How to Sing High Notes Easily

Singing high notes happens to be an area of worry (or difficulty) for quite a few singers (especially the males). Generally, going low is not so much of an issue, as much as climbing high is. At the same time, with contemporary popular music showing a marked trend (or almost a bias, if I may say so) towards high-pitched stuff, it is but natural that singers will want to spend more time practicing or learning about how to sing high notes, and also, how to do so in an effortless manner. So, on that note, on the basis of all that I've experienced, heard and learned, following are some singing tips, tricks, and suggestions on singing high notes with ease, without straining your voice or damaging your vocal cords.

Voice Warm up
This is a vital aspect of singing (and also of taking care of your vocal cords). Always warm up your voice before any singing practice session, recital, concert, competition or audition. Conceptually, it is analogous to warming up your body before a strenuous gym workout. Directly hitting (or trying to hit) the high notes without any sort of warm up will often result in your voice becoming strained, hoarse or raspy. Though this is often temporary, it is not good practice, and is definitely not healthy for your vocal cords in the long run. Humming a few bassy notes up and down an octave, or doing a few warm up vocal exercises, etc. is a good way of warming up before you actually get into your practice session.

Vocal Exercises
Perform a variety of vocal exercises. Identify what your vocal range is. Once you do that, practice scales. Go up and down octaves. Practice with different vowel sounds such as 'aahs', 'oohs', 'eees', 'ohs', etc. It helps in perfecting your vowel pronunciation at different notes. It is always wise to practice singing lessons using a musical instrument as a reference. You can make use of a piano, keyboard or a synthesizer for the same. Play high notes as well as low notes on the instrument, and try to follow them with your voice.

Singing Mechanics
It is very important to understand how the voice works, in addition to the mechanics of singing. Singing should not happen from the throat alone. There are a lot many factors and aspects involved in the process of sound production which you must understand and learn. Some of them are:

• Correct posture
• Breathing techniques
• Use of the diaphragm
• Concept of chest voice, head voice, falsetto, etc.
• Role of the larynx

These are highly technical concepts which are best understood from a good vocal trainer or voice culture expert. Find one in your city and seek an appointment with him or her. Trust me, it is necessary and it will only benefit you.

Here are a few other pointers that you can keep in mind while performing:

• If the problem is how to reach high notes, singing excessively loudly is not the answer. Singing high notes does NOT mean singing loudly or shouting or screaming. Amateurs and beginners often make this mistake and it needs to be corrected before any serious vocal damage happens.
• As your vocal range improves or increases, so will your ability to sing high notes. It is not something that will happen overnight. Keep working at it. Practice within your comfortable vocal range, step up very gradually, and slowly, you will realize that the change has begun to take place.
• Finally, everyone has a unique voice and an individual vocal range. You are born with yours, so learn to make the best use of it. Not everyone can sing as high as Michael Jackson could. Understand this point and accept it.

This was a short overview on singing high notes with ease, using the proper technique. Try to bring them into use, and start practicing. The more you practice, the easier it will become. All the best!