{"id":5029,"date":"2022-06-30T14:56:13","date_gmt":"2022-06-30T14:56:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/06\/30\/10-ways-to-hit-high-notes-without-straining\/"},"modified":"2022-06-30T14:56:13","modified_gmt":"2022-06-30T14:56:13","slug":"10-ways-to-hit-high-notes-without-straining","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/06\/30\/10-ways-to-hit-high-notes-without-straining\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Ways to Hit High Notes (Without Straining)"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_81 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/06\/30\/10-ways-to-hit-high-notes-without-straining\/#Vocal_techniques_to_help_you_sing_soaring_melodies_without_cracking_or_strain\" >Vocal techniques to help you sing soaring melodies without cracking or strain.<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/06\/30\/10-ways-to-hit-high-notes-without-straining\/#A_Quick_Word_About_These_Exercises\" >A Quick Word About These Exercises<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/06\/30\/10-ways-to-hit-high-notes-without-straining\/#Exercise_1_The_Lip_Trill\" >Exercise #1: The Lip Trill<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/06\/30\/10-ways-to-hit-high-notes-without-straining\/#Exercise_2_The_%E2%80%9Cooh%E2%80%9D_Vocal_Siren\" >Exercise #2: The \u201cooh\u201d Vocal Siren<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/06\/30\/10-ways-to-hit-high-notes-without-straining\/#Exercise_3_The_%E2%80%9Cee%E2%80%9D_Vocal_Siren\" >Exercise #3: The \u201cee\u201d Vocal Siren<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/06\/30\/10-ways-to-hit-high-notes-without-straining\/#Exercise_4_Eliminate_Tongue_Tension\" >Exercise #4: Eliminate Tongue Tension<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/06\/30\/10-ways-to-hit-high-notes-without-straining\/#Exercise_5_Keep_Your_Larynx_Relaxed\" >Exercise #5: Keep Your Larynx Relaxed<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/06\/30\/10-ways-to-hit-high-notes-without-straining\/#Exercise_6_The_%E2%80%9CDopey%E2%80%9D_Sound\" >Exercise #6: The \u201cDopey\u201d Sound<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/06\/30\/10-ways-to-hit-high-notes-without-straining\/#Exercise_7_The_%E2%80%9CGee%E2%80%9D\" >Exercise #7: The \u201cGee\u201d<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/06\/30\/10-ways-to-hit-high-notes-without-straining\/#Exercise_8_The_%E2%80%9CBratty%E2%80%9D_Sound\" >Exercise #8: The \u201cBratty\u201d Sound<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/06\/30\/10-ways-to-hit-high-notes-without-straining\/#Exercise_9_The_%E2%80%9CNay%E2%80%9D\" >Exercise #9: The \u201cNay\u201d<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2022\/06\/30\/10-ways-to-hit-high-notes-without-straining\/#Exercise_10_Narrow_the_Vowels\" >Exercise #10: Narrow the Vowels<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Vocal_techniques_to_help_you_sing_soaring_melodies_without_cracking_or_strain\"><\/span>Vocal techniques to help you sing soaring melodies without cracking or strain.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<p><em><a href=\"https:\/\/diymusiciancon.cdbaby.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">[Workshop your singing with\u00a0Matt in-person at the DIY Musician Conference, this August 26-28 in Austin \u2014 or watch the virtual conference from anywhere in the world.]<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p><span>We\u2019ve all been there.\u00a0<\/span><span>You\u2019re getting ready to sing that beautiful high note when all of a sudden, it feels like the bottom drops out of your voice and you crack like a 12-year-old boy.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>A little embarrassed, you try again, this time pushing the note a bit harder.\u00a0<\/span><span>But that only makes the crack worse.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>As a voice teacher, I can tell you vocal breaks like this are really common, especially on high notes.\u00a0<\/span><span>And unfortunately they can happen at any time, on stage in front of thousands of people, or even in your home studio after too many vocal takes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>But having taught more than 500 students, I can tell you this:\u00a0<\/span><b>Anyone can learn to hit high notes without straining.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span>It just takes some practice and the right singing techniques.\u00a0<\/span><span>And I promise that if you learn to hit those high notes without straining, you\u2019ll be amazed at how much you can expand your vocal range.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>So today, I wanted to share ten of my best tricks for getting to those crazy high notes without straining.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Ready to get started?\u00a0<\/span><span>Read on\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_Quick_Word_About_These_Exercises\"><\/span>A Quick Word About These Exercises<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span>There\u2019s an old vocal saying that goes like this:\u00a0<\/span><b>In order to sound good, first you have to sound bad.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span>And it\u2019s totally true.\u00a0<\/span><span>The ironic thing about vocal exercises is that sometimes you have to sound weird in order to get the vocal results you want.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>So whether you\u2019re learning to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ramseyvoice.com\/how-to-hit-high-notes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span>hit high notes<\/span><\/a><span>, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ramseyvoice.com\/expand-vocal-range\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span>expand your range<\/span><\/a><span> or <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ramseyvoice.com\/how-to-sing-vibrato\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span>sing vibrato<\/span><\/a><span>, sometimes you need to give yourself permission to sound bad first.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>But always remember this:\u00a0<\/span><b>None of these exercises should hurt.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-27885\" src=\"https:\/\/diymusician.cdbaby.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Avoiding-vocal-strain-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"How to hit high notes without strain\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\"><\/p>\n<p><span>A lot of people think that in order to get those high notes, they just need to push harder.\u00a0<\/span><b>But actually, pushing those notes may be exactly what\u2019s holding you back!\u00a0<\/b><span>So if you feel any pain or tension in these exercises, you are probably doing them wrong.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Now that that\u2019s out of the way, here are ten ways to hit high notes without straining.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Exercise_1_The_Lip_Trill\"><\/span>Exercise #1: The Lip Trill<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span>The lip trill is one of the best exercises to expand your vocal range.\u00a0<\/span><span>And almost anyone can do it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The biggest reason to do lip trills is they let you sing smoothly from the bottom to the top of your voice without straining.\u00a0<\/span><span>Even if you can\u2019t sing high notes in a song, you can usually sing them on a lip trill.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Here\u2019s how you do the lip trill:<\/b><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span> Place two fingers in the middle of your cheeks and blow your lips together so that they vibrate.\u00a0<\/span>You want the lips to bubble together evenly as you blow air through them.<\/li>\n<li><span> With the lips flopping together, add a bit of voice by saying the vowel \u201cuh\u201d behind the lips.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span> Next find a comfortable note at the bottom of your voice (if you have a piano, try C3 for guys and G3 for girls) and sing the note with the \u201cuh\u201d vowel behind the lips.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span> Next, do a siren where you sing the lip trill from a low note all the way to a high note, and then back down.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span>Finally, sing the lip trill from the bottom to the top of your voice until you can make it from your lowest note to your highest note and back down in one smooth motion.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span>If you feel that your voice break or crack in the middle, don\u2019t worry.\u00a0<\/span><span>It\u2019s best to see if you can just let the trill go all the way to the highest part of your voice, regardless of how it sounds.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>By the way, if you\u2019re having a hard time doing the lip trill, check out this YouTube video where I walk you through it:<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9\">\n<div class=\"iframe-container\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Exercise_2_The_%E2%80%9Cooh%E2%80%9D_Vocal_Siren\"><\/span>Exercise #2: The \u201cooh\u201d Vocal Siren<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span>Now that you\u2019ve warmed up with the lip trill, let\u2019s sing a vowel that you might hear in a song.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The \u201cooh\u201d vocal siren is a fantastic exercise because the \u201cooh\u201d vowel allows you to go to the highest notes in your voice without straining.\u00a0<\/span><span>Plus, if you\u2019re a bit tense on those higher notes, the \u201cooh\u201d vowel can be total magic for you since the \u201cooh\u201d relaxes your vocal cords.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Here\u2019s how you do the \u201cooh\u201d vocal siren:<\/b><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span> Start by saying the vowel \u201cooh\u201d like you\u2019re saying \u201cOops\u201d.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span>Next, find a comfortable starting note in your voice (again, if you have a piano, try C3 for guys and G3 for women) and sing the note on an \u201cooh\u201d like you\u2019re saying \u201coops\u201d.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span>Now do a vocal siren and sing the \u201cooh\u201d vowel from a low note all the way up to your highest note and back down again.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span>Finally, try to sing the \u201cooh\u201d siren from the bottom to the top of your voice without breaking or straining.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Exercise_3_The_%E2%80%9Cee%E2%80%9D_Vocal_Siren\"><\/span>Exercise #3: The \u201cee\u201d Vocal Siren<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span>Now that you\u2019ve found your highest notes on the \u201cooh\u201d vowel, let\u2019s work on the right vocal tone for singing.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The \u201cee\u201d vowel is very similar to the \u201cooh\u201d except that the \u201cee\u201d has a bit more edge to it, which will give you a cleaner sound.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Here\u2019s how you do the \u201cee\u201d vocal siren:<\/b><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span> Start by saying the vowel \u201cee\u201d like you\u2019re saying the word \u201ceat\u201d.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span>Now, find a comfortable starting pitch in the bottom of your voice and sing the \u201cee\u201d vowel on that note like you\u2019re saying \u201ceeeeeeeeeat\u201d.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span>Next, sing a vocal siren where you go from your lowest note to your highest note and back down on the \u201cee\u201d vowel.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span>Once you\u2019re comfortable doing this vocal siren, see if you can do it without straining or breaking when you get to the top.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span>Remember to stop if you feel any pain.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Exercise_4_Eliminate_Tongue_Tension\"><\/span>Exercise #4: Eliminate Tongue Tension<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span>Here\u2019s the bottom line:\u00a0<\/span><b>Singers add tension to their voices in lots of ways.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span>And most of the time, they don\u2019t even realize they\u2019re doing it!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>So now that you\u2019ve warmed up on the \u201cooh\u201ds and \u201cee\u201ds, let\u2019s make sure that you\u2019re not straining to get to those high notes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>One common way that singers strain is by raising or lowering their tongue when they sing different notes.\u00a0<\/span><span>But if the tongue is in the wrong position for what you\u2019re singing, the tension can make you sound very tight and squeezed.\u00a0<\/span><span>You can feel this muscular tension in your tongue.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Try this:<\/b><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span>Take your thumb and gently feel directly under your chin.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span>You should have your thumb directly under your tongue.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span>Now with your thumb in place, swallow.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span>It should look something like this:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-27888\" src=\"https:\/\/diymusician.cdbaby.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/IMG_1774.jpg\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" width=\"500\" height=\"417\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\"><\/p>\n<p><span>You should feel that as you swallow, the muscles underneath your chin activate and push down against your thumb.\u00a0<\/span>We don\u2019t want these muscles active in your singing.<\/p>\n<p><b>So here\u2019s one simple exercise to sing without tongue tension:<\/b><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span> Take a phrase of a song that\u2019s been giving you a hard time.\u00a0<\/span>If you can\u2019t think of a song, do the \u201cooh\u201d or \u201cee\u201d vocal siren.<\/li>\n<li><span> Now, place your thumb underneath your chin.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span>With your thumb in place, sing the phrase, feeling for any tension underneath your tongue.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span>If you feel that some of the tongue muscles are pushing against your thumb, try to sing the phrase again without tensing the muscles under your chin.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span>If you\u2019re still feeling tension, try imagining that your face is frozen in a block of ice and none of the muscles can move.\u00a0<\/span>Then sing the phrase again, keeping all your muscles \u201cfrozen\u201d.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Exercise_5_Keep_Your_Larynx_Relaxed\"><\/span>Exercise #5: Keep Your Larynx Relaxed<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span>Now that you\u2019ve started singing those high notes without any tension in your tongue, let\u2019s target another area that tends to get a bit tense:\u00a0<\/span><b>Your larynx.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span>Your larynx, or \u201cvoice box\u201d, houses the vocal cords and has several groups of muscles that raise or lower it when you swallow or yawn.\u00a0<\/span><span>But many singers raise their larynx unconsciously when they sing high notes.\u00a0<\/span><span>And if the larynx is too high on your high notes, it can actually cause you to strain.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Here\u2019s how to check for tension in your larynx:<\/b><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span>Take your thumb and first finger and gently wrap them around your voice box.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span>You should feel the ridge of your larynx, or Adam\u2019s apple, between your fingers.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span>Now swallow while feeling your voice box.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span>It should look something like this:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-27887\" src=\"https:\/\/diymusician.cdbaby.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/IMG_1772.jpg\" alt=\"Singing high notes without strain\" width=\"500\" height=\"483\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\"><\/p>\n<p><span>You should notice that the larynx rises as you swallow.\u00a0<\/span><b>We don\u2019t want the larynx to rise as we sing.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>So here\u2019s one simple exercise to sing without raising your larynx:<\/b><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span> Take a phrase from a song that\u2019s been difficult for you.\u00a0<\/span>If you can\u2019t think of a song, you can use the \u201cooh\u201d or \u201cee\u201d vocal siren.<\/li>\n<li><span>Now, gently place your thumb and first finger around your larynx.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span>Feeling your voice box between your thumb and first finger, sing the phrase, being careful not to raise the larynx.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span>If you\u2019re still feeling any tension in the larynx, try to sing the phrase again with a bit of a \u201cyawny\u201d feeling, as if you\u2019re really sleepy.\u00a0<\/span>This \u201cyawny\u201d feeling should relax the larynx as you sing.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Exercise_6_The_%E2%80%9CDopey%E2%80%9D_Sound\"><\/span>Exercise #6: The \u201cDopey\u201d Sound<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span>Here\u2019s the hard truth:\u00a0<\/span><b>Many singers can do vocal exercises easily but still struggle when they sing songs.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span>So now that you\u2019re starting to relax your larynx in exercises, let\u2019s get that relaxed feeling in your singing.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The \u201cdopey\u201d sound is one of my favorite tools to help you relax the high notes in your songs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Here\u2019s how you do the Dopey Sound:<\/b><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span> Take a phrase or song that\u2019s been giving you a hard time.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span> Now, pretend that you\u2019re not very smart and say the phrase with a bit of a \u201cgoofy\u201d tone, just like the Disney character.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span> Now sing the phrase keeping all the words \u201cdopey.\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span>You should notice that even on high notes, your voice is staying more relaxed.\u00a0<\/span><span>That\u2019s because the \u201cdopey\u201d sound allows your larynx to relax.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Exercise_7_The_%E2%80%9CGee%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>Exercise #7: The \u201cGee\u201d<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span>Now that your larynx is more relaxed in your songs, you may notice that your vocal tone is a bit operatic or classical-sounding.\u00a0<\/span><span>That\u2019s totally normal.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Remember, in order to sound good, sometimes we have to sound silly.\u00a0<\/b><span>So building on the relaxation that you get on the dopey sound, I want to give you an exercise that will get you closer to a normal sound without straining.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Here\u2019s how you do the dopey \u201cGee\u201d:<\/b><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span> Take a phrase or a song that\u2019s been giving you a hard time.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span> Now, feeling your larynx to make sure that it\u2019s not rising, sing the melody of the phrase on the word \u201cGee\u201d as in \u201cGeese\u201d.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span> Next, add a bit of the dopey sound while singing the melody of the phrase on \u201cGee\u201d.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span>You should notice that even though your voice is relaxed, you\u2019re starting to sound a bit more normal.\u00a0<\/span><span>That\u2019s because the \u201cGee\u201d allows you to hit those high notes with a much cleaner vocal tone.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Exercise_8_The_%E2%80%9CBratty%E2%80%9D_Sound\"><\/span>Exercise #8: The \u201cBratty\u201d Sound<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span>Once you\u2019ve mastered the dopey \u201cGee,\u201d it\u2019s time to make your vocal tone a bit cleaner and crisper.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>One of my favorite exercises to help you get those high notes really clean is to use the \u201cbratty\u201d sound.\u00a0<\/span><span>The \u201cbratty\u201d sound is a powerful tool because it allows the vocal cords to come together more, giving you a much brighter edge in your singing.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Here\u2019s how you do the \u201cBratty\u201d sound:<\/b><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span> Take a phrase that you have a hard time singing.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span> Now, pretend that you\u2019re a little brat on the playground or the wicked witch from the wizard of Oz and sing the phrase with a \u201cbratty\u201d sound.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span> The tone should feel a bit whiny and nasal.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span>You should notice that even though the vocal tone is a bit nasal-sounding, the bratty exercise will help you sing the high notes in the phrase much more easily.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Exercise_9_The_%E2%80%9CNay%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>Exercise #9: The \u201cNay\u201d<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span>Here\u2019s the honest truth:\u00a0<\/span><b>Lyrics are way harder to sing than exercises.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span>That\u2019s because when you\u2019re singing lyrics, you have to deal with different notes, vowels, consonants and dynamics.\u00a0<\/span><span>And sometimes your voice needs a bit more support to get to those high notes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>One of the best ways of improving the phrase you\u2019re trying to sing is by doing it on a vocal exercise.\u00a0<\/span><span>So here\u2019s one of my favorite exercises for singing those troublesome notes in a phrase with tons of power.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Here\u2019s how you do the bratty \u201cNay\u201d:<\/b><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span> Take a phrase that\u2019s been hard for you to sing.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span> Now, say the word \u201cNay\u201d (as in \u201cneighbor\u201d) in a \u201cbratty\u201d way.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span> Next, sing the melody of the phrase replacing each word with a bratty \u201cNay\u201d.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span>If you\u2019re having a hard time getting the \u201cNay\u201d exercise right, here\u2019s a YouTube video where I walk you through it:<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9\">\n<div class=\"iframe-container\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span>You should notice that when you sing the bratty sound, your notes come way more easily than when you sing the phrase \u201cnormally\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Exercise_10_Narrow_the_Vowels\"><\/span>Exercise #10: Narrow the Vowels<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span>By now your voice should be completely warmed up and strain-free.\u00a0<\/span><span>But some of the sounds you\u2019re singing may still be a bit embarrassing to you.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>While I don\u2019t want you to go on stage singing \u201cbratty\u201d or \u201cdopey,\u201d these exercises will help you reduce strain and expand your vocal range.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>So treat these vocal exercises like a crutch.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>As soon as you no longer need them, try to wean yourself off of them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>First, sing the phrase bratty.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Then half bratty. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>And then not bratty at all.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Once you\u2019ve mastered these exercises, it\u2019s time to sing real words.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>One of the best exercises to transition from these \u201cweird\u201d sounds to more normal singing is to narrow your vowels.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Here\u2019s how to narrow your vowels:<\/b><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span> Select a phrase that\u2019s been giving you trouble.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span> Now find the highest notes of the phrase that you\u2019re singing and sing a more narrow version of that vowel.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span>I\u2019ll give you an example of narrowing vowels below:<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9\">\n<div class=\"iframe-container\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><b>Here\u2019s the phrase:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><em><span>\u201cIt goes like this the fourth, the fifth,<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><span>the minor fall and the major lift,<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><span>the baffled king composing \u2018Hallelujah\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><b>Now I\u2019ve underlined the syllables of the highest notes in the verse:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><em><span>\u201cIt goes like this the fourth, the fifth, <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><span>the minor fall and the major lift,<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><span>the baffled king com-<\/span><span><u>posing ha<\/u><\/span><span>-lle-lu-jah\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><span>So to narrow the vowels of this section, you would turn the \u201coh\u201d vowel from \u201ccomposing\u201d into an \u201cooh\u201d vowel.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Then, you would take the \u201cAh\u201d vowel from the \u201cHah\u201d of \u201cHallelujah\u201d and turn it into an \u201cuh\u201d vowel.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>So you would end up singing the lyrics more like this:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><em><span>\u201cThe baffled king com-<\/span><span>poooh<\/span><span>-sing <\/span><span>huh<\/span><span>-lle-lu-jah\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><span>You should notice that singing these more narrow vowels makes the phrase way easier to sing.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Congratulations!<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span>By now you should be able to hit high notes in your voice without any strain.\u00a0<\/span><span>And while some of these exercises may be a bit funny-sounding, it pays to practice them until you\u2019ve got those notes perfect.\u00a0<\/span><span>I promise that if you work on them daily and consistently, you\u2019ll be amazed how much more vocal freedom you have.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>The post <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/diymusician.cdbaby.com\/music-career\/10-ways-to-hit-high-notes-without-straining\/\" target=\"_blank\">10 Ways to Hit High Notes (Without Straining)<\/a> appeared first on <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/diymusician.cdbaby.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">DIY Musician<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Vocal techniques to help you sing soaring melodies without cracking or strain. [Workshop your singing with\u00a0Matt in-person at the DIY Musician Conference, this August 26-28 in Austin \u2014 or watch the virtual conference from anywhere in the world.] We\u2019ve all been there.\u00a0You\u2019re getting ready to sing that beautiful high note when all of a sudden, it feels like the bottom drops out of your voice and you crack like a 12-year-old boy. A little embarrassed, you try again, this time pushing the note a bit harder.\u00a0But [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"h5ap_radio_sources":[],"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5029","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-best-seo-blogs"],"featured_image_src":null,"featured_image_src_square":null,"author_info":{"display_name":false,"author_link":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/author\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5029","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5029"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5029\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5029"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5029"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5029"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}