Practice Songs Helpful for Learning Mixed Voice (Middle Voice) [For Women]
The term “mixed voice.” If you’re interested in singing, you’ve probably heard or seen it at least once.
Many of my vocal training students say, “I want to be able to use mixed voice!” However, I feel that surprisingly few people actually understand what it is.
So what exactly is mixed voice? Simply put, it’s “the voice between chest voice and head voice.” That’s why it’s also called middle voice.
In actual songs, it’s mainly used to cover the high-tone range that’s hard to hit with chest voice, but by changing the balance of how much chest and head voice you mix, you can create a wide range of vocal expressions.
In this feature, I’ve gathered female singers who skillfully use mixed (middle) voice to express their songs.
I’m sure you’ll find plenty to reference when you practice with the goal of mastering mixed voice yourself.
I hope you find it helpful.
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- Easy-to-sing songs recommended for women in their 20s with low voices | Also great for getting a good reaction at karaoke!
- A collection of cool songs that sound great when sung by women, originally male songs
- Recommended for millennial women who aren't confident singers: easy-to-sing karaoke songs
- [For Beginners] Recommended Enka Classics for Karaoke — Women Singers Edition
[For Women] Practice Songs Helpful for Learning Mixed Voice (Middle Voice) (71–80)
LOVE LOVE LOVEDREAMS COME TRUE
This is Dreams Come True’s 18th single, released in July 1995.
It was used as the theme and insert song for the TBS drama “Aishiteiru to Itte Kure,” and sold over 2.4 million copies in total.
It’s a huge hit that represents J-pop in the 1990s.
Around the time this song became a hit, I remember the term “mixed voice,” which is the theme of this article, starting to draw attention in Japan.
Miwa Yoshida, Dreams Come True’s vocalist, is a singer known for her slightly full-bodied tone, and in this song—especially in the A-melody sections centered in the mid-range—she seems to express the song’s gentle mood beautifully by skillfully using a chest-leaning mixed voice.
When singing it at karaoke, try to place your voice as broadly and softly as possible against the upper palate.
It’s an ideal song for practicing a soft mixed voice.
Because it’s such a gentle, tender piece, be careful that the consonants in the lyrics don’t become too sharp or aggressive.
GLORIAYUI
This is YUI’s 15th single, released in January 2010.
Songs that use mixed voice often involve difficult register transitions, so there aren’t many fast-tempo tracks, but this one is notably quick.
Since she doesn’t belt high notes in chest voice, it sounds very light and effortless; however, to use mixed voice effectively at this tempo likely requires considerable lung capacity.
After all, controlling airflow is crucial for mixed voice.
The phrasing itself isn’t particularly difficult, so I think it’s an ideal practice piece for women who want to master mixed voice.
Rebootmiwa
This was singer-songwriter miwa’s 25th single, released in August 2019.
It was the theme song for the TBS Friday drama “Nagi no Oitoma.” The hallmark of miwa’s singing is, above all, her clear tone across her entire range.
Typically, mixed voice is often used to soften the “attack” compared to chest voice in order to convey “wistfulness” or “gentleness.” In miwa’s case, however, she employs a mixed voice that leverages her clear timbre, enhancing the expression of “cuteness” and a “straightforward femininity.”
TimeUtada Hikaru
A digital-only single by Hikaru Utada, released in May 2020.
It was newly written as the theme song for the NTV Sunday drama “Gourmet Detective Goro Akechi.” To sing contemporary R&B like Hikaru Utada, mastering mixed voice is essential.
For many people, the first voice that comes to mind when they hear “mixed voice” is Utada’s.
This song, too, is a perfect example of R&B mixed voice, showcasing superb vocals.
It’s packed with the charm of soft singing delivered with a falsetto-leaning mix and gentle high tones, making it an ideal and highly rewarding piece to practice for mastering mixed voice.
Gentle RedFukuhara Miho
This is Miho Fukuhara’s third CD single overall, released in November 2008.
It was used as the song for an au “LISMO” commercial.
Fukuhara, whose appeal as a female singer includes her slightly fuller tone, uses a highly effective mixed voice in this track—especially in the high notes of the chorus—giving the song a certain gentleness and softness.
When singing those sections, try to place your voice as softly as possible against the upper palate to produce a smooth, soft mixed voice.
I think the key to making this song sound really good lies in how smoothly you can transition between chest voice and mix, and how much contrast you can create with high notes in chest voice.
EverythingMISIA
This was MISIA’s seventh single, released in November 2000.
MISIA’s mixed voice is characterized by a solid, powerful tone.
It leans more toward chest voice, giving the impression that the vocal folds remain firmly engaged rather than released like in falsetto.
One advantage of mastering mixed voice is the ability to freely control the blend between chest voice and falsetto, enabling a wide range of expressive singing—and this is a prime example.
While male vocalists often use mixed voice to extend their upper range, it’s also fascinating to hear female singers employ mixed voice the way MISIA does here.
Love Storyshiki
A skilled singer-songwriter and musical actress from Kyoto, Shiki released this track on her first album in 2008.
In fact, this is one of my productions—I handled the arrangement, played keyboards for the backing tracks, and of course did the vocal direction.
Having studied voice and music at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in the U.S., Shiki has exceptionally strong vocal ability.
She moves seamlessly through chest voice, mixed voice, and falsetto to interpret the song.
While her mixed voice is often used to soften the attack of a more falsetto-leaning tone, the mixed voice she employs for the high notes at the end of the song is very powerful and extremely effective.