can you be taught to hit a B flat?

[broadwaybelter]

hello...fellow tenors...anyone know if you can be taught to hit a B flat?? or do you just require that sort of range?? can you extend your range???
ric

[Thesbijean]

It depends what your range is now? I mean, I extened my range to a Bb from an A, but I had that kind of range. I would say if you can go up to a G now, it is very possible if you work at it properly

[Bradley]

You can absolutely be taught to hit a B Flat whether you are a baritone or tenor. It involves the elegant stretching of the pillars of the Foces (Sp?) which are basically the muscles that form a sort of MacDonalds' arch in the back of your mouth where your uvula hangs down. You raise these soft palette muscles as you go higher. Look in a mirror and see these muscles move into a narrowe "v"shape while feeling the beginning of a yawn. They will be strectched as far as possible for the B flat range. Think of singing into a smaller and smaller point like the head of a needle. This allows the Chords to thin out as you get higher. The actual amount of chord vibrating is very small on a b flat. The feeling of singing up there and higher almost feels like the note detatches from your head and exists on its own somewhere behind you. Close your eyes and imagine all the sound coming out of the back of your head and keep your mouth well open. Start with a five note scale on Ah while thinking aw or even uh. These are narrower vowels and allow the note to enter a smaller space and whiile the pillars are stretching up into a narrow v. Work up[ to it by starting the 5 note scale from C to G for example and try to feel this stretch. Again it is very elegant, just a long luxurious lift like pulling taffy or elastic. No sudden jerks of the palette or jaw. Or you could call my voice teqacher who is the best I've ever worked with. His name is Jim Carson 212/865-3066. He is amazing and not many people know of him so there are often spaces open. Hope that helps. Bradley Dean

[munkustrap178]

Well, that's not ALWAYS true. You can't be "taught" to sing a note your body is incapable of producing.

[Thesbijean]

Yeah. 9 times out of 10, after you are about 16, if you cannot sing above an E above middle C, you will not be able to expand to a Bb

[EverythingIsRENT]

really? so there comes a point after a certain age that you just can't be taught to hit more notes? That kind of sucks....

[RentBoy86]

So if i can sing an Ab, then there's hope? that's good to know!

[GypsyRoseLee]

With the right training, you can be taught to sing however high you can whine.

[ca_muzikgurl]

Hi Bradley! How's the tour going? I hope you are able to see some of the sights in SF! It's a great town! There's a lot to do at the wharf and Golden Gate Park. Don't forget to walk the bridge!

[MTRBOI24]

Thesbijean this is FALSE "Yeah. 9 times out of 10, after you are about 16, if you cannot sing above an E above middle C, you will not be able to expand to a Bb"

When i was 18, i couldnt even sing a middle c comfortable. I am now singings those Bb's and C's and D's above middle C.

[broadwaybelter]

yay!!! lol

[apdarcey]

you will get there. just keep working.

[broadwaybelter]

thanks!! i hope i will!! It was just that i was looking at LW auditions for the national tour and it required laurie to be able to hit a b flat...and i was like "oh s***" i don't think i can hit a b flat....so yea...i think i need more training...my vocie has been good lately...

[MTRBOI24]

How old are you? Laurie is older at least late 20's early 30's.

[apdarcey]

well technically, laurie is 17-18. but he will be played by someone who is late 20's.

i used to not have the b flat, kept working. now it's there, and some days the c. that note is next for me to conquer. just keep working. really.

[Derech2]

I have always wondered this too. I'm 15, and consider myself a baritone at this point. I can reach C sharp twice below middle C (which is fairly low) and can belt out a middle F with some amount of strength (albeit the sound is not particularly pleasing). In my falsetto (or head voice ... are they different?) I can reach the F an octave above middle F.

Usually when I reach middle D, I have to start pushing with my diaphram to keep the sound out of my head voice. My "healthy" pushing stops at F, but even my F is pretty shaky. I can continue and get a G and A flat in my chest voice, but then I'm beyond good belting; I'm just shouting it.

So I suppose I have nearly a three and half octave range, but my question is will my strength in the upper notes increase as my voice matures? By the time I'm 20 will I have the capability to hold out a nice A flat, or am I stuck with these notes in my head voice?

[apdarcey]

you're only 15. you will get those notes in a couple years if you are constantly working with a good voice teacher. just keep your practice up. it's not something that will just hit one day. it's work.

[phantom_tenor]

When i started singing at 14, i couldn't go any higher than D max. Now i'm 17 and can easily hit B flat, even go to a high C if i really want to. I don't have a naturally high voice. It was just a matter of finding a great teacher and lots of work. Classical training rules.

[aliceripleysnumber1]

Yes, being only 15, its very natural for you to max out at an F. Just keep working on your voice with a GOOD vocal teacher, and by the time you are 20, you're voice should be matured and trained enough to sail through those G's A's and Bb's. At 15 and 16 I was so bummed out that I couldn't sing "those really awesome theatre pieces"...now, its no problem. Just keep working!

[bjivie2]

Honestly, it's completely false that you can't be taught to sing certain notes. The notes will come easier to certain people, but I (personally) believe that just about anything can be taught, it just takes some people longer to learn than others.

When I was a freshman I was told that I was a bass, and that I always would be. I started taking private lessons that year and my voice teacher told me I was a tenor, but didn't know it. Freshman year my low note was an E two octaves below middle C and a middle E. My senior year my range was a C two octaves below middle C and a high Ab. Now, as a sophomore in college, my range goes from a B two octaves below middle C and a high C.

Moral of the story is that a Bb isn't something that's going to happen overnight. It took me almost 6 years to get comfortable up in that register. I was told I would only ever be a bass, but now I can sing bass, baritone and tenor all equally well.

And Bradley gives a very accurate technical analysis of singing in the upper register for men.

[Bradley]

Hi ca_musicgurl. The tour goes well. San Francisco has been terrific, great audiences and fabulous town. Thanks for the sightseeing tips. I'll definately check them out. Best, Bradley Dean

[cathyhyatt]

u can def. stretch your range out by safely/correctly practicing till u get there...or u may never be able to.

it really depends how far u r from being able to now.

[ShuQ]

Get a teacher...don't try to do it yourself.