Valerie cover

[Matakka]

Hi everyone,

 

just sharing another singing try.

After a short time of taking singing lessons I feel like my old «mechanism» of singing has been somewhat broken and the new one is still far-far-far from at least being there anytime I need.

Just wondering if I’m going in the right direction, did I gain more support of my voice? or am I just shouting?

 

 

[KillerKu]

I looove this song. You sound improved to me. Does it feel comfortable? Does it feel strained or shouting? If it doesn't, it sounds like a good bit of progress, if this is where you're going.

 

The older, softer style was good though so when you get the keys to belt town don't forget your roots.

[Matakka]

Thanks, KillerKu!

It does feel a little strained when going high notes. For now, it's quite occasional that I hit the high notes with relaxed throat. It's like I understand the correct feeling but still don't get how to turn it on intentionally. 

I was advised by my teacher that softer songs will sound better after I train a good support which can be achieved by singing louder. That's why it feels like for now we're just shouting  

[KillerKu]

I love this song and I have to give it another listen. But I want to see if there is something I can do to help you. The one thing I was thinking, is you might ask your teacher about 'forward' placement and see what he/she thinks about it?

 

You may not be quite ready for it, as you're still trying to learn the ropes here. I tought you the idea of twang some last time. Forward placement would be just a bit more buzz kind of near the top row of your teeth? If you do it really extreme it sounds more than a bit ridiculous, but just a bit of it can help place the voice in a position where high notes are a bit less strenuous. 

 

In this sound file

 

https://app.box.com/s/ekli54x9vmc7efv97n54wmflbd2jq7t0 

 

1. I'm doing a very forward placement (narrower pharynx, higher tongue, lots of nasal resonance)

2. Then a very backwards placement (wide pharynx low tongue, little nasal resonance)

3. Then a more balanced one (wider pharynx, higher tongue). And shift around the placement.                                         

 

And shift them around. Then I shift resonances while sustaining a vowel. So when you're ready, if your teacher is familiar with forward placement it might help help take a bit of the weight and shout out.

 

And by the way, when you come back make sure you check out this thread again:

 

'&do=embed' frameborder='0' data-embedContent>>

 

You were interested in breathier voices, so I offered a bit of advice in how I go about that.

[Matakka]

I'm not sure if I understand correctly the idea of forward placement. Is that the same as singing in the face? (sorry, i don't know if that would be the right way to say in English).

Because when my teacher listened to me at the first lesson, she said I was singing it all in my face which is not a very good way because it sounds flat. So we started working on my chest voice and now I'm trying to hit high notes with it. Lol, this is a bit confusing

Sorry, couldn't listen to your file here, the link brought me to 'file not there' page...

[KillerKu]

I'm not sure if I understand correctly the idea of forward placement. Is that the same as singing in the face? (sorry, i don't know if that would be the right way to say in English).

Because when my teacher listened to me at the first lesson, she said I was singing it all in my face which is not a very good way because it sounds flat. So we started working on my chest voice and now I'm trying to hit high notes with it. Lol, this is a bit confusing

Sorry, couldn't listen to your file here, the link brought me to 'file not there' page...

Interesting, it might be the file format. This was the one I gave Bono1982, but it's kind of comedic, so bare with it:

 

https://app.box.com/s/0g46bgw7jskxmb2taobdiwws4xrvxsng

 

You can listen to the first 3 sounds, and compare them. The rest has some blending of resonances.

 

I'm not sure if it is the same thing as singing in your face, but basically you can blend the various resonances. Blending more towards the nasal resonance is a more pop oriented vocal style, where as classical western opera tends to be a bit more backwards placed, sounding wide deep, and so forth.

 

You wouldn't be doing any of the extremes, just leaning a bit forward on the higher notes which would mean allowing brighter vowels. Amy Winehouse uses very forward placement. She sounds almost quack like a duck. A lot of twang and the larynx is a bit higher, and the pharynx isn't as wide as possible. It's less boomy, and more of a cutting sound.

[Matakka]

Thanks, KillerKu, that helped me distinguish different sounds better.   I guess I will get even more understanding with practice.

[KillerKu]

Thanks, KillerKu, that helped me distinguish different the sounds better.   I guess I will get even more understanding with practice.

 

Take your time. It's tough cause you aren't first language. I have a really close friend online whose second language is English. So I spend a lot of time with her, cause she wants to sing English songs. I can sit there for hours. She never knew how to pronounce a short i vowel, like is. Rolling her Rs, dis instead of this. 

 

There will always be a little something lost in translation. You'll get there, you already sound cool. It's tougher if you want to sing English stuff, but I couldn't touch anything your language. If you think about it that way, you're already better.