If you have ever wondered if as a bass singer, you can sing high notes?
The simple answer is YES, as a bass singer you can definitely hit the high notes and sing them comfortably
One thing you need to know is that your voice type (whether you are a soprano, bass, tenor singer) does not determine what you can sing
This has more to do with something called “Tessitura” which deals with the part of your range in which you sing naturally and easily.
So at really high notes, a bass singer can sing something akin to countertenor and this is absolutely necessary.
Can anyone sing high notes?
Another question which I keep getting from most people is asking if anyone can sing high notes?
My answer and personal opinion is YES, anyone can definitely learn to sing high notes and sing it well.
Now here is where it becomes a little twisted
No one is born with the ability to sing high note perfectly
It takes some practice and your vocal cords like other muscles in your body needs some practice and exercise to get stronger and better
It’s not magic and it’s not going to happen immediately but with the right vocal exercises and patience you can definitely get to that place
Here are some tips to helps you sing high notes without any issues
- Relax your muscles – The first step you want to get right to singing high notes is to relax your muscles and allow the words to flow naturally. Your breathing needs to be relaxed if you want to hit those high notes, otherwise that tension will be noticed in your voice. So relax your shoulders, your chest and take deep breaths in and out.
- Warm up your voice before singing. One thing you can do is to warm your voice by using a personal humidifier before and after singing. A personal humidifier will bring warm, moist air to your vocal cords. So using one before and after singing will help keep your vocal cords in good shape.
- Another thing you want to do is Drink a glass of warm water to relax your throat muscles. It also helps hydrate the vocal cords, allowing you to reach the higher registers. Add honey to your water to decrease and/or prevent their throat from swelling. Don’t drink ice water, caffeine or milk before warming up your voice. These can have a negative effect on your singing voice.
- Trill with your lips to warm them up. Press your lips together loosely. Release air through your mouth in a steady stream, so that your lips vibrate and make a raspberry sound. Move on to doing this with “h” sounds, maintaining a steady voice as you move the air past your lips. Once you’ve got that, try it on “b” sounds. Then continue doing “b” sounds, but go up and down the scales. Lip trills help you strengthen your breath control while reducing pressure on your vocal cords.
Do you have to sing loud to hit high notes?
One mistake I see most people, especially rookie singers is that they tend to increase their volume or sing louder to hit high notes.
This is totally false and should not be so
You should generally not sing louder as you go up in pitch and also reduce your volume as you go down in pitch.
The major thing to learn when singing high notes is to master your breath control and this is the key to singing and hitting those high notes.
Singing high notes requires a high tension in your vocal cords, so pushing more air will definitely help maintain that tension.
Why does my voice crack when I sing high notes?
Another issue most singers deal with when singing is them losing their voice or their voice cracking while they sing.
Your voice cracking usually happens when your singing muscles stop working properly long enough for the sound to stop.
And this is usually as a result of air being cut off or stopping moving through your vocal cords.
To fix this then the simple issue is to maintain a steady flow of air especially on high notes will help prevent your voice from cracking.
This problem is usually faced by young singers and amateur singers as their voice tends to crack as they tend to figure out how to sing higher notes.
Why can’t I sing High Notes Anymore?
If you notice that after a while, you have problems singing high notes then here is what I have to say to you.
It’s probable that over a period of time, your vocal chords have thickened somewhat, so they resonate differently and you now require some adjustment of your placement – but if you keep just going for those notes like you did when you were 20 years old, you’ll never hit them because that is no longer the way your voice
Can Singing High Notes Damage My Voice?
One thing that can happen is when you sing high notes incorrectly and then you damage your vocal cords
And I need to emphasize that this can only happen when you hit high notes incorrectly
Over time, if you keep straining your voice, this could lead to vocal nodules or polyps.
Nodules on the vocal cords are a bit like the callouses that build up on your fingertips when you play guitar.
However, unlike callouses, these nodules are not a normal part of singing, and can cause permanent damage.
Related: Check out this article that shows you 5 foods to avoid for a good singing voice
In a similar way, polyps can be considered like blisters.
They form on the vocal folds when someone abuses their voice.
If you’re screaming to hit high notes, these polyps can form in an extremely short period of time.
If you have vocal nodules or polyps and continue to strain your voice, this could actually lead to permanent damage.
And do you know what 90% of ENTs will prescribe to fix the problem? Complete vocal rest for a month or more.
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