One question we receive often from students and subscribers is how to get better at singing high notes. So today, by popular demand, we’re going to teach you how to sound better when singing those notes that push the upper register of your vocal range! Let’s start with a rule we often use with students when singing notes that are extreme in either direction (very high notes, or very low notes): any extreme note requires a combination of good space and support.
Improving Space to Sing High Notes
We all have a natural range in which we speak. Generally, this may be close to an octave of notes, but when attempting to sing higher notes we have to work on creating more space in the mouth to reach these notes without sounding flat or strained.
Many people will naturally attempt to create space for high notes by moving the lower jaw forward. This is an improper technique that causes difficulty for the singer and results in less than optimal performance. Resist the urge to lean with the chin and instead focus on creating a long and open mouth position. Additionally, a smile-like facial expression when singing these higher notes can help create space horizontally as well.
Making this change creates less pressure in the throat and helps you deliver those high notes like a pro!
Improving Support to Sing High Notes
Pulling support from the neck, arms, and chin can hurt your singing performance. Proper support, on the other hand, requires learning to sing from the diaphragm or abdominal area.
Here is a good rule of thumb; if you’re abs aren’t sore and fatigued after singing something with staccatos (as seen in the tutorial video above), you probably aren’t doing it right! You need to have extreme awareness over the muscles that are being worked when singing. For this reason, we even go as far as assigning crunches to our students in order to create strength and additional awareness of abdominal engagement.
Learning to combine space and support is a surefire way to improve your ability to sing high notes comfortably and confidently!
