Can you tell me what this problem I'm having is?

PeterM83

Hi everyone! I would love to hear your thoughts on this problem of mine. So I do my warm ups, humming, scales etc

Let's say I sing a song that starts in a lower register, say counting stars by One Republic. "Lately I've been, I've been loosing sleep..." And sing it fine, the chords "catch" as such and it's ok.

Then let's say after that I try something like, Final countdown by Europe, or Don't stop believing that go quite into the high end, if I were to try singing counting stars again, I would find the lower parts real hard to do. Suddenly the chords dont catch as easy, might even break a bit on notes that should ostensibly be easy enough. There is a rawness there that only happens after trying a taxing song.

Am I just blowing out my voice? Bad technique forcing too much air through on those big notes ("will things ever be the same agaiiiinnn...it's the final countdown")

Or do I just have delicate vocal chords that can't hack it. Would love to learn from your wisdom!

Diego

This sounds like you're singing the top notes with a high larynx. When you did the low notes that were easy, you were pretty relaxed right?
So bascially what happens is, that the breath pressure created makes the larynx rise, which then makes it tense or strain and unable to come back to a relaxed state for a while, making it really hard to relax and hit the low notes with ease as you did before.

PeterM83

Diego said:

This sounds like you're singing the top notes with a high larynx. When you did the low notes that were easy, you were pretty relaxed right?
So bascially what happens is, that the breath pressure created makes the larynx rise, which then makes it tense or strain and unable to come back to a relaxed state for a while, making it really hard to relax and hit the low notes with ease as you did before.

Ah I think I follow. I've noticed this issue on the forum which I explored after I posted. So I would maybe be best to keep all belting songs together and lower range sings together ahead of songs that require belting? I'm asking as I don't want my voice to blow out on am upcoming gig.

Diego

Since it's an upcoming gig, then yes I would recommend that.
After that gig I would start practicing breath support, and open throat technique, so that you don't build pressure in your throat. It would help a LOT for a demonstration of what exactly it is your are doing, like a video or an audio clip.
It helps us determine a solution far faster than descriptions.

PeterM83

Diego said:

Since it's an upcoming gig, then yes I would recommend that.
After that gig I would start practicing breath support, and open throat technique, so that you don't build pressure in your throat. It would help a LOT for a demonstration of what exactly it is your are doing, like a video or an audio clip.
It helps us determine a solution far faster than descriptions.

Cool, I'll try record one tomorrow and upload, if I start belting the final countdown at 10.30Pm my neighbours will kick my butt haha

But thanks for taking the time to reply, very kind of you!

Wigs

@Diego that's a very good pick up on the likely issue there, it never crossed my mind as a possible cause.