I do classical singing, working on grade 7/8 but i've always also loved singing other stuff, popular music etc... but it really hurts to sing in my chest voice, and before i've finished one song i can barely sing and it goes all shaky and i cant hold the notes etc. I can only sing up to about a G on the stave comfortably in chest voice, which is so annoying cause i really like the sound of my chest voice but hate the sound of my head voice.
Anything above a G feels like i'm really pushing it and i physically cant get above a Bb/B in my chest voice...
Is there any way of increasing the range of my chest voice? And why is it hurting me? I know i must be forcing it or something but i don't know any other way to sing! With my teacher i've always only done classical singing and she always gives me high songs. I'd love to learn to belt properly.

Oops, that sounds like you really pull up your chest voice (or whatever you want to call it) in regions where it doesn't belong. I think we've discussed this here a million times already, but Belting is NOT pulling up the chest voice, so please, please stay clear of attempting to do so for your voice's sake.

If you listen to some really good Belters, you might THINK they are singing in chest voice up there, but they actually don't - it's a sort of mix (or better a certain adjustment of your vocal apparatus). One that can be learned, but I'm afraid not over a Forum, although you will find some very good explanations here if you do a search. You need a teacher who knows something about modern/contemporary singing techniques (preferably not someone who only teaches classical), thats absolutely essential. Sorry, but I'm not in Wales

The sound you are looking for is not harmful at all if done properly, but what you are doing is isolating your chest voice and probably trying to hold the same larynx position and pharynx adjustment that you use when shouting at the bottom of your voice. I can do this up to B on the stave, but I wouldn't dream of doing it unless for a very short, stylistic reason.

To cut a long story short: If you want to learn how to belt, find a proper teacher who knows their stuff ...

I've been learning this style in my lessons and it's definitely important to do it properly. There's no way I could've figured this stuff out by myself and it's quite different to what I'd learned with other teachers.

Hope you are able to find someone!

Hi Ffliwt !

I've only just seen this, so sorry I took so long to reply.

Maria and Mezzo are absolutely right - if you want to sing with a thicker sound higher in your range, you really need to learn how to do it from someone who really understands these techniques. Some classical teachers do, most don't.

To give you an idea - traditional classical tuition teaches two basic configurations (sometimes only one in the female voice) - which it calls chest and head. They are, roughly, a thicker folded speech quality and a thinner folded cry or falsetto based quality. There is sometimes a third configuration taught but it is really just a very thin version of the falsetto one.

The music you're trying to sing requires more configurations than that - it requires you to use thicker cry-based set-ups, belt based set-ups, twang-based set ups etc.

Think of Christina Aguilera, or of Anastacia - both of these singers use configurations other than the standard thick and thin - learning only thick and thin, therefore, will never enable you to sing their music with anything like authentic interpretation - just as a singer who was not versed in the use of the two classical configurations will not be able to sing classical authentically.

As you've decided you want to sing this music properly, then you need the proper tools. You need a teacher who is versed in these tools and can teach you to use them to make the sounds you want to make.

Good luck !

Allan

Welcome back, rosfrog - lovely to see you again!

Many thanks Rilla D !

Mon plaisir!