help with high notes

Subject: help with high notes
From: leeneia
Date: 30 Sep 20 - 01:13 PM

I came across this YouTube video on singing high notes and found it helpful. Check it out:

lesson

I had to concentrate to understand her, but it's worth it.

Love her vision of an intimidating person. It's a lesson in cultures.

Subject: RE: help with high notes
From: GUEST,Modette
Date: 30 Sep 20 - 02:07 PM

Was your comment about her diction necessary?

Subject: RE: help with high notes
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 01 Oct 20 - 03:37 AM

I understood her pefectly.

Dave H

Subject: RE: help with high notes
From: leeneia
Date: 01 Oct 20 - 11:53 AM

Yes, I thought the comment about her diction would encourage English speakers who are not accustomed to that that speech to concentrate hard and not get discouraged. I have good hearing, but there were times I could not tell what word she had just said.

So Dave and Modette, did you get what she was teaching? Are you happy with your highest note? For myself, I wish I could sing high D and E-flat with beauty and confidence. (I'm an alto.) What do you sing?

Subject: RE: help with high notes
From: Mrrzy
Date: 01 Oct 20 - 02:12 PM

I go an octave lower. I have heard people doing Johnny Cash go an octave higher.

Subject: RE: help with high notes
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 01 Oct 20 - 07:14 PM

Nothing wrong with her diction IMHO. Yes, she has an accent. I still understood her, despite my hearing difficulties.
My theory is (as for the UK Post Offices!) "use or lose it": if you want to be able to sing in a range of an octave or more without jumping octaves, practice singing scales and arpeggios starting from low and progressing upwards until you really can go no further. Sing along with people who naturally sing higher than you (only if invited in choruses!) I used to sing in various am-dram groups, where you had to sing in the key that was written, rather than choosing a key to suit yourself, (as many folk singers do) - very good for keeping your range as wide as you can make it!
Also choose songs with a big range to keep up that wider span of notes: no cheating by jumping octaves, as my Dad always used to do in church!

Subject: RE: help with high notes
From: Gordon Jackson
Date: 02 Oct 20 - 06:01 AM

Thanks for this, Leeneia. I hadn't realised why hitting those high notes had become more of a problem as I've got older. I'll definitely be putting this into practice from now on.

As an aside, I wonder why my voice is deeper first thing in the morning?

Subject: RE: help with high notes
From: GUEST,JHW
Date: 02 Oct 20 - 03:43 PM

"practice singing scales and arpeggios starting from low and progressing upwards until you really can go no further."
That's a lot of what I did with my singing teacher (RIP). In the end she gave up trying to get me further.
I'm not using the voice now of course as there's nowhere to sing so may lose ability as you suggest but guess that's all part of the end of the era.

Subject: RE: help with high notes
From: leeneia
Date: 02 Oct 20 - 11:57 PM

A friend of mine had a voice teacher who suggested humming high notes to teach the vocal folds how the high notes feel. Makes sense to me.

And of course, one could track down the exercises which the Voxguru refers to. RTFM, if you will.

I'm not singing as much as I used to. No choir, no church services. I know I should sing more. A 'crash course' just before the Singaround is not enough. But I'm hoping when a good frost comes and knocks out the pollen, my voice will be better.

Subject: RE: help with high notes
From: Joe Offer
Date: 03 Oct 20 - 02:12 AM

I find that as I'm getting older, it's easier for me to sing the high notes. I think it's because I've learned to relax and sing a little softer than I used to. If you sing really loud, your voice will fail on the high and low notes, or at least go a bit off key.
Not to be a fathead or anything, but I'm quite impressed with how the range of my voice has improved. I'm in a church choir with a director who's a good vocal coach - that helps a lot.

-Joe-

And just a note: If a person lives in a place where there is little contact with immigrants, it IS hard to understand accents. So, don't make an issue of it. If people don't understand, they don't understand. It's not racism. It's just not understanding.

Subject: RE: help with high notes
From: Jos
Date: 03 Oct 20 - 04:33 AM

I had to look up 'RTFM'.

(Somehow it seems so much more personal when you have taken the trouble to search for the answer. I had never expected leeneia to swear at me.)

Subject: RE: help with high notes
From: leeneia
Date: 03 Oct 20 - 11:58 AM

Actually, the speaker is nervous and she's speaking too fast. Years ago I learned from a dear aunt that in dealing with the old, it is good to slow down. Since then I've learned that it helps with the very young, with people whose first language is not English, and with English speakers who have a different accent.

I apologize, Joseph. I didn't mean to swear at you. I was trying to change the mood from self-appointed, politically-correct criticizing to something casual.

Subject: RE: help with high notes
From: leeneia
Date: 05 Oct 20 - 12:13 AM

Today's Zoom church service included a hymn with an E-flat in it, and I looked it in the eye, didn't tense up, didn't frown, and sang it. It went better than any E-flat I've ever tried before.

Subject: RE: help with high notes
From: The Sandman
Date: 05 Oct 20 - 04:17 AM

jhw be more positive practise singing 3 songs every day and go through your repertoire gradually

Subject: RE: help with high notes
From: leeneia
Date: 06 Oct 20 - 10:00 AM

I agree, Sandman. Sing around the house, sing in the car, join a regular choral group.

Subject: RE: help with high notes
From: GUEST,JHW
Date: 08 Oct 20 - 02:51 PM

Thanks for 'practice' advice. Before covid I had a vague idea of recording the majority of my repertoire (that hadn't been) but covid came first and it didn't get done. Plenty of time to practice now but alas I have not.