Harder to Hit Some Notes Within Your Singing Range

[davidbeinct]

Not at the edges, within the range. The low C on a guitar is well within my range, my happy note is the low A. But when I try to sing intervals within the low C major scale I can’t hit that C without coming up to it to save my life. When I sing the third I hit that D without hardly trying but I come up to that C from like A#! What gives?

[JackC1]

It's normal, what you're doing. Once you've practiced enough, you'll be able to hit it without searching for it (that's what you're doing; you're searching for that C from A#).

A tip my singing instructor tells us (and you may want to try) is to search from a higher pitch (i.e. going the opposite direction as your search). This is supposedly easier.

[marciero]

Are you saying that you have a hard time hitting any interval that lands on that one C, but you can hit those same intervals when they dont land on that C? Also, from the title of your post, the same thing with certain other notes?

[Chipotle]

Originally Posted by JackC1

A tip my singing instructor tells us (and you may want to try) is to search from a higher pitch (i.e. going the opposite direction as your search). This is supposedly easier.

Came here to say this. Even if you are going up to a higher note, imagine coming *down* from a higher pitch, rather than trying to go *up* to the note.

[Nymuso]

Originally Posted by Chipotle

Came here to say this. Even if you are going up to a higher note, imagine coming *down* from a higher pitch, rather than trying to go *up* to the note.

You saved me some typing.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by davidbeinct

Not at the edges, within the range. The low C on a guitar is well within my range, my happy note is the low A. But when I try to sing intervals within the low C major scale I can’t hit that C without coming up to it to save my life. When I sing the third I hit that D without hardly trying but I come up to that C from like A#! What gives?

Hi david-etc
In my living room I can hit a low A.

On stage it changes to C.

I pitch my arrangements accordingly.

[davidbeinct]

Originally Posted by marciero

Are you saying that you have a hard time hitting any interval that lands on that one C, but you can hit those same intervals when they dont land on that C? Also, from the title of your post, the same thing with certain other notes?

No, so far I’m only starting on that C and I have a hard time hitting it. But when I go to either the E or the G I can hit them no problem. Well, less problem.

[stanron]

Lots of talk on this forum about practicing playing guitar. How many actually practice singing? And if you practice singing, what do you actually practice. Here's an exercise that addresses intonation and intervals.

Play this on guitar and then sing the notes you played.

E╓──────────────────────────┐
B╟──────────────────────────┤
G╟──────────────────────────┤
D╟────2────3───5───3───2────┤
A╟──3───3────3───3───3──────┤
E╙──────────────────────────┘

Move it up one fret and repeat. Or down if you wish. This pattern will work on all pairs of strings except the third and second. You can do this to cover your entire vocal range.

If you are feeling particularly brave try doing this with a tuner, turned to 'mic' in view.

A prolonged note is always a vowel sound. Try this with different vowel sounds and see if it affects your intonation.

[Mr. Jelly]

The fact that you are actually listening to your voice is a really good thing. I don't think a large number of people do. And it shows. I believe that you will get where you want to go given more experience. Vocal note training is a little like mussel training when playing guitar.

[tbirdman]

I take lessons. I too with struggling singing intervals. I had a couple songs that started on the third interval of the initial chord. The instructor got me to pluck the note on the fretboard and also humming the note. That seem to work. There are exercises you can do to train your voice.

An interesting song I learned is I Walk the Line by Johnny Cash. Every verse starts on a different key. Johnny Cash will hum the starting note before singing the verse.