Nick Denison

Regarding your uncomfortable experience with recording and struggling to hear yourself properly. Firstly, are you practicing your songs acapella? (i.e. taking a reference pitch and then singing without a backing track/guide. Checking that you are staying on pitch by resounding your reference note/chord as you work the song) If so, you should try turning your other tracks (the pitched ones - guitars etc) way down in the mix when recording. Leave some drums or other timing references higher in the mix to help you stay in time. People naturally tune to the bass/bottom end of the sound, be it in singing, trumpet playing (yes, they have to worry about tuning too!) or whatever. So leave some of that if you need it. Now crank the monitoring of your own voice coming back through the headphones, so you can hear every nuance of what your doing. You need only hear the pitched tracks loud enough to get your bearings for pitch before you start singing. Then sing it with confidence because you've (hopefully) worked the song acapella, and have the confidence to know you're on pitch. I guess it's that old saying, "horses for courses". Different things work for different people. IMHO I'd stay away from doing funny things with the headphones. Having one ear on, one off, having them half on your ears, around your neck etc. In my experience these things (particularly using one headphone only) can really screw your equilibrium and do weird things to how you hear pitch. Just my opinion though, and no doubt it seems to work for some.

Felipe, you crooned me all the way A note about your English, it's very good here man, well done. If I didn't know your native tongue was Portuguese, I would absolutely believe your mother tongue was English. I listened to your take on "For Whom the Bell Tolls" (which I understand is older material?) and there is a massive difference in the naturalness of pronunciation. Is it a case of having greatly improved your accent, or do you think the Metallica cover was a greater challenge, regarding the accent? edit : PS The above is by no means a negative criticism of your singing "for whom the bell tolls", I found it unique and enjoyable.

My apologies! I had another listen and it's higher than I first thought. The chorus does the B - F sharp thing. Beltable if you've got (i.e. developed) a strong mid voice I definitely don't think you have a 'low' voice. I missed the higher notes at he end of the song before. You get up to an e flat right at the end there - but it's hard to hear as it's hidden in the mix a bit. Be cool to hear that part a little more exposed, to better hear what you're doing there. I concur with Ron, keep this stuff coming.

Took me a while to realise you are playing all the parts yourself.... Well done! That kind of adaptability will surely serve you well. Sounded like a good mix too, and the multi tracking film edit you did was cool. I'm not familiar with the song, so I won't say anything about your interpretation etc. Whilst there is nothing particularly technical vocally in this song (does not appear to move through or beyond the passagio - stays comfortably in 'chest') your delivery sounded true to the style. I don't mean at all to devalue the music or your efforts, simply an observation. I look forward to more of these one man band productions from you!

Hi.. Is this an original song? (I'm assuming yes?). Do you want input on your vocals, your song, your production? all of the above? It's a little unclear from your post.

I think if you re-post your clip with far less effects on your voice (perhaps just some basic reverb and compression), no doubling etc, it would be much easier for people to give feedback on your singing. Having said that, I can hear some good stuff in there (some pitch issues here and there perhaps), but I'll refrain from commenting further until I can hear it a little dryer. I think you'll get more people commenting if you re-post. Look forward to hearing it :)

I enjoyed that, compositionally, very much! Very refreshing to hear a departure from the well worn 3 chord type formula. Especially like the major/minor juxtaposition thing she had going there, which could have been weird, but she made it really cool with her chosen vocal line on top (and subsequent chord choices).

Great man. A beautiful fusion of the eastern aesthetic with rock here. I'm guessing the departure point regarding the eastern influence is Indian music? Just listening to the sitar sounds on that one. Vocally, I really dig your use of melismatic lines. I get the sense you could improvise them all day and night. Great stuff!

I'm with Keith and Ron. Great song, just rolls along nicely and leaves nothing to be desired. Satisfying! I have a question.... I'm guessing that's a vintage tube amp on the crunchy guitar? Great warm sound. If that's not a boutique tube amp of some kind, it's a damn good emulation of one!

x 2 on What Owen has said, not to contradict myself regarding being totally relaxed.... but ultimately it comes down to a smart management of tension, healthy tension. I think many coaches throw the "absolutely no tension" thing out there, as a means to get students away from unproductive clenching and gripping, as Owen said. Once you are rid of the bad tenancies to tense, and push, and understand the difference between that, and a healthy 'squeezing' of the sound, you can start getting more adventurous with your approach.

Deutschland! ach so! Ich komme aus Australian, aber ich spreche ein bisschen... Ich habe für zwei jahre Deutsch gelernt, denn reise ich im nächsten Jahr nach Deutschland (villeicht...). Excuse the dodgy grammar Yes, it does seem a paradox! That was my big epiphany I spoke of, learning to relax. That and vowel modifications, also thinning the sound down as I got higher (these things you will learn about ) In regards to relaxing and singing powerfully, you must develop the power from the diaphragm, not with tension or constriction in the throat. Throat stays relaxed, open. Diaphragm develops power (you will read about "support" and the 'support mechanism'). Also counter intuitively, you will learn to use far less air as you try to sing more powerfully or higher. Too much air is a voice killer..... and will have your voice hoarse and sore in no time. So the use of the diaphragm isn't about blasting loads of air through your vocal folds. There are experts here who have written great articles on this stuff, so I'll not blabber on about it put in some search terms such as "open voice", "support", "Diaphragm" etc on this forum, and you will lots of material to read! and also vids to watch too. Once it clicks, and it's ingrained in muscle memory, you'll wonder how you could have done it any other way Ich werde jetzt zu Bett gehen! es ist hier 5am.... I look forward to your future posts and development ! Not in a band currently..... I'm busy finishing a postgraduate degree so unfortunately there's not much time for anything else Plus Adelaide (where i live) is quite.... lets say 'desolate' for a music scene. Although as soon as I finish my degree here, and move (possibly to Germany for further study) I will def do it!

ahh cool. I was sure you are a woman! but didn't want to assume, as some guys have high voices, and a guy might be upset to know he sounds feminine... (if he thought he had a muscular sound, you get the gist ) so I was being careful. Go for it, seriously. A few years ago, I was awful, totally useless. If I hadn't gone for it anyway, I wouldn't have gotten to where I am today. In my case, some coaching from a singing coach, lots of trial and error on my part and finally having it all 'make sense' , a eureka moment. If your throat is hurting and closing... you need to avoid whatever is doing that. Singing should never, ever hurt. Even if you're belting the hell out of your voice. When does it happen? when trying to sing too loudly? or too high (for you at this stage). You're probably trying to pull your chest voice up too high, and having your larynx do something awful. There are people more qualified to advise you than me.... but I'd say, keep your throat open, like a yawning sensation. That's a good rule of thumb in general. Open and relaxed. Out of curiosity, where in Europe?

Hi, I agree with Tommy. Everyone has the potential to develop their voice as far as they want to take it. You've made a good start, you have some decent feel for pitch, well done! Now it's time to hone what you have into its true potential. Well done on having the courage to sing acapella (with no backing track). Read these forums, ask questions. Perhaps get hold of a recommended DIY voice method, or better, a vocal coach to really get things going. It's much the same as asking if you can be a bodybuilder or not. Everyone has the potential, some start out with naturally better physiques than others (just as some singers start out with more natural abilities). With hard work you will get there. Having said all that, I liked the folk like melody of the song, and your sensitivity to dynamics. I don't mean to insult by asking this question, but are you a male? or female?

Having read your disclaimer, and Felipe's criticism, I was expecting something far more abominable... Sure, I can see you point, and where Felipe is coming from, but I still enjoyed it all the same. I just dig your tone in general man, consider me a fan haha. Probably on the quieter high bits your struggling with....it may be one of those cases where it's more simple/easier than it seems, when you just relax into it and stop trying. And that there is potentially the most vague, unqualified advice you'll ever receive Keep 'em coming man.

That was great man. Along with the others who have mentioned Neeley, I also heard him in there. Intentionally, or unintentionally, you really captured some of his nuances. I had just been listening to (and enjoying) Neeley's live performance on YouTube recently, so it's very fresh in my mind! love the production too, nice and crisp sounding, Nice reverb too. May I enquire as to the mic you use?

Mines coming.... gimme a few days. A5's will break my balls... but oh well, all part of the fun :D

I listened to your earlier post and this newer one back to back, and for sure, you are sounding more confident. Good work. I think it would serve you well to sing these songs without also playing the guitar at the same time, at this stage. Really give the singing priority, so you can concentrate all your efforts into it. I understand that might be tricky, without a backup track.... see what you can find in that department. I agree with Keith, you sound like you're starting out, putting your first foot forward in the journey of your voice. Now, I don't mean that in any kind of negative sense at all. You ask if this would sound "ok" at a house party/open mic session? I would say, of course! these are usually relaxed environments. As Keith said, you can do it all on your own, and you will get 'there' eventually, but it will take a LOT longer, and you may chase your tail around trying to figure things out on your own. Definitely a good plan to get a program or a vocal coach for sure. I think that's fine, but understand that as you grow your voice and develop your technique, you will be presented with a far larger range of choices, and that what was comfortable for your voice previously, will shift significantly. Be excited by this! Don't stress. Age is largely irrelevant. Think of it like weightlifting, sure, a 20 yr old will get stronger quicker, but you can too, with a little more time. Just takes time. I'm with Keith. There is no "can't do"! I was terrible when I started out. No natural flair for singing at all. But I've chopped away at it. It's all about how much you're willing to invest yourself into it. You can sing anything if you apply yourself and train for it. A final note. A choir director once said to me: "Better to sing loudly and bad, than quietly and well" What he meant was, if you're insecure, then don't be afraid to sound bad, just let it loose no matter how bad you might sound (I'm not saying, blow your voice to bits, just, put the insecurity aside, and go for it). That's better than being insecure and quiet. Expect to make some awful sounds, embrace the notion. Keep it up man, I look forward to following your progression

Nice work Keith, I love how you comfortably transverse all manners of genre's, but stay "Keith", if you follow. Your vibrato is interesting...Quite wide and exaggerated and the tone sort of almost disappears altogether on the bottom end of the wobble, if that makes sense (?). Do you approach your vibrato in terms of modulating the (breath/diaphragm) pressure for that machine gun effect? As opposed to purely manipulating the pitch? This is not a criticism at all. I'm curious, and think it sounds great. Especially when done fast. I agree with Ronws, Keith's tone does have an operatic quality to it. Are we going to confuse him for a classical tenor singing an opera? no, of course not. But it's there in the resonance and some of the instinctive covering he does for sure.

Brilliant! I also accept this challenge. Just need to some time to learn the song! embarrassingly, I haven't listened to it enough to have it ingrained :/ Loved both interpretations. Robert, I really dig the bottom end of your voice on the low notes, and your screams were emotionally charged - like a tortured soul. Beautiful. DJDeath.... as I expect from hearing other things you have done, you are a monster! pierdolony dobre! (excuse my hopeless Polish)

I'd like to chime in here. Welcome to the forum, and welcome to the journey that is the discovery of your voice. Your pitch wasn't terrible at all. I think it's a good start, and once you start getting the essentials of technique in place (critically, 'support') your pitch ought to become stable. Not embarrassing at all. Here's my objective take on it: right now you're singing with your speaking voice. You'll be amazed at what your voice can do when you guide it correctly, how it will grow into a monster! But as Keith said, you need that guidance. Don't be afraid of putting the guitar down and singing solo. Ultimately you must do this to master your voice. Expect to make some horrid noises at first while you get it all working (your voice), and for people overhearing you to make potentially disparaging comments. It's all par for the course. Just keep at it with whatever program your working with, and it will come.

Excellent. I'm in agreeance with Ronws. Very Sell-able sound with commercial values. What you have there are the beginnings of a potentially great song. My background is that of a composer (who sings for fun), so I can tell you that the next step for you, is to craft this into a song with structure. After the vocals at 0:45, maybe you could change up the chord progression, maybe modulating to another related key perhaps.... maybe a good moment to make a bridge into some kind of chorus that complements and contrasts the first part ? That's just my 2 cents on it. It's all entirely subjective of course, you may have you own unique visions as to the direction it will take! I look forward to hearing what you make of it.

Hi Wes. I quite liked the tone of your lower notes, before the higher stuff starting at 0:24. It sounds like you're pulling chest up and constricting (I hear tension there) on the higher stuff, and trying to maintain the original vowel sounds. You need to relax the throat, keep it open, and adjust your vowels (I hope others on here will chime in on that, as plenty would explain it better than myself). Your support sounds good, so that's good. You have a nice voice there, just needs to be tamed Are you working with any vocal programs etc?

Welcome! I enjoyed both your covers. Your sense of pitch is good, especially since you were singing unaccompanied. constructive criticism: I think you need more support for the sound, even if it is quite a gentle song. More support to carry you through the phrases strongly. Your tone is nice, but a little nasal perhaps. I'm not very familiar with the aesthetics of the style you are singing.... so perhaps this is desired? Not sure. It does sound a little pinched though. Dropping your jaw a little more and focusing on resonating in a nice open, relaxed throat could help. Worth pursuing? silly question of course! Keep at it, and welcome to the forum ! Nick

Welcome to the forum. First off, everyone has potential man. I was an abomination when I started, and through hard work and stubbornness, I am less abominable. You have potential, as does anyone with a set of vocal folds. I wasn't familiar with the Maroon 5 song, so I had a listen to the original first. First observation is that you are singing the song significantly lower than the original, perhaps because you sang it without taking a pitch reference first, and also that's probably your comfort zone vocally. Not a problem, but just an observation. You mentioned you have just started with Ken Tamplin's program? excellent. That's also my poison, and will take you far, if you put in the hard work. He hammers on about 'support' a LOT, and that's something you need a lot more of. You sound a bit unsure of yourself... and aren't really getting into your resonant singing voice. Don't be afraid to be louder. Start supporting, and working on your resonance (will help when you start taking the song up to correct pitch). I'll leave it for others more knowledgeable to get into more technical stuff. I don't know the song well, but your pitching sounds ok, and will be better still with solid support. So good start! and keep at it. The people on this forum will be helpful and encouraging. Nick

Cool man, that's the deal I was suspecting. Was curious on your thoughts on it. It's a pretty good policy working things from a non aggressive position, whether the intention is to beef it later or not. Hard to say what's going on when you do give it a belt.... maybe brutalizing a vowel without modification? or maybe it's just some nice glottal compression that's freaking you? Irrelevant I guess as you're not taking that path, just food for though and my own entertainment Yeah, those low head tones are tough. No doubt the power will come. The resonance already sounds great, and I am quite enviable.....