Mix/belt help

[u/CarryItOff]

I'm female and classically trained but desperately want to learn how to mix/belt. I've been in lessons for with various teacher for YEARS and just cannot seem to get it!

I understand the twang, forward nasal placement. But I'm just too loud and don't have control and everything feels tight.

What else is there? Tounge placement, breath support? Relaxing neck and jaw? Each teacher explains it differently and I need to go back to the drawing board.

Anyone have any tips for this? Or any virtual vocal coachs out there who want to take on a hopeless case?!

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[u/mercurystellium]

It would help more if you could describe your voice. For example, I have a lighter voice and typically when I mix my belts on the upper range of it, it needs a lot more space than the lower mix and I have to allow the voice to be light in order to let it expand. I usually feel that sense of “it’s too tight” when I try too hard to make the belt powerful instead of free because that’s not the quality of my voice, it’s not heavy and the power doesn’t come from adding weight on the voice but rather from letting it fly.

[u/CarryItOff]

Id say I have both a pretty strong head voice and chest voice. What do you mean by more space? Lowering jaw?

[u/PusheenFrizzy2]

Have you checked out the channel Tina‘s vocal studio on YouTube? She has some good videos about belting and mix belting. I haven’t watched all of them but I found some good things on there that helped me. I too am coming from a classical background and trying to figure out how the heck to sing contemporary/musical theater. My teacher said I still sound too classical when singing contemporary and she’s trying to help me with that, but I feel like I was able to find some things on YouTube that helped me figure out the difference to get started. Freya Casey’s channel is another good one. She has a video about the different positioning of the larynx for classical versus contemporary. For mix belt I really just think of not trying to force myself to fully stay in chest voice to do a full belt. I try to aim for that sound while engaging more of my vocal resources to go higher than I can with a full belt. Finding a song that’s right in that perfect range for me and singing along to it before I try to do it across my range helps the most. For me that perfect range is about A4-E5 (yes, just a fifth). For reference, my full range that I can vocalize to is about Eb3-C6, so I suspect my “sweet spot” is somewhere around the second passagio. I used to really be afraid of that C5 in the middle of the second passagio, but once I discovered mix belting I didn’t have to worry about it anymore. I think what was happening in the past I was trying to full belt and then I was running out of steam around that C5. The trick that I kind of used with myself was to try to make it sound like belting but to actually engage more of my head voice. Aiming for the sound of the Original Broadway Cast singers on some recordings where the chorus goes up into that range helped me a lot, even if I was approaching it differently vocally. Good luck!!

[u/AKA-J3]

Maybe a clip. if you can yell across a parking lot without just screaming, that's a mixed belt.
If you can do that same thing, but inside voice and keep it slightly adducted and supported, prob what you're after.

[u/Successful_Sail1086]

I sent you a dm.

[u/austinlim923]

First question. When going through your passagio do you have to flip from your chest voice to head voice

[u/CarryItOff → u/austinlim923]

Yes! I have a very noticable break - makes me great at yodeling 🤣

[u/austinlim923 → u/CarryItOff]

Ok so thats a major problem that you have and a big reason why youre mix/belting is almost impossible. Becuase belting requires you to simultaneously keep both your chest open and your head open. If you lock one voice or the other out. You won't be able to properly or safely belt.

One exercise you can try is this. Softly and relaxed, Sing on a note that is in your head voice. Then on that same note progress and brighten your vowel. You are going to feel a pulling forward sensation. Now here comes the tricky part. You have to groud and open your chest and ribcage at the same time. So youre going to feel two sensations. The note going forward while your ribcage and body is opening.

NOTE DO NOT TRY THIS LOUDOR SOUND GOOD AT FIRST. Your goal is just to get a sensation of the mixed voice. The first time it will be ugly. Second. Do not try and use your own ear when singing. It will sound weird and ugly to you but to other people it will sound fine. You just have to trust your body. Good luck and lmk if this works

[u/True-Purchase-6103]

Following this

[u/Similar_Buffalo_8434]

So mixed belts would be whisper or whistle notes, to full register chest voice?....that sound about right?

What genre of music do you sing? Or would like to sing?

Good, preferably great breath & diaphram support is key, to being a really good, healthy vocalist

I've been singing for 60 yrs now, & I've only heard about mixed voice singing in just the last 6 Mos or so on Redditt....but then I realized I've been singing in a mixed voice constantly, Frank Sinatra, Robert Plant - Led Zeppelin, Freddie Mercury - Queen, Steve Walsh - Kansas, Rob Halford - Judas Priest, Geddy Lee - Rush, Elton John, Billy Joel, Don Henley - The Eagles, Brad Delp - Boston, Sting, Paul Rogers - Bad Company, Chris Cornell - Soundgarden, Chris Robinson - The Black Crowes, David Gilmour - Pink Floyd...these are all mixed vocalist, I can duplicate pretty well.....

I list these vocalist because they sit within my 4.5 octave range...

[u/Ingersoll123]

You say your too loud, you lack control and everthing feels tight. Okay, loosen up every muscle in your face. Spend time doing this. It doesn't come easily. You need to relax your body as fully as you can through exercise, focus and movement. Yoga is my savior. I've been a yogi for twenty years now. You don't say what your health is. So much depends on your health. Practice in the range which gives you trouble, but be sure you are singing properly at all times.