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Octave up in head voice
A triad up to the octave with a held top, then down the scale – light, on a round “oo”. Extends your range upward without pushing heavy chest voice.
A major triad up to the octave, held for three beats, then the full major scale back down to the root, all on a round “oo”. The pattern sits in the upper part of your range and may reach up to three semitones above your saved top. The goal is a light head voice: a thin, easy sound that stretches your range upward without dragging heavy chest voice along.
How to do it
- Listen to the piano play the pattern once, then sing along with it.
- Start “oo” softly with rounded lips and a loose jaw. Keep your chin level.
- Sing up the triad and let the top note open lightly. Hold it for three beats without pushing.
- Come down the scale on the same light tone. Each step should feel easier.
- Rest between repetitions. If your throat tightens on the highest repetitions, stop there.
Coach's tip: The higher, the lighter: loose jaw, chin stays level. Don’t push the top note – let it open. If your throat tightens, take a break.
What to watch out for
Pushing is the main risk. If the top feels tight or loud, you're dragging chest voice upward, so sing lighter or stop before the highest repetitions. A lifted chin and a tense jaw are warning signs too. The held top note often goes flat when the support fades, so keep the air steady. If the voice flips, let it, and don't push through. Pain or scratchiness means stop, rest and drink some water.
Who it's for
A level 2 exercise for singers who want to build their upper range gently, including choir singers with high lines. Use it after a warm-up such as “Oo” siren (octave), when the voice is loose. Afterward, Falsetto: long high “oo” is a good light follow-up. It lives in Mix and belt but in no fixed program; with Classical & choir chosen, the daily training picks it more often.
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Related exercises
- “Nay” 1-3-5-8-5-3-1 (mix) A nasal, bratty NAY. Sets the voice in mix – the top without shouting and without falsetto.
- “Gee” 1-5-8-5-1 (cord closure) A hard “G” closes the folds, “ee” keeps it thin. High notes without air in the tone.
- “Mum” 8-5-3-1 (top down) Start at the top, come down. Teaches carrying the lightness of the top into the bottom.
- “Wee” siren through the passaggio The narrow “ee” vowel helps you ride through the voice “break” (E4–G4 for men) without a flip.
- Five vowels on one note One note and five vowels in a row: mee, eh, ah, oh, oo – with no gaps between them. Trains even vowels and legato: pitch and tone stay, only the shape of your mouth changes.
- Broken thirds 1-3-2-4-3-5-4-6-5... Trains thinking in intervals.