Making things easier on the really really high notes

[Remylebeau]

So, I'm attempting to tackle Gethsemane from Jesus Christ Superstar. And by tackle I mean, one small bit at a time, however long it takes. The song has some screams up to G5 in it and I'm trying to do them with less effort. I can sing up to A5-Bb5 or so, but I've never performed anything that goes higher than E5 because it becomes a lot more difficult for me at that point.

I can hit the note, but it has varied consistency, it can be difficult to sustain, and the effort levels right now are just too high that I wouldn't want to try it in a live performance until it gets easier. Sometimes I can do them free from strain, sometimes there's definitely some strain.

Here's a clip of me making an attempt at the first of these passages that goes up to G5 in the song.

https://soundcloud.com/remylebeaux-1/gethsemane-g5

Any suggestions about how I can improve it, or exercises to work on to strengthen those really high notes would be much appreciated!

[VideoHere]

if you are going to take that (i believe the word is "why") g5 with fully adducted folds (no airiness)....my suggestion might be to practise starting in a light head voice and try to mentally isolate the vocal folds so that you can lean into them, swell them a bit and lean on them a bit so you can achieve a nice, connected, resonant tone.

warm up to get some swelling into the folds, get the palate up, nice, open, relaxed throat, support well, and plan on adding lean and a cry to the tone. this does not have to be super loud, the cry/twang will take care of that. lean on the folds and cry into the tone as you work to seal any gaps.

so basically it's like doing little, short, messa di voce's. do this a little each day. don't overdo it.

[ronws]

And while you are at it, don't pronounce it as why, which has a dipthong in the sound. pronounce it as whah.

With the ah being same sound as in father. Ah, not aw, or anything else. Pure ah.

[Remylebeau]

And while you are at it, don't pronounce it as why, which has a dipthong in the sound. pronounce it as whah.

With the ah being same sound as in father. Ah, not aw, or anything else. Pure ah.

I was actually going for pure ah. Now after listening to it again, I realized that I did indeed use the dipthong. Thanks Ron! And thanks to everyone else for their suggestions, thus far!

[ronws]

I was able to say that, Remy because I, too, at times, have dipthonged and found things more tunable for me when I avoid that dipthong and go for the straight vowel, when possibly, maybe shifted at the end, almost imperceptibly.

I have found, with dipthong words, it is better to rest on the first part of it and either abandon the second part, or briefly touch on it.

Tres bon, mon Ami.