What can I do to hit certain notes?

[Trick]

Hi, I know this has been discussed many times here. I'm looking for advice or instruction on what I can do to reach a certain note. The band I'm in is covering Sunday Bloody Sunday by U2. We have raised it up a half step from the original so we can stay in standard guitar tuning. This was my suggestion and now has given me a hard time to sing that line. So it's in the key of Bm. So on the word Sunday it is an A (maybe A4?) This is where my voice starts to weaken. I need to sing this in what i believe is called head voice. Sometimes I can do it and when not warmed up, no way is it happening. My throat is really tense when I'm trying to sing that line. I play a Bm scale and when I go from the G to the A, I can tell I'm losing it and straining. My voice really hurts and my talking voice is all screwed up when we run through it a couple times. I can hit the note, but I can tell I'm straining and this is really upsetting me. I'm feel like I'm so close and really would like to accomplish this. I'm currently trying to sing the Bm scale and reach that note without going to falsetto. Is this the best exercise I can do to quickly strengthen my range to hit this particular note?

If you can lead me in the right direction, I would appreciate any advice.

Thanks so much,

Sean

[joshual]

of waht i understood ( i'm not a pro at all, i consider myself as a novice) you have to learn to bridge from chest to head voice ( not falsetto). I'm trying to do the same. A thing that help me a lot, Matt told me to try to speak on higher pitch, try to not be in singer mode. I also work on high notes in head voice, trying to really connect the vocal folds, not pushing and then reinforced a little. I also work on keeping this connection before my passagio, my passagio is on E/Eflat and i try to keep a good connection to B ( for the moment).

That's what i can say to help you, but i may be 100% wrong...

It can also depend on a lot of things, the greatest thing you can do is post a mp3 of you singing that song. I'm sure the Maestros here will give you a lot of help.

keep the faith.

Josh

[chele1000]

Hi Trick and welcome,

Since you are doing scales I'm assuming you have a coach? If so, they should be able to help you. If not, there is a great coach available from this site. Of course, you can always get the band to tune down so you can reach the notes. If you really want to expand your range, then you have to take small steps and then when you're comfortable, try songs with notes in that new territory. It could also be that you are psychologically freaking out before you get to the note. This will prevent you from delivering because you are tensing up.

A coach can help you figure out all this stuff.

Good luck!

Michele

[markgrubb@gmail.com]

Numerous topics throughout vocal technique threads address your question. Here are some top tips - drink water throughout the day (clear pee / clear voice), do not drink cold liquids immediately prior or during singing, always establish a resonant tract (Hmm / lip trill / Z / V) prior to singing (TVS refers to this as getting in your singing voice, many refer to this as warming up their voice), prepare the song by replacing the words with open vowels (MAh), cradle the microphone / don't grip it (causes tension creep), check your posture to ensure your head is not craning forward / don't reach forward for notes, make sure your weight is on the middle and front of your feet and not on your heels, use diaphragmatic breathing (do not lift your shoulders when you breath / allow your abdominals to relax during inhale and move your naval area inward during exhale, use Top Down phonation NOT Bottom Up (bottom up is pushing pitches up from your throat while top down results in the sensation of resonance placement behind your top teeth and on up into the bridge of your nose / behind your eyes), minimize the amount of air you exhale (visualize inhaling the notes / "Try to swallow the high notes"), use the Lift Up Pull Back technique to bridge from your chest voice to your head voice (let off the air and support a little and move resonance placement toward the back of your head then once in your head voice add support and move resonance placement forward and higher), anchor on the 'money notes' (take a large step back with the leg on your dominant side / don't lean backward, but settle your weight into your quad or glute or any large muscle). I will post some links, but all these points will only be helpful if you already understand them. At least it gives you a checklist to consider and some topics to search. You are definitely in the right place to further your craft. God bless!

[markgrubb@gmail.com]

Watch / Read ... this will get you started.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCF1a2P0bCU&feature=related establishing the resonant tract

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSytGRk6o7E&feature=related don't pull chest

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8zroG9QWNc lift up pull back

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcbtxOoGpJM&feature=related bridging and connecting

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSOddYFhQ4A&feature=related bridging and connecting

http://www.punbb-hosting.com/forums/themodernvocalist/viewtopic.php?id=575

http://www.punbb-hosting.com/forums/themodernvocalist/viewtopic.php?id=570

http://www.punbb-hosting.com/forums/themodernvocalist/viewtopic.php?id=582

[Trick]

Thanks to all the replies. I don't have a vocal coach. I was never too concerned about furthering my vocal capabilities. Would just pick up a guitar and sing a song. I mostly like to sing blues (Clapton) and Neil Young esque stuff. I know this is probably not too challenging for most but I want to get more serious and further myself vocally. Just trying to learn as much as I can from the power of the net. Mark, thanks for the info. I will have to read a couple times to digest and then practice and watch what you have posted. I've read about diaphragmatic breathing, but never was certain how to control it or when to use it. Thanks again everyone.