Singing, like athletics, can be taxing on your body. What’s more, just as building up muscle mass or flexibility or speed takes time, so too does increasing your vocal range. However, these tips can help you expand your vocal range in an efficient manner.
Warming up
Everyone needs to warm up their vocal cords before singing. However, if you try to do this too fast, you’ll only hurt yourself and not feel the full benefits of these warm-up exercises. Slow down, calm down, and warm up gradually with some simple hums and lip buzzes up and down the scale.
Know Yourself (and Your Range)
To make progress, you have to know where you’re starting from, and in this case that means knowing your vocal range. You’re trying to expand this, of course, but for now, you need to get an idea of the highest and lowest notes you can consistently and comfortably hit.
Good Vocal Health
Make sure you’re resting your vocal cords and not straining them by trying to sing too high, too loud, or too much. Refrain from foods or drinks that can cause you singing problems close to performance time, including citrusy fruits and drinks, alcohol, coffee, spicy foods, and dairy products. Make sure you’re drinking plenty of water, with several cups a day being the minimum you should be drinking to stay properly hydrated.
Practice Basic Techniques
Make sure, when singing, you have your larynx in a low, “rest” position. Stand up straight, breathe from the diaphragm, and make sure you take even breaths and use proper breath support. Relax your jaw, and rest your tongue on the top part of your bottom teeth. Don’t “force” anything, including more air through your throat than is necessary. This is a common beginner mistake that can cause you to sound as though you have a breathy, uneven voice.
Set Attainable Goals
You’re not going to go from beginner to Beyonce or from a newbie to super soprano in one go. Improving your vocal range and skills takes time. Setting big goals and then failing to meet them can discourage you, which can stop your progress in its tracks. Instead, set smaller, attainable goals that you can reach such as small steps up the stepladder to greater singing range and success.
Follow these steps, and you can start improving your vocal range in no time.