How to learn to sing in mixed voice (with exercises)
Mixed voice – is there a more confusing yet in-demand vocal technique? But what is it and why does everyone desire it so much?
The basic definition of mixed voice for most people is ‘a mix of chest voice and head voice’. But before we can even discuss what that means, let’s quickly define chest voice and head voice.
What are the different vocal registers?
Both chest and head voice are types of ‘register’, which is an old term coined by Manuel Garcia in the 1800s. There’s a whole bunch of registers: chest, head, whistle, falsetto, creak/fry, and ‘passagio’ - AKA the mixed voice.
Chest voice register
The chest register is also called ‘modal’, ‘mechanism 1’ or ‘speech quality’. Most people naturally speak in their chest voice.
It’s called chest voice because you can feel vibrations on your chest when you speak in it (although it is not actually created in your chest – it's created in your larynx, like every other register.)
Chest voice features thick vocal folds, which is achieved through engaging the thyroarytenoid muscles (TA muscles) which live inside the larynx on the outer edge of the vocal folds. This is why chest voice is sometimes called ‘TA-dominant’.
When the TA muscles engage, they bunch up (a bit like a bicep), and as a result they shorten the vocal folds. When the vocal folds are shorter, they create a sound that could be described as ‘full’ or ‘solid’ or ‘strong’.
OK, so what about head voice?
Head voice is a lighter sound that feels, well, like it lives in your head (but of course it doesn’t!).
Head voice is created by a different pair of muscles called the cricothyroid muscles (CT muscles) which live inside each side of the larynx. This is why head voice is sometimes called ‘CT-dominant’.
When the CT muscles engage, they tilt the thyroid cartilage forward and down. The thyroid cartilage is the front shield of the larynx, and it just so happens that the vocal folds attach into the back of the thyroid cartilage.
So, when the thyroid cartilage is pulled forward and down, the vocal folds are stretched. And when the vocal folds are stretched, they become thinner and only the very edge of the vocal fold vibrates.
In this CT-dominant position, your voice creates a sound that could be described as ‘light’, ‘thin’ or ‘weak’.
The difference between TA and CT dominant singing
Think of the difference between TA and CT like an elastic band: a thicker band creates a lower, richer sound, and a thinner band creates a higher, lighter sound.
Furthermore, when the vocal folds are thicker, they are also deeper and are easier to vibrate together. More contact = more volume and stability.
Try this: clap your hands...easy right? Now try to clap just using only your index and middle fingers – doesn't sound as ‘full’ or as ‘strong’ does it?
Now that’s cleared up, let’s dive into the mystical mixed voice...
You’ll find several definitions of mixed voice on the internet. Some referring to sensations, others referring to acoustic formants, others referring to the quality of the sound.
However, I will do my best to keep my explanation rooted in physiology – what is actually happening inside of our miraculous meat suit.
The register break and the passagio
Most singers are very familiar with that clunky gear-change break that occurs half-way in our range. And most of us our doggedly determined to eliminate it.
This often-embarrassing break happens when we try to take our chest voice too high in our range. But why? Let’s break it down...
High notes vibrate faster than low notes (think of that elastic band), therefore high notes require thinner vocal folds, which can move faster much more easily.
So, if you try to take chest voice higher, you’ll reach a tipping point where the vocal folds will be forced into thinning – this is what creates the break.
Please note: we are not talking about belting/belt here – that’s a completely different kettle of fish. Park that idea completely throughout this blog.
But never fear! We can train our voices to navigate this area – not only to blend over the break, but also to add extra strength to our otherwise weaker sounding head voice.
Ariana Grande and Justin Timberlake can do it – so surely we can too?!
What does mixed voice training actually involve?
Firstly, it’s important to understand that the mixed voice is not one thing – it’s a spectrum. You can have a light or a heavy mixed voice, depending on the balance of the CT and TA muscles (as well as the position of other structures in the vocal tract).
The aim of training the mixed voice is to get the CT and TA muscles working in coordination – a bit like a pully system. As you relax one set of muscles, you engage the other set of muscles.
And because you want this pully system to be as smooth as possible, it’s best to ‘prematurely’ engage one set before you fully relax the other set.
For example, when you go up your range, you will want to begin to engage your CT muscles before you fully relax your TA muscles. This vicarious balancing act will ensure that you glide through your break.
You’ll also gain an incredible bonus effect: your vocal folds will have the thinness required to vibrate at higher notes, but they will also have thickness required to create volume and stability – the perfect Goldilocks zone.
Extra technical goodness
If you add a little bit of twang into the mix by lowering the epiglottis, you will significantly boost our volume.
And you can make your pharyngeal walls taut by raising your soft palate to gain beautiful resonance too.
Hang on, this is all sounding a bit too much – how on Earth does someone learn to coordinate all of that?!
Practical ways to train the mixed voice
Because we cannot see, touch, or even really feel what’s going on inside our larynx, we have to rely on imagination and subtle sensations.
Here’s a super simple 5-step practice you can try. At first, don't think about ‘singing’, just enjoy making silly noises.
Say the word ‘sing’. Hold the ‘ng’ position in the back of the mouth. Start low then slide up your range. Keep the sound small and clean.
Whimper like a puppy with your mouth closed. Start high then slide down your range. Keep the sound small and squeaky.
Cry like a baby. Literally imitate a baby cry using the word ‘Waa’. Keep it small and low to begin with, then increase in range and volume.
Whinge like a child. Literally imitate a toddler having a tantrum using the word ‘Please’. Don’t be afraid of volume – see how offensive you can make it sound!
Time to apply this to some scales! Sing the word ‘yeah’ and imagine that you are directing the sound towards your front teeth (because you literally are!) Hold the effort as you get higher – it will feel like work!
Note: if your voice gets scratchy, take a break, take a few deep breaths, then return to your practice when you feel ready. Your voice will often feel scratchy if you’re nervous because it’s part of your fight/flight nervous system response. A great remedy is to imagine you are breathing in something you love the smell of (flowers, coffee, cut grass etc. This will widen your throat and reduce constriction).
Well then...that’s mixed voice for you! The Goldilocks zone between chest voice and head voice that you can take all the way through your range, without a clunk in sight!
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch – I love geeking out about vocal technique!
THIS BLOG WAS WRITTEN BY FREYA ASTRELLA, AN EXPERT VOCAL COACH IN EAST SUSSEX, UK.
Freya is a bonafide vocal technique expert and is one of the only teachers in the region to have gained Estill Voice certification. Freya holds a First Class BA(hons) in Professional Musicianship, a VocalTech Diploma, and a Master’s Degree in Vocal Performance. She is currently undertaking the Vocal Process teacher training course.
Freya has taught all ages and abilities at BIMM, Access To Music, The Academy of Music And Sound, TheatreTrain, Stagecoach, and The Rock Project. She currently coaches at Rhapsody Artist Development in Seaford. Furthermore, Freya was a lead writer for VoiceCouncil.com, which was the biggest online resource for singers.
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