Hey,
I've left school now, which means I no longer have singing lessons, so I've been working on a few songs by myself. I recently bought The Marriage of Figaro on dvd and have fell in love with opera. I found the aria "Hai gia vinta la causa!...Vedro mentr'io sospiro" in a book of baritone arias so I'm having a look at it.
The only problem, besides getting my tongue around the italian, is having to sing a high F# in the very last phrase. I have only ever been able to sing up to that F# in vocal warm-ups but never in songs, in which I can normally sing up to an E comfortably.
Does anyone have any suggestions on exercises to help me better the quality of high notes and expand my range to that F#?
I've never really known if i'm a bass or a baritone or something in between. I sang 2nd bass in a male voice choir last year but all the songs I have sung in lessons have never ventured as low and have always pushed me to my top E.
Full Version: Expanding Male Vocal Range
Hi Steve,
I was hoping that some of the professional singing teachers would stick a reply in before me - they're usually pretty quick with cracking good advice! First thing I would say is that you are still relatively young for your voice to have finally settled on its range - I sang second bass at 15!
My difficulty is in explaining in words over this medium how I encourage singers to reach higher notes. I listen to them going up and down octaves with a soft "ng" sound to establish their existing comfortable range, and demonstrate, for example, lifting the soft palate, dropping the lower jaw, looking downwards etc and see what extra heights can be hit - if that is what the singer wants.
Something else to be worked on is what I call the "planning" of how to shape vowels and produce words at the higher notes. Again, I can't do this sort of coaching via a Forum.
Hope that one or two of the real teachers see this and offer some of their usual pearls of wisdom!
I was hoping that some of the professional singing teachers would stick a reply in before me - they're usually pretty quick with cracking good advice! First thing I would say is that you are still relatively young for your voice to have finally settled on its range - I sang second bass at 15!
My difficulty is in explaining in words over this medium how I encourage singers to reach higher notes. I listen to them going up and down octaves with a soft "ng" sound to establish their existing comfortable range, and demonstrate, for example, lifting the soft palate, dropping the lower jaw, looking downwards etc and see what extra heights can be hit - if that is what the singer wants.
Something else to be worked on is what I call the "planning" of how to shape vowels and produce words at the higher notes. Again, I can't do this sort of coaching via a Forum.
Hope that one or two of the real teachers see this and offer some of their usual pearls of wisdom!
sirening- and humming-exercises are usually good to gradually stretch the range and avoid forcing. they have to be done the right way however, since they are no use if you tighten up during them.
there are lots of other vocal and physical exercises that help, i would strongly recommend to learn these under supervision though - too much can go wrong if you don't really know how to do it properly.
you might not like to hear this, but learning to sing via the written word/a forum is not really possible ...
there are lots of other vocal and physical exercises that help, i would strongly recommend to learn these under supervision though - too much can go wrong if you don't really know how to do it properly.
you might not like to hear this, but learning to sing via the written word/a forum is not really possible ...
Yes, I have to agree too. As Steve has mentioned already, your voice will be far from settled yet and in a few years' time you may discover or uncover several new notes at each end of your vocal range.
As you have taken lessons you should know how to hum and siren correctly so continue to work at these, and remember that it is so important to warm up before singing anything. Some physical exercises followed by some gentle vocal exs should put yourself and your voice under starters' orders and ready for off.
Until you are able to get lessons again why not work at other things too? Perhaps you could study languages? French, German and Italian are the three most important for singers so some work learning pronunciation and perhaps the phonetic alphabet too would be sensible. Listen to as much music as you can also, and not just vocal stuff. Read about music, study the works of the great composers and work at becoming an all-round musician. Then when you are able to take lessons again you will have an even better background. Good luck with your studies.
As you have taken lessons you should know how to hum and siren correctly so continue to work at these, and remember that it is so important to warm up before singing anything. Some physical exercises followed by some gentle vocal exs should put yourself and your voice under starters' orders and ready for off.
Until you are able to get lessons again why not work at other things too? Perhaps you could study languages? French, German and Italian are the three most important for singers so some work learning pronunciation and perhaps the phonetic alphabet too would be sensible. Listen to as much music as you can also, and not just vocal stuff. Read about music, study the works of the great composers and work at becoming an all-round musician. Then when you are able to take lessons again you will have an even better background. Good luck with your studies.
I'd agree wholeheartedly with all the excellent advice given thus far especially Stetenorve's general advice, the advice about sirening and humming, and Petrat's thinking outside of the box about languages! 
However, I rather suspect that, as you're so taken with it, you're probably going to have a go at singing it anyhow. With that in mind, I'd suggest you do try to get at least a couple of lessons with a real live teacher who can hear and observe you and help you in your goals. A forum such as this, as others have observed, can only give general non-specific pointers. If you aren't able to arrange to receive some tuition then, hopefully, you'll have learnt how to sing with an open throat (and what it should feel like) and techniques to avoid vocal strain. Bear in mind the importance of avoiding strain, as this is very important, especially at your sort of age. Good luck!
However, I rather suspect that, as you're so taken with it, you're probably going to have a go at singing it anyhow. With that in mind, I'd suggest you do try to get at least a couple of lessons with a real live teacher who can hear and observe you and help you in your goals. A forum such as this, as others have observed, can only give general non-specific pointers. If you aren't able to arrange to receive some tuition then, hopefully, you'll have learnt how to sing with an open throat (and what it should feel like) and techniques to avoid vocal strain. Bear in mind the importance of avoiding strain, as this is very important, especially at your sort of age. Good luck!
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