Hi guys..at the end of this vid...

[Rick Jones]

....does it sound to you like I am pushing in a manner dangerous to my vocal chords?

I sing in this manner often, and the only time I ever lost my voice or got a sore throat was when I did band gigs without a monitor....but I was told recentley that I may end up with nodules if I use my voice this way.

It was a quick vid, done shortly after I rose from bed, whilst my kids hadn't yet got up (only time I ever get to make vids!), and I will embed a version by the original artist underneath...my aim was for a similar sound without the original artists machine gun vibrato, as a demo for a friend overseas.

Here is me;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Zb-ibHcosI

Here is Jake Smith (the White Buffalo);

I did it from memory, so note choices and tempo may differ.

I know I have a long way to go voice wise, but any criticism would be used to improve myself!

Also feel free to listen to my myspace for some idea of my own music....I tend not to sing as low as on the video.

[vamacoustics]

Rick, awesome guitar playing dude...

You have a very nice voice and I enjoyed your take on this song. #1 if you did a vocal warm up before you sang that early in the morning I think it would have been a little stronger. The lower register parts were very good; but you need to practice singing from your diaphram so you can bring more volume tone's and textures to your nice sounding voice. There is more in you...The Louder crecendo's at the end are not concerning for me as a concern for damage if you are not playing out that often. I think if you learn to sing from your core; and do a warm up before you sing (15 minute warm up, scales) you will nail it...Re-record yourself in a couple weeks. Try recording your guitar and sing over your guitar so you do not have to concentrate on playing and singing...once you feel comfortable with your new method of singing, pick up the guitar and do the song...it will be awesome.

Do not over sing either..just find your inner breath and produce that power. That is the difference between your version and Jake Smith...Jake has a rich smooth undertone that is coming up from his gut...can you hear what I am talking about? It takes practice.

[Rick Jones]

Thankyou for taking the time, both to listen and offer such a useful critique!

I have always been a guitar player foremost, and until fairly recent times, never really worried too much about my singing voice.....I'm going to change that though.

I have been told often by laypeople that I have "loads of power", but I'm starting to realise that this isn't nessicarily a good attribute, since I have currently no idea how to use it, or even if I should.

I am intending to pick up some learning material soon as funds allow, and hopefully I can figure out "using my diaphragm", as currently, the only way I can seem to connect my mind with it is belly breathing......talk of "downwards support" etc is currently a foriegn concept, as I have no idea what it would feel like.

For finding that "inner breath", is there anyway to experience this without visiting a singing tutor?

I have recentley started doing lip rolls and "ngg" excercises to try and feel that resonance I read about, but that aside I have no clue about the training methods.

I must add, I live on a 9x5miles island, off the coast of France, although governed by the UK, and the only local singing teacher is a theatre group leader, who wouldn't teach me unless I would join the drama group (there aren't alot of members), and I literally don't have time to spare him for that, let alone the urge to wear tights!!

Thankyou again for the time you took to advise me, it will be taken onboard and hopefully used to improve myself.

Rick