Too much love will kill you(Re-take) - Queen

[aravindmadis]

Readers of my posts know that Freddie Mercury is my favorite singer.  I have always wanted to sing Queen songs(even if I don't do a great job of them :))  

I have done a couple of takes of this very song with mixed, mostly average results.  I am confident enough in my singing and my technique to post an update.  Please comment specifically if possible on the belting/aggressive portions of the song.  Also to me the chorus sounds a bit too sharp(piercing to listen to and not in a good way).  Not sure if this is a singing technique issue or an error in mixing(or both).  

https://app.box.com/s/59r4g7q8tptndur6odplhf4layn69exc

[KillerKu]

I've had a pretty rough day so I wasn't sure if I'd be able to review today, but I really enjoyed that and it actually improved my day.

 

It starts off fairly controlled and polished, you've got a refined timbre/pitch and are expressing a bit more sullenly, and the last little section just lets loose. Technically it may be less polished, but sounds emotionally released, raw, vulnerable, and just awesome. It gave me chills when you cut into that belting section and this is the best I've heard your belting.

 

I think you're achieving a timbre that will appeal to more western audiences, the nasality has been reduced, but it's still you. You still have that voice print that sounds like you and no one else on the forum. I give this Queen cover the thumbs up. You've made huge progress. Keep going man.

[ronws]

That was really good, Aravind. It sounds like you wrote it. You had command of the phrases and intention and that was great.

[Denis Gallén Iserte]

well, done.

one thing to improve, it sounds like the high notes are forced or hard to do. maybe a little  technique issue because they don´t sound natural.

try to do vocal scales in those notes until they sound "natural" maybe too much chest voice, try to do those notes with mixed voice. 

[Sexy Beast]

Well I was pleasantly surprised with this! You're still singing too forward but this is in a better direction. Listen to how you are singing: "Too many bitter tears are raining down on me" @ 0:22. This is the correct approach for this range. I have never heard you do that before. Can you sing the chorus like this?

You also need way more legato under your voice. For that you can sing the melodi on any semi-occluded exercise like the straw, lip rolls, v, z, you name it... and keep the same feeling when you are singing the words.

[Wakawaka]

I love the emotion and power in your voice. Some minor point: Something didn't seem quite right about the transition in the long beeeeeeeee at the beginning to my ears. But I may be mistaken. Really would love to be able to sing rock like that!

[Magika Singer]

Here I am Aravind. Well I am quite new to this forum so I don't know how your singing was before this cover.....my ears were pleased by your interpretation and your vocal emission but I think this key now is not the best for you: the high notes are a little forced so maybe to get a perfect cover you should change key (1 o 2 semitones down) till your technique allows you to reach them seamlessly. By the way It's a good job, really a good one......well done!!
 

[Gneetapp]

Hi Aravind, I gave the first listen yesterday, but had no time to write anything afterwards. So, I just gave it another listen, and I got to say man, You have improved your singing so much on your own, that is really fun to watch all your progress in your journey. This is a really hard song from QUEEN, so congrats for facing this challenge. I really like your tone in this song, as you were able to dial down the nasality to a minimum. Still, in the choruses you still have a shouty quality. I don't think you need to change the key. Sexy Beast just gave you the Secret Formula to sing not only this song, but many others. You got to do the same configuration you did for "Too many bitter tears are raining down on me" and apply it to the choruses. I am probably wrong, but you might be using "the cry" to achieve that configuration. If you do that in the choruses you will not sound strained a bit. Great job man! Keep on Rocking!

[aravindmadis]

Well I was pleasantly surprised with this! You're still singing too forward but this is in a better direction. Listen to how you are singing: "Too many bitter tears are raining down on me" @ 0:22. This is the correct approach for this range. I have never heard you do that before. Can you sing the chorus like this?

You also need way more legato under your voice. For that you can sing the melodi on any semi-occluded exercise like the straw, lip rolls, v, z, you name it... and keep the same feeling when you are singing the words.

​SexyBeast, you are a genius.  I think I finally understand what you mean by "singing too forward".  This is probably why I have a sharp sounding voice and it gets more amplified in a belty configurations.  I think I should be able to sing chorus in the same way I sing that particular line.  I realize that singing "slighly backward" gives a more deeper tone which will certainly help.  I tried doing this last night.  For the same song, I have to re-learn the configuration and the muscle memory to bridge.  And I guess this is a habit that I have to inculcate for similar type of songs.  

I am going to try this for my next song..  

[aravindmadis]

Hi Aravind, I gave the first listen yesterday, but had no time to write anything afterwards. So, I just gave it another listen, and I got to say man, You have improved your singing so much on your own, that is really fun to watch all your progress in your journey. This is a really hard song from QUEEN, so congrats for facing this challenge. I really like your tone in this song, as you were able to dial down the nasality to a minimum. Still, in the choruses you still have a shouty quality. I don't think you need to change the key. Sexy Beast just gave you the Secret Formula to sing not only this song, but many others. You got to do the same configuration you did for "Too many bitter tears are raining down on me" and apply it to the choruses. I am probably wrong, but you might be using "the cry" to achieve that configuration. If you do that in the choruses you will not sound strained a bit. Great job man! Keep on Rocking!

​Thanks for your kind words.  Yes, I am mostly self taught, but not entirely.  I have got a lot of help on this forum to be honest.  I think I have a long way to go.. 

I can't describe exactly what Sexy Beast suggests technically.  Except to say that the "feeling" of singing too forward is slightly different from "singing slightly backward".  When I sing too forward, I literally feel as thought the source of the sound is in front of my mouth.  Moving this sensation slightly backward is what I think SexyBeast is referring to.  

Understanding this is one thing.  Putting it into practice is very very different.  Like I mentioned in my reply to SexyBeast, I have to unlearn certain things in my singing style to be able to accomplish this and train muscle memory to react slightly different. But I think i can do this and I am excited to try out songs with a more belty feel 

[aravindmadis]

I love the emotion and power in your voice. Some minor point: Something didn't seem quite right about the transition in the long beeeeeeeee at the beginning to my ears. But I may be mistaken. Really would love to be able to sing rock like that!

​Wakawaka, thank you for your kind words.  I put in a lot of work on my singing and it has taken me nearly two years to reach this level.  I still find that there is a lot of scope for improvement.  The learning never stops, provided one is willing to put in the work to learn.

[Sexy Beast]

Moving this sensation slightly backward is what I think SexyBeast is referring to.  

Just think whatever you need to think to produce that coordination

[Gneetapp]

I can't describe exactly what Sexy Beast suggests technically.  Except to say that the "feeling" of singing too forward is slightly different from "singing slightly backward".  When I sing too forward, I literally feel as thought the source of the sound is in front of my mouth.  Moving this sensation slightly backward is what I think SexyBeast is referring to.  

Understanding this is one thing.  Putting it into practice is very very different.  Like I mentioned in my reply to SexyBeast, I have to unlearn certain things in my singing style to be able to accomplish this and train muscle memory to react slightly different. But I think i can do this and I am excited to try out songs with a more belty feel 

​Hey Aravind, I may be mistaken, but I think the configuration/technique is called C.L.B. - Cry like a baby (or cry like a brat).  

Just cry your way through the chorus man! Don't be afraid. Cheers

[Jugulator]

Not bad, man! There are some pitchy places in the first verse. As for the choruses, I'd make it sound a bit more smooth. And yes, I hear that the choruses are hard for you to sing. Nevertheless, very good try.