Weird sound on high notes

[TheoD]

Hi, i'm new here but i've seen lots of topics in the past few months and I think some of you could help me.

I'm 18 years old and i've been singing since my 14 years or something and i've been taking vocal lessons for 2 years now. I noticed this problem before but it wasn't really affecting me as I was used to sing on a lower range and it wasn't really a problem, but when I hit some notes up to the C4 I have this weird sound, like bubbles or some metallic thing. At first reading on forum I thought it was phlegm, I did took some medicines also tried steam and stopped with dairy foods but nothing worked, here is an example of a sustained note.

http://picosong.com/P8Yv

[Gneetapp]

Hi TheoD, for me it sounds like you are adding distortion unintentionally. To fight phlegm drink lots of water. If it is not phlegm, you might be blowing to much air and the vocal folds are not vibrating steadily, causing this extra vibration. I am not a vocal coach nor an advanced singing student, so i could be probably wrong. Keep on rocking!

[TheoD]

Thanks for the reply, well it's not distortion, also i've tried to reduce the amount of air and had no changes, and as I wrote before, I did every possible thing agaisn't phlegm to fix this problem...

[Owen Korzec]

try this TheoD

First of all drink a glass of water do make sure dehydration isn't part of the issue.

There's two ways I would check for what's happening here:

First make sure it's not a locked solar plexus:

A trick you can do is sing the note and check that your solar plexus (the spot right in the center immediately below your ribs/sternum that will likely pop out when you sing a loud high note) is not locked - is stick a finger there and pulse it and see if it has some give to it, like if you were to press your finger against a balloon. If it is locked, focus on relaxing your body slightly until it starts to get some give as you push into it. You don't want it to be fully relaxed just a little give. If you find the right balance of tension you'll likely find the tone is already clean.

If not, try this.

Pick a little phrase, let's just use for instance "i like to sing"

Pick a comfortable but still kinda high pitch (let's say A3 for your voice) and speak it on that pitch as if you are holding your breath, like you are trying to talk to someone briefly right before going underwater.

Yes it will distort that is the point. Part of the point is also it will feel easy to maintain the high pitch. Anyways, try to get THIS sensation as comfortable as possible, the high distorted frail held back voice. Then gradually release your throat and let a teeny bit more air out and as you gradually make this adjustment keep repeating that phrase until it starts to sound like your normal speaking voice again and there is no strain or pressing in your throat anymore. Memorize that sensation then immediately try to sing the note you made in this file.

Hope one of those helps you find the right sensation of a proper clean note. Good luck.

[Gneetapp]

Thanks for the reply, well it's not distortion, also i've tried to reduce the amount of air and had no changes, and as I wrote before, I did every possible thing agaisn't phlegm to fix this problem...

Hi TheoD, it is indeed distortion. Unintentional, but still, distortion. The question is what is causing it? Try following Owen's tips, as he is a way more advanced singer than me. Cheers.

[Owen Korzec]

I don't think so, but I have been working hard to get to that "advanced" level for years! And discovered stuff like this along the way

[TheoD]

Thanks for the tips Owen, i've been trying it since you posted, still I get this sound, i've made another sample of some notes with hey and you sounds, and by feeling it seems more like phlegm than this distortion, also I have asthma, some allergy could make this, I have an appointment with an ENT to check this because it's been for quite a while.

Also it just happens up on the C4, in high notes above the high C the sound is minimal.

you can hear it clearly at the end of the track

http://picosong.com/P8mP/

[Xamedhi]

Man, I experience something similar on some notes like D-E and F3.

CVT says that unintentional distortion can happen when you are doing a coordination that would be between two modes, like being between curbing and overdrive for example. That would be an unbalanced coordination.

What I feel happens when I get this, is that the fold's adduction is not balanced with the amount of air going out, so the distortion happens.

I don't know if that reasoning is true at all, but it is a hypothesis/theory(idk) I happen to relate to sometimes. It would explain what happens, also because I can correct it when it does.

Practice adding more adduction with a bit more air pressure, or release a bit of the adduction and back off the air in that particular range. Just experiment and you'll get it right This distortion maybe happens because in that particular area of your voice your muscles are stronger, thus they do more work for the effort invested, idk.

Hope I helped, at least to shake up the creativity :P