Video of me singing World Affair by Richie Kotzen- Advices Wanted!!!

[joshual]

Hi fellas,

Here's my first singing video on youtube. The song is World Affair by Richie Kotzen, i just love this song!

I need advice on support and attack (onset?). Each time i begin a sentence, i'm off key because i just can't seem to control my support and onset, i really love to have some advices ;-).

Another thing, this song is really hard for me to sing, it kills me lol, the main problem is that the notes are done half by the support and half by the throat and i wish i could my throat be more relaxed.

Anyway thanxs for listening and watching, feel free to say anything you want, if you like it say it and if you think is really bad say it too!!!

The first video is the original and the second is mine.

Original version by richie kotzen:

Now mine:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPllLrZf2Mo

[mvrasseli]

What a guitar feeling! It's a hard music, you have musicality and did the music very well for me.

[akarawd]

Beautifully done Joshual.What you say (support/throat) comes across as attitude and your performance is totally convincing to my ears.

A really good job.

[Quincy]

I thought you did a great job. Really liked it! That’s an infectious riff too.

One thing I’ve been playing around with lately, as far as support goes, is keeping my lower ribs expanded and solar plexus bulging while supporting. But the magic ingredient for me to make it all work in unison is focusing on keeping a raised sternum. If I keep focused on making sure it doesn’t collapse, it seems to really make the whole support system work better with less effort. There are some threads floating around recently discussing this in more detail.

Playing guitar and sitting down might be impairing you also. You might try practicing the high sternum thing while standing and see if it sticks. Then with the guitar and then sitting down. Just throwing out some ideas.:)

[ronws]

I think you did great. The main difference between you and Kotzen is that he had a dirtier rasp, almost sounding like a whisper or a fry. Your's was more solid, with more ring to it. I liked your version.

[Steven Fraser]

Here's my first singing video on youtube. The song is World Affair by Richie Kotzen, i just love this song!

I need advice on support and attack (onset?). Each time i begin a sentence, i'm off key because i just can't seem to control my support and onset, i really love to have some advices ;-).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPllLrZf2Mo

Joshual: Hey, very nicely done. I hear what you mean about the onsets. Here are some comments and suggestions of approaches you can take to them that should help to improve them.

1) Think the first note earlier. The way the pitch-control mechanism of the voice works, about 1/5 to 1/4 of a second before you start phonating your laryngeal muscles adjust to produce the note you are about to make. As you are taking your breath right before the phrase is started, think as clearly as you can the note that you are about to sing. That should help some of the accuracy.

2) When the first note of a phrase is tricky, isolate it and practice it out of context. Turn the syllable into an onset exercise, and sing it 20 to 50 times in a row, refining your technique... being really picky with yourself, to make it as clean, accurate, on-pitch and rhythmically accurate as you can. Even 10-15 minutes of attention on a particular onset will make a big difference.

Once you can do that one note to your satisfaction, add 2 or 3 more in the phrase, and weave the onset into the beginning of the well-done phrase.

Work all the onsets this way. For a song, may take 2-3 days of 1/2 hour a day with this sort of exercise to begin to train your mind to think your onsets in this new, accurate way. Once you get to that point, and I think you will be able to feel and hear when that happens, then you can go back and dirty up some of them for effect, if you want.

Its really funny that it works this way, but the voice follows your musical imagination. These exercises are about training your mind to approach the onsets more precisely.

I think you'll be pleased with the outcome. As others have said, you have great timing and a real feel for this song. You are very musical, and it comes through in the performance. Good job.

I hope this helps with what you have in mind to accomplish.

[joshual]

Thanxs for your replies

The guitar part could have been better, i'm really concentrated on the vocal part, but i'm happy with it lol.

For the rapsy tone, in fact i've never thought about it, it seems that it's my natural tone in middle and high parts, since the begining i've always had that little raspy voice, it's hard for me to get a clean and relaxed tone. I think it's what i am, an eternal angry boy ;-).

For the support, thanxs a lot Quincy, i tried that today, i manage to keep the ribs opened but i'm always pushing too much. My abs tightened too much as i support. I realize that my support comes from my lower part of abs. Is it a wrong thing?

@Steven: thanxs a lot for the routine, i will sure try it, but i'm afraid that if i don't get a correct support i may blow out my voice. It seems that i can just sing mezzo forte (like in the video) or pianissimo. I bet messa di voice will help me no? or if you have any ideas...

Anyway, thanxs for all your comments, it's really helping me!

[joshual]

another thing i saw: i tend to clench my jaw, i think i have to open it wider horizontally AND verticaly. wrong or not ?

[Snax]

Great job on a very tough vocal! Ritchie Kotzen in blessed with an incredible voice besides being amazing on guitar, bass and drums! Nothing I can add to what's been suggested and I think you did a fantastic rendition!!! Keep 'em coming. :)

[Quincy]

Joshual, Not sure if you’ve seen this video Analog posted on CVT, but I found it really useful to “find” the position of support.

It’s helped me engage the many different muscles that come into play. I was not getting enough upper torso support, like my pecs, lats, etc. It’s made it easier to keep my ribs expanded and the solar plexus pushing outward. So in this position, when I am controlling the exhale of the air, the lower abs seem to contract inward without having to think about them.

I’ve had the same problem when trying to support a high note for example, and the abs would lock up. With these other muscles engaged, it makes more of a rolling motion with the upper abs (solar plexus) pushing outward and lower abs pulling inward.

Another way I’ve found this position is to pretend you are bracing up with your arms locked by your sides and your hands out preparing to catch a heavy sack being dropped down to you.

Hope some of this helps!

[analog]

Joshua,

the main difference I hear between the two versions is Richie is mic'd/amplified. I think you're basically there. Those high notes he sings in the chorus are very light and sound fairly "choked." One thing he's doing is twanging more on those high notes...but it is insanely "light."

Not sure if you've visited Allan's(Chanteurmoderne) website(I think you have but can't remember.) It's in French(which is great for you,) but even as a non-speaker, his videos are great(IMO he's an amazing teacher and musician who helped me drop years of bad habits AND misinterpretations of various techniques...it's been a true privilege to work with him.)

One that has helped me immensely is his twang video:

Being able to twang with a "thin fold" set-up is a freaking god send(high part of the voice.) Being able to control the amount of "weight" up top(meaning adding or subtracting depending on artistic choice) will give you the ability to sing just about ANYTHING with control.

I think you are singing your ass off these days and it's great to see you making so much progress. Also, you are playing a complicated guitar part (not a 3 chord strum) while singing a complicated vocal line, which is something that amazes me.

[kalapoka]

really good job man. i have no idea on how to give you advice on doing better cuz i cant do it myself, so cant say anything there. great job with the guitar too! kudos!

[joshual]

thanxs buddys,

Raphaels:

Yep, on the highest notes i seem to have understood how he place his voice, but i think i put too much wieght on my voice... a lighter voice is really the problem for me.... And yep this was not easy to play the guitar part (wich is difficult when you have to sing), be focused on the singing and reading the lyrics at the same time lol.

If you guys wanna check what i'm capable of with my guitar, here's a little improvisation i made.

Thanxs again for your comments. ;-)

[devaitis]

I liked it. Very enjoyable tone. Nice guitar playing.

[Chavie]

thanxs buddys,

Raphaels:

Yep, on the highest notes i seem to have understood how he place his voice, but i think i put too much wieght on my voice... a lighter voice is really the problem for me.... And yep this was not easy to play the guitar part (wich is difficult when you have to sing), be focused on the singing and reading the lyrics at the same time lol.

If you guys wanna check what i'm capable of with my guitar, here's a little improvisation i made.

Thanxs again for your comments. ;-)

Take it from a fellow guitar shredder

that is some badass playing right there man.......

[Joy-Sikorski]

another thing i saw: i tend to clench my jaw, i think i have to open it wider horizontally AND verticaly. wrong or not ?

Loved your guitar improv!

About clenching your jaw and thinking that opening it more both hotizontally and vertically, there is a thread about the tongue that also gets into whether or not you need to open the jaw more to get more sound or more nuance of sound.

It's on page #2 of that thread. http://www.punbb-hosting.com/forums/themodernvocalist/viewtopic.php?id=1887&p=2

There may be some other posts about this topic too, but I do not know where they are. Maybe someone else on this thread will know.

Everything is a balance.

Keeping the energy between your guitar technique and your vocal technique is not an easy thing to achieve, but you are doing a great job learning how to do it!

[gno]

joshual - nice ripping man! I love that single coil shredding sound. very nice guitar chops. What I like is that you are just going for it - it doesn't sound like real calculated shredding which can be dry at times. It reminds me of one of my biggest influences on guitar - Steve Lukather. Do you like him? I've seen Steve several times live and every solo is improvised and completely different night after night. Your approach is very similar to his.

Your voice is excellent too. You've got the feel and rhythm down. Keep it up!

Geno

[joshual]

thanxs for the compliments on the guitar playing fellas ;-). I wish i could have the same skills with my singing lol

Guitartrek: so great you like my impro, and yes i never calculate anything on impro. I'm really not a "licks" player. I think it's more honest to do that. More honest for the people who listen and more honest for me. I have the same approach with singing. I play music to express myself, i live for it. It's my personality, i never calculate lol ;-)...

And I LOVE steve lukather, this man is awesome, so much emotions and energy in his playing... a true god!

[Ronron]

This was very good. And with a good accent.

[jonpall]

Loved that Kotzen cover of yours. The main difference between you and Richie is the hat, IMO. Seriously, I think you did a great job and were using very similar techniques. And that guitar playing was simply WORLD CLASS, man! . You see, my name's Jon and I'm a shredder too. I've been shredding for many many years and trying my best to play at regular speed. Everyone say "Hi, Jon!". Ok, I'll sit down now.

Here's some of my shredding and guitar playing in case anyone is interested:

(A Steve Vai cover. Sorry about the audio quality) and http://www.box.net/shared/ikyndtkuix (better quality, original instrumental tune with 2 solos). I know that there are more "shredders" on this forum that few know can really wail, so it would be cool to hear some of your playing too :)

[Stan]

I think it sounded good. You really love this Kotzen dude, don't you? lol

He reminds me of Cornell a bit.