Practice songs and reference tracks for mixed voice (for men)
The term “mixed voice.”
You’ve probably heard this word at least once.
If you’ve found your way to this article, chances are many of you regularly think, “I really want to master mixed voice!!”
In fact, a great number of the students who come to my vocal training lessons tell me, “I want to be able to use mixed voice.”
Now, explaining what mixed voice actually is in terms of vocal technique could fill an entire book, so here I’ll follow the common understanding and define it as “a voice quality that sits between chest voice and falsetto (head voice).” Once you’ve learned mixed voice, you can subtly control the blend of chest and head elements—adjusting their ratio—to achieve a wide variety of vocal expressions, and you’ll also expand the range of songs you can sing.
In this article, I’ve gathered songs that should help you acquire mixed voice—a technique that can be considered essential for singing modern music.
Within the brief introductions to each song, I’ve included some simple “tips for singing,” so please use them as a reference and incorporate them into your daily vocal practice.
[For Men] Mixed-Voice Practice Songs, Recommended Tracks (1–10)
W/X/YNEW!Tani Yuuki
W/X/Y, released in May 2021.
It’s a signature song by Tani Yuuki! It’s a recommended love song for those who want to practice falsetto naturally and without strain, and it makes it easy to move from chest voice → mixed voice → falsetto.
I’ve taught it a few times myself, but the melody line was more difficult than I expected… I recommend memorizing it well before singing.
In particular, the B-melody has a line that clearly sounds like falsetto even just by listening! In general, Tani Yuuki has a gentle vocal quality, so his singing has an airy, open feel.
To start, try imitating that: take a solid breath and sing with a gentle tone.
Since falsetto uses a lot of air, the key point is to “take in plenty of breath.”
proofNEW!flumpool
It seems this was the set piece for the 2011 (78th) NHK All-Japan School Music Competition, Junior High Division! The vocal range is quite wide, from A2 to C5.
The falsetto parts appear in the chorus.
The melody line is easy to follow, building nicely through a verse (A), pre-chorus (B), chorus, and final chorus.
First, the A section sits quite low, so be careful not to overuse your throat there.
If you watch choirs or singers’ facial expressions, you’ll notice their eyebrows and facial muscles are lifted quite a bit.
Simply lifting your facial muscles like this helps open the throat and makes singing a bit easier.
It also helps you transition smoothly from chest voice to falsetto.
In addition, make sure to fully support and release your breath on the high falsetto notes.
Aiming your voice straight up toward the top of your head makes falsetto easier to produce.
With just a small shift in awareness, the song becomes much easier to sing—give it a try!
Fu re te Fu re ruNEW!TK from Ling tosite sigure
The B-side to “unravel,” which could be called TK’s signature song, is actually “Fu re te Fu re ru.” It explodes even more with high notes and falsetto than “unravel,” and it’s one of my absolute favorites to sing at karaoke.
Rather than a clean falsetto, TK’s falsetto pierces like a cry, so unless you can normally hit high notes, it’s a tough song to pull off… That said, it’s a super cool track, so if you think of it as a way to practice falsetto, I definitely recommend it for rock lovers! It’s fine to start with a weak falsetto.
Just keep practicing using a lot of breath over and over, and gradually build your explosiveness—that’s the idea!
Que sera, seraMrs. GREEN APPLE
For men in their teens and twenties, when you think of a vocalist who masterfully uses mixed voice, Motoki Ohmori of Mrs.
GREEN APPLE likely comes to mind.
Among the band’s songs, the one I especially recommend as a reference for mixed voice is “Que Sera Sera.” The vocal lines, which interweave falsetto and mixed voice, are extremely challenging, but if you can master this piece, your singing ability will improve dramatically.
mixed nutsNEW!Official HIGE DANDism
Official HIGE DANDism’s hit “Mixed Nuts,” best known as the theme song for the popular anime SPY×FAMILY, is one of their most beloved tracks, yet it contains several elements that make it quite challenging despite its catchy melody.
Most notably, the vocal range: including the falsetto parts, it spans from mid1 D# to hihi A#, which is extremely wide, and the chorus repeatedly hits hi C#.
The song stands out for its overall high tessitura, making it a piece that demands strong vocal stamina.
Call meNEW!Novelbright
Although they are a rock band, Novelbright also enjoys idol-like popularity.
Among both men and women, many people in their teens to early twenties are likely fans.
Their new song “Call me” has a very refreshing melody.
While it’s pleasant to listen to, the difficulty level is quite high: in the repeated chorus sections, there’s a falsetto close to a mixed-voice quality.
For men with a typical vocal range, the hi D# is a pitch that easily flips, making it a high-tone phrase that’s tricky to control.
If you’re confident in your high notes, definitely give it a try.
SailingBE:FIRST
BE:FIRST, the first group to establish boy group culture in Japan.
They’re still leading the Japanese boy group scene today, so many men may already know them.
Among their songs, the one I especially recommend is Sailing.
The part where mixed voice appears is the shout right before the final chorus.
Because they sing a smooth, clean mixed voice there, it’s a perfect track for beginners to use as a reference for vocal technique.