Lip Trills-No sound at around the peak

Dear 30 day singer mentor,

I tried doing a continuous lip thrill going up the notes and then down like tracing a curve. However, when I am going up at around the peak the lip bubbles are still going but I lose the sound/tone of the lip thrill and then if I continue with the lip thrills by coming back down the curve the sound comes back.

Do we call this a break/flip? 

Can I continue doing the lip thrills like this or is it straining? 

and importantly, How can I solve this and get a continuous lip thrill sound up and down the curve? does the sound around the peak naturally appear with frequent doing of the lip thrill?

Im still a beginner at singing. Hopefully my expression in the post is okay :)

Thank you :)

From 

Kelly.

Hi, Kelly! Thanks for your question, and yes, it made perfect sense.

Because you're losing tone, but still sustaining the trill, we can assume that your vocal folds are coming apart at the top of the trill. This isn't necessarily strain - more likely it's just coordination you haven't yet built! Two questions:

1. Are you able to sustain tone through the top if you sing on an NG, NN, or MM instead? 

2. If you start on the highest pitch instead of the lowest, can you sustain the lip trill? (For example: sing 5-1-5 instead of 1-5-1)

Dear Camille, 

1. I tried to sing an NG, NN and MM (closed lip one?) and similarly I am unable to sustain sound at the highest notes /peak unless I go 1-3-1 instead of 1-5-1.  At 5 its like a very faint air sound to no sound.

2. I can sustain the lip trill doing 5-1-5 but when doing the two 5's on the ends its like I just suddently lost sound but instead there is a very faint airy sound. 

Thank you :)

From

Kelly

Thank you for trying that, Kelly!

Would you say you're able to sing in head voice with relatively non-airy tone in general? Or - are you able to make high-pitched noises (like a meow or owl hoot) with relatively non-airy tone?

Dear Camille ,

I can kinda sing in head voice in general without that same faint airy tone unless trying to go  higher :)

I can make high-pitched noises like meow without the airy tone. 

Thank you,

From

Kelly

That's good! For the time being, sing wide-range exercises on an MM (like you're going to sing the meow but just sustain an MM), and give it some time! If you're experiencing that airiness at your second passaggio, that's totally normal - and opening up that register usually takes a while.

My concern was that you were unable to sing in head voice with clean tone over all - in which case I'd be concerned for vocal health reasons (unless you're in middle/high school or early college age: young singers sometimes have an opening between their vocal folds that is resolved over time and shouldn't be forced at a young age). If you're still unsure, you can always book a lesson so I can hear you and give you even more specific feedback! 

Dear Camille,

Sure, I definately try that! :)

Can I just confirm whether singing on MM refers to quick breaking between each Mm;  Mm, Mm, Mm, Mm, Mm, Mm etc for singing 1-5-1  or singing one continous Mm/  Mm-arhhh when singing 1 to 2 to 3 up to 5 and down again (1-5-1)? 

Sorry can I ask what is the second passagio? is that the note where chest voice goes to head voice.

What usually is  the note for females when chest voice goes to head voice? 

I see :) and I would love that! I'll give the exercise a go and then contact for a lesson! 

Thank you so much!

From

Kelly

Sustain the MM for the full exercise! 

Your first passaggio (from chest to mix/head voice) is typically between Eb and Ab4 (above middle C). Your second passaggio is typically between C#5 and F#5, and it's the point at which your voice transitions from mix/head voice to purely head voice. Some teachers and researchers propose that there are even more points of transition, but the main two (in my experience) are where your voice lightens from chest voice into mix, then from mix into pure head voice. 

Dear Camille,

Awesome!

I see. Thank you so much! Looking forward to meeting you in the future :)

From

Kelly

You're welcome, Kelly! Best of luck, and I look forward to meeting you as well!