Struggling with song

flyaviator14

Howdy, I have only posted once on the forum before so am still quite a newbie, but I had a question about high range. So I recently got accepted into a local group as a vocalist and am supposed to practice with them next week. One of the songs they have chosen is Welcome to the Jungle. I usually spend about 25 minutes warming up and then do a couple easy songs before trying any hard ones. I have watched lots of videos and am trying to use proper support. I've noticed though that when I am holding prolonged higher notes even withing my range I start to struggle. Especially after about an hour. This has happened with the song I mentioned. Even when using proper support and controlling the amount of air coming through in my mixed voice. I have attached a link to one of my better recordings of the song if anyone would care to listen. Any tips on how to hold prolonged high notes? Just more practice? Throat just gets tired even with support. Thanks!
https://share.singsnap.com/play/9739828

Wigs

Think of your range as your max. If you lift weights you can get 1 rep of your max. What happens when you try and hold that same weight for a set amount of time? You can't do it for long! As you move down in weight your ability to hold them for longer increases, even so, you only have so much strength to hold 80% and you'll still fatigue quickly.

It's a common misconception that range equals usability in songs. You actually did fairly well with the song, but the strength and stamina required to sing it properly will take some time. How long I can't say, but it's like building muscle and trying to gain strength endurance, which is the ability to stay close to peak power for long periods.

I can take my voice close to an A5, but singing anything close to an A4 is still very demanding for me, mind you I've been singing less than 3 years.

Congrats though on getting into your group! A few tips that can help you for the future. Figure out the shape of the vowels and sing only those when you practice alone to get a feeling of an open throat and reintroduce the consonant slowly. Try sing the song a semi tone or full step above if you have it in you, this makes the original seem less high but don't strain yourself trying to do it higher. Practice it in sets, sing it once, take a timed break and repeat. As you get better, have less of a break or sing it twice back to back with a longer break.

Either way it's going to take alot of hard work for small gains.

flyaviator14

Thanks for the tips! The example of the weight lifting makes a lot of sense. I guess I will just practice practice practice. I will try it in a higher key like you suggested.