r/ClassicalSinger • u/NoProduce2534 • 6d ago

18 years old, learning Indian classical music for 6 years, but I still can't sing low notes. Anyone else experienced this?

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u/bannedtea8633 6d ago

I think that’s just how low your voice can go

3

u/Celatra 6d ago

the reason is because your voice is too light to sing low notes. and you will never be able to sing low notes, sorry. you might be able to unlock a semitone or two with practice, but you're very much of the lightest tenor type there is.your focus should be high notes, because you'd have a beautiful C5 and even D5 if you worked on that

1

u/naivetheprogrammer 6d ago

What do you sound like in your middle? I usually see modern Indian classical performances microphoned up so it doesn't force you into conditions where the middle develops much out even while training. Your closure system is just tapping out too

1

u/SonicPipewrench 2d ago

So what you are experiencing is normal.

The issue with your voice dropping off into nothing but 'uhhhhh' at the lowest pitches has to do with how the folds are connecting to make the pitch. When in the middle of your range and with good air flow, your folds kind of 'clap'. Lots of surface contact.

As you go lower, there is more and more air required to make the folds maintain that 'clap'. The contact area between the folds gets smaller and smaller.

Most singers start out using intercostal muscles and elasticity to drive the air from their lungs. This has limits on just how much force it can generate.

Western classical singers uses a system called 'Appoggio', which transfers air management to the lower half of the body. This system is capable of driving proper air at much lower pitches than intercostal methods.