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Best ways to improve your voice quickly

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Hanalei

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I apologize.  I was unaware I needed a photo to ask a question...  I'm not a spam account, I've actually been a member for a while but haven't been on it more than once or twice since the website changed.  

 

Forget it.  I'll just find answers somewhere else. 

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Your going to take your ball and go home because  you were asked to upload a picture to your profile in exchange for a LOT of FREE advise to help your singing, on a forum that has been provided to you for FREE as a gratuitiy?

 

Forgive me, I didn't realize my suggestion was SO unreasonable!? What ever got into me?

 

Its responses like that, that are going to bring the "FREE Reviews" in this forum to a screeching halt real soon... DONE.   :angry:  

 

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Use your voice in a comfortable range in different dynamics everyday.  What you really need to do is get a proper vocal instructor but if you want some amateur practice and don't have time for that just remember to be consistent and don't do anything that hurts.  Stay in a range that is comfortable and resonant for you, no matter how small or limited it may be at first.  If you go beyond that you run the risk of working some really bad habits into your voice that getting a proper vocal teacher from the start could easily prevent.  Good luck

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Sorry, I got the impression it was said a bit rudely, but maybe I misinterpreted it.

 

I did take a few voice lessons a while back, but the only coach near me is $50 an hour and I haven't been able to afford very many of them.  I have an mp3 of her warm-up exercise which I do every day, and I've remembered a lot of the posture and breathing things she taught me, but I feel like I've forgotten a lot of the other things.  

 

I admit I'm an amateur.... I got the "sing songs for 1-2 hours" part, but I'm not totally sure what the rest of your suggestions are, Robert. Can you explain those a little more or show me where I can find examples of that?

 

 

I took a break from singing for a few months due to some other things going on and then started up again about a month or 2 ago.  Some days I can hit low notes really well and some days I can hit high notes really well, but I can't seem to do both in the same day.  Haven't been able to figure out why that is.  

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Something tells me that you are looking for the "secret tip" ... I'm not picking on you... a lot of people are like this... so Im giving you tough love right now... please listen. 

 

You need to train. You need to sing. You are not going to figure out any vocal problems or get any meaningful gains other then Carpal tunnel syndrome if you don't make a commitment to training. I can't spend an hour trying to explain to you what an onset is, or resonant tracking or bridging the passaggio ... because I'm not being paid for my time and knowledge.. and more importantly... Im just getting drained by posts like this.

 

What Daniel and I gave you is probably the best advise you can get in terms of how to "improve your voice quickly" , so there... that is your answer and its a good one. But its completely irrelevant if you don't do the work. 

 

Before the "quickest way to get better" tip... know this, the best advise I can give you as an educator and someone that cares about you (honestly) is... get off the YouTube teaser videos and stop looking for free tips and free advise that will make it quick for you, because that really doesn't exist... and start doing the work that had to be done. 

 

It's been a long day, been working for 15 hours... 

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Sorry, I got the impression it was said a bit rudely, but maybe I misinterpreted it.

 

I did take a few voice lessons a while back, but the only coach near me is $50 an hour and I haven't been able to afford very many of them.  I have an mp3 of her warm-up exercise which I do every day, and I've remembered a lot of the posture and breathing things she taught me, but I feel like I've forgotten a lot of the other things.  

 

I admit I'm an amateur.... I got the "sing songs for 1-2 hours" part, but I'm not totally sure what the rest of your suggestions are, Robert. Can you explain those a little more or show me where I can find examples of that?

 

 

I took a break from singing for a few months due to some other things going on and then started up again about a month or 2 ago.  Some days I can hit low notes really well and some days I can hit high notes really well, but I can't seem to do both in the same day.  Haven't been able to figure out why that is.

If you really want to improve, find a coach. Now you said the one in your area is too expensive. There are plenty of coaches who do Skype lessons.

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This is pretty much what I was looking for.  Not looking for shortcuts of any kind - I guess a better wording might have been "what are the most beneficial exercises".  I am going to be doing a performance of sorts next week and while I'm pretty comfortable with my voice, I just was hoping there were some specific things to work on that are better for strengthening your voice than just the usual practicing and singing songs.  Thank you, all.  

- Resonant Tracking for 10 minutes.

- Bridging the Passaggio with vowel modifications for 10 minutes.

- Dampen & Release  and  Attack & Release Onsets (Glottal Attacks) for 10 minutes. 

- Sing songs for 1-2 hours.

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   One thing that people tend to forget when practicing, singing or exercising: pay attention to what is happening. If something doesn't feel right, or sound right stop and go over that part again. If it comes out better take note of what you did to make the difference. Do not just blindy make noise and think that you are practicing or training.

   When it comes time for the singing event itself......Do not get hung up on all the training stuff....That is for training......Sing your little heart out. :)

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This is pretty much what I was looking for.  Not looking for shortcuts of any kind - I guess a better wording might have been "what are the most beneficial exercises".  I am going to be doing a performance of sorts next week and while I'm pretty comfortable with my voice, I just was hoping there were some specific things to work on that are better for strengthening your voice than just the usual practicing and singing songs.  Thank you, all.

Without actually hearing you sing, I'm not sure how beneficial anyone here could be. I think a lot of people, like you just said misunderstood what you needed. But in all honestly without the guidance of a coach there is only so much you can do. Especially within a short amount of time.

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pay attention to what is happening. If something doesn't feel right, or sound right stop and go over that part again. If it comes out better take note of what you did to make the difference. Do not just blindy make noise and think that you are practicing or training.

 

This is VERY good advise... students tend to just train notes and "get through it" because its boring and they don't know what they are suppose to be listening for. The just "chop" on notes and turn their ears and attention off... this is about 20% effective. A great singer and student learns how to listen to the sound color and understands what the technical components are that make up a high performance phonation through training... well, through my program, that is what you will learn. We call it the "phonation package'... the phonation package is the sum total of all the technical components (psych, physiology, acoustic) that make up a high performance phonation... that is presumed to be applied to an art form called singing.  

 

The short of it is, you have to understand at least a little bit about what the hell is going on with the human voice, how it works and have techniques that help you to tune, calibrate and trouble-shoot issues... as mdew is referring to.  That means you have to have good training content and a methodology that lays all this out for you.  I digress...

 

When your practicing... stop!  Don't just clunk forward to the next chromatic interval ... stop and orient that note on a keyboard and figure it out!  Siren into it, do just an onset straight in... try different onsets (... which you will learn about in "The Four Pillars of Singing"), try different vowels, try different embouchure positions... every frequency has a very detailed tuning (acoustics) and calibration (physiological set up)... you have to learn these and understand these... ! When you get the note sounding good, then move on... 

 

Then as Daniel is always good at reminding us... after your training session, sing songs and apply it.

 

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     I was(still am) having trouble with pitches. A member here noticed that I am Ok on one vowel and not so good on another. Along with the further advice of other members......Find the vowel that works for you and steer the other vowels to that one, use singing vowels not speaking vowels.........I have made improvements. My accent was pulling me out of tune. I would have never thought that it causes problems........ Not only do frequencies have their own proper setup but so do the vowels themselves.

     Without a coach or a program it is pretty much hit or miss unless you know what to listen for.

   For singing verses speaking look up one of Adele's live performances. Notice the difference in her speaking voice and her singing voice. This should put the singing vs Speaking into perspective.

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May I ask what it is you want to improve upon or strengthen quickly?

 

It helps if you define and hone in on your specific goal(s)

 

Mostly just overall, just making my voice sound a little stronger.  The only specific things that come to mind that I know need extra work are my high notes and my volume, being louder without straining or sounding like I'm yelling.  Both are slowly improving...

 

I think I get what you mean by the vowels.  I've very recently noticed that high notes involving an O (like in Carrie Underwood's "Play On") are almost impossible for me to hold more than a couple of seconds (my voice cracks and just disappears), whereas the same note with an A or I vowel are fine.  

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Hanalei,

 

See your private email... I just gave you a special deal for "The Four Pillars of Singing'. I figure if Im going to bark at you about your question, I need to at least empower you a good chance to get the content and information Im advising and barking about. So congratulations on being a good sport and putting up with my tough love... you win.

 

;)

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Hanalei,

 

See your private email... I just gave you a special deal for "The Four Pillars of Singing'. I figure if Im going to bark at you about your question, I need to at least empower you a good chance to get the content and information Im advising and barking about. So congratulations on being a good sport and putting up with my tough love... you win.

 

;)

Now, that is just awesome.

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Mostly just overall, just making my voice sound a little stronger.  The only specific things that come to mind that I know need extra work are my high notes and my volume, being louder without straining or sounding like I'm yelling.  Both are slowly improving...

 

I think I get what you mean by the vowels.  I've very recently noticed that high notes involving an O (like in Carrie Underwood's "Play On") are almost impossible for me to hold more than a couple of seconds (my voice cracks and just disappears), whereas the same note with an A or I vowel are fine.  

Not everyone will agree, but I find if you want to add more intensity and power to your voice, you have to generate, manage, and sing under greater amounts of breath pressure.  But you have to build up to it.  Do you do any kind of breathing exercises?

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 Power does not come from generating more air it comes from RESONANCE. so watch out for that advice., and you don't have to take my word for it just read any basic handbook of singing.

 

High notes will come from allowing and trusting the head voice and in time you will be able to sing those notes with any vowel and you won't be cracking but you have to trust the weaker head voice and then it will feel like one voice. like any skill it may feel uncomfy for a while but then it will be second nature and you will be able to do more with it.  I would gladly show you what i mean in demonstration because i know words are hard to understand. my Skype name is danielformica(san luis obispo)

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