Top G

I have a kind of love-hate relationship with the G above the staff. That G just keeps taunting me.

It's in my range, but it's at the upper reaches of my range. Sometimes I can hit it really well. Other times it sounds thin and squeaky.

I first became acquainted with this note during My Fair Lady. Until that show, I had always considered myself an alto. I'm more accurately a mezzo-soprano or second soprano. But I always enjoyed the challenge of singing harmony and feel more comfortable in my lower to middle range. And then there's this G in two songs: at the end of "I Could Have Danced All Night" and at the end of "Show Me." It was a tough note to hit, but I did it. It's a scary note. Missing it is not pretty. The role was double cast, and the other girl playing Eliza had her voice crack on that note. (And for the second song, she didn't even attempt it.) I have to admit that part of me took a certain amount of pleasure in the fact that her voice cracked and mine didn't. There's some schadenfreude for you. (I did feel sorry for her, too, though. So it wasn't completely mean.)

During Damn Yankees I also sang that G. It was in the "Heart" reprise at the curtain call. I felt more confident in general, and I didn't have the pressure of having to sing it solo, so that one was pretty easy.

For Lauren's wedding, I'm singing "Unexpected Song," which ends on ... the G above the staff. Lauren said to me, "The piano player wants to know whether you can hit that G." "Yes, I can sing that G," I replied confidently. And then immediately thought, "Oh god, can I hit it?"

During my voice lesson, my teacher took the last verse of the song down a step because I was having trouble hitting it well. The following week, I had a strong suspicion that he forgot to take it down. But I told myself that he didn't forget, and that gave me the confidence to hit that note.

The problem is when I psych myself out. When I worry about it, I don't do well. When I convince myself that I can sing that G well, I do fine. And my voice teacher says we vocalize almost an octave higher. So it's really not out of my range. It's just outside of my comfortable range.

And now there's Urinetown. I don't have to just hit that note at the end of the song (like every other time I've had to sing it). There are some songs where I basically bop around on that G (or just below it) for several measures at a time! Haha! And I have to go a half-step higher, too: to a G-sharp or A-flat.

So I'm obviously going to have to become very familiar with that G. I can't ignore it anymore. I can't sing it once and be done. I'm going to have to become comfortable with that G (or as comfortable as I can get). The solution is clear: I can't hate the G any more. I can't fear the G any more.

I must learn to love that G.