Description:
If high notes stress you out, you’re not alone! High notes do take more energy and space than low notes do. And the main reason we’re scared of high notes is our lack of experience with them. You spend your whole day talking in your medium to low chest voice register, so that portion of your voice gets a lot of exercise. You’re probably comfortable singing in that range. But high notes get a lot less practice in daily life. Of course they’re gonna take some more effort to get comfortable with!
So let’s start with an exercise to gently warm up and retrain the way we think about high notes. Singing on either a lip trill, hum, NN, or NG, our pattern will be a simple 1-5-1: You have a lot of options because our goal here is just to phonate, or get our vocal folds vibrating, in the easiest way for you. If one doesn’t work for you, try the next! Now, instead of thinking up for higher pitches, think down, or even to the side. Again, we want to break the habit of thinking UP for high notes. Let’s try it!
[Exercise: MM/NN/NG/Trill on 1-5-1]
If your tendency is to push for high notes, you’ll get louder as you sing higher, and your body will push excess air: too much air, in fact, for your vocal folds to handle. So let’s practice maintaining a smooth, steady stream of air on the syllable NUN, with a full major scale. It’ll sound like this: [sing]. At the same time, see if you can actually get quieter as you ascend! Here we go.
[Exercise: NUN major scale]
A couple other things might happen when you push for high notes. Your larynx will raise up, you might spread your mouth position (or embouchure), and you might notice your extrinsic muscles squeezing. In all of these areas, our goal is to stay free and relaxed, in a neutral position.
Let’s use a MUM for this next exercise: the UH vowel helps stabilize the larynx, and is great for training a nice, relaxed jaw and mouth position. Sing with me on that 1-5-1 pattern. Feel free to slide if you like, and can again think about getting a little softer on the higher pitch. And sing!
[Exercise: MUM 1-5-1]
What if you’re following this advice, and the sound disappears? If that happens, either our airflow has been interrupted, or our folds stopped vibrating. Here are a few tips to help!
1. Make sure there’s adequate space, with the soft palate raised, the larynx low, and the jaw dropped.
2. Use a filter (like an MM, NN, NG) or a SOVT (like a lip trill, BB/VV, or singing through a straw) to reduce pressure on the folds and make it easier for them to stretch out.
3. Expand your range gradually! If the sound cuts out, go down a step and see if you can work back up to that pitch.
See you in next lesson!
So let’s start with an exercise to gently warm up and retrain the way we think about high notes. Singing on either a lip trill, hum, NN, or NG, our pattern will be a simple 1-5-1: You have a lot of options because our goal here is just to phonate, or get our vocal folds vibrating, in the easiest way for you. If one doesn’t work for you, try the next! Now, instead of thinking up for higher pitches, think down, or even to the side. Again, we want to break the habit of thinking UP for high notes. Let’s try it!
[Exercise: MM/NN/NG/Trill on 1-5-1]
If your tendency is to push for high notes, you’ll get louder as you sing higher, and your body will push excess air: too much air, in fact, for your vocal folds to handle. So let’s practice maintaining a smooth, steady stream of air on the syllable NUN, with a full major scale. It’ll sound like this: [sing]. At the same time, see if you can actually get quieter as you ascend! Here we go.
[Exercise: NUN major scale]
A couple other things might happen when you push for high notes. Your larynx will raise up, you might spread your mouth position (or embouchure), and you might notice your extrinsic muscles squeezing. In all of these areas, our goal is to stay free and relaxed, in a neutral position.
Let’s use a MUM for this next exercise: the UH vowel helps stabilize the larynx, and is great for training a nice, relaxed jaw and mouth position. Sing with me on that 1-5-1 pattern. Feel free to slide if you like, and can again think about getting a little softer on the higher pitch. And sing!
[Exercise: MUM 1-5-1]
What if you’re following this advice, and the sound disappears? If that happens, either our airflow has been interrupted, or our folds stopped vibrating. Here are a few tips to help!
1. Make sure there’s adequate space, with the soft palate raised, the larynx low, and the jaw dropped.
2. Use a filter (like an MM, NN, NG) or a SOVT (like a lip trill, BB/VV, or singing through a straw) to reduce pressure on the folds and make it easier for them to stretch out.
3. Expand your range gradually! If the sound cuts out, go down a step and see if you can work back up to that pitch.
See you in next lesson!
Lessons:
Instructor: Camille van Niekerk
Camille van Niekerk is a singer, writer and vocal instructor in Southern California. Camille began studying voice and performing in musicals at age seven. In 2010, Camille began working towards her BA in Music Education at Azusa Pacific University. She then earned her teaching credential from San Diego State University and taught classroom choral and instrumental music. Shortly after moving to LA county, Camille began her private vocal studio, providing vocal coaching, ear training, and recording for students of all ages. She is constantly refining her skills and methods for greater versatility and effectiveness. When she is not teaching, Camille enjoys singing with the L.A. Choral Lab and Ensoma Creative. She lives in San Diego with her husband and loves going to the beach, practicing yoga, reading, and cooking.