Blending Head and Chest Voice to Expand Your Range

[leonardjr1991]

how do you get your tounge to sttay out of the way...i been trying forever, but io think my tounge is just too fat and it makes me NASAL???

[metalzzzzzzzzz]

So is proper cord adduction is all that's necessary for a head voice that sounds (basically) like a really high chest voice? And how can i work on this?

[foodsmighters]

This helped a whole lot

[AndreaMedium]

hi, and thank you for your help; I have a question and I'm really struggling with this:

When I'm singing the 2 or 3 notes where my voice flips, at D or D#, I can sing them with a very thin voice, however as I gradually apply power/volume to get that full sound you have, my voice becomes unstable and wobbles, and eventually cracks.

Is something fundamentally wrong with my technique? I believe this is where my mixed register begins. as I sing higher into my register the notes become more stable.

[fedemarra]

hi,you've been very clear, I've one question: Why when I switch to head voice the sound intensity is reduced? becomes a thin sound, almost lyrical.

I hope you can help me, excuse my English but I'm Italian: D

[makingitinmusic]

@fedemarra Hi! Without observing what happens - you may be going into your falsetto. If the tone is breathy and weak, it's a high possibility. Physiologically, if your are accessing your falsetto, the vocal flaps are not fully connecting, and thus, air escapes. With head voice, your cords completely adduct, or come together. So when you fully engage your head voice, it has more of the tonal qualities of a chest voice. But, your head voice just might be weak, and you need to train it.

[Official7Records]

i can't find my head voice...

[joshramsayscat1228]

I've been singing since I was 2 but I don't have a particularly loud voice. Do some people have voices that just can't have that much range or is it always possible to get more range in your voice?

[joshramsayscat1228]

Well that didn't exactly explain how to blend them. I already knew that but I need a video on how to blend them.

[BajcoTheSinger]

thank you

[ShikiOujiChan]

i wonder can a really deep voice be a head voice idk because the bass your are emulating does a bass sound and creates a vibrate. Please reply if you can :3

[suezep]

Hi Hugh, thanks for making these lessons available to us. I have one question. Is it true that when you sing that part "wanted", the volume will really be loud? Coz last time I sang that, the neighbours knocked on my door:)

[makingitinmusic]

@suezep Hello. No the volume doesn't have to be really loud. That's up to you how you control that aspect of it. In this video, I am "belting" or singing loudly on purpose. I could have sung it much softer, but I wanted to create that particular powerful dynamic.

[RotheDanneskjold]

Dear Mr. Hession,

I have a question regarding this video. First, I would like to say this is a great video and it helped me a lot, I have learned by hearing your head voice how to enter my own head voice, I am fairly certain that it is head voice because I can comfortably sing about an octave higher using this voice than I can my speaking voice. However, my question is in regards to the tone of this voice. When I use it, it sounds very whiny, whereas yours sounds pleasant. Is it just practice?

[togcbu]

thanks for posting this and also the exercise instructions at your website. it has helped me alot. been doing the workout for 2 weeks and now i can easily reach B4 and also C5 on have you ever seen the rain.

[makingitinmusic]

@togcbu so glad that I could help out! Always good to hear success stories! Keep in touch.

[makingitinmusic]

My site, Making it In Music, has a section dedicated to vocal instruction, called Vocalist Corner. Check it out! You can find the link by clicking on my username, makingitinmusic.

[95eriksp]

When i go through the break, my voice flips into falsetto one octave over that breaking point note. Any help?

[makingitinmusic]

@95eriksp Actually, your falsetto would transition or as you say "flip," at the actual breaking point or passaggio, so I'm assuming that is what you mean :) This is common. I have several articles relating this to this on my site, makingitinmusic at Vocalist Corner. Go to the article Getting past the break: how to connect your chest and head voice as one. There are many exercises to help. You're simply not accessing your head voice yet, the place where you cords zip up or adduct.

[makingitinmusic]

@catsmartie You have to have full command of your head voice first before you can start to mix the two together. Work on smoothing out your bridge from chest to head voice. Lip roll scales are great for that. Another good exercise to get into your head voice, are grunts. Do a grunt and then slide into a siren or a "Nay". Grunts will prevent you from going into your falsetto, which most mistaken for their head voice. It's all about the perfect mix of vocal chord closure without strain. Relax.

[RachelSpano]

I'm view number 1,111~!!

[makingitinmusic]

BTW: I'm working on more vocal vids. Thanks to all of you who have visited. Check out my website, Making It In Music for more vocal tips at Vocalist Corner. Click on my profile to to access my website.

[rhandz1977]

Could you please elaborate more on that. You just provided examples without explaining it further.... Anyway... as a beginner, I didn't get your point at all. It takes a lot of practice. The question is how should we practice that.

[makingitinmusic]

@rhandz1977 Are you wanting to blend the two voices or just trying to access your head voice?

[rhandz1977]

@makingitinmusic :

Both. But I know it would take a lot of practice. Could you provide me tips on how to blend two voices, especially. If it's head voice, most people could access it, but using your natural voice going to your head voice smoothly is very hard. making it almost impossible to detect is very hard. Please help. Thanks

[makingitinmusic]

@rhandz1977 What you term your natural voice is your chest voice. Accessing your head voice is like changing gears. Muscles tend to get tight when you get up to your passaggio or break. It's imperative you relax when you get to this point with minimal breath. Your chords need to adduct or "zip up" at this point. I suggest lip rolls working through your break and then to adduction. The lip roll technique will prevent you from straining. You only use about 2/3 of your chord length in head voice.

[nfarnham2008]

Hey, I have been singing for about 4 months, and i'm using brett mannings singing success program. I am having trouble finding my head voice. I think I am stuck in chest voice lol.

[makingitinmusic]

@nfarnham2008 Thanks for the question. It's really about the right exercises and muscle memory. For beginners, I would recommend the "siren" technique which you start from your chest voice, moving up through your nasal and sinus cavities, then back down. The key is to connect the bridge, or the break to create the blend.

Check out my Vocalist Corner section at Making It In Music for more details, particularly "3 Exercises to Expand Your Vocal Range." Find the link in the video information.

[AceInTheWhole94]

thanks man, that was helpful

[makingitinmusic]

@AceInTheWhole94 Thanks!