Music

Taking Care of Your Voice

Lesson time 09:15 min

As an instrument, the voice needs to be maintained and can be strengthened over time. Mariah covers mental preparation, humidity, and vocal rest. She also shares how vocal nodules helped her reach the whistle register.

Students give MasterClass an average rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars

Topics include: Check-In With Yourself • Maintaining Your Instrument • Demystifying Whisper Singing

Mariah Carey

Teaches the Voice as an Instrument

Mariah Carey invites you into her studio to share her process. Learn how she uses her iconic voice to create, collaborate, and express a vision.

Preview

MARIAH CAREY (VOICEOVER): There are so many ways to use your voice. But understanding it, taking care of it, and expanding your range as a vocalist can allow you to have a long and successful career. Yeah. [MUSIC - MARIAH CAREY AND BEN MARGULIES, "VISION OF LOVE"] MARIAH CAREY (VOICEOVER): (SINGING) Treated me kind. - In the beginning, there was this need that I had that I think people kind of like-- I don't-- I won't say other people forced it on me. I'll put it on myself-- to try to not impress people but to always be like how high can I sing. How loud can I sing? And really it wasn't about that. It really was about learning how to balance that. - (SINGING) Prayed through the night. MARIAH CAREY (VOICEOVER): Stretching for the high notes and pushing the limits of your voice are not the only ways to sing. And I think the delicate moments are sometimes stronger. - (SINGING) the weight on my own. Had to be-- MARIAH CAREY (VOICEOVER): Singing can be as much of an emotional exercise as a physical one. - But sometimes it depends on the mood I'm in. Like, I'll go into the studio and be like I'm just going to do the backgrounds tonight because that's what I feel like doing. I don't feel like putting my head in a space where I'm doing lead vocals because that's a different space to me sometimes. And also sometimes I'll-- I'll write the backgrounds. And I haven't finished the lead yet-- writing the lead, so I'll wait and do that afterwards. Let me do-- I would like to do two overlap tracks, just so we have them. - Mm-hmm. MARIAH CAREY: OK. - Here we go. MARIAH CAREY (VOICEOVER): (SINGING) On the rooftop that rainy night. - (SINGING) Last night I dreamed that I-- that I loved you, boy. Touched-- - For me, it's the best when I have a couple of songs that I'm working on. And I can decide in that moment, OK, I'm going to-- I'm going to work on this song because I'm in the mood for that type of festive-- you know, I want to sing something like that right now, a happy song. I'm into it. But if I'm not in that mood, I don't want to fake it and have that come out. Like, you know, I'd rather do something that's representative of how I'm actually feeling and then go in and sing from that place. [MUSIC PLAYING] My mother was a vocal coach. She was an opera singer. She did scales to prepare to sing. She would go from as low as-- she was a mezzo-soprano. She'd go from as low as she could to as high as she could. And I remember growing up and hearing that. What I usually do-- the only thing I'll usually do that people will hear me do, I usually go-- [CLEARS THROAT] And just see, I'll be like if I can do that, then I could probably hit the high notes today. So some are going, like-- You know, and just like-- just because-- I don't know. There's something-- there's a rea...

About the Instructor

With a five-octave range and soaring whistle tones, Mariah Carey reigns as the “Songbird Supreme.” Now, for the first time, she’s opening up her studio to show you her creative process. Learn how she uses her iconic voice to write songs, collaborate, and produce—and discover how some of her biggest hits were made. Draw inspiration from Mariah’s journey and connect with the power of your own voice and vision.

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Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey invites you into her studio to share her process. Learn how she uses her iconic voice to create, collaborate, and express a vision.

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