How long to learn/understand/master mixed-voice technique?

Question

I recently began taking singing lessons twice a week. I am a low tenor, with my highest note being G# above middle C.

I advised my coach that I want to sing as high as possible, in the post-hardcore style, similar to the likes of Anthony Green (Saosin) or Tyson Stevens (Scary Kids Scaring Kids). He told me that these vocalists reached incredibly high notes (D# above high C and even higher) using a Mixed voice, instead of pure Chest voice.

I have had two lessons with him for 30 minutes, focusing on bridging the 'cracking' between my chest and head voice, but I cannot seem to find my 'mixed voice' register. When performing scales for practicing mixed voice, I reach a stage where my voice is no longer capable to hit a higher note, and I crack into falsetto in an un-satisfying way.

With daily practice, how long would it normally take a novice vocalist to understand and master the mixed voice technique?

Answer 1

Here's my striped back timeline for learning to "mix" my voice. I didn't practice loads at home, maybe 1 hour a week on top of 30 minute lesson)

1st Teacher:

1 Year - Trills, diction/vowels, Using diaphragm correctly, control of volume and breathing.

2nd Teacher:

6 Month - Frys, mixing voice

1 Year - Perfecting the above, to understood and control it well

...But I am certainly no "master". You should never stop learning.

Answer 2

With daily practice, how long would it normally take a novice vocalist to understand and master the mixed voice technique?

With daily practice, how long would it normally take a novice hiker to understand and master walking on his hands?

Mixed voice is not something you "just need to get the knack for". It's a conscious balance of the vocal production on a point of instable equilibrium. That needs lots of practice, a sense of balance, and musculature and reflexes to go with it. And the stamina required to maintain it without obvious effort over extended periods of time.

Nature does not require smooth transitions and persistent quality between talking, shouting, and screeching. Those are different modes of vocal production, and turning them into one smooth palette is the fundamental challenge of a singer that will stick with him for the rest of his career.