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What is twang???

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Martin H

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Hey Felipe, didn't you at some point mention that vocalizing through a straw is a good way to train twanging? Or was that someone else..

I probably would not say "train" in this context, but it makes it easier to perceive it and it is a good way to experiment with it. As well as all other kinds of semi-occluded phonation.

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Possibly, the idea should work, but its hard to know without actually seeing/hearing you do it.

Some ideas that go towards the same:

Just to name a few, everything that causes occlusion helps you doing/perceiving it.

But the real issue on training is not just the "twang" but ballancing the quality so that you still sound natural, have enough energy and still have low effort.

At Dan´s vid, the point which will go towards what I have in mind is around 6:00.

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Serious to more serious twang. This thread is great guys, nobody holding back :lol:

Student twang at 6:36 - I think I hear an "IH" vowel (SIT)

Teacher twang at 6:45 and from 6:48 - 6:51 ... it just gives me chills down my spine. That sounds like the quality of TWANG to me but still insanely refined. Opinions? Also could someone tell me the highest note in that passage?

The breathing/expanding technique sounds much more practical than I thought. To me I interpret it as.... when you sing LOUD and HIGH using TWANG -> you must consciously use some type of "expanding" internal support.

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here's one that goes at it a different way, so if you didn't grasp it the first time or another's methodology, as good as it may certainly have been (like the brazilian guy with the clock dials) sometimes you just have to hear it taught a different way. the same thing, but a different explanatory approach.

the core concept is one of learning to focus the voice....finding the accuracy point. then once you find it get more consistent and more accurate to use it in singing.

when the voice is coming from this place of focus you get to all the desirable things..the ring, the ping, the carrying power, the resonance, the voice is tuned.

just like the old analog transitor radios that you used to have to tune manually.....you'd turn the dial back and forth to hone in and capture the best part of the frequency of the radio station.

if you were off you had static, or you went off the station altogether. you had to slowly move the tuner till it was at it's best.

the younger folks may not remember these older slide rule tuners...lol!!!

i remember as a kid i'd be sitting in car and the guy in the car would have the radio tunes slightly off the frequency and i'd always want to fix it...lol!!!

remember those days brother ron?...lol!!!

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Question: What distinguishes opera from contemporary singing (mainly twanging)? Lowered larynx? Darker vowels?

I know opera singers use twang, but their vowels are so round and open on every note.

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Question: What distinguishes opera from contemporary singing (mainly twanging)? Lowered larynx? Darker vowels?

I know opera singers use twang, but their vowels are so round and open on every note.

I second this question.

What is the difference between them and contemporary singers? Is it the sheer volume, and space and availability of the resonators? The strength they develop in their vocal musculature?

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^ Thanks, Keith, I was about to embed that in to explain the connection I meant and you beat me to it.

Now, I must continue abusing the ears of my wife, dog, and cat with my singing. Since I work an average of 70 hours a week, I pay for my house on a 1/4 acre, so there is distance and at least the neighbors are spared much of the pain.

I could change that by singing on the back patio, though the echo will be greater if I go to the front patio. Maximum damage for the effort expended. :lol:

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to me the biggest difference is their need to have the voice project unamplified over a large audience.

it is a style based on the achievement of vocal perfection.

Pretty much this^^

To achieve this, opera singers use darker vowels (lower larynx) and rounder vowels (higher palate), which results in more space in the vocal tract that can be filled with air pressure, which in turn results in more volume.

It is also the reason why vocal fachs express themselves more in opera singing, because the lower your voice type the more you have to adjust your vocal tract to a smaller size for higher notes. At some point it gets so small that you can't get the full "chiaroscuro" sound anymore. Its the other way round for the higher voice types, which have to enlarge their vocal tract for the lower range to achieve chiaroscuro.

In contemporary singing that sound/volume is not a requirement and voice types are much less important.

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^ I like what Benny wrote. For me to do a low note feels like a stretch but I think he is right. To go to whichever end is different for you requires something to maintain balance.

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For me Twang at his best male demonstration: i give you my hero: Sananda Maitreya AKA Terence Trent D'arby

Cover of Wonderfull world of Sam Cooke

And the famous Holding on to you

This is so perfect! Twang, Distortion...

If someone could just give some exercices to get that kind of skills, i'm ok lol.

My God in singing!!!

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@Joshual

A great singer indeed!

Firstly what I notice is that his speaking voice already has a fair amount of airiness. Is this the way he normally speaks? Because this can either be habitual or pathological. Either way if you add some fair amount of twang on top of that you'll get a similar sound (twang also enhances the higher frequencies of the turbulent air). So as a technique (without pathology) you'll need a delicate balance of air and twang which can be very hard to find for some, but in any case due to the airiness the volume HAS to be low to medium at max. This is where the help from the mic is essential. Trying to sing loud with air - aka forcing is the worst you can do! Of course the "screams" are more adducted and more volume can be used!

A good way to begin is by starting on a comfortable pitch (preferably in the upper range) with a fair amount of air on an AH or your preferred vowel and then slowly add twang (lowering the palate and a high larynx can also help a lot). See how much twang you can add without loosing the airiness and remember to keep the volume low, especially in the beginning. And if it tickles or hurts stop right away, recoup and try again after you have checked the parameters mentioned above. Usually it's the volume that causes problems. To counter this you can put your fingers in the ears or at best use a mic with a high gain setting. Good luck and remember to drink water as the excessive amount of air can dry you out. :)

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My number 2 favorite singer #1 Sam Cooke #2 Sananda I saw him live in 95 on the Vibrator tour (the short blonde buzz cut) absolutely flawless..I may be able to help ya cop his thing a little. I have listened to just about every record except for maybe one of the ones he just put out on his site. So I've listened extensively

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