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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[For Women] Practice Songs Helpful for Learning Mixed Voice (Middle Voice) (31–40)
dogwood (flowering dogwood)Hitoto Yo
It’s Yo Hitoto’s fifth single, released in February 2004.
It’s a classic J-pop ballad and considered one of her signature songs.
Listening to the original, it seems she primarily uses a mixed voice in the upper-mid range during the verse (A-melo) and the chorus.
When singing these parts, try to place the sound as if it’s hitting behind the upper molars, making good use of resonance in the upper palate.
Also, if you release your breath a bit more slowly and gently, you’ll likely achieve a soft mixed voice similar to hers.
It’s an ideal song for practicing a mixed voice with a strong falsetto component.
StoryAI
AI’s 12th single, released in May 2005.
This song and vocal performance are practically a textbook example of a beautiful mixed voice.
AI originally has a husky tone, but here she tempers that huskiness for a clearer sound while retaining every bit of power, achieving a true mixed voice.
This kind of mixed voice technique is fairly common among Western singers, but very few Japanese singers can pull it off.
It likely comes from exceptional control over breath flow and the degree of vocal fold closure.
Mastering this kind of voice and singing is extremely difficult, but if you’re interested, definitely give it a try!
Sailor Suit and Machine GunYakushimaru Hiroko
It was Hiroko Yakushimaru’s debut single, released on November 21, 1981.
It served as the theme song for the film of the same name, in which Yakushimaru starred.
Back in 1981, when this song was released, the term “mixed voice,” which is the theme of this article, wasn’t commonly heard—one could say the concept itself wasn’t widely recognized.
However, the gentle quality of Yakushimaru’s singing in this track is precisely the kind of effect that mixed voice can achieve.
For that reason, I think it’s an ideal song to practice for mastering mixed voice.
Try singing by resonating as broadly as possible against the upper palate, aiming for a tone rich in higher overtones while taking care not to lose softness.
The melody isn’t as complex as in many contemporary songs, so it should be easier to practice!
JupiterHirahara Ayaka
Ayaka Hirahara’s debut single, released in December 2003.
The song sets lyrics by Yumi Yoshimoto to the melody of the Andante maestoso section (the fourth theme of “Jupiter”) from the fourth movement of The Planets (a seven-movement orchestral suite) by the British composer Holst.
Although Hirahara’s chest voice and speaking voice are relatively low, she masterfully delivers the wide-ranging classical melody by skillfully employing mixed voice and falsetto.
In her use of mixed voice, she often opts for a more chest-leaning, powerful tone with restrained breathiness, which effectively compensates for her lower chest range and also highlights the brilliance of her higher falsetto.
Her singing, seamlessly shifting among chest voice, mixed voice, and falsetto to shape the piece, is nothing short of breathtaking.
Love SongUru
This is Uru’s 11th single, released on August 25, 2021.
It also serves as the theme song for Fuji TV’s Thursday drama “Oshi no Oujisama,” so many of you may have heard it on television.
As for Uru’s vocals on this track, partly due to her original singing style and vocal characteristics, it can be a bit ambiguous whether she’s using mixed voice; however, it’s likely that from the latter half of the B section she employs a chest-leaning mixed voice, and around the beginning of the chorus she uses a falsetto-leaning mixed voice.
It’s a song well-suited for mastering the diverse expressions of mixed voice.