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) (41–50)
OathKoyanagi Yuki
Yuki Koyanagi’s 20th single, released in October 2006.
Yuki Koyanagi is known for her strikingly powerful mid-to-high range, which can likely be attributed to her use of a high-pressure mixed voice with minimal breath leakage.
Her tone is also notable for its edgy quality and rich overtones across the entire range.
Thanks to this, her gentle high-tone falsetto really comes to life.
The connection to what seems to be a relatively low natural chest voice is also exceptionally smooth and well-executed.
[For Women] Practice Songs Helpful for Learning Mixed Voice (Middle Voice) (51–60)
The Kouga Ninja ScrollsOnmyoza
Onmyo-za’s 10th single, released on April 27, 2005.
When you think of Onmyo-za—a HM/HR-style band—you might not immediately associate singer Kuroneko with a mixed voice, but if you listen closely to the vocal parts in this track, she showcases powerful high notes delivered with a deftly utilized nasal resonance in a strong mixed voice.
By contrasting these with high notes sung in a soft falsetto, you can hear how her vocal expression becomes remarkably varied and skillful.
In terms of mixed voice usage, she seems to favor a strong, chest-dominant mix that carries a robust impression, and this track clearly shows how mixed voice can shine even in metal-oriented songs.
Emphasizing hard-palate-to-nasal resonance and including plenty of higher overtones will bring you closer to Kuroneko’s original tone.
Highly recommended for learning a powerful mixed voice!
Revolutionary Journey – On the WayAina ji Endo
Since Aina the End is famous for her husky voice, I imagine some low-voiced women have included her songs in their repertoire.
“Kakumei Dōchū – On The Way” has great tempo and is a really cool track! There’s a call-and-response section in the A-melody, and it seems like it would be a blast at karaoke—perfect for getting the crowd going—so I’d love for low-voiced women to try singing it! The chorus mainly sits on higher notes, reaching up to C5, but sing boldly without fear—project your voice as if you’re sending it far, and add some drive.
If you can get through this part, you’ll definitely level up!
wonderlandAimer
This song is included on Aimer’s sixth studio album, “Walpurgis,” released on April 14, 2021, and it was also used in a commercial.
Aimer is known for her somewhat husky, powerful vocal style, but in the A-melody of this track, especially on the slightly higher notes, she showcases a very beautiful mixed voice.
Try singing it by fully expanding your diaphragm, keeping your vocal folds from over-closing, and directing the sound to the upper palate inside your mouth to make good use of maxillary sinus resonance!
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.
Like the shining moonSuperfly
This is Superfly’s 15th single, released in August 2012, and it served as the theme song for the TBS drama “Summer Rescue: The Sky Hospital.” Superfly has been renowned for powerful vocals since debut, and in this track she masterfully employs mixed voice in the softer passages, creating a striking contrast with her powerful high tones for a richly colorful performance.
The stronger mixed voice showcased in the first chorus, among other parts, is also ideal for learning vocal production and for practice material.
Mixed voice, as the name suggests, is, simply put, a blend of chest voice and falsetto—a voice quality between the two—and the way she varies that blend is exquisite!
First LoveUtada Hikaru
This is Hikaru Utada’s third single overall, released in April 1999.
It was used as the theme song for the TBS drama “Majo no Jōken” (A Witch’s Requirements) and in an NTT East Japan commercial, becoming a major hit that sold over 900,000 copies.
Utada debuted with the single “Automatic,” which was a massive hit with over two million copies sold.
With Utada’s arrival, the term “mixed voice” also seemed to gain attention in Japan.
In fact, the high notes in this song feature a very soft high tone that doesn’t rely on head voice, making it no exaggeration to call the track a model example of how to use mixed voice effectively within a song.
Because it’s a song by Utada, who possesses extremely high vocal ability, there are likely many difficult parts to tackle when actually singing it.
Please study the original thoroughly and practice.
In the sections where mixed voice is used, try producing the sound as if you’re gently and slowly placing the voice against your upper palate; this approach can be a shortcut to mastering the technique.
Give it a try!