Can you really get back some higher end range

[Cecil6243]

via vocal exercises due to a reduction as you age? I've seen videos on Youtube that swear you can. One even says you can increase up to an octave, which I find hard to believe.

Has anyone here tried it? If so what were your results?

OTOH vocal cords are a form of a muscle so perhaps just like stretching exercises with other types of muscles there may be something to this?

[stanron]

Terms need to be defined here. There is 'Head Voice' and 'Chest Voice' and 'Transition'. For a male singer the chest voice is the main, lower register singing voice. Head voice is sometimes called falsetto. The range is higher and the tone is usually thinner.

With training it is possible to transition from chest voice to head voice without a perceptible break.

If you have had sufficient training to make that transition, and as an older singer find you are loosing your top notes then I can't see more training making much difference.

If however you have not had such training then an increase in range should be possible. But don't expect it to be easy or quick.

[rick-slo]

Consider Joni Mitchell.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Cecil6243

via vocal exercises due to a reduction as you age? I've seen videos on Youtube that swear you can. One even says you can increase up to an octave, which I find hard to believe.

Has anyone here tried it? If so what were your results?

OTOH vocal cords are a form of a muscle so perhaps just like stretching exercises with other types of muscles there may be something to this?

Hi Cecil
I was a vocal major in college (classical/operatic singing), and with time, and proper singing techniques, certainly range and endurance increase.

There are other factors to consider thought.

Style of singing will affect your voice over time as well, and it can affect one's body as well. Opera singers often affect their hearing (from the inside out and outside in) due to the shear volume of out singing orchestras and being heard in large venues.

This causes aging singers to sing flat (they cannot hear as sensitively & accurately as they once could).

What was missing for the longest time were vocal instructors for folk, country, rock etc. singers. There is a new category of instructor these days, called a Vocal Coach.

Instead of trying to pigeon-hole genre oriented singers to conform to a classical model of singing, they work with professional rock, jazz, country, folk, blues etc singers to help them develop skills which will eliminate straining and undue tension on the vocal chords yet allow them to sing in their preferred genre.

Most of the people who hire coaches are using microphones, yet they need appropriate range, breath support, relaxed vocalizing skills that classical singers do. This has extended the careers of many professional singers.

[Andyrondack]

Originally Posted by ljguitar

Hi Cecil
I was a vocal major in college (classical/operatic singing), and with time, and proper singing techniques, certainly range and endurance increase.

ljguitar
Judging from the untrained amateur folk singers like myself who's voices I have heard age over the years the big issue that needs addressing for older natural singers is that of once smooth musical sounding vocal tones becoming harsh and raspy.
I think extending vocal range for most older singers is not really addressing our most pressing problem.
Now I know it's not inevitable that voices should deteriorate quite so badly with age Marty Wilde and Martin Simpson still produce nice musical tones, no idea if their ranges have changed.

So I am wondering if there was any particular aspect of technique learned in your professional training that you think might be of help to older singers ?
Thanks.

[Mr. Jelly]

As for me I just change the key of the songs to fit what works best for me.

[Groovin' Geo]

I have found it helpful to identify the lower and upper limits of the vocal range. Most days mine goes from a B1 (an octave below the B on the second fret of the 5th string) then up to a E4 (1st string open) and in falsetto up to G4. I’m sure there is room for extending the range somewhat with a more disciplined practice routine. I’ll get on to that some day. I've always loved to sing but I've only figured out my range in the past few years (I'm 65). It would be interesting to keep track of one's range over a lifetime.

[RustyAxe]

If one normally sings while sitting try standing up. You’ll gain a whole step or more.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Andyrondack

ljguitar
Judging from the untrained amateur folk singers like myself who's voices I have heard age over the years the big issue that needs addressing for older natural singers is that of once smooth musical sounding vocal tones becoming harsh and raspy.
I think extending vocal range for most older singers is not really addressing our most pressing problem.
Now I know it's not inevitable that voices should deteriorate quite so badly with age Marty Wilde and Martin Simpson still produce nice musical tones, no idea if their ranges have changed.

So I am wondering if there was any particular aspect of technique learned in your professional training that you think might be of help to older singers ?
Thanks.

Hi Andy-etc
Yes.

• Sing at moderate volumes, and match your guitar to the vocal volumes (back off on guitar volume if needed).
• Sing for short periods (a song or two) when practicing and rest the voice, and do that a couple three times a day as opposed to long practice sessions.
• Learn to not strain when singing higher than you're comfortable, and add more pressure from the diaphragm when you go high. It's a conscious thing.
  When/If you find yourself straining, just back the volume to half and air expelled to double and adjust as needed.
• When it's just too high, transpose to lower keys. Experiment with lowering a song by a third.
  (Key of G or A lowered to key of E, Key of E to Key of C or D, Key of C lowered to A or G).
• Sing relaxed without sounding like you are losing energy.

These are guide-lines not mandates. But they are sound techniques.

Just singing lah-la-la-la during practice as the notes go higher is an easier syllable to practice going higher on the actual lyrics.

Your mouth and throat are more open singing 'La' as the syllable. Singing e-e-e-e or ooo-ooo-ooo-ooo restrict either the throat or mouth (hence air flow).

You won't grow unless you are stretched some.

[Andyrondack]

Thanks for that sage advice Larry, I for one will follow it.

[Glennwillow]

Can you really get back some higher end range?

I think you not only can get back upper vocal range, I think a person can expand it with the right kind of practice.

- Glenn

[CASD57]

I've gained range but than I'm always trying to sing songs that force me to reach outta my comfort zone.....
Like "Bread" everything I own
and
Ed Sheeran "Thinking Out Loud"
Not that I can do them any justice by any means or even play them live, I mainly use them for practice... Ed's phasing it not easy in the least

[Cecil6243]

Originally Posted by Andyrondack

ljguitar
Judging from the untrained amateur folk singers like myself who's voices I have heard age over the years the big issue that needs addressing for older natural singers is that of once smooth musical sounding vocal tones becoming harsh and raspy.
I think extending vocal range for most older singers is not really addressing our most pressing problem.
Now I know it's not inevitable that voices should deteriorate quite so badly with age Marty Wilde and Martin Simpson still produce nice musical tones, no idea if their ranges have changed.

So I am wondering if there was any particular aspect of technique learned in your professional training that you think might be of help to older singers ?
Thanks.

The folk guys' voices become harsh and raspy? I guess that's why some transition to rock and roll?

[Andyrondack]

Originally Posted by Cecil6243

The folk guys' voices become harsh and raspy? I guess that's why some transition to rock and roll?

Hilarious.