mixed voice pitch problems

[NCdan]

For a while I've been trying to work on getting "cry" into my head voice (which I think is technically termed mixed voice,) because when I go into to pure head voice on high notes I sound like a bad hair metal singer (very thin and whiny, you know what I mean, right?) I thought I was doing fine, but I've been noticing, and maybe I'm just developing a more critical ear, that I have a lot of pitch problems when using head voice with cry. I have trouble singing on key, and long notes are all over the place. Is it supposed to be hard to stay in tune using mixed voice? I find it fairly easy to stay on key when singing in chest and head voice. Do I need to build up more strength to have better pitch in mixed voice or might I be doing something wrong? Thanks.

[Robert Lunte]

For a while I've been trying to work on getting "cry" into my head voice (which I think is technically termed mixed voice,) because when I go into to pure head voice on high notes I sound like a bad hair metal singer (very thin and whiny, you know what I mean, right?)

If the note is approximately above E4, you are in your head voice. the highly compressed, quacky sound you are referring to , I do know what you mean.

I think you are twanging in your head voice and your calling it "mixed voice". while it may sound a bit quacky right now, it is in fact part of the solution. If you sound too quacky, do not immediately blame it on your twang compression. The issue for you, I believe is you need to configure your larynx to get more pharyngeal resonance and anchor up more. Try pushing your tongue against the back of the bottom teeth to help assist the larynx in lowering slightly and let the placement sit low & back in a headier position. Maintain the twang compression you already have, don't let it unravel, maintain the compression (glottal closure).

Your writing seems to sound like respiration issue. Blow more air. The voice is a wind instrument, you need air to play it and increase the velocity and volume. be athletic, blow. When you exhale, do it from the rip cage down... singers breath deep & low.

Your unstable and chirping around pitch because you probably dont have enough intrinsic anchoring. Muscle up inside a little bit, push the tongue against the bottom teeth and phonate an "Eh" vowel over some slow and controlled sirens.

Everybody can sing easier in the chest voice, that is normal for all human beings.

Your not doing something wrong, its what your just not doing. What you are doing, seemingly twanging in the head voice is the start of one day having big boomy head tones. My advise to you is try to stop worrying about the "mixed voice" a bit, I think the concept is confusing you. "mixed voice" is about formants and overtones sitting in very purgatory like, resonant placements. Its a very complicated thing to really grasp, even if you realize that it is about formants and overtones. "mixed voice" is not the upper register where your high notes are "placed". The place that high notes resonant, whether they are falsetto or twang is a place called the "head voice". Your in your head voice if your above E4, or should be.

Forget about the mystery mixed voice, and keep twanging in the head voice like you are, but dump or dampen your larynx.

If its quacky, its because your not lowering your larynx, mostly. You can lighten your twang compression as well, but usually with students, the altitude of the larynx is too high through the passaggio and head voice. Thanks.

I hope this helps.

[NCdan]

Try pushing your tongue against the back of the bottom teeth to help assist the larynx in lowering slightly and let the placement sit low & back in a headier position. Maintain the twang compression you already have, don't let it unravel, maintain the compression (glottal closure).

Your writing seems to sound like respiration issue. Blow more air. The voice is a wind instrument, you need air to play it and increase the velocity and volume. be athletic, blow. When you exhale, do it from the rip cage down... singers breath deep & low.

Your unstable and chirping around pitch because you probably dont have enough intrinsic anchoring. Muscle up inside a little bit, push the tongue against the bottom teeth and phonate an "Eh" vowel over some slow and controlled sirens.

Thanks, that answer helps a lot. Trying to sing in head voice with cry just sounded sort of weird to me anyway.

[Robert Lunte]

Well, as Im trying to tell you... a "cry" like phonation isnt going to hurt, its part of the path to getting some full tone in your head voice, but it sounds to me like you have some sorting out to do in terms of understanding the moving parts, registers and really getting focus on what your suppose to be concerned with and working on.