One of the hardest things about learning a new singing technique is breaking old habits.
We make great progress in the voice lesson but when try and apply it to singing songs, we
quickly revert to old habits. We tighten up as if we’ve never had a voice lesson.
Inside this video, I’ll show you how, by raising the key (pitch) of the song, you can
build mix singing voice faster.
Hi I’m Chuck Gilmore with Power To Sing.
It’s very challenging to overcome our old habits of singing. We’re learning new concepts
and feeling vocal sensations we’ve never experienced before. At first we may even be
skeptical of the new vocal coordination and subconsciously resist it.
Often you decide you don’t like this mixed voice sound. It’s not as powerful or strong
as you want it to be...so you sing harder and louder...like you used to, or like your
favorite singer.
You want to take a voice lesson, get your voice working like you want, and use that
great new voice tonight in your performance.
But when you sing your favorite song your old habits kick in. Your voice seizes up with
tension and it seems as if you’ve never had a voice lesson in your life.
If you were able to sing in a great mix voice in the lesson, it’s impossible to do it
now...when you want it! The force of habit returns.
One way to disrupt our old habits is to raise the key (pitch) of the song. This helps you
build mix singing voice.
Raise the key enough so the highest notes are in or above the bridge of your voice.
For example, if the high notes for your song, men, are on Middle C, D and E, raise the key
so these notes are now E, F and G.
Women do the same. If your high notes are Ab4, B and C#5, raise the key so these notes
are now, C#5, D and E5.
The principle is, raise the key enough so your high notes are in and/or above your bridge
or break area of your voice.
Why does this work?
A new higher key changes the song and disrupts the old habits. You can’t sing it like you’ve
always sung it. With notes in and above your first bridge,
your mix voice is easier to find and maintain. With the addition of head voice, chest voice
is not being pulled up. So there’s no tension or reach in the voice.
By eliminating tension from the external neck muscles, the internal muscles of the vocal
cords will build their own strength and coordination. This is what develops real power in your voice.
Practicing and singing this way will significantly build chest, mix and head voice.
Here’s an example of raising the key. Since the making of this video falls on Friday before
Easter, I’ll use the song, “I Need Thee Every Hour”, from the Hymnal of the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, of which I am a member.
The men’s choir arrangement puts the melody high note on D above Middle C. I’ll sing
it without a mix voice and then with a mix. [DEMO] When just learning, singing
the D in mix is very hard.
Now I‘ll raise the key a major third so that D4 is now a F#4. Now, instead of singing
a note at the top of my chest voice, it’s on the last note of my bridge. It’s very
hard to sing this using old habits and doing it in chest. [Demo] Now mix. [Demo]
If I raise the key one more ½ step, it’s on the G4, which is through my bridge and
into my head voice. [DEMO]
This is counterintuitive. You think it’s going to be harder. Yes it is harder to pull
chest that high, but it’s easier to sing mix and head voice.
Raising the key disrupts your old habits and causes you to experience new sensations without
tension or reach. This builds mix singing voice.
If you’ve found this helpful, please subscribe by clicking “subscribe” in the lower right
corner. Be sure to share this with a friend. Let me know in the comment section how this
has helped you.
You’ll also find real help with your voice doing exercises for your vocal type. I’m
not referring to whether you’re soprano, alto, tenor or bass. Your vocal type is what
you tend to do as you sing higher.
Go to PowerToSing.com and take the vocal test, which I call the PowerTest, and discover your
vocal type. Then visit the Knowledge Center and watch the videos about your vocal type.
Download the free exercises for your vocal type and start improving your voice rapidly.
I’m Chuck Gilmore with Power To Sing. You can sing higher with beauty, confidence and
power.
I’ll see you inside the next video.
Subtitles by the Amara.org community