Felipe Carvalho Iris (Goo Goo Dolls)

[Felipe Carvalho]

This song is so good to study, always gave me a hell of a time.

http://www.soundclick.com/player/single_player.cfm?songid=12334556&q=hi&newref=1

Every listen and/or comment is deeply appreciated :)

[ronws]

I liked it.

And I understand the challenge. Johnny has one of those ringy voices that makes it seem so easy.

And this brings back good memories. There used to be a show that highlighted a different band each month, doing acoustic versions of their hits. For example, Collective Soul went to Morocco.

And the Goo Goo Dolls went to Alaska, in the summer time, when the permafrost melts a little and turns things into a muddy mess and the local pastime is to body-surf that mud.

Anyway, good job.

[Owen Korzec]

Sounds awesome!

The only critique I could offer is the first two lines are too quiet in the mix. I can tell you were going for a gradual crescendo on those first verses and that's super cool, but I would have at least bumped those first two lines up in the mix a little louder, just to keep it from getting too soft to be heard over the instrumentation. So not necessarily a vocal issue, probably in the way it was mixed. And of course I'm nitpicking here.

The rest of it, perfect. Well done, Felipe, as always.

I might be performing this song soon actually. Depending on how consistently I can sing it. I've had days where I can really nail the chorus consistently (at least to my ears while singing it...I haven't recorded and listened back yet), others, like today, it was pretty bad. (edit: just practiced it again it's consistent again...see my thread. i think I just need to sing more beforehand to warm up.). I am not sure if it will be ready by next week. But I am working on it.

I also have a really vocally tough original song I'm working on and the melody resides within those same exact 5 notes so I have found this song very helpful to study.

Anyways, fantastic cover Felipe. I encourage the intermediate and advanced singers on this forum to also give this tune a go. If you can figure out how to get your voice to make that chorus sound right, you're gonna have a much easier time with other songs in that range.

[MDEW]

This is one of the songs that I started to work on when I was in an acoustic trio. Unfortunately life happened and we all had to work for a living again.

This is not a song I expected to hear from you but I am glad that you recorded it.

I don't know if you want to know this or not but your accent did come through a little in places. I like it. I would rather hear something of the singers personality come through than a copy of the original.

[Nicogratouille]

I like it! Especially the higher parts. Don't know how to put it but the lower parts sounded less precise to me, less "perfect" for lack of a better word.

Nick

[analog]

Felipe,

sounds good man...only complaint is the same as others, want the 1st verse higher in the mix.

[Felipe Carvalho]

Thanks guys, appreciate the feedback. I agree, its comming low, Ill redo the mix later!

Nico haha I agree man, I am still deciding if it needs to be redone or if I like it like this, what do you think? Is it braking it or adding?

[ronws]

I'd leave it like it is. Sometimes, your first instincts are the best. Second-guessing one's self has led to more dogs and unfinished albums and overwrought stuff than anything.

[Owen Korzec]

Leave the take and just tweak the mix. I think the performance itself was great.

[Nicogratouille]

Nico haha I agree man, I am still deciding if it needs to be redone or if I like it like this, what do you think? Is it braking it or adding?

I think you can do better!

Nick

[Consumingfire39]

Excellent job Felipe. I know how hard it can be to actually drop some technique for certain sounds... I train similar to you and sing use very similar technique. This has more twang and is less open than you usually go for but you did it about as well as it can be done.

[Felipe Carvalho]

I will remix and see what can be done about it Nick, thanks guys.

Consuming hey, nice to know that man. You going for classical or pop?

[Adoney]

I really like the 'just to know your alive' tone, you should milk that tone for everything! Great work!

[gno]

Overall another truly great performance from you! The high stuff is where your voice shines.

I agree with Nick about the lower verses - they are just a little shakey or pitchy in certain spots. If it were me I'd work to tighten it up - but it's only in a handful of spots. You nailed the high spots perfectly IMO.

I also agree with mdew about the accent - I like the accent coming through a bit.

And I agree about the mix during the verses - the vox needs to come up. The vocal processing otherwise is great.

[MDEW]

Felipe, I just tried this song for the first time. In the Higher parts I have to use a configuration that I have never used before. Loads of twang and lots of air. It feels totaly different from my lower singing.

Does it feel as if you are using the same configuration on both high and low just more energy or does it feel like you switch to another "Mode".

[Keith]

Good stuff bro. Sounds like you had no trouble with this one at all lol. I may try it now that I have undergone some interesting vocal changes!

[Owen Korzec]

Felipe, I just tried this song for the first time. In the Higher parts I have to use a configuration that I have never used before. Loads of twang and lots of air. It feels totaly different from my lower singing.

Does it feel as if you are using the same configuration on both high and low just more energy or does it feel like you switch to another "Mode".

If it helps, when I do it (in the original key) I feel a slight switch but it's hard to hear and it's very subtle. And I kind of let the consonants guide me in and out of the configuration, using them as a pivot point to facilitate the laryngeal changes. And it's only this other configuration on the lyrics "don't want the world" and "everything's made". Good resonant tuning throughout helps, and definitely a high amount of subglottal pressure at the top. Loads of twang, not as necessary, at least not the way I do it.

Even though you are changing the configuration, once you get it down it should feel so smooth that you're not really thinking about it anymore.

[MDEW]

Thanks Owen. I think part of the problem that I was having is switching back after "don't want the world" and "everything's made". I will try keeping in mind to only switch on those words.

[Owen Korzec]

Thanks Owen. I think part of the problem that I was having is switching back after "don't want the world" and "everything's made". I will try keeping in mind to only switch on those words.

Well keep in mind where you make the smoothest switch will be different depending on your vocal fach, how loud you are singing, etc. Do what works best for you. But plan it out.

You can also do "don't want the world to" or "everything's made to" or "everything's made to be" with no problems.

I wouldn't recommend trying to bridge during the parts toward the end of the lines unless you are really good at smoothly bridging.

And don't think of it as a switch. You shouldn't have to switch a lot. I think just feel a TA dominant to CT dominant shift and an increase in subglottal pressure at the top, that's all...everything else is kept fairly static

[benny82]

Excellent job, Felipe. Couldn't agree more with what the others have said. Excellent high parts. The low parts seem to be a bit muffled, but this may even be an effect of the vox being not loud enough.

As for the switch in the high parts. The high part "don't want..." and "everything..." drive you above the magical G4. At least for me (and I think at least for most non-tenor guys) there is a pretty noticable switch because the formant tuning changes. In classical singing, F#4 -> G4 is typically the point where the tuning is switched from F1 tuning towards F2 tuning.

Additionally, there is indication that, if a non-classical technique (higher larynx) is used, the switch between registers (M1 -> M2) is also located in this place.

In CVT terms this would be the switch from an Overdrive-like setup towards an Edge-like setup (or full Overdrive towards full Edge if you are loud enough).

It is actually really a switch and not a smooth transition. If I sing loud on a G#4 I can really "feel" the switch back and forth between formant spaces if I go a little higher or a little lower in pitch. However, technically there is no switch, you just do what you always do and let the flip of resonances happen. I think this flip might be a little bit higher for higher voiced guys, but not much.

[Felipe Carvalho]

hey thanks a lot guys!

Lord, I like that too!

geno, got it! I will redo the take this weekend probably. The accent is something I dont worry so much, I cant fool natives and if I try to mask it, probably it will be just worse . But do let me know if I screw up the language. Tnx!

Keith thanks man, yeah now it is much easier, this was a huge mess not very long ago.

mdew Owen and benny hey guys thanks for the words. I did the study using head voice on the chorus. From what I listenned on the take now, its pretty much what is happening.

But lol, I have no idea how you guys think about all this stuff when singing (edge, overdrive, muscle, formants, lol), I think my brain would forget to breath or to keep my heart beating hehehe. I have enough trouble to count to the beat and remember the lyrics already... Simplify!

mdew no significant shift.

[Nicogratouille]

I hear a significant shift of sexyness above E4...

Nick

[benny82]

But lol, I have no idea how you guys think about all this stuff when singing (edge, overdrive, muscle, formants, lol), I think my brain would forget to breath or to keep my heart beating hehehe. I have enough trouble to count to the beat and remember the lyrics already... Simplify!

I don't think at all when I'm singing. I'm thinking A LOT while training. Muscle memory is absolute key to all of this stuff. It is actually THE thing that allows me to keep it simple while actually performing.

[Owen Korzec]

I pretty much agree with you here Benny...once you work the precise technical stuff into muscle memory, you can drastically simplify what you need to think about in order to perform it consistently.

[MDEW]

The thinking about it happens at home while working on the song. That is why I do not like working on songs with people around. You will mess up. You will squeak and be off key. After you are comfortable with the song you sing and enjoy along with the audience.