Q&A for How to Sing in Mixed Voice

Mixed voice is when a singer uses some of the qualities of singing chest voice and some of the qualities of singing head voice. Physically, the singer is using techniques to change how much of the width of the vocal fold is vibrating.

Singers pretty much only use the word "belt" when specifically talking about chest voice, so no, you can't belt in head voice. But colloquially sometimes the word "belt" just means to sing loudly, so in that case, the word could be used.

Singing in head voice happens usually on higher notes, where the sound is resonating in the mouth and sinus cavities instead of the chest. Chest voice is low notes and where people speak.

If you're feeling strain, it could be because you're using throat tightness to mix. Try to only feel tightness (like a gentle pressing together) above your top teeth, just behind your nose, and see if you can let your throat be as loose as possible. If you're flipping into head voice, try sending a lot more breath support.

It is possible to learn to sing mix voice at 13, but because your vocal cords aren't fully mature it's easier to get vocal damage.

Weariness could be because your muscles are trying to grow strong enough for mix voice. Practice for shorter amounts of time and take a lot of vocal rest.

Your stomach should go in.

Staying within your range is the easiest way to avoid cracking in your voice. Practicing scales can help you determine the range you're comfortable singing in. If you want to go higher than your natural range, do so from your head, not your chest. This can also help reduce cracking.

This is likely because you are balancing between head voice and chest voice, and your glottis is trying to switch. Try using more air pressure (not volume, just pressure) and practice finding where on the scale you switch into head voice so you know what to expect.

Lots and lots of practice. Start by singing scales up and down as far as you can go. For higher scales, transition into your head voice, and slip into your chest/belly voice for lower scales.

To fix the break between your head and chest voice, go over the break a couple times by imitating a siren. Go from the highest note you can go to the lowest. There will be a little "bump" you can feel. Also, the no vibrations in your head is perfectly normal.

Try working with one voice at a time. Slowly add the other voice. It will help, trust me!

Make sure you have lots of air behind your note. Breathe from your stomach (you should feel your tummy rise when you breathe). Also, remember to relax your shoulders and neck.

This is a great question. A correct mixed voice should sound like a combination of both. That is why it's called "mixed." When you see yellow and blue, they are unique. Green has hints of both. Your mixed voice will be its own sound, but still you can tell that there are elements from both head voice and chest voice in it when it's done right. A professional voice coach will be able to help you identify this better.

Train your voice with videos. Sing along and try to sound like your favorite artists.

I wouldn't really recommend it unless it is a worship song or something similar. Those kinds of "verbal acrobatics" can be distracting during a performance.

No. Just try drinking some water. Your vocal cords may not be used to switching between the two registers. It happened to me too, and some water was all I needed to be able to use my falsetto again.

At 15 years old, your voice is still changing. That means that you can't classify yourself quite yet, except temporarily. Meaning, for now, you can comfortably call yourself a bass, and most music written for basses will be accessible to you. That being said, it is important that you do not neglect your upper range just because you cannot full-voice it. As you get older, your voice will continue to change as will your range and tessitura (and therefore voice part). Experiment to see which vowels are most comfortable in the upper and lower parts of your range. Make repertoire choices based on that knowledge and you will set yourself up for success.

It depends on your voice but mostly it does not matter what age you start.

Vowel modification. Closed vowels have formants closer to the actual note you are singing and therefore will amplify more naturally. So if a note is to be sung on an "ah" vowel, close it a little more by rounding your lips and changing the tongue placement inside your mouth.

Don't push your chest voice higher than it wants to go naturally, unless you have a competent teacher trying to teach you correct and healthy belting technique. What you need to learn how to use is your mixed voice! Your mixed voice is kind of a gradation between your true chest voice, and your falsetto / head voice. It's hard to explain via message like this, but try to get with a teacher and see if they'll give you an example of what mixed voice sounds like. Just whatever you do, don't scream to push too hard to reach those notes! It's not healthy, and can be damaging to your chords.

Mixed voice is a skill that takes substantially longer than a month to learn properly. However, if you choose a song that fits your voice well, you can practice certain techniques that may help you with your audition. Try putting a soft 'h' sound before your vowels, this helps them move more smoothly and may prevent the glottal stroke. Imagining yourself reaching out for a high note instead of pushing up for it may help as well.

Yes, anyone can sing in head voice. No matter what age you are, you should be able to sing in a proper head voice, unless your voice is damaged in some way.