by Mark JW Graham – Vocal Coach in Nottingham, UK | Book Now
Vocal Coaching Success Story: Sam’s Surprising High Note Breakthrough
This week’s vocal coaching success story features the brilliant and hard-working Sam — a standout client and a truly lovely person to work with.
Meet Sam
Sam is a highly successful businesswoman based in the Midlands. She came to me with a solid foundation and a naturally powerful lower register, but like many singers with strength down low, she found the high notes a real challenge.
Even though Sam had a strong voice, she was struggling to access the upper range without strain — often muscling her way up there or avoiding higher songs altogether.
What happened in our first lesson?
From the very first session, we worked on helping her experience those high notes with *ease*. Rather than powering through them or dodging them entirely, we focused on unlocking effortless access — giving her the experience of singing freely at the top without tension or brute force.
How has Sam’s voice developed?
Over the past year, Sam has been working consistently to build that access — and the results have been remarkable. We recently worked together on the musical theatre song *“I Know Him So Well”* from *Chess*, and took the entire piece up **two full keys**.
As many of my clients know, it’s not about how “high” or “low” a song is on paper — it’s about *where* it sits in your voice. In Sam’s case, raising the key actually brought the song into the sweet spot of her voice. She was shocked by how much better, freer, and more *her* it felt — and how low and muddy the original now seemed by comparison.
Wait — did her voice type actually change?
Not quite — but it’s a common misconception. Often your *vocal habits* can trick you into believing your voice is lower or heavier than it truly is. In Sam’s case, her vocal training helped strip away those assumptions and reveal that she actually has a much higher natural voice than she thought.
This kind of shift can be incredibly empowering — and Sam is now thriving in a whole new part of her range.
Well done, Sam!
Sam, you’ve done outstanding work. Your commitment and open-mindedness have unlocked a voice that’s truly enviable — full of clarity, freedom, and resonance across the whole range. It’s been a pleasure to witness this transformation.
Feeling inspired? Want to do what Sam’s done?
If you’re inspired by Sam’s vocal coaching success story and want to discover what your voice is really capable of, get in touch today. If you’re serious about developing your singing voice, we’re serious about helping you.
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Mark JW Graham - Mark is a high-end vocal coach and singing teacher based in Nottingham, UK.
Certified in Speech Level Singing ®, and with over 20 years of musical experience, he is known as the "go-to vocal coach" for singers wanting dramatic improvements in their singing voice in a short space of time.
Trusted by singers worldwide, Mark’s expertise as a coach, singer and musician helps clients transform their voices and raise their musicianship to new levels.
SLS Certified Vocal Coach · 20+ Years Experience · Trusted Worldwide