[musictlk] struggling with high notes

Vejas Vasiliauskas alpineimagination at gmail.com
Tue Sep 16 23:07:03 UTC 2014


Hi all,
I am also new to a large choir, and I have been following this 
thread because it really interests me.  I was wondering if maybe 
you could give me suggesttions for my situation.
I am a tenor in my high-school choir.  I can only really 
comfortably sing in one octave plus a few notes up and a few 
notes down from there.  I'm having trouble holding notes.  If the 
note is one I can reach, I can hold it for a little while but 
then I start losing my breath and have to take a breath before 
continuing to hold.  For higher notes which I can barely reach, 
I'm find it extremely difficult to hold and often have to stop 
singing as it is such a strain.  Sometimes when I try to hold a 
note I get a pull in a muscle and I feel like this might have to 
do with the way I am holding it.  Do you have any possible 
suggesttions on how I can hold the notes better?
Also, about this alto/soprano discussion: how do I know if I'm 
really supposed to be a tenor or a bass? My teacher currently has 
me as a tenor and I seem to be doing fine with that.  There are 
some higher notes but I can't sing low enough for bass.
This is the second real choir that I have participated in, since 
I am also in my church choir.  In the church choir there are not 
that many people and I usually just sing the melody, so the tenor 
part is new to me.
Vejas





----- Original Message -----
From: Linda Mentink via musictlk <musictlk at nfbnet.org
To: Kelsey Nicolay <piano.girl0299 at gmail.com>,Music Talk Mailing 
List <musictlk at nfbnet.org
Date sent: Tue, 16 Sep 2014 12:43:45 -0500
Subject: Re: [musictlk] struggling with high notes

Hi Kelsey,

You have gotten a lot of helpful hints.  I will add that, though 
it
was suggested that you breathe from your butt, more correctly, 
when
at home, place your hands on your waste so that your thumbs point
toward your belly button.  As you go higher in your range, do all
others have suggested; Atry to keep the small of your back wide 
by
pressing against the other four fingers on each hand.  The more 
you
can work the back and lower body, the better.  That will take the
tension from the upper and front.  Please call me if you want to 
talk
this through.

Blessings,

Linda

t 09:40 PM 9/15/2014, you wrote:
Hello,
I know this is not related to blindness, but I could use some
advice.  I am in a community choir and really enjoy it.  I've 
made a
lot of good friends.  However, in several of our pieces, the 
altos
have to sing some notes that a soprano would normally sing.  I 
sing
second alto, so I am struggling quite a bit.  When I say high 
notes,
I mean notes in the fifth octave.  We have several fifth octave 
D's
and E's.  I try to sing the notes, but it seems I just cannot get 
up
there.  I cannot afford a voice teacher right now except maybe 
one
lesson a month.  I think I am breathing correctly, but it's
difficult to tell since we sit for 90 percent of rehearsal.  Does
anyone have any suggestions on how to not struggle so much on the
high notes? Should I talk to the director and see if he will 
allow
me to sing tenor on those notes? I would appreciate any 
suggestions
anyone might have.
Thanks,
Kelsey Nicolay

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