Possible Reasons For Vocal Pitch Problems (high or low)

written by – W.N. Vincent

Over time I have received complaints from vocalist about how they can’t sing some high and sometimes low notes which they would normally sing sweatlessly.

I discovered that a cracked voice isn’t always the problem.

Several factors may lead to your inability to sing some pitches (high or low) and we would see a few of them shortly.

You may find yourself in any category, but then that would be good because, finding out the cause of a thing is only the first step to proffering a helpful solution.

Let’s get into it.

1. Lack of Exercises

Cardiovascular exercises improve singing by increasing your vocal strength, stamina, and breath management.
When you get sweaty during an exercise, hormones (endorphins) are stimulated. The role of this hormone is to strengthen overall muscle tone.

When you don’t exercise the result is a lack of power across your range.

Remember also that the strength and support required to sing high notes, sustain notes or phrases, etc., comes from the abdominal/diaphragmatic region, and also requires a good breath support. So when there’s no muscle toning there’s every tendency to try to support yourself by tightening your throat when singing. Why? Your abdominal muscles, lungs and diaphragm are untrained at such rigorous activities as exercises, holding air or an abrupt inhalation or exhalation during singing.

This act of throat tightening costricts the path for inhalation and exhalation which invariably affects how high or low you can reach when singing (ranges).

Examples of cardiovascular exercises include; Jogging, Swimming, Skipping, Breathing exercises (like in 4 – out 4, the ‘ssshhh’ exercise etc).

2. The Use of Wrong Vocal Technique

Years of vocal training doesn’t necessarily mean that you have a fantastic technique.

You can belt out high notes like a pro, but you can’t sustain the strength and tone for very long. This is a clear sign of skill or a beautiful voice but wrong technique.

Here are some signs of wrong techniques when singing, some of which may be familiar to you;

– You lose your voice after an hour or less of singing.
– You find yourself pushing from your throat to “belt out” high notes.
– Your voice constantly sounds breathy and you can’t seem to get clarity in the tone (because it’s breathy and shaky).
– You have a sore or swollen throat after a performance or practice session.
– Your jaw or shoulders start to ache when singing.
– You find it hard to breathe or sustain notes while singing (especially when adding movement).
– You often have a sore abdomen from trying to push the sound out (constriction of abdominal muscles in a bid to ‘project’ notes).

If you experience any of these, your technique is wrong and it will affect your pitch (high notes mostly, but also the low notes).

3. Hunger

Yes! Hunger can affect your attempt at singing high ranges.

Have you ever heard a hungry man sing?
He can almost not mussel any strength to back up his singing.

Next time you want to hit those high notes, be sure to eat something for the purpose of strength.

What If I Am On A Fast?

Your glucose level is low when you’re on a fast (also when you’re hungry).

What you can do is TAKE SOME GLUCOSE (maybe a soft drink, sweets etc).

This doesn’t affect your fast. But be sure to do this with the right intention.

Tiredness/Stress/Fatigue

The same effect hunger has on the voice (the lack of strength to use your abdominal and thoracic muscles, which in turn weakens your breath support) is reproduced by tiredness.

When you’re tired your posture, facial muscles (for expressions) are affected and these are necessary to pitch accurately.

You may sound flat when you are tired because, a dull face can’t produce bright notes.

You have to anticipates notes before you vocalize them and tiredness takes away that edge.

What were your activities like, the periods you tried to sing high notes? Were you Tired? stressed? Hungry?

4. Physiological Conditions

Sickness
Sickness falls under one of the Physiological factors to be considered when attempting to explore pitch, ranges etc.

When one is challenged in his health, simply put, it will reflect in his voice.
It is not advisable to sing when you are sick, but sometimes it cannot be avoided.

Let’s not consider clinical cases like Laryngitis. The common cold can create inflammation in the vocal folds, limit the pitch range or mobility, lower your pitch, and can even leave you sounding dull.

There is also the issue of vocal nodules, vocal chord polyps, vocal chord tumors etc., which may go away with weeks of adequate rest or via surgery.

Pregnancy
It is medically proven that the pitch of a woman’s voice changes based on hormones.

During pregnancy some changes that may occur include, swollen vocal cords, altered range of voice (inability to hit high notes). Sometimes the voice is shaky and she’s unable to sustain for long periods.

Menstruation
As much as menstration may affect your mood and sexual response, such hormonal imbalances also affect the voice.

Some symptoms of premenstrual vocal syndrome include the loss of vocal power, range and harmonics, and a reduced ability to sing softly.

During menstruation, there appears to be drier vocal chords which makes it more difficult to control vibrato.

5. Environment

Imagine walking into a cold room from a hot environment?

Is there a word to describe that feeling?

At such a time your internal system returns to homeostasis. A balance is restored between your external and your internal environment.

At this time, your voice is at its optimum (except it was cracked or stressed, or any of the reasons we have looked at), and you can hit some high pitches comfortably.

After a while, as you breathe in and out (with the nose and mouth) cold air inhaled through the mouth ends up dehydrating the vocal tract. This leads to the vocal dryness many people experience when they sing in an AC-fied room.

Of course it’s both important and necessary for the vocal tract to stay warm and hydrated.

– When singing in a cold room it is important that you take care how you inhale through your mouth as cold air can dehydrate the vocal tract, and this will affect your attempt to sing notes higher up your vocal range, and even down your range.

– It is important that you have room temp. water with which you regularly use to rehydrate.

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Regards

The Music Institute