Question:
Is there a way to prevent squeaking when singing a high note?
Answer:
This is sort of a fun question because really great high notes feel like squeaking and can actually sound quite squeaky to the singer, even when they sound great to everyone else. This is because it takes such a refined phonation – similar to the sounds we make when we squeak like a little mouse. What makes high notes NOT sound squeaky is finding all of the resonance for them without changing the phonation. The reason high notes sound squeaky to the singer is because all of the resonance from the tiny little cavities in the head send vibrations to the inner ear and are heard without the benefit of the resonance in the room. Sounds can be much richer and fuller to the listener depending on the acoustic properties of the space. This is one of the many reasons that singers need to work with teachers and coaches – they have to learn how to hear themselves.