Expanding your range

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F_a_d_e

New member
Hey all,

I'm 25, I just started singing a couple months ago and I've been working with a vocal coach from day 1, so I know it's late to start singing but I'm pretty serious about it. I've noticed that my range is really small (around 2 octaves fully warmed up) and I was wondering what worked for you guys in expanding it? I have discovered my "falsetto" voice and I am working on refining it but I'm not sure if I should use that to expand my range or focus on my normal range.

Any advice / tips would be appreciated!
 
Tell your coach that's what you want to do. 2 octaves isn't a bad range. A lot of singers made a living staying in one. But if it can be done, your coach, if they are worth what you are paying them, can tell you how to do it.
 
By far the best thing that helped me was Seth Riggs' teachings.

He may seem unconventional, but when you see that Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder were among his students - that says something.

He has some stuff on YouTube and has books and CD's for sale. His lessons totally relax your throat and that helps you increase your range. I totally think he is correct with his philosophy of "speech level singing". That's key.

The #1 thing people screw up that I've seen is breathing shallow using only the top part of their lungs.

A two octave range isn't that common and I have a hard time believing you couldn't add an octave with the right effort. At the same time, range doesn't matter as much as using the notes you can hit in a musical way. Rod Stewart and B. B. King both use a very narrow range of notes yet make lots of music with those notes.
 
Range is important, but it is also vital to consider where the quality of your voice resides. Like a guitarist with a new distortion unit - it is all about discovering where the best tones/colour.

That may not (in contemporary music) be the where your voice sounds best, but where it sounds best for what your trying to get across in your singing.

Think Bono's breathiness; vs. his screaming, vs his rich deeper tones - he like all good singers employs the different qualities of his voice to different ends.

Good supported breathing from lung and diaphragm, a relaxed and open throat and precision with tongue and lips (sounds dirty) will extend your range - but range for range sake soon becomes pointless without considering how your voice alters with different parts and how you might use those tones.

And big yes - develop that falsetto
 
My best advice is to sing the music of people whose material is slightly out of your range. To stretch my tenor voice down, I sing Harry Chapin. To stretch it up, I sing Wilson Phillips, Joni Mitchell, Paul McCartney, Roger Daltrey. Years ago, I could sing Michael Jackson and Freddy Mercury. Those days are gone. Note that this is OK at home, but you mostly won't catch me trying to do it live- OK, maybe some Roger Daltrey.-Richie
 
Richard Monroe said:
My best advice is to sing the music of people whose material is slightly out of your range. To stretch my tenor voice down, I sing Harry Chapin. To stretch it up, I sing Wilson Phillips, Joni Mitchell, Paul McCartney, Roger Daltrey. Years ago, I could sing Michael Jackson and Freddy Mercury. Those days are gone. Note that this is OK at home, but you mostly won't catch me trying to do it live- OK, maybe some Roger Daltrey.-Richie
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I use John Fogarty and Rod Stewart.
 
the whole thing with singing is in breathing correctly... as to stretching range??? if this coach hasn't been able to increase it... your probably at or close to your limit... if not lose the coach... and 2 8va's is pretty good range... alotta folks dont have that... perhaps you need to change the keys to reflect your voice...
 
I learned this when I worked in radio and found out it works for singing as well...

This is mainly to loosen up but it helps to increase range a bit too.

Say "AAAAHHHHHH" and "UUUHHHHHH" as LOW as your voice can go...
and as LOUD as you can go.

You'll notice that the "uh" vs "ah" works different areas.

Keep it steady. Don't let it fluctuate. Alternate between the 2.

As you loosen up, go lower in range but keep it as loud and steady as you can.

Worth a shot. The worst can happen is ya look really stupid. :)
 
Richard Monroe said:
My best advice is to sing the music of people whose material is slightly out of your range.
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Yeah, this will definitely help. Keep stretching it little by little (without breaking regular singing form...ie-- don't strain your throat or anything to hit the notes) and you'll get there. It just takes time!

Richard Monroe said:
Years ago, I could sing Michael Jackson and Freddy Mercury.
Click to expand...

You just got 1,000,000 man points for that. You're my hero lol :D
 
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