Troubleshooting Head Voice

Welcome to Lesson 7.
Let’s be honest—no matter how well you practice, there are going to be days when head voice just doesn’t show up the way you want.
Maybe it’s breathy.
Maybe it flips unexpectedly.
Maybe it feels stuck or suddenly impossible to access.
This is normal.
And more importantly—this is solvable.
Today’s lesson is all about troubleshooting. We’re going to walk through common head voice challenges, why they happen, and what to do about them in real time—so you can stay on track without spinning your wheels or hurting your voice.

Issue #1: The Tone Is Breathy or Airy

A breathy or airy tone usually happens when the vocal folds aren’t closing fully. This could be due to early coordination, not enough CT engagement, or too much air pressure relative to vocal resistance. Don’t try to force the sound louder—that just adds pressure and tension. Instead, try switching to “ng” hums or narrow vowels like “ee” or “oo.” Use short, light gliding scales (like 3–2–1) to build control gradually, and revisit the VFE sustain on /i/, focusing on consistency over volume.

Self-check: Record and listen. Does the tone sound whispery, lack clarity, or fade out?

Issue #2: My Voice Cracks or Breaks Unexpectedly

Cracks or breaks can happen at any pitch level when there’s too much air pressure. These sudden shifts in coordination—from thicker to stiffer fold configurations—can be addressed by slowing down ascending glides and managing breath flow more carefully. Use high tongue vowels like /u/ and /i/ to help the larynx rise and facilitate lighter production. Finally, determine whether the break is unintentional or stylistic; intentional breaks like yodels or cries can be musically useful.

Self-check: Record your glides. Do they jump or glitch instead of sliding smoothly? If so, check your airflow and vowel shape.

Issue #3: I Start in Head Voice, But It Shifts Into Chest

TA-dominant coordination can take over as you descend, pulling the voice into a thicker posture. Often it’s a default behavior rooted in comfort or power. Let the volume drop naturally as pitch descends—it’s a good sign you’re staying CT-dominant. Slow down the scale and keep things light. Try shorter patterns, like 3-note scales, and reinforce the thin coordination with gestures, like pointing upward while descending.

Tip: If this keeps happening, return to Lesson 4 and repeat VFEs for 2–3 more weeks. That added consistency will help reinforce thin fold engagement on descent.

Self-check: Record descending scales. Does the tone suddenly shift in weight or loudness? That’s a sign of slipping into chest.

Issue #4: My Voice Feels Tired or Strained After Head Voice Practice

Fatigue can result from too much air pressure, poor posture, or simply overusing the voice. If you’re feeling tired, stop and recover. Use silent practice to reinforce motor patterns without loading the voice. Check your external intercostals, pectorals, and lats—these muscles should be gently active to support sound. (See Podcast Episode #1 for more on breath support.) Reduce reps and overall practice time for a few days. Stamina comes over weeks, not individual practice sessions.

Self-check: Record your tone at the start and end of practice. If clarity or ease noticeably decline, it’s time to scale back.

Issue #5: My Voice Won’t Respond the Same Way Day to Day

Your voice is part of your body—and bodies are variable. Sleep, hydration, hormones, stress, and general use all affect vocal function. On top of that, coordination is still developing, so some inconsistency is expected. Start each day with gentle glides and VFEs. Adjust your expectations based on how your voice feels. Track progress weekly—not daily—to avoid overreacting to normal variation.

Self-check: Compare recordings across several days, not just one. Look for weekly trends in ease, tone, and consistency.

When to Move to Lesson 8
There are no blockers from this lesson. It’s designed to help you troubleshoot, not to hold you back.
You can move on to Lesson 8 as soon as you feel ready.

If you’ve made it this far, you’re doing the real work: Not just finding head voice, but learning how to use it, strengthen it, and troubleshoot it with intention. These issues are not detours—they’re part of the road. Every strong head voice you’ve ever heard went through this same awkward phase of breathiness and instability. In the next lesson, we’ll start applying what you’ve built into real-world singing—working head voice into song phrases and discovering how it serves different styles. I’ll see you in Lesson 8.