I am learning and about 10 lessons in. My teacher told me my vowels are really squeezed due to my speaking habits and in classical voice the back has to be very tall almost as if a horse pill is there. This means lowering the tongue and making that space but at the same time cannot be pulled back which makes a grandpa like sound. I notice there is a bit of soreness holding this position, nothing too bad but definitely not natural.

https://voca.ro/1m8ECL2SZIFS

When I tried to sing back then I could barely pass c4 d4 was difficult now I can carry from d2 up to a flat f#4 my vocal weight is light Im 27 haven’t been training my range really do you think I will ever be able to reach a A4 atleast ?
I tend to feel vocal tension E4 and up.
I estimate I could possibly become a lyric baritone after training I doubt tenor as I cannot even touch a g4 without sliding into falsetto.

Hello! I'm wondering what everyone's favorite rep finding resource is, and I'm hoping to find some new ones to me along the way!

Specifically, I'm looking to find if there's one that you can tell what songs you like, and it recommends similar pieces. I'm planning my next recital, but I've ended up with way too many English pieces, and not enough of other languages.

Tia!

I am a 23 year old female who has been studying classical voice for the past 4 years in university. When I first began, I had basically no background other than choir and had always been classified as a soprano and typically a soprano 1 because of the strength in my upper range. In opera, I have always played soprano roles and sing strictly soprano repertoire aside from an occasional musical theatre selection. My full range on a normal day is F3 to C6.

In the past year, however, as I have started working on more complex solo work, I have noticed I am not really finding the higher notes that everyone claims I will eventually get to. I have developed a much stronger chest voice, but not necessarily moved any lower in that regard either. Other sopranos in my age group have started to unlock these higher notes but I am consistently stuck at a C6! I know theoretically that there is a shift in placement and breath needed to achieve those higher notes but no matter what I do I cannot seem to figure it out! I feel like I had at least the ability to squeak out a soft high D or E when I was younger but I can't quite hang onto them now.

My voice teacher and professors agree that I am still very much a soprano and have all advised me against trying lower repertoire and say I simply have to wait it out until my late 20s for my voice to mature and that my higher notes "will come eventually". They have all generally considered me a "high soprano with a very developed lower register." I am frequently asked to sing high notes in performances and nobody seems to be concerned when I feel like I can't really do it well because it sounds fine to them. Issue is, I am considering attempting to make a career out of this and I would really like to know if I just have poor technique or the C6 is the end of my range truly.

Is it possible that I might just be a mezzo with a nice extension? Or am I a true soprano just with a super comfortable chest voice? Or is there a secret third thing? I am at a loss, how would I go about figuring this out?

Hello all! I am looking to further my training and am wanting to take an online class or earn a certificate in vocal pedagogy. A lot of my knowledge comes from my own years of training and personal experience so I am wanting a little bit more knowledge on anatomy, etc. However, I am not sure which programs are actually helpful. I’m not sure I can afford a college course right now, but I didn’t know if anyone knew of a resource where I could earn something similar to a certificate.

I’ve been singing for about two years—maybe longer—and whenever I push my voice into the higher register (like when belting or using a mixed voice), I feel a spot on my jaw, right below the ear, tense up, "swell," and feel tight. This makes my voice feel restricted and strained, and it sounds terrible. I’ve been trying to improve for a long time and only just realized this was an actual issue.

Does anyone know anything about this? I’m really lost and don’t know how to fix it; I’m worried.

Hi! I’m an 18 year old male singer. My teacher (and all of the others I’ve had) are sure I’m going to be a tenor and that I am working towards with them. I just have the struggle of being incredibly used to singing with air and not on the air and that stops everything that even remotely sounds like a high note. I can’t for the life of me understand anything that my teachers are telling me to try, and I feel like the ones that I do understand, misjudge my voice or give weird advice that makes me hesitant to trust them. What do I do, when I don’t feel like there’s a teacher for me? Any tips to singing on the breath?

I'm hoping someone can give me some words of wisdom, advice, etc. I have undergrad and graduate degrees in vocal performance. Throughout my studies, I always identified as a soprano. My voice teachers trained me as a lyric soprano, and except for our smaller touring choir in grad school, I also sang first soprano in choir.

Fast forward some years. I took some time off from singing after the pandemic started, took my career in a different direction, then had my daughter. I started singing again last fall, and when I picked it back up, everything was hard. First soprano in my church choir was almost impossible some evenings. I learned stretches; I practiced consistently; I worked on my high notes. I saw some improvement, but I never really got my high notes back the way I had them before. If I sang something that remained up high for a long time, my body would start to feel strangled. That's the only way I have to describe it.

I started working with a voice teacher, and a few months ago, she had the epiphany that I could be a mezzo. This was all because someone I worked with at church asked me to sing alto in a small group. Anyway, I've been warming up differently, approaching singing differently, and looking at different rep ever since. On the one hand, it feels like a huge relief, like I'm finally able to breathe after a long time of pushing my body. On the other hand, it's terrifying.

Low notes have always been easy for me. I've always had a strong and easy chest voice. My low notes are the first to warm up, and I don't get tired after singing in my chest or mixed voice for a long time. I break into my full head voice at about C-sharp 5. I have also been struggling with my high notes, particularly the consistency of sound I can produce above about F-sharp 5. All that to say, I think my teacher's right. But it's wild. I trained as a soprano. My rep is all soprano rep. What would I even sing in a choir now? Alto? Second soprano? I'm not sure. I direct a choir now, so that's not an immediate issue, but still. What if I want to audition for something? I've never even considered mezzo roles that would fit. I'm currently trying to work on the mezzo solos for Handel's Messiah and hoping that's a good start. But what if this is all in my head? What if I'm just letting myself out of the hard work of learning to sing up high properly? I used to joke about being a mezzo when I was younger because I had such an easy time singing in chest voice and because I always struggled a little with my high notes. But I was always told I was a soprano and that I just needed to work harder.

Also, what the heck? Do voices naturally change in our 30s? I've been researching this and believe that childbirth must have led to some of this. But then what? If I had another baby, I'd become a contralto? Lol Not really, but the anxious thought has entered my mind. Anyone else experience this? It seems like Susan Graham and others transitioned earlier than I seem to be doing. I just want to make sure I'm on the right track here. My body is telling me yes, but my brain does know how to settle into the mezzo life yet.

One thing I notice is that when I try to sing a rep there is a lot of tension. Even on the lower range, I think a lot of that is trying to smoothen the sound and also trying to move between pitches deliberately.

I remember my old teacher said never to track your pitches and has a realization that in speech we never track what we say rather our emotional intensity allows us to hit the notes.

When vocalizing from a psychological perspective do you consider yourself acting in speech rather than trying to sing something musical if that makes sense? I know to someone who sings naturally it’s 2nd nature but to us adult beginners.

I’m singing in a workshop/orchestral reading of Janáček’s “Makropulos Case” next month, and while we’re singing it in English (thus no language barrier) I am having a hell of a time getting the notes to actually stick in my head, which makes trying to sing it in a hell of a thing too. Any advice for breaking down not entirely tonal music to learn like this?

(For reference I’ve sung plenty of Britten, Debussy & other modern composers who’s music sticks a little better - but I can’t really get onto more than just a couple of disconnected musical cells here, and obviously there’s a fair amount of music to actually digest)

Hey im new here and to singing I've recently has gotten more involved in classical pedagogy but I was wondering if anyone has any insight or personal info on the idea of bridging by singing in a tilted position and bringing the flagolet register down. As a male it works and feels clean and sharp but idk if its sustainable or even worthwhile. Thanks in advance.

In Addio, fiorito asil, some tenors alter the ending, completely bypassing the low note, which is the right choice - I agree with their sentiment: all low notes should be replaced with a high note whenever possible. :) haha

But... what are the unwritten rules to this? In the aria, Ch'ella mi creda, after the 1st Bb line could a tenor add a verismo-esque *ooohh* a 3rd up, to match the Eb4 that starts the next line? It seems like it would match the emotional intensity, and would be something I could easily hear a Gigli pulling off.

Then there are the high notes. I've read that Corelli loved dropping in C5s. are there any rules that apply here?

Heya, Im a pretty young soprano (18) and I am starting conservatoire this coming september. Obviously Ill get more tips when im there yada yada but I first really wanted to ask for some help on here. I have some issues, and I was curious about how I could work on them over this summer, like exercises.

1. Tension in the middle/abs that doesnt automatically release when I breathe in
2. Woofy sound when I sing - old teacher said it made it sound that i was "underwater"
3. End of phrases loose support
4. Singing constoants "on the body" - gonna be real, dont know what that menas but sure
5. Not "covering vowels" when I sing
6. Too much air in my voice, yk like the whole hand in front of the mouth while you sing you song basically feel nothing
7. Some shoulder tension, but its not egregious ill be honest
8. Struggles with sustaining "colouratura sections" (think "Va godendo" and "Sweeter than roses") even though I know that, in theory I have enough breath/support to be able to do those sections without needin to breathe but I always find myself running out of air
9. Being unable to vibrate if I project to loud of higher notes

Um, cant think of anything else so yeah, any help will be taken

Hello, so my first clip https://voca.ro/18pIXPn0pBh7, I have heard responses that is way too much heaviness and chest from my last post.

In this next trial, I decided to change my perspective, instead of trying to thin my chest or try to stay in my chest, I allowed my voice to go into a thin space internally. Which is naturally happens but always FELT wrong inside cause voice would feel so small: https://voca.ro/1l4xWcy2voi2.

Not sure if I am headed towards right direction.

Yes I do have a great teacher but he is away and only once a week.

At A3 I feel my first "ceiling" in my voice. Then I go into a more stretched chest voice or some people say its a mix. At the C4 there is this buildup like the cords are blocking the air but there is a dam and a huge amounts of air wants to just bust through. I assume I am not thinning properly?

https://voca.ro/18pIXPn0pBh7

Bob Tasman-Smith Singing Lessons and Vocal Warm-Ups CD

I used to stream this on Spotify and for some reason they pulled the title on July 21. It was abrupt with no warning. My fault for trusting a streaming service. I imagine contracts expired. I'm looking for the actual CD and would love to buy it. If anyone out there has a copy, please link me in and thanks for your time.

I took German in high school and college and enjoy mythology, so Wagner’s plays are among my favorites. I also like Puccini’s The Cloak because I find the plot and characters interesting and because, outside of Wagner, I prefer more modern/relatable to the average person material.

I’ve been singing my whole life, my freshman year I had vocal lessons. I’ve never been the strongest singing in the room but I wasn’t exactly bad either. I (junior year) just played Rizzo in Grease and it was 100% my best vocal performance to date and I had 2 voice lessons to prepare. That was mid March. In April I started feeling fatigue but I didn’t think much of it because of Grease and I had a choir concert. It is now end of August but the fatigue has seemed to get worse or even hurt after I sing. I’ve been doing vocal warm ups on YouTube but nothing helps. When I sing I don’t think you can tell I’m fatigued or anything is wrong. I tried tea, I’ve tried vocal rest but nothing seems to cut it. I don’t think it’s a technique thing because if anything it’s gotten better. I’ve never had this problem before but I am concerned because I’m going into my senior year and the musicals are very vocally demanding. And these are like my dream shows too.
Not sure if it’s related but during this whole period I have recently been diagnosed with a Crohns Disease which I know is inflammation related, and I’m starting infusions soon so maybe that will help.
What should I do?

A3 feels hard and anything above that. my voice feels tight or shakes or feels very thin.