The Truth About Singing High Notes
Those super high power notes may not be that high at all!
Everyone wants to sing high notes. They seem to be the ‘holy grail’ of singing for many people- especially when they are first starting out. I think it has to do with shows like Idol and The Voice showcasing singers with massive voices that hit belt notes as the camera zooms in on them and the audience goes crazy.
The problem is, that most singers go for notes that are often too high for them and the result is a horrible, cringe-worthy sound that is anything but the amazing power note they wanted to achieve.
If this has ever happened to you or if hitting the high notes you really want to sing is a struggle, then you simply must watch the video below.
In this video, I reveal a HUGE singing secret about why those high notes you’re hearing are not actually that high.
Now if you’re thinking ‘what??? I know high when I hear it’… then watch the video and I’ll explain why some notes sound high even when they’re not, and how you can sing “high notes” without straining your voice or putting any extra effort in.
See How to sing High Notes Easily
Nicola xx
Video Summary
High notes are not created equal. They are relative to the rest of the song. Furthermore, most songs only have around one octave of notes for the vocalist to sing (on average).
What this means is that if you have a low voice, and you start off singing a note that is low and comfortable for you and then you sing up an octave, your highest note will be much lower than the top note of someone who has a high voice and starts off further up. However, your high note will still sound amazing and high. Why? Because like I said, high notes are relative to the rest of the song.
So if you are still working on your vocal range, don’t strain to hit notes that are too high for you because they will just sound nasty, instead you can transpose the song down a few notes to a key that suits your vocal range.
Your top notes will still sound high but they won’t be a struggle for you.
If you’re not able to read music and this is the first time you’ve heard of transposition, just know that it is a singing trick that the professionals use all the time. Myself included. In a vocalist’s world its called ‘picking your key’.
Every song can be transposed down or up to a key that suits your voice.
So the main take away here is don’t strain to get high notes, just transpose.
I’ll do another post on transposition soon to explain how to do this really clearly.
Now I’d love to hear from you.
What is your greatest challenge when it comes to singing? Is it singing high notes, or something else like breathing. Whatever your challenge, please leave your comments below and I’ll see if I can help you out.
Talk soon!
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pls help me on my breath control when singing.also i need u to really help me with my voice,am not to convenient and happy with voice cos its breaks somtims wen i sing. pls i really want the best out of my voice.thanks
l always have inbetween notes that I can’t hit. Like I can go a pitch higher and lower, but nothing comes out when I try to hit that note. If that makes any sense.
Hi Angelica,
This makes perfect sense. It has to do with vocal placement; that is where you are resonating your sound. I’m going to be putting up a new video soon on how to stop your voice from cracking – the exercise I use in that video will help you with this.
why are you so good at explaining things
I want to be a singer when Im 16 an I`ve never had vocal lessons. Sometimes I can sing with my diaphragm an other times I sing from my throat. How do I keep singing from my diaphragm consistentely an how do I practice to have a beautiful strong voice? Thank you!
Hi, dear Nicola
i have been send you comments on sending your valuable videos to my e.mail. is it possible? please help me. it is very important and vital to me to be a powerful singer in my retired years from university . also i have a question are there examples of singers that they entering to singing in adult years of life(for example 50 yo).
thanks hasan..
I think you just saved my life.
I finally get the placement & am singing like a bird.
I love you
Fantastic! Good to hear 🙂
HEY! whenever I try to sing Justin Bieber’s Boyfriend I am not able sing “I like to be everything you want hey girl let me talk to you”
Hi Nicola!! U ar a great tutor and av learnt a lot from ur videos especially wit regards transposition/picking ur key. Again do u organize private class online?
Thanks! 🙂 I do teach privately but only in person and by audition. However if you want to learn from me online the best way is through my singing academy 🙂
But what about the songs you can’t change the key of, like group songs (ensemble and choir type songs) or duets? Especially if there’s a high part you can’t hit but have to sing in unison?
Maybe you could help end a very tough debate. I have been singing for many years and I asked a question to a semi-large group the other day to give me their opinion on who each one believes has the highest voice (who can sing 4 to 5 octaves). I have had quite a response and there are many names on this list but one name that wasn’t on there was the person I picked: Miljenko Matijevic (who is the singer for Steelheart). I was under the impression that he had at least a 4 octave, if not 5. Could you give me some insight on this subject?
It is very rare to have 4 octaves.
My problem is that I struggle to sing along with the music…..like it will be the musc but it still sounds different…
When I sing , I thnk that there is nothing wrong or I never think of it ….but ,once I record my singing and hear it…I feel like I’m hurting others ears.
I really know nothing about singing….but I do wish to sing normally