How do I practice a high note in a song?

By the RepeatWatch team · Updated

Quick answer

Loop the whole phrase that leads up to the high note, not just the note, because the approach sets it up. Slow it to about 0.75× to hear the singer's vowel and breath, sing it in short sets with a pause between loops, and stop if it strains. Raise the speed as it feels easier.

Try this now: loop the line that leads to a high note and listen three times without singing. Where does the singer breathe, and which vowel is the top note sung on?

How to practice a high note with short loops

  1. Warm up first. Sing a gentle warm-up before working on high notes. The vocal warm-ups playlist has short routines you can loop.
  2. Loop the approach. Set A at the breath before the phrase and B just after the high note ends.
  3. Listen slowly. At 0.75× the key stays the same, so the note is still the real target. Listen for the vowel and how the singer moves into it.
  4. Sing in short sets. Set Stop after to 3 loops and Pause between loops to 5 s. Rest between sets instead of looping for minutes.
  5. Speed up only when it feels easy. Raise the speed by 0.05× when the phrase feels comfortable. Leave the speed trainer off so you decide when to move.
  6. Put it in context. Once the phrase is comfortable, widen the loop to the whole chorus so the note comes after the singing around it.

Try it on an example: open Cheryl Porter's high notes vocal exercise with a 15-second loop already set at 0.85×.

Try it on an example

5 common mistakes

  • Looping only the high note, so you never practice the breath and the phrase that set it up.
  • Pushing harder and louder on every loop instead of resting between short sets.
  • Changing the vowel at the top without noticing what the singer does.
  • Working on high notes without warming up.
  • Insisting on the original key; RepeatWatch can't change pitch, so find a lower-key version if the note is out of reach for now.

Frequently asked questions

Does slowing the song make the high note lower?

No. The YouTube player keeps the original pitch at slower speeds, so you're still practicing the real note, just with more time to prepare for it.

How many times should I sing a high note in a row?

Use short sets, such as three loops, then rest. If your voice tires, strains or hurts, stop for the day and ask a voice teacher for help.

What is tessitura?

Tessitura is the range where most of a song's notes sit. A song with a high tessitura is harder than one with a single high note, because your voice stays up there.

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