Every singer dreams of having the most expansive vocal range possible. Sure, you may be in your car with the music blasting as you belt out those high notes, but in your mind, you're on stage in front of tens of thousands of adoring fans.
Likewise, though it may not be as popular, there are tons of vocalists looking to hit lower notes with full clarity and warmth, as well.
The question is, can we increase our vocal range? And if it is possible, how do we accomplish this?
Today, Atlanta Institute of Music and Media vocal instructor Rick Mallory will provide tips and suggestions for singers on increasing their natural range and comfortably hitting the notes they desire.
Rick Mallory is a voice coach at AIMM and has performed and participated in many studio sessions.
He is also a member of the Atlanta Opera Chorus.
Let's get to the tips!
Various factors can determine whether or not you accomplish your goal of increasing your vocal range.
Unfortunately, there is not just one vocal technique or vocal training activity that you can do that will get your vocals in the singing range where you want them to be.
It is a collective effort of the following a few components:
As Rick mentions in the video above, preparation is not only speaking to vocal exercises. It is critical to get your entire body warmed up and ready to perform.
In addition to the excellent health benefits, physical training, such as going to the gym on days when you have vocal performances, can be very beneficial.
If you don't have access to a gym (or a membership), you can still do calisthenic workouts, which are effective exercises that simply use your own body weight.
This type of exercise can include squats, pushups, jumping jacks, burpees, and crunches.
Your vocal technique and performance style also play a significant role in terms of your preparation.
If you typically sing in your chest voice, which we will touch on later, while sitting down, your preparation will likely be a little less intense than if you are expected to move around and dance while singing.
Now that you've taken the necessary steps to warm up physically and vocally let's discuss projection a bit.
Why is projecting something to focus on when discussing your vocal range or even singing, for that matter?
As Rick discusses in the video, we do not typically project in our day-to-day conversations.
Working diligently on projection and doing it in a safe way can benefit your singing entirely.
You may have noticed that "safe way," up above, is in italics. If you did, you might be thinking, is there an incorrect way to project? Yes, there actually is.
Think about this; have you ever gone to a concert or a sporting event where you get excited and start shouting?
Does your voice ever sound raspy and hoarse after the event? That is the type of projection you do not want to implement while performing. A hoarse voice after projecting means that you are not properly using your diaphragm muscles and body to support your vocal health.
You need to learn how to essentially yell and scream without injuring yourself.
Practicing proper vocal techniques and vocal range exercises will help with vocal range expansion and protect the longevity of your singing voice box.
There are four main vocal registers that singers utilize. These include:
Chest Voice: This refers to the lowest notes and thicker tones. It also reflects the register that we normally use while speaking. This is called chest voice because when you sing using your typical speaking register, or close to it, and you put your hand on your chest, you'll feel a vibration.
Head Voice: Your head voice is when you sing using the upper range of your register, which is created by thin vocal folds.
Falsetto: Falsetto range is a form of singing that is higher in your register, like your head voice, but much breathier and hollow.
Mixed Voice: When a singer can successfully blend their chest voice and their head voice, they are using what is called the mixed voice.
It is critical to get to the point where you are comfortable with how you sound singing in each voice type.
Make sure to check out the video of Rick above. In it, he switches between different vocal registers as he sings "Fly Me to the Moon," "Don't Know Why," and a couple of Prince songs.
To learn more about vocal registers, check out our blog detailing a singer's head voice vs. chest voice.
The Lip Trill
A lip trill is a great vocal exercise for increasing your singing range because it helps you automatically smooth out transition points in your register.
Also known as "lip bubbles," the actual sound you make doing a lip trill is similar to imitating an airplane or a toy car. While making this sound, you will go up and back down your scales.
As professional teacher Rick demonstrates in the video above, the lip trill exercise will accomplish the following:
The ultimate goal is that with dedicated practice and proper technique, you will develop vocal muscle memory so your register transitions become as smooth and seamless while performing as they are when you're doing the lip trill exercise.
Overall, it's a useful, gentle vocal exercise that improves tone and breath control and, with consistent practice, will truly help expand your voice range over time.
If you want to increase your vocal range and learn from Rick himself, check out the Atlanta Institute of Music and Media.
AIMM offers the following programs for vocalists:
If you are interested in voice lessons and learning the ins and outs of music production, such as tracking, mixing, and mastering, we highly recommend you check out AIMM's Music and Technology Degree.
On the other hand, if you are dedicated to maximizing your vocal skills and are only interested in professional singing, the Performance Certificate is right for you.
Important Note: Given how stressful everything is right now, AIMM is proud to offer our degrees and certificates as hybrid programs, meaning you have the choice to take classes either on-campus or online.
If this sounds appealing and you want to expand your range of vocal abilities and become a professional singer, click below to take the first step toward a successful singing career.
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