How long will it take for my new singing technique to start sounding good?
Well your technique is definitely a million times better if you stopped straining. I can relate to your problems really well since I had the same ones when I first started singing. When you relax your jaw, that doesn’t mean to not use it at all. You’re just supposed to keep it not-tense. Still use it to pronounce your vowels and consonants as best as you can. Just try practicing saying them as clear as you can and relaxed as you can before you start applying it to singing. Support from you diaphragm is the only one way you can attain a strong enough sound that doesn’t hurt. Straining, yes, you can hit higher notes, but it’ll be bad for you in the long run and might eventually diminish your total range. Keep practicing, your voice will get better and you’ll be able to hit those high notes again. Also, your voice is definitely gonna get stronger as you get older as long as you take care of it, and your range will eventually increase. Don’t worry too much about it.
