You know you're singing too high ...

[Derech2]

Posted: 5/26/05 at 9:25pm

When? Obviously I know if it hurts do not do it.

But I'm young, consider myself a baritone, and half to start pushing for any note past middle D. But those males who are belting out Gs, As, a Bs -- how hard are they pushing for it? The other day, I sang Close Every Door from Joseph and the last note is an F. I managed to get it out with a nice vibrato without cracking into head voice, but it was more an on-pitch bark than singing. It's a powerful song, so I don't feel an overwhelming need to have a stunningly gorgeous F come from my mouth, but I was pushing really hard to get it.

Will I just be able to sing higher as I get older? Or do I really need a private voice teacher to get me up to these notes correctly? How much of a strain is it for a good, mature male voice to hit a G or A?

Thanks to anyone who can help. I'm very much suffering from moody teenage frustration at my lack of being able to go high.

Updated On: 5/26/05 at 09:25 PM

[BJC899]

Posted: 5/26/05 at 9:31pm

I'm a tenor and can sing up to B above the register. It's a crazy note especially when I can slide to a C above it. I'm not straining. With proper technique and training it comes naturally. If your a baritone don't try for those top notes. Since you're young (like me) you could end up damaging your voice and lose a high note. A GOOD voice teacher is the key.

[Derech2]

Posted: 5/26/05 at 9:33pm

But when you sing the B, is it just as easy as the B an octave below?? That little of straining??

And how does one judge whether a voice teacher is good or not?

[ljay889]

Posted: 5/26/05 at 9:35pm

Im 15. I'm a Baritone as well. I can sing a solid F. And a nice F Sharp on a good day. I struggle for a G - It is like my dream to be able to hit the G in my chest voice.

I really am hoping as I get older I can increase my range.

[Aigoo]

Posted: 5/26/05 at 9:37pm

And how does one judge whether a voice teacher is good or not?

Usually it's just chemistry. Just...if you feel as if you're not wasting your money while studying with said voice teacher, and you feel open and comfortable with them, you'll know.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 5/26/05 at 9:38pm

I tend to prefer singing baritone, but I've actually sung "Close Every Door" before and I HATED that last note. also the one on "for I know I shall find..."... ugh... loathed it...
Updated On: 5/26/05 at 09:38 PM

[Derech2]

Posted: 5/26/05 at 9:42pm

ljay889, you're my age. And you're lucky ... it's my dream to hit a good F

CATSNY, I adore the last note. I do not sing it well, but I sing it like there's no tomorrow. And hec it's fun. But yeah I agree about "I shall find" ...

Updated On: 5/26/05 at 09:42 PM

[Parks]

Posted: 5/26/05 at 10:18pm

I'm 15 and I'm the male version of Idina Menzel....screaming. Probably not too good for me. Haha-but lately I've been working on it.

[FosseBoi]

Posted: 5/26/05 at 10:46pm

Parks, you and I have SO MUCH incommon! I HATE my range! I am working on it with my voice teacher. Only thing is, I tend to have a raspy voice, which is prob. REALLY bad for my range. Which SUCKS! cus I wanna be the male version of Idina Menzel!!!, with the exception that I can also dance. Btw, I'm NOT joking about that!

[BJC899]

Posted: 5/26/05 at 11:02pm

I can sing Good Morning Baltimore in my chest voice.

and i'm 15.

this age thing is getting scary.

[Jazzysuite82]

Posted: 5/27/05 at 12:48am

why anyone would WANT to sound like Idina Menzel is beyond me. At any rate. You guys are very young. Your voices level out as long as you get training. Give it time. Just studying and don't grip anything. YOu should be doing all of this strenuous vocal activity with the care of a good teacher. When I was 13 I had trouble singing an E. Well that was many years ago and I'm a bonafide tenor. I can sing an octave above that. Just wait it out and don't rush, you can really damage yourself when you do that

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 5/27/05 at 1:38am

I'm 19. I started for real voice lessons last August. I never understood singing all that much. I had done choir, but didn't realize how how a G or F were. The first song I sang was "This is the Moment" from J&H, then i sang "What do I need with Love" from Millie. I was so scared of landing the Gs. Esp. the end G of "Love." However, now i'm singing songs like "Flight" and "What is it About Her?" from The Wild Party and am landing Abs. I can now hit a high B full voice. I think it just takes time. Also (again i'm not all that familiar with voice) but I think it just has to do with your own ability. I mean not everyone has the capabilities of singing a high C or B, right?

[Parks]

Posted: 5/27/05 at 2:00am

The "I'm the male version of Idina Menzel" was a joke. I know it's not a good thing-I just tend to scream some of my notes when I can't hit them using my diapragm..

[carlobarlo]

Posted: 5/27/05 at 2:30am

I used to have trouble hitting higher notes(IE. F#, G, A) but I worked a lot on my head voice(Falsetto) and it strengthened my mix so I can hit those notes with some chest and some head, but it sounds like it's all chest... I would suggest getting a voice teacher that can train you well though, It would suck if you ruined your voice for when you were older because you were pushing too hard to get notes when you were younger.

[TheOneAndOnly]

Posted: 5/27/05 at 11:22am

With proper training, you probably can get those Gs and As. Of course it's not a definite, but very possible. Before I got engrossed in solid training, it was difficult for me to get a solid F.

I am probably more of a natural baritone, but because I have tenor notes, I can sing most of both parts. Now I can get up to the B-flat on a regular basis, and always at least the A. I wouldn't want to do an entire song that is all up in the G#, A, B-flat etc for the whole song, but if there are occasional phrases that go up there, it's not a problem. (If that makes any sense..)

I asked Cheyenne what he considers himself, as he doesn't seem to naturally be a tenor, but he's hitting B-flats in All Shook Up. He said that in high school, he sang the LOW BASS, but that he eventually realized that to be a Broadway "leading man" type, he'd need the higher notes, so he worked hard and now has them. Maybe he doesn't have them as naturally as say Gavin Creel or Michael Arden who both very naturally sing quite high, but there is something to be said for a baritone voice that can sing high notes; it brings a fullness to the sound and timbre that isn't always found in a lyric tenor.

[thibodeaux]

Posted: 5/27/05 at 11:26am

Anyone know what the note is at the end of "30/90" in Tick...Tick...BOOM!

It's high as all get-out and Raul makes it seem like cake.

I can almost get there. On a good, warm day, I can.

[bwaysinger]

Posted: 5/27/05 at 11:34am

I am with those who say stop pushing. If you want to sing higher healthily, go study.
I am a high tenor/countertenor with absolutely no low register. It's just where my voice sits.
However, on my first voice lesson, I could sing a Gb/F#. Within a month, I was up to an easy A and now I typically have a C upon waking up in the morning and, after a good warm up, can go much higher and easily into my countertenor range.
So it's best to stop trying to belt like Idina and focus on what you do have and making that sound good for you.
ANd, guess what? If you really still have to sing Defying Gravity, have it put into a key that is YOUR own belty range.

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 5/27/05 at 12:05pm

Best thing to do is practice

[Jazzysuite82]

Posted: 5/27/05 at 12:23pm

PS. Counter-tenors are really baritones, not tenors. You just have a high range.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 5/27/05 at 12:47pm

Actually, countertenors are the highest male voice. It was used quite a bit long ago, and is making a resurgence in the opera world.

Alot can change or be changed through training and just waiting until the voice is completely matured. If you are going to perform it is a really good idea to get some training from a reputable voice teacher.

[IMsooHyprToday]

Posted: 5/27/05 at 12:55pm

if your head explodes you've gone too high...

[bwaysinger]

Posted: 5/27/05 at 1:01pm

Jazzy, that's what I'm always told. And yet, I can do the countertenor range. It's bizarre, really, as my falsetto sounds like you'd expect of a typical tenor.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 5/27/05 at 1:53pm

thibodeaux: I have the sheet music and I'm pretty sure the last note is an Ab. There are a lot of Abs throughout that song for the "johnthan" character.

[TheColorOfFlame]

Posted: 5/27/05 at 2:11pm

As you get older, your range will expand and you won't lose your voice as much. Don't worry! :)

[Kevo711]

Posted: 5/27/05 at 4:00pm

thanks for all the great advice... im 14 and can hit a solid F, but i really want to work on getting my voice to go higher.