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)
sympathetic tearsHitoto Yo
Hitoto Yo’s debut single, released in October 2002.
Hitoto is highly acclaimed for her vocal ability, and that prowess is evident right from this debut track.
From the very beginning of the song, she masterfully delivers phrases using exceptional transitions in vocal production.
To sing this opening in particular, it’s essential to switch smoothly between chest voice, mixed voice, and falsetto (head voice).
In that sense, this song is an ideal practice piece for mastering mixed voice.
The song’s overall range isn’t very wide, which also makes it a great choice for practice.
If you can learn to use nasal resonance across your entire range like Hitoto Yo, you’ll be golden!
crescent moonayaka
Ayaka’s fourth single overall, released in September 2006.
Simply listening to it evokes a moonlit night with a beautiful crescent moon—this is a classic Japanese ballad.
What enriches that gentle moonlit atmosphere, I feel, is Ayaka’s singing, which makes effective use of her very soft yet deep mixed voice.
Study closely how she lightly lets the high notes in the first verse float away and how she uses her voice in the chorus, then try singing it yourself.
A key to singing like her is to aim the sound as if you’re placing it behind your upper molars and skillfully use the resonance of the upper palate (the maxillary resonator).
moonlightOnitsuka Chihiro
This was Chihiro Onitsuka’s second single, released in August 2000.
The standout feature of her singing is, above all, her masterful control of breath.
By skillfully varying the amount of breathiness depending on the range and expression, she achieves a seamless connection between chest voice, mixed voice, and falsetto, making it an exceptionally pleasant listen.
Her chest-voice range likely has a slightly husky quality, and the mid-to-high range most used in the song appears to be sung almost entirely in mixed voice.
From there, she transitions either to clean, high falsetto or to powerful high notes with more chest resonance and a slightly husky edge—her singing is nothing short of remarkable.
I long to see you now.MISIA
This was MISIA’s 23rd single, released in November 2009.
It was also the theme song for TBS’s Sunday drama JIN.
MISIA is said to have a five-octave vocal range, and her perfectly steady, smooth delivery—even in the high notes of the chorus—is nothing short of remarkable.
She likely sings the entire song in a mixed voice, adjusting the balance between chest and head voice.
As a practice piece for mixed voice, it’s quite advanced, but I encourage you to give it a try.
From the soft delivery in the A and B sections to the powerful chorus with brief, airy releases, there’s an enormous amount you can learn from it!
New YESSalyu
Salyu’s 13th single, released in March 2010.
In simple terms, a mixed voice is a vocal technique that blends chest voice and head voice, and by adjusting the ratio between the two, you can achieve a very colorful range of expression.
In this song, Salyu’s performance showcases that very control beautifully, masterfully using mixed voice from gentle, airy phrases to powerful high tones.
This is another selection suited for advanced singers, but if you challenge yourself to master it, the rewards will be great!