When you sing at a loud volume, your head or skull vibrates as you hear the song. This sensation is referred to as the “head voice.” You can appreciate your voice’s talent without exerting yourself by doing this.
Mastering head voice is really simple. Musicians are experts at using their voices to their advantage. You may now, too. Any talent or skill one possesses involves work, repetition, and commitment.
If executed properly, the head voice sounds smooth and relaxed. Your hand can actually sense the vibrations.
Working on your head voice is the finest strategy to improve the outcomes of your singing performance. Regardless of the exact range, it’s the most frequently utilised register you have and can be heard in many songs. Each voice is distinctive and is discovered in a different way by different individuals.
I (a bass player) learned by trying to make a silly sound, like Patrick Star from SpongeBob. You’ll find that you may easily enter a higher register if you try to generate a sound like this.
Once you master this, try singing in that range while rolling your lips. This not only teaches you how to control airflow, but it also relieves throat tension, allowing you to switch between your head and chest voices fairly easily—this is the secret to a “connected” voice.
In this article, we’ll outline the practical steps you can take to get started and demonstrate how developing your head voice can make you a better singer.
What is Head Voice?
Because many singers are aware of the vibrations their bodies make when the song emanates from the head, head voice is sometimes referred to as the higher range of your singing voice.
No matter how high or low the pitch, every sound causes a certain portion of the body to vibrate. When you sing in your head voice, your body’s vibrations are taking place there.
There are four vocal ranges that vocalists can employ, along with other popular choices including chest voice. The mix or middle voice is another name for head voice. It’s a balance, though.
You are not yet breathy or straining to sing higher notes when you sing in the head register.
Your head voice starts somewhere between the notes E5 and F5, or at the point where your pitch changes from middle voice.
What Distinguishes Head Voice from Falsetto?
The head voice is NOT falsetto, to start with. In spite of the fact that they can have similar sounds, these names are frequently used interchangeably.
Falsetto is a technique for producing a higher, airier sound by separating the vocal chords and lightly vibrating the edges. With the same softness as the chest voice, the head voice sounds and feels fuller and can be combined with it to produce a steelier sound.
Falsetto and head voice originate in the same register. The head voice, however, differs from falsetto. Although they both originate from the head voice range, falsetto notes are higher and have a wider range of tones.
Due to their frequent abuse, the two different vocal ranges are frequently confused. These two names refer to high notes.
The term “head voice” is occasionally used to refer to all the high notes you produce without using your chest voice. Falsetto and head voice are both higher notes that require tiny vocal folds to produce the desired sound.
They also mislead novice singers into believing the sound originates from somewhere other than their voice. Although the top of your head doesn’t produce your singing voice, you can feel the vibrations there.
Falsetto sounds open the glottis more than the head voice alone does. The space between your voice cords is where the sound originates from, and it is rather audible.
However, you can learn to add additional force to the voice by narrowing the vocal folds.
The sound is the primary distinction between falsetto and head voice. The head voice provides a more even, forceful tone, in contrast to falsetto’s breathy, hallow, and airy tone. Consider the differences as two distinct approaches to the same high pitch.
10 Practical Methods for Learning How to Sing in Head Voice
You can practise singing in your mind voice through a variety of exercises. Here are our top ten useful suggestions. Before using your voice, be sure to warm up your voice.
Please be aware that if you use these techniques correctly, they shouldn’t require much energy. You’re performing it incorrectly if you can feel your chest muscles working, the sound is heavy, or you have trouble breathing.
The vibrations should be felt in your head rather than your chest.
Breathing
The initial stages to using any vocal register are proper singing posture and breathing exercises. They’re essential for developing your head voice as well.
The force you require to release a note and stretch it for a longer duration is provided by the breath. Inhale deeply to start. Exhale after holding your breath. Before you let the air out, fill your lungs.
Take your time, close your eyes, and concentrate on using your diaphragm to breathe. Feel your tummy rise as you take in, and pay attention to the strength you have with each release.
Relax
Relaxation is just as important for singing as good posture and breathing. However, this workout focuses more on the mind than the body. Many folks find it easier said than done.
To prevent strain, keep your body, especially the region around your vocal cords, relaxed. Additionally, relaxation aids in maintaining a firm, never wavering voice.
Additionally, finding comfort can help you relax before a performance. You can hit the right notes at the right time if you maintain your composure.
De-stress by cleansing your mind of any ideas. Make an effort to accurately sing each note as you direct your attention to the notes themselves. When your nerves get tense, there are numerous other relaxation techniques you can employ.
Read Also: How to Sing When You Have a Cold?
Speak to Yourself
Talking to yourself in the register will help you develop your head voice. You can sing if you can practise using your head voice to consistently speak and pronounce each syllable. Beginners will benefit much from this workout.
To practise, speak to yourself every day. For practice, you can say the phrase “Not by the hair of my chinny chin chin” aloud. Make sure you’re speaking in the appropriate register no matter what you decide to say.
Smile
Before you start grinning at this moment for no reason, let me explain how improving head voice works: The palate is stimulated when you mentally smile, which makes it easier for air to move about in your head without too much effort from you.
The amazing thing about this workout is that your mouth doesn’t even have to move for it to be effective.
Simply imagining oneself grinning might heighten your sense of taste. Airflow around your head increases when this occurs. You perform much better because you don’t have to work hard to breathe.
Listen to Other Singers
Listening to other singers’ vocals is a fantastic approach to learn how to sing in head voice. Every voice is unique. However, they all have a range and require some direction.
Any artist’s head voice is audible, but it’s simpler to identify the tones in a singer whose range is comparable to your own. Pay close attention.
The distinction between head voice and other vocal registers is obvious. Falsetto notes are a little higher and call for a softer breath than head voice, which is strong and boastful.
Pay attention to the singers’ breathing and pausing patterns, transitions, and falsetto notes. With little work, you might be able to achieve a similar pitch level.
Make it Simple
Don’t make it too complicated. Sing at a pitch that is comfortable for you at first, then raise it. To enhance your abilities, practise frequently and do these workouts.
You are not required to practise difficult techniques or put in excruciatingly lengthy hours of training. You only need to keep the exercise straightforward. As soon as you have mastered one pitch, switch to another and keep going.
While yawning, sigh
You should picture yourself yawning and sighing as you complete this simple exercise. You can get better at singing in your head voice with practice. Loud and incredibly exaggerated, the sigh. Don’t be reluctant to go overboard.
Chant “The Letter M”
Simply humming the letter “M” while keeping your mouth open and your tongue resting on your upper jaw. That alone will help you improve your head voice. For variety, you might add the letter “M” at the end of the letter. It’s a worthwhile activity. Learning to sing in head voice with this really helps.
Keep it Small
You might be tempted to keep using your chest voice to sing. To avoid making the pitch too heavy, though. A thin, narrow voice is necessary for the head voice. As your pitch rises, keep your thoughts modest. Imagine the vocal cords getting weak.
Search for the Voice that Feels Right
Your vocal cords shouldn’t have to work too hard to reach a certain pitch level too quickly. Everybody has a unique voice. Make sure not to overwork your vocal cords while you adjust your head voice. You may completely lose your voice if you strain.
Take your time, then.
Find the voice that feels most natural to you, is open to progress, and doesn’t harm it.
Conclusion
Your voice will be safeguarded if you sing the higher notes in your range with your head voice. One of the most crucial abilities for a vocalist to master is this.
At first, the music can seem a little thin, but as your head voice develops, you’ll be able to sing the highest notes effortlessly.
Many individuals avoid the higher notes since they don’t sound “nice,” or the head voice can be a bit mysterious. When used properly, the head voice can be liberating and reduce vocal chord stress.
You may sing higher notes without wearing out your vocal chords by learning how to sing in head voice. If you adhere to certain guidelines and practises, this technique is rather simple to master.
Singing in head voice requires consistent effort and close attention to detail, as with all vocal techniques. I’ll precisely demonstrate to you how to acquire the abilities required to maximise the potential of your head voice in this in-depth manual.