and where a pair of girl jeans so your family jewels are crammed beyond belief and you have no other choice but to sing high pitched :laughings: j/king
 
emokid,

Do you know what your vocal range is; i.e., +/- x octaves around some central note?

I'm a light tenor but more solidly a high-baritone and can go as high (and low) as two G's above (and below) middle C before I go into falsetto. That's pretty high for a guy.

Whatever you do, do not force your voice to do anything. Those vocal cords are very fragile if not probably stretched and trained and you could damage them. Like any muscle, they can tear and fatigue easily.

Are you taking voice lessons? How much about singing do you know? The science, not just how to "sing along"?

I would recommend taking some lessons. I'm not a pro but I've been taking speech level singing lessons for almost a year (and other vocal training for a few years) and speech level singing is by far the best method for me. I Have much more confidence in my voice and control now. It's expensive but worth it.

Good luck!
 
Slashdot said:
emokid,

Do you know what your vocal range is; i.e., +/- x octaves around some central note?

I'm a light tenor but more solidly a high-baritone and can go as high (and low) as two G's above (and below) middle C before I go into falsetto. That's pretty high for a guy.

Whatever you do, do not force your voice to do anything. Those vocal cords are very fragile if not probably stretched and trained and you could damage them. Like any muscle, they can tear and fatigue easily.

Are you taking voice lessons? How much about singing do you know? The science, not just how to "sing along"?

I would recommend taking some lessons. I'm not a pro but I've been taking speech level singing lessons for almost a year (and other vocal training for a few years) and speech level singing is by far the best method for me. I Have much more confidence in my voice and control now. It's expensive but worth it.

Good luck!
Click to expand...

Great advice.
I'd add... How do you get to run faster, or jump higher etc etc.
regular, well structured PRACTICE designed around your particualr goal. training your vocal muscles is not really any different.
 
Bristol Posse said:
Great advice.
I'd add... How do you get to run faster, or jump higher etc etc.
regular, well structured PRACTICE designed around your particualr goal. training your vocal muscles is not really any different.
Click to expand...

Exactly! You roll into the gym cold and try and throw up 250-300lbs ... you may be able to do it the first time, but not the second time and you're gonna be in some pain for a while afterwards.

Lip trills, warm up exercises on short and long scales...figure out where your voice breaks over each bridge (chest, mix, head) and practice short scales with sustaining notes on the break ... make it your own! woot woot!

Z
 
What helped me most was Seth Riggs' concept of speech level singing. http://www.sethriggs.com/

I just saw this on eBay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/American-Idol-S...tem&pt=US_Nonfiction_Book&hash=item563cce4334

this is the one I got (years ago I got the cassettte version):
http://cgi.ebay.com/Singing-Stars-B...pt=AU_Non_Fiction_Books_2&hash=item1e5bcff055

There's some of his stuff on YouTube but what I found wasn't that great. His lessons are not typical but they really relax your whole system. I'd highly recommend the book with CD's.
 
well, i fully understand it will take practice, and a long time no matter what.
I am primarily a guitar player, and for me it takes me a painfully long time to make even a slight noticeable difference

I guess my main question is, how do i go about practicing it?


one thing ive been considering is, just taking the track i want to be able to sing, lower it by maybe 2, then raising it maybe 10-20 cents a day or every other day (.1 or .2 semitones)

btw, if anywants to get a better idea of the range im talking about, take a listen to this track, especially the chorus.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lYfBegxL5w

thanks for the responses

i woudl like to take vocal lessons, but at the moment its not an option for me

Slashdot said:
emokid,

Do you know what your vocal range is; i.e., +/- x octaves around some central note?

I
Click to expand...

i just tried it out on a piano.
my range is (at extremes):
G3- C6. Although, C6 is pushing it for me. I have to yell in order to get there.

i guess for my "comfortable range" be:
D4-F5
 
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You need to learn technique so that you can practice singing properly. If you just sing along to something that is pitched down and slowly bring it up, you will just be practicing bad technique and ultimately screwing up your voice.

Take it from me, I tore up my voice in the 80's so bad that I had to take vocal lessons so that I could talk again. I was attempting to do the exact thing that you are doing- singing stuff that is out of your range by pushing too hard and straining your throat.

So, here is your choices:

A. go get voice lessons and learn how to sing properly so that you will get better and better as time goes on. Eventually you will be a great singer that everyone wants in their band

B. Do what you are doing so that you vocal cords get strained and swollen. Eventually you will take it to far and end up choking on your own blood as your cords finally tear from the stress, leaving you unable to sing for the rest of your life.
 
emokid said:
... i woudl like to take vocal lessons, but at the moment its not an option for me...
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It won't cost you anything, there's lots of free info out there. Here's an interesting clip:

My whole life of learning how to play drums, piano, sing, paint cars, make houses and train dogs is based on 1 principle: find someone who can do what you want to do and ask them how to do it. You truthfully could build (no exaggeration) a spaceship by that method, and no one has every demonstrated that they know what they're talking about to me re vocal training compared to Seth Riggs. Most vocal teachers will actually make you worse, the same for drum teachers.
 
so yes, the consensus is to take vocal lessons, and thats fine. Ive always wanted to take vocal lessons, but at the moment i cant take them. In the near future, hopefully i will be able to. I am looking at a lot of vocal lesson vids on the internet now.

But in the mean time, i still want to be doing some thing.

It feels like there are still some things i can do on my own to slowly improve, and i guess that is the kind of information i am looking for.
 
Death to autotune. :)

emokid, just don't push it. Do everything slowly and warm up. I know that's not what you want to hear but it takes time and patience.

Patience truly is a virtue and I didn't learn that until I was in my 20's :) Wait...I'm still in my 20's. Anyway...just work at it slowly.

If you can't sing the note hum it to get started, it will also help you understand how much power you can put in to the note. Places where it is easier for you to put more power in is probably right in the middle of your range where you are most comfortable.

Using the long and short scales, try singing words like; mum, nay, gee, nuh.

Those will help you focus on closing vocal chords which will eliminate breathing issues!

good luck

Z
 
Many people have been helped by voice teachers who are not famous or work for famous people. Also one might benefit from just a few lessons (so less cost). So when you are ready ask for recommendations near you.

What this Riggs dude appears to teach is what most voice teachers teach (among other things): learning to relax your throat and jaw area. Try staying conscious of the tension in your shoulders, neck, jaw, mouth when you sing and try to relax that tension.

Breath support is also key. Learn to breathe from the bottom of your chest instead of the top, like you do naturally when you are lying on your back (try it). When you sing, envision an uninterrupted flow of air from your lower lungs straight through the top of your head.
 
Keyster said:
How does this Brett Manning guy http://www.singingsuccess.com/
Compare with Seth Riggs?
Click to expand...

I don't know, I've only had experience with Seth Riggs.

Seth's method is based on speech level singing.

Go back 500 years ago and before pa's each town had an opera house and the top singer was the one who could sing the loudest. With a pa system you don't have to sing loud, the same as an electric guitarist doesn't have to strum "real hard" to be heard, he just turns up his amp.

The concept of "speech level" singing changed me big time. Most people might be surprised, when they hear some singers screaming, how soft they are actually singing. I know not everybody does that, that some actually do scream loud... but usually not for too long.

Singing at a speech level allows you to relax and sing for a long time without wearing yourself out. That concept is what makes Seth different from others I know of.
 
yepp ... I take speech level singing classes. it's the way to go.

start out cheap and when you're ready to really start taking it to the next level go with speech level. they are expensive. at least in san francisco.

I pay $50 for 30 minutes but it's always beneficial and I never feel like I'm losing money...i.e., I'm always taking away new skills, more strength and confidence, etc.
 
LI_Slim said:
What this Riggs dude appears to teach is what most voice teachers teach (among other things): learning to relax your throat and jaw area. Try staying conscious of the tension in your shoulders, neck, jaw, mouth when you sing and try to relax that tension.

Breath support is also key. Learn to breathe from the bottom of your chest instead of the top, like you do naturally when you are lying on your back (try it). When you sing, envision an uninterrupted flow of air from your lower lungs straight through the top of your head.
Click to expand...
I don't know the Riggs dude but amen to what you are saying. Relaxing and air flow are the key. Another good point is posture. You do not want to extend you neck nor do you want to put your head back.

Lean your head a little forward, relax and feel where your body is vibrating/resonating as you do scales. You'll learn the higher the note the higher the feeling. Once you get good at relaxing all you'll be able to feel your vocal chords actually stretching/tightening when you talk or sing.

For breathing pull your diaphragm down towards the small of you back to inhale.

Practice, practice, practice with little steps and lots of patience.
 
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