[High-pitched warning!] Songs with high notes that are hard to sing
The Japanese music scene is known for having a relatively low emphasis on groove, but an unusually large number of high-pitched songs.
In particular, since Japan has finally started earnestly incorporating overseas music in recent years, the overall level of songs has risen dramatically.
With that in mind, this time we’ve picked out Japanese songs that are on the higher side.
From songs with a wide vocal range, to tracks that have pinpoint high parts, to songs that stay in the high register throughout, we selected from a broad set of perspectives—so be sure to find the tracks that suit you!
- Recommended karaoke songs for male vocalists with high voices
- [Taking on a song with a wide vocal range] An S-class challenge track
- A masterpiece with exhilarating high notes. An enchanting high-tone voice.
- [Feels Great to Listen To!] Popular Songs by Female Artists with Captivating High Notes
- I want to sing songs that use a lot of falsetto—tracks that are also good for practicing falsetto at karaoke.
- Recommended for great singers! A collection of impressive songs if you can sing them
- [If You Can Sing These, You're Amazing!] Cool Karaoke Songs for Women
- Pick out the challenging songs that will earn you respect if you can nail them at karaoke!
- [Karaoke] A roundup of songs that are easy for women to sing!
- Recommended for teenage girls! Easy-to-sing karaoke songs
- [Challenge] A Compilation of Anime Songs with High-Pitched Melodies and High-Tone Vocals
- [For Women] A roundup of enka songs that can score high in karaoke
- Great for karaoke song selection! Recommended easy-to-sing songs for Gen Z women
[High Pitch Warning!] Difficult High Songs to Sing (301–310)
Venus bugHoshimachi Suisei
Since the hit of “Bibidebaba,” Suisei Hoshimachi has been consistently dropping hit tunes.
One of her signature charms is the seamless switching between head voice (falsetto) and chest voice, and her new song “Venus Bug” showcases that appeal throughout.
While the falsetto itself isn’t extremely high, it appears so frequently that the song boasts a high level of difficulty.
Low falsetto in particular is prone to issues with pitch control and volume, so if you can sing this piece with ease, you’ll almost certainly have mastered low-register falsetto.
Akatsuki SakuraGARNiDELiA
This is GARNiDELiA’s 18th digital single, released in October 2023.
It was produced as the 7th-anniversary song for the mobile game Onmyoji.
It’s an upbeat, pretty cool track with a striking Eurobeat-style arrangement! In the song, vocalist MARiA delivers a voice that never loses its edge while clearly expressing dynamics across phrases and parts.
Including its melodic development, it’s quite a challenging piece to sing, which makes it an ideal choice when you want to draw attention from those around you.
[High notes warning!] Difficult high-pitched songs to sing (311–320)
sparkling brightlyikimonogakari
Ikimono-gakari released their seventh digital-only single in August 2020.
While Ikimono-gakari often gives the impression of having many upbeat songs, this track has a somewhat calmer vibe.
It doesn’t require piercing high notes throughout; the higher range is really only needed around the end of the chorus.
Still, being able to nail those spot high notes is an important point when singing it at karaoke, so for women who are good with high notes, this is a song where you can fully showcase your strengths.
If you listen closely to the original, you’ll notice that even in sections with the same melody, the singer skillfully switches between high chest voice and high falsetto (head voice) depending on the expression.
Try to pay careful attention to that and reproduce it when you sing!
UnstoppableSooYoung
Sooyoung, an idol who thrived as a member of Girls’ Generation, has recently made her solo debut in Japan.
Her new song, Unstoppable, evokes early-2000s R&B and maintains a sensual vibe throughout.
The tricky parts include the falsetto near the end of the chorus and the mixed voice transition from the bridge into the final chorus.
It also features multiple instances of runs—an advanced R&B technique—so it’s likely difficult to pull off unless you’re accustomed to singing Western pop and R&B.
The Spider’s ThreadTomei
Singer-songwriter Tomaki, whose edgy musicality impresses hardcore music nerds.
Although she’s strongly associated with Suzume no Tojimari, her sound is actually quite sharp, and some of her works are extremely challenging.
Among them, the one I especially recommend is Kumo no Ito (Spider’s Thread).
It evokes Japan’s jazz scene of the 1950s and features an astounding number of falsettos.
The melodic leaps are fairly intense as well, demanding exceptional pitch control—making it a truly difficult piece.
Dreamed a DreamHamasaki Ayumi
A digital-only single by Ayumi Hamasaki, released in July 2020.
The composer is Tetsuya Komuro.
Ayumi has a distinctive voice and singing style, and this song is crafted to maximize the strengths of her vocals and timbre.
It doesn’t demand a wide range in the lower register, so it should be relatively easy to sing at karaoke for women with higher voices.
Pay attention to rhythmic precision when singing.
It’s also best to avoid making your delivery sound like an imitation of her.
StarmineDa-iCE
The two members of Da-iCE are famous for having a wide vocal range.
The range in “Starmine” is quite broad, from C#3 to D#5.
Points to watch out for are pitch shifts, switching between chest voice and falsetto, and the bouncy rhythm.
Right at the start, Hanamura comes in with a gritty belt, but if you brace yourself awkwardly, you’ll tense up and strain your throat, so try to relax.
Singing comfortably is the most important thing, so at first it’s totally fine to sing everything in falsetto! Once you get used to the song, try gradually strengthening that falsetto.
Use your body so you don’t tense up, and above all, enjoy singing!
