Re:Singers (need tips)
Tuesday, June 12 2012 @ 06:08 PM CDT

Let 'er rip! Don't slouch! Put yourself into it! Whatever happens leave or fix, but enjoy the process!

Re:Singers (need tips)
Tuesday, June 12 2012 @ 09:08 PM CDT

Try an experiment. Make up a line that is easy to sing: in your range, no big demand on yer air supply... a nonsense thing. Easy! Next, with yer finger close that little flap of skin at the opening of one of yer ears. Sing again...
Sing the line standing up. Sing the line sitting in a chair. Repeat this process until you can detect which is the beat way to get the best sound reproduction from your instrument.
Now that you have those baselines established, onto the floor, flat on yer back, and have the same level of performance as yer previous attempts. Now sing the thing again.
What's to learn? Discover important information about where the breath comes from, how to control your instrument, and how to sing in tune... works every time it's tried!

Daug

Re:Singers (need tips)
Tuesday, June 12 2012 @ 10:40 PM CDT

Quote by: Daugrin Try an experiment. Make up a line that is easy to sing: in your range, no big demand on yer air supply... a nonsense thing. Easy! Next, with yer finger close that little flap of skin at the opening of one of yer ears. Sing again... Sing the line standing up. Sing the line sitting in a chair. Repeat this process until you can detect which is the beat way to get the best sound reproduction from your instrument. Now that you have those baselines established, onto the floor, flat on yer back, and have the same level of performance as yer previous attempts. Now sing the thing again. What's to learn? Discover important information about where the breath comes from, how to control your instrument, and how to sing in tune... works every time it's tried! Daug

that is a good idea Daug.

Re:Singers (need tips)
Tuesday, June 12 2012 @ 11:24 PM CDT

You know what's really helping is learning these jazz tunes from the lessons i'm getting. I have to sing along the melody out loud in order to remember my place in the song as far as chords go, that's really been helping with being in tune, but not with projecting the voice.

I will try some of these tips. Singing with one finger pressed on one ear was interesting, I can really hear the 'weakness' in my voice doing it that way for some reason. I don't really ever yell or talk too loud in real life so it gets pretty shaky past a certain decibel level.

I might also start smoking and drink more whiskey.

Re:Singers (need tips)
Wednesday, June 13 2012 @ 03:15 AM CDT

yelling in real life helps too. um but not necessarily with singing lol

Re:Singers (need tips)
Wednesday, June 13 2012 @ 10:37 AM CDT

Smoking and drinking are forbidden, lol. Especially, if you want to sing.
Here is the next experiment... to get you started out!
Sing a note in your range. Doesn't matter the pitch, use the 80's vowel sound fetish. Ah! Oh! Eeee! Whatever...
As you hold that note, and your air supply is being diminished, note the quality of the pitch.
Discovery! (The big one) At near the bottom of the air available the pitch goes sharp. This is the problem with inexperienced singers in the studio.
Why? Literally because your pipe is getting shorter. The physics: the shorter the pipe the higher the pitch. (Visualize the church organ). Using the air in your gut up, and, trying to finish your work with throat/head voice is another way to say the same thing.


Daug

Re:Singers (need tips)
Wednesday, June 13 2012 @ 10:51 AM CDT

This brings up another point. Not to hijack your thread but... on old records the singers voice often goes in and out of tune. On the master singers recordings, you hear it makes sense and sounds amazing. The artistry of singers Jo Stafford and Billie Holiday included microtonal pitch shades. Hank Williams, for example, also had this talent.
Contrast this with the taste of modern ears. All the pitches are corrected. Few in the mainstream sing in the cracks...
Imho, there is less artistry, and more of something besides the Muse. When I humbly suggest there will not be another Sinatra? Or that modern taste is pathetic? Here is an example to ponder.
Should singers depend on the auto tune, harmonizers and so on? Perhaps the question should be; will the audience permit the popular singers to stop using them? Wonder what Beyonce or Matradona sound like at the piano in a hall built for acoustic reproduction? Listen to a Carol King record, Ella, Marvin or Elvis... How hard should one work at the singing craft?

Daug

Re:Singers (need tips)
Wednesday, June 13 2012 @ 11:27 AM CDT

Quote by: Daugrin This brings up another point. Not to hijack your thread but... on old records the singers voice often goes in and out of tune. On the master singers recordings, you hear it makes sense and sounds amazing. The artistry of singers Jo Stafford and Billie Holiday included microtonal pitch shades. Hank Williams, for example, also had this talent. Contrast this with the taste of modern ears. All the pitches are corrected. Few in the mainstream sing in the cracks... Imho, there is less artistry, and more of something besides the Muse. When I humbly suggest there will not be another Sinatra? Or that modern taste is pathetic? Here is an example to ponder. Should singers depend on the auto tune, harmonizers and so on? Perhaps the question should be; will the audience permit the popular singers to stop using them? Wonder what Beyonce or Matradona sound like at the piano in a hall built for acoustic reproduction? Listen to a Carol King record, Ella, Marvin or Elvis... How hard should one work at the singing craft? Daug

you're full of good points in this thread. I feel the same way about the "too perfect" state of vocal production. i have faith that it is only a trend though. when you listen to much of the auto tune productions they use it in such an obvious way as a stylistic thing. people are bound to get tired of that sound and move towards something else.

Re:Singers (need tips)
Thursday, June 14 2012 @ 12:55 AM CDT

Find singers that you want to emulate and try to figure out why they can reach notes that you can't. In college, I always sang with a full chest voice and avoided falsettos as they are not powerful. Listening to Gun and Roses and Queen and Nazarath, who can seemingly reach any note that even women have a hard time hitting, I realized there must be a technique that allows them to do that. I realized I could generate high pitch not only on expiration but also during inspiration, so I could make a continues high notes on both phases of breathing. By relaxing the breathing and using the diaphragm, the voices can become shrill in the higher register but it does not have the airy weakness of a falsetto. It is a hybrid of chest and falsetto that gives it the power of a wailing scream that is not as strained as a chest voice but not as thin and airy as a falsetto. It's a tricky technique that requires experimenting with the right technique of breathing and doing warm up exercises regularly. Also taking meds like anti-histaminics (like Benadryl) and caffeine and also running a treadmill before singing seemingly reduces moisture and stickiness of the vocal cords and makes them flexible. I've been able to sing songs now, like those by Journey and Foreigner, Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder, songs that I could only dream to sing 10 years ago. Sure there are still good days and bad days when you're voice just doesn't seem to show up, like when you are having a cold, but you are able to minimize those off days by following those techniques.

Re:Singers (need tips)
Thursday, June 14 2012 @ 07:52 AM CDT

Quick reminder about singing gritty vocals. If you can't talk properly (certain pitches in your talking range that are just not making sound after singing) you are either stressing your throat by not having it open/positioned correctly, or not warmed up enough prehand - most beginners don't even do anything at all. Hum before yelling, go 'ha' or 'ho' hitting a bunch of random notes. Breathe as far in as you can and back out as far out. If you dont you will regret it when you spend the next few days partially vocally disabled. Stand up when singing if possible.