This is more of a lesson than an exercise, but I thought it needed extra explanation!

If you haven't seen these yet, please watch first!

Accessing the chest voice:
   • Accessing the chest voice  warm up f...  

Accessing the head voice:
   • Accessing your head voice  warm up f...  

Today's lesson is a chance to sing in both your chest and head voice, and then work on finding the sensation when you combine the two. That's your mix voice!

The MIX voice is a combination of the head and chest voice. Every singer has different strengths you may struggle to find either chest or head. Some singers have found both chest and head voice, but their transition between the two is bumpy.

Singing in the chest voice aim for a nice loose jaw, a bright and forward sound, and a stable and wide tongue. DON'T try to sing super loud. You want to feel like you're basically just talking.

Singing in the head voice You can use a rather silly heady "helloooooo" to find the space for your head voice. DON'T try to sing this super loud! Also feel for how loose and hanging your jaw can feel. If your tongue feels tight here you can also work on some tongue stretches.

Finding YOUR mix voice there is no secret recipe for how much chest vs. head voice you'll need on a certain pitch. Your voice is unique, as is your skill level. The key to finding the proper mix is to work from the bottom and mix in enough head voice to remove the feeling of "hitting a ceiling"

TIPS:
1. If you feel any sensation of pushing, straining, tiredness, pump, or the "hitting the ceiling" that is your body's STOP sign! Try adding in more head voice. You're probably trying to push the chest voice too high.
2. After you add in more head voice, try lightening up the sound (quieter) and making it brighter or more forward.
3. Every singer will always and forever have to work on their chest/mix/head voice. This is not a quick easy thing to understand or master, so be kind to yourself. It's a lifelong journey!
4. Remember to smile and have fun! If you're not having fun, you're not doing it right.