Many singers seek to expand their vocal ranges, both in the upper and lower limits of pitch. Having a wider range gives the singer greater versatility and opens the door to a greater number of possible roles. Although much of the vocal workouts focus on perfecting the high notes, lower ranges can also be achieved. Also, techniques that develop a fuller and fuller sound can give the impression that the singer has a lower voice, even if the actual pitch has not changed.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Understand the Basics
Step 1. Have good technique
Vocalists usually train for years to hone their skills. Do your best to master your current vocal range before trying to expand it.
- Whenever possible, have a professional vocal instructor help you. A vocal instructor is an experienced teacher and will most likely tell you exactly how you can improve.
- The vocal instructor can also teach you methods to protect your voice and stay away from harmful techniques. This is very important if you want to expand your vocal range, as you challenge your limits on your own.
Step 2. Perfect your breathing
The vocalists must have a balance in their breathing. Breathing too shallowly will prevent the singer from holding the note, while breathing too deeply may cause tension and strain. This added tension could reduce your vocal range.
Regular aerobic exercise will increase your lung capacity, which is a benefit for every vocalist. Light aerobic exercise prior to a presentation has also been shown to have a positive impact on the efficiency of vocal warm-ups
Step 3. Warm up your voice
Always make sure to warm up before singing. A good vocal warm-up will release tension and prepare your voice so that you can use your full vocal range.
- Take a few breaths. Maintain a straight posture with your shoulders and chest down and relax. Breathe normally and focus your attention on the muscles in your chest, neck, and shoulders. Are any of these parts of your body tense? Breathe and focus on relaxing these muscles.
- Practice your scales. Sing a few notes, from low to high pitch. Do the same again, but now start from high to low. Make it with a few different sounds (like "o", "my" and "i").
- Do a "Kazoo" buzz. Circle your lips, inhale, then exhale while making a sound like "u" in one tone. You should be able to hear a slight buzzing noise. Do some scales in the same way.
Step 4. Accept your limitations
While there are steps you can take to train your voice, there is a practical limit to the level of gravity you can achieve. Your vocal range is determined by your unique anatomy and is not something you can change. If you are a natural tenor, it is very likely that you will not be able to reach the lower notes that a bass singer can reach. Instead of trying the impossible, work with the vocal range you have.
Keep in mind that your vocal range is largely determined by the length of your vocal cords, which is generally consistent with the length of your neck. The longer your vocal chords are, the lower your voice can reach. Men tend to have longer vocal cords than women. For this reason, men generally have lower voices when singing
Part 2 of 3: Singing with Your Throat Open
Step 1. Remember to keep your larynx relaxed and low
The larynx sinks naturally when we inhale. Keeping this position low is a fundamental component of what some vocalists call "singing with the throat open."
- Relaxing your larynx will help you utilize the full potential of your low range. Many inexperienced vocalists sing with their larynx up. This produces a much louder and softer sound that lacks depth.
- The second aspect of "singing with an open throat" is an upturned soft palate. However, this action is more important when singing high notes than low notes.
- The larynx is also popularly known as the voice box. It is a complex organ that regulates the tension of your vocal cords and, therefore, the sound of your voice. The Adam's apple, a structure that is clearly seen in the throat of most men and some women, is part of the larynx.
Step 2. Avoid using techniques that directly control the larynx
While lengthening (or "lowering") your larynx will produce a slightly deeper sound, exerting direct control over your larynx will damage your voice. Forcing the larynx unnaturally low is not recommended. Instead, you should work to control and release tension from the surrounding muscles.
- Another common mistake is using your tongue to push the voice box down. While this will technically lower your larynx, it will actually tighten your throat muscles, which will damage the sound and range of your voice.
- Remember that the ideal open throat should be free of tension. If at any point you try too hard, re-evaluate your technique.
Step 3. First feel your larynx
Place your hand on your larynx carefully. If you can't see your larynx, look for a small lump in the front of your throat, just below your jaw. Make sure your fingers touch your larynx only lightly without applying pressure.
Step 4. Sing a few different notes with your hand still in that position
Pay attention to any changes in the position of your larynx. Does it go up when you sing high notes?
- If you feel that your larynx is tilting or turning slightly instead of going up, then you have mastered the technique. Your larynx only needs to move slightly for your voice to change pitch.
- Never hold your larynx in a fixed place with your hand. This technique can seriously injure or damage your voice.
Step 5. Try to sing without raising your larynx
The position of your larynx is like a barometer that shows the tension in your guarantee. Keeping these muscles relaxed is the key to overall vocal quality and is especially important for hitting lower notes.
- If you have trouble keeping your larynx down, then try deep breathing exercises. Inhale and exhale slowly while touching your larynx with your hand. When your larynx is down during inhalation, pay attention and see which muscles in your throat and jaw relax. Try to do the same when singing.
- This technique may take a little time to master, especially if you are new to singing. Don't be discouraged if you can't do it on the first try.
Step 6. Massage your throat
The only way to effectively keep your throat down is to relax the associated muscles. If you have trouble keeping your larynx down, try using your fingers or an electric massager to gently massage your throat.
- Press your fingers or the massager firmly, but without applying force. Move your fingers carefully from side to side.
- Start with your hieoid bone, which is located between the chin and the larynx. Massage this area and the muscles around it.
- Massage your larynx with your hands and do breathing exercises. Place the back of your hands on either side of your larynx and gently move them from side to side. Then use the back of your hand to hold your larynx to the right and breathe slowly and deeply through your nose. Do the same with your larynx to the left.
Part 3 of 3: Expand Your Low Vocal Range
Step 1. Determine the base of your vocal range
In order to learn how to sing lower notes safely, you first need to know what the lowest note you can currently sing is. You can use an online pre-recording tool or have a partner play the notes on a piano. Start with C4 and try to sing that note. Work your way down until you hit a note that you can't sing or that takes too much effort to sing. The note above is the base of your current rank.
Since it can be difficult to judge your own voice accurately, it is very helpful to have a vocal instructor or other person with music training to help you with this step
Step 2. Start slowly
Do your best to work only on the next lower note that is after your base note in the vocal range. Practice with a scale that includes only a few other notes along with the one you are going to work with. Practice these scales every day for about half an hour. Stop doing the exercises if your voice begins to strain.
For example, if C2 is the lowest note you have currently mastered, try singing the note Si1
Step 3. Perfect your note before proceeding
Before moving on to the next lower note, it is important that you can consistently sing the new note well. If you can't sing a lower note comfortably, you won't be able to sing the note below it.
If you find that your voice breaks frequently during exercises, it is very likely that it is best that you go back to a higher note and practice it first
Advice
- If you start to feel uncomfortable or feel like your voice starts to sound hoarse, take a break from your exercises. Repetitive stress can seriously damage your singing voice.
- There is some confusion about the definition of the "lower" larynx. Some vocal instructors call the natural position the larynx takes during inhalation "low" "low position," while others call it the "neutral position." This is the ideal position to maintain when singing. On the other hand, the word "low" is also used to describe the act of forcing the larynx into an unnatural low position. This position can damage your voice.
- Placing the larynx down can be quite difficult at first because most people use the larynx upward during everyday conversation. By lowering the larynx, a singer will need to work against established muscle memory.