Can vocal range extension be achieved by technique only? Or are exercises the key?

Question

I hear all the time people talking about extending vocal range with exercises, and people talk about mixed voice... can someone clarify those questions for me (that I believe are related to each other)?

Do vocal range exercises extend the "chest" vocal range without any use of technique, or is it practicing some technique?

Is the method of using mixed voice just a technique to extend vocal range? or not related at all?

Answer 1

There is overlap in the meaning of the terms.

Technique can mean:

• A specific way of using the voice. Chest voice, mixed voice, head voice, are all terms for different vocal techniques; ways of using the voice.
• A general term for proper/healthy use of the voice. "That singer has good technique."

Extending one's range can mean:

• Singing higher and lower within a particular vocal technique (such as extending the range of one's chest voice, but without moving out of chest voice).
• Extending one's overall vocal range (e.g., by developing various vocal techniques, such as mixed voice).

Thus...

• Chest voice exercises can develop one's chest voice technique and extend one's chest voice range.
• Mixed voice exercises can develop one's mixed voice technique and extend one's overall voice range.