When I sing high it feels/sound like the sound is resonating in my inner ear. How to prevent this?

Yelgath

Hey guys, I just got the program after wasting a few months with SLS. I'm a guitarist and I've never sung at all prior to a few months ago when I bought the SLS program. The most significant obstacle I have encountered is that whenever I sing high (and by high I mean maybe the top third of my range), it sometimes feels like the inside of my ears open or something and the sound of my voice is resonating inside my ear. It's incredibly annoying and when it happens, I can't accurately hear myself. I basically have to stop whenever it happens. It doesn't always happen, but it happens often enough that it's a significant issue. I think the best way to describe it to compare it to what happens to your hearing when you yawn. If you've ever yawned and while yawning made the typical yawn sound, you might notice how the sound resonates differently. That's essentially what happens to me often whenever I sing high. Is this a common issue, and if it is, what am I doing wrong? 

highmtn

Alexander,

You may be opening up the eustacian tubes and creating an odd acoustical effect in your head.  Opening your jaw may be triggering this effect, as the tubes pass through to your throat from your inner ear, and they can be affected by jaw motion.

That's why many people chew gum when the go on airline travel.  Pressure differentials can build up in between your inner ear and the outside area in a pressurized cabin.  Weather and altitude can cause pressure differentials.  If you have any congestion at all, the changing or equalization of pressure can be fouled up by plugging these equalization tubes.  If that happens, you can experience discomfort and/or strange effects on the sound you are hearing.  It is particularly annoying if one ear is plugged and the other is not.  This can affect your balance, your hearing, and your feeling of well-being. 

Singing high sometimes requires us to increase pressure on our cords.  If we are having any pressure equalization issues, this could introduce pressure differentials and mess with your hearing.

You may want to see a doctor and have your ears and throat looked at.  Tell them you've been singing and the sound seems strange within your head.  You may have a sinus infection or other issue.

Bob 

 

Yelgath

I appreciate the answer. After doing a bit more research on this, I've identified what's happening to me as "autophony" due to the opening of my Eustachian tubes. I'll have a doctor check into it this summer, but I think it's more likely to be a bad habit in my technique that I have yet to identify and correct.

highmtn

Do have a physician check into it.  Your physician can let you know whether there are any things you need to be careful of, and lay your mind to rest about what is not a problem.

Bob

Kokonuht

Please do update on this if you have any news! I too have this issue when I sing really high but when I have enough support, this happens and the sound seems to be fine. It's not a bad feeling but only happens to my right ear and when I'm high above the High C.. Probably D5 ~ E5?

Yelgath

I said I'd post an update on this, and my update is that I have not gone to a doctor for the autophony. The reason is that since I've started up the KTVA program, none of the exercises have caused it to occur so I'm attributing it to improper technique. Probably too much muscular tension that was messing with the Eustachian tubes. There's a chance I'll take a trip to the doctor anyway for a normal check up in the next few weeks, and if so I'll go ahead and ask about it to provide you guys with a further update.

bluesbird

Hey @alexander2023, this is George. I'm a pharmacist in profession, and I've had the same problem in the past. I don't think it's due to wrong technique from you, but you should definitely check your nose and sinuses. Bob's  explanation is right on the spot here and I'm really impressed by it!! Just wanted to add this: Check yourself for allergies and check your nasal epithelium. If it's swollen by any cause (mostly allergic reasons) this can certainly produce the pressure differencies mentioned by Bob. Maybe the epithelium of one of your nostrils has a big or bigger inflammation, and the capacity of airflow is smaller in this side of your nasal cavities and eustachian tubes. This can be solved by using some nasal sprays and pumping salt water in the nose, in order to cool down the inflammation. It also maybe a cause for you to subconsciously want to send air more aggressively when singing, and worsen the air blockage in the area. Don't worry much about it though, it's not something that can threaten your health. Hope I helped!! 

Mojoryan

bluesbird said:

Hey @alexander2023, this is George. I'm a pharmacist in profession, and I've had the same problem in the past. I don't think it's due to wrong technique from you, but you should definitely check your nose and sinuses. Bob's  explanation is right on the spot here and I'm really impressed by it!! Just wanted to add this: Check yourself for allergies and check your nasal epithelium. If it's swollen by any cause (mostly allergic reasons) this can certainly produce the pressure differencies mentioned by Bob. Maybe the epithelium of one of your nostrils has a big or bigger inflammation, and the capacity of airflow is smaller in this side of your nasal cavities and eustachian tubes. This can be solved by using some nasal sprays and pumping salt water in the nose, in order to cool down the inflammation. It also maybe a cause for you to subconsciously want to send air more aggressively when singing, and worsen the air blockage in the area. Don't worry much about it though, it's not something that can threaten your health. Hope I helped!! 

@bluesbird, I've been experiencing the same this as the original poster, as well as a fullness that makes it sound like I'm under water. It also affects my range; when I'm experiencing the underwater sensation, I can't access my upper range. It feels like the air pressurization is limiting me. I have been struggling with this for better than 18 months, and it's both infuriating and disheartening. I spoke with an ENT and he seems to believe it's eustachian tube dysfunction, and recommends tubes. I'm excited yet hesitant, as I don't want to take a chance making my problem even worse. Any and all help/thoughts/advice is welcome.

Thanks,

Ryan 

highmtn

@Mojoryan,

I would recommend you get a second opinion or two.  If you get concurrence, then perhaps this might be a resolution for your problem.  Tubes have become relatively commonplace these days, so the risk may be low compared to the possible benefits. 

It sounds like the detrimental effects of the problem might be repairable.  If so, moving beyond this problem could be a new beginning for you.

Bob