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  • Hey singers, here we are on the roof of New York Vocal Coaching

  • You know, they say it's lonely at the top.

  • But I ain't lonely because today we're gonna explore your vocal range from bottom to top.

  • I'm Justin Stoney the founder of New York Vocal Coaching

  • joining you for episode 106 of Voice Lessons To The World.

  • Today's question comes from Kadar L. in Jeddah Saudi Arabia.

  • Kadar writes, "Dear Justin, How do I find my vocal range?"

  • Perfect question, Kadar. It seems simple, but you're right it's actually not.

  • Vocal range has many considerations. And today, we're gonna make sense of it all.

  • To start, I think it'd be helpful to go to the lab and run some experiments on my own voice.

  • Vocal range comes down primarily to what registers you count as your range.

  • For example, in my own voice if I count everything then I can pretty much sing the whole piano.

  • There's Sub Chest

  • Mee Mee Mee Mee Mee Mee Mee Mee

  • Chest

  • Mee Mee Mee Mee Mee Mee Mee Mee

  • Mix

  • Mee Mee Mee Mee Mee Mee Mee Mee

  • Falsetto

  • Mee Mee Mee Mee Mee Mee Mee Mee

  • Flageolet

  • Mee Mee Mee Mee Mee Mee Mee Mee

  • and Whistle Voice

  • Mee Mee Mee Mee Mee Mee Mee Mee

  • So, in my own voice that's somewhere around six octaves.

  • Now, I've been fully steeped in vocal pedagogy for over 20 years.

  • So it took me a while to develop all that stuff.

  • But, like so many singers I was originally taught that there are voice types

  • and that each of us is limited by our voice type and we must never try to break out of our voice type

  • or else something very bad might happen to us.

  • But come on, even without getting into the pedagogy, just using some common sense, what do you think?

  • Are we forever doomed by our voice types?

  • What do you say, doomed or not doomed?

  • Let me see that again

  • Just one more time

  • Exactly. The fact of the matter is if you want a bigger range you can go and get it.

  • We don't need to be limited by voice types. But, I should explain.

  • Voice types are labels like "Bass" "Tenor" "Alto" "Soprano"

  • Most singers really dislike being labeled and put into categories.

  • If you feel this way- you are right, my friend.

  • This antiquated thinking becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

  • In other words, if someone tells you "You're a low voice"

  • It's very easy to believe it.

  • That high notes are too difficult. That you just weren't meant to sing in another tessitura.

  • That going outside of our natural range is wrong or bad or unhealthy.

  • Yet, this is just not the case. Especially when we're talking about contemporary singing.

  • In contemporary singing, voice types are mythological for most intents and purposes.

  • An Alto or a Bass is like a leprechaun or a minotaur or unicorn.

  • In reality, if you want to be a Tenor you can learn to be a Tenor.

  • Or if you'd like to be a Soprano you can learn to be a Soprano.

  • It all comes down to training, exercising, stretching, and practice.

  • If I had a nickel for every time I've seen a "low voice" eventually become a "high voice"

  • I would break the piggy bank.

  • However, in classical and choral singing it's a different story.

  • In opera we have what's called

  • vocal fachs.

  • A vocal fach is a classification system

  • that describes not just the range of a singer but also their resonance characteristics.

  • You see, when you need to project your voice without a microphone

  • the amplification of your instrument matters.

  • That's why classical singing has vocal fachs.

  • Like Coloratura Soprano, Heldentenor, Lyric Baritone, or Basso Profundo.

  • Vocal fachs help determine which repertoire is appropriate for a singer

  • based on their unique physiology

  • Voice types can also matter in choral situations.

  • When a choral director is trying to decide which voices blend best together

  • they might assign different voice types for blending purposes.

  • While voice types and vocal fachs are necessary in some situations, I beg of you good people

  • Don't be limited.

  • Do not

  • let yourself be limited by voice types.

  • The entire concept of voice types has been sentencing singers into vocal prison cells for generations.

  • Look, I've taught over

  • 20,000 voice lessons at this current moment, and I solemnly swear to you

  • I have never met a singer who could not dramatically improve their range and defy their voice type.

  • Which leads us back to Kadar's question- "How do I find my range?"

  • That's what we're gonna do in this week's voice lessons to the world challenge

  • For today's challenge

  • I'm gonna give you a step-by-step process for figuring out your true vocal range as well as your

  • stylistic vocal range.

  • The first step is to find your lowest connected note.

  • As I showed you earlier some singers can develop a Sub Chest region.

  • But we don't usually consider this to be your true vocal range.

  • To find your lowest note in your true vocal range

  • we need to figure out the exact point where Chest Voice meets your Vocal Fry.

  • Wherever this happens is your voice's lowest note.

  • So let's figure it out together.

  • Guys are going to be right here

  • May May May

  • and ladies right right here.

  • May May May

  • We're going to go down by half-step.

  • Try very, very hard to stay in Chest Voice and don't go to Vocal Fry.

  • Eventually, it's going to have to happen.

  • But, try to delay it.

  • Pay close attention to where your chest voice stops.

  • This is what we're going to say is your lowest note.

  • And, here we go.

  • May May May

  • (moves down a half-step)

  • May May May

  • (moves down a half-step)

  • May May May

  • (continues moving down by half-steps)

  • That's it.

  • Right.

  • May May May

  • Good.

  • May May May

  • And that should be it. Wherever you switched, we're going to call that your lowest true note.

  • Now, let's find your highest disconnected note.

  • Next we're going to find your highest note in your cricothyroid dominant registers.

  • Whoa.

  • That's Falsetto, Head Voice, and Flageolet.

  • Don't worry if you would never sing these notes in a song.

  • Here we're just looking for your absolute top.

  • For this one, we're gonna use the tiniest "W" sound

  • (purses lips and blows out)

  • Not "OO"

  • "W" (purses lips and blows out)

  • So keep your lips like this the whole time (purses lips)

  • Guys and ladies will be in the same octave.

  • ♫ W ♫

  • Stop when you can't go any further.

  • And, here we go.

  • ♫ W ♫

  • (moves up by half-step)

  • ♫ W ♫

  • (moves up by half-step)

  • ♫ W ♫

  • (moves up by half-steps)

  • ♫ W ♫

  • (continues moving up by half-step)

  • That's it.

  • Great.

  • ♫ W ♫

  • Keep it up if you can

  • ♫ W ♫

  • Right.

  • Wherever you maxed out that's what we're going to call your highest true note.

  • On to step three.

  • Congratulations!

  • Now that those two steps are done, you know your full vocal range.

  • When people ask you what your range is you can say something like

  • G2 to B-flat5

  • Or, E3 to D6.

  • This is your true vocal range.

  • But we're not quite done.

  • We also need to figure out your vocal range as it applies to your style.

  • Like if you're a belter we need to know which note you can belt or Mix up to.

  • Many times with contemporary singing we're not interested in what you can do in Falsetto and Head Voice.

  • Instead, we want to know which note you can do without switching to these other registers.

  • Or, if you're a female legit singer we need to know how high you can go in Head Voice

  • without switching to Flageolet.

  • Which leads us to step four.

  • For this step you'll have to do some experimenting on your own.

  • Ask yourself, "What style do I sing?"

  • And, "For my style how do I need to sing the notes?"

  • Like if I'm a belter, I can't be switching to Falsetto

  • Don't you draw the queen of diamonds boy? ♫

  • I'll have to build a mix that helps me get up to those notes.

  • Don't you draw the queen of diamonds boy? ♫

  • Or, if I'm a Legit Soprano, I can't be switching to Flageolet.

  • Ave Maria

  • I'll have to make sure I can do it in Head Voice

  • Ave Maria

  • So your stylistic vocal range might be something like this

  • G2 to B-flat5, belt to A4

  • Or, E3 to D6 Head Voice to B-flat5

  • Spend some time experimenting with the vocal registers in between your highest and lowest notes

  • and you'll quickly get a sense of your stylistic vocal range.

  • I also recommend revisiting our vocal register world tour on this channel for lots of info on this.

  • Phew!

  • Awesome!

  • We have successfully

  • determined your full vocal range and set you on a great path.

  • Keep us posted on Facebook, Instagram, all the usual suspects and send your questions to

  • Questions@VoiceLessonsToTheWorld.com

  • Here's some more things that will help you to take your vocal range to new heights.

  • For voice lessons or Skype lessons with the NYVC Staff

  • visit us at NewYorkVocalCoaching.com

  • If you'd like a vocal course that you can do at home

  • Check out the Voice Lessons To The World Vocal Course

  • This twelve part program takes you on a singing journey from beginner to master level vocal exercises.

  • you can find it at VoiceLessonsToTheWorld.com

  • Or, if you'd like free vocal tips sent to you each day sign up at DailyVocalTips.com

  • And now, here's Justin with this week's vocal benediction.

  • In life it seems that everybody's always trying to get to the top.

  • Yet, the people we idolize might sometimes disappoint us

  • and the people we overlook might surprise us.

  • So what's left?

  • A whole lot of time somewhere in the middle.

  • So, throughout life's ecstasies, tragedies, and mediocrities...sing.

  • And a part of your soul will always be lifted high.

Hey singers, here we are on the roof of New York Vocal Coaching

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