Vocal Cord Exercises – Singing Exercises to Increase Vocal Range

This video is about vocal cord exercises guaranteed to increase your vocal range. If you want to  increase your range in a healthy way so you can sing great high notes without hurting your voice, this video is for you. Watch.

Hi I’m Chuck Gilmore, International Vocal Coach and Founder of Power To Sing.

 

Each week I teach you lessons in vocal technique so you can build a powerful and confident singing voice. If you haven’t subscribed yet, please subscribe to my channel, Power To Sing. Be sure to click on the bell so you’re notified when I post special videos for you each week!

 

These 4 exercises are largely unknown to the world of singers. But to those who use them, they’re the reason why they’ve majorly increased their range…not by just a few notes…but an octave or more! And they will work for you if you do them as I am about to show you.

 

Ready? I’ll show you the exercise and then the secret that makes it work so well.

 

The Fabulous 4 Exercises!

 

Exercise One

 

This exercise is called Bubble Lips with a 1 ½ scale. The first time I did it I was shocked. I knew I’d just vocalized higher than ever before without cracking or straining.

 

It sounds like this: [Demo BL on a 1 ½ scale] Place your fingers along your jawline and lift up your cheeks. Say “uh” as you blow air through your lips and make a bubble sound. They should be relaxed and slow.

 

Men you begin on the B2 and Ladies begin on the F#3. Both go up four half-steps.

 

Guys first, then the ladies. Ready guys. Begin.

Ready Ladies? Begin.

 

How does this increase your range?

 

#1. If done as demonstrated, the bubble lips help create back pressure on the larynx and causes the larynx to stay down as the vibrations move from chest, through the first bridge of the voice and into head voice.

#2. With the larynx down, the vocal cord muscle, called the thyroarytenoid (TA), stays engaged as the vibrations move into head voice.

#3. This results in connected head voice tone and not disconnected falsetto tone. [Demo]

#4. This long 1 ½ octave scale also activates the Cricothyroid muscles which causes the vocal cords to tense and adjust for higher head voice pitches.

 

Exercise Two

 

Using the same 1 ½ scale and pitches, sing “gee” with a dopy sound. It sounds like this. [Demo]

 

To help keep the larynx down, say “duh” with the dopy sound. Not a regular “duh” but a dopy “duh”. Now say “gee” with the same dopy sound, “gee”.

 

Keep that dopy “gee” as you do the exercise like this. [Demo].

 

Ready men, begin.

Ready ladies, begin.

 

#1. An important tip is to maintain the dopy sound from start to finish of the scale. Keep that exaggerated dopy sound the whole time. Not [Demo wrong], but [Demo right].

 

 

#2. If done as demonstrated, this will keep the larynx down and give you the same benefits as the first exercise.

 

Are you able to maintain the dopy “gee” sound? Let me know in the comments section below this Youtube video.

 

Exercise Three

 

Exaggerated Ney on an Octave Repeat Scale. It sounds like this. [Demo soft Ab3-Ab4]

 

Men begin on the Ab3. Women begin on the C#4. Both voices come down 4 half steps.

 

Before you do this exercise, it will work best if you do it at soft volume as I demonstrated. [Demo]

 

Ready men, begin.

Ready ladies, begin.

 

How does this increase your range?

 

#1. This exercise thins the lower chest voice and deepens the upper head voice. In other words, it thins the chest voice, so it’s not so heavy.

 

#2. On the high notes it helps the vocal cords maintain deeper adduction to keep the cords in a head voice coordination and not falsetto.

 

Tip: Resist the habit of singing too loud in chest voice. The whole exercise should be done at soft volume.

 

Are you able to do this exercise softly? Let me know in the comments section below this video.

 

 

Exercise Four

 

Repeat exercise three using the word, “no”. It sounds like this. [Demo]  Do this exercise at medium volume.

 

Ready men, begin.

Ready women, begin.

 

How does this increase your range?

 

#1. Pronounce the word “no” as if you are saying, “no u”. In other words, be sure to end the word “no” with an “oo” sound (as in “too”).  [Demo No u]. This will encourage the inclusion of the head voice vibrations as you begin the exercise and make it easier to increase your upper range because there will be less tension.

 

#2. If done as demonstrated, this exercise will encourage the larynx to remain at the same level as you speak. The vocal cords will adjust appropriately and you will experience a consistent tone from top to bottom and bottom to top of your voice. This makes it easier to increase your range.

 

Tip: When you sing down into chest voice, allow chest voice to come in by degrees. Don’t slam in suddenly. Not [demo wrong] but [demo right].

 

 

These are excellent exercises to cause your vocal cords to function exactly as needed to increase your range. More powerful vocal cord exercises are designed for your unique vocal type.

 

Your vocal type is not whether you are soprano, alto tenor or bass. Your vocal type describes what you tend to do when you sing higher, from chest to head voice.

 

To discover your vocal type, download this free PDF entitled “Get Your Vocal Type”. You can get it here, or in the description area below this YouTube video.

 

This PDF contains links to a vocal test. Take the test and get your vocal type. Then watch the videos about your vocal type and download the exercises for your vocal type. On this PDF, you’ll receive links to more powerful vocal cord exercises that will continue to increase your vocal range.

 

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I’m Chuck Gilmore with Power to Sing. You can sing higher with beauty, confidence and power. I’ll see you inside the next video.