Sleeper256

Hi, I did a test earlier this morning, a drill my teacher prescribed. Pretty sure I was supposed to stop at C but with it I was able to go higher than I ever have, so I apparently hit A5, but I think it might've been falsetto. (Of course that's much harder in actually singing.) But I'm pretty sure it strained my voice and I wasn't able to sing other songs without being hoarse so I stopped practicing, and drank a lot of water, and I'm gonna give my voice a rest for maybe a day, just in case. Sidenote: I've taken your advice to try to stay away from really high notes until I can nail the lower ones and have more support and not have to scream, but I was just curious here. This was an exercise to try to keep my larynx still and you'll hear where that failed, as I blurt it out Anyway, with these daily exercises, I set it up on a track with a Tuner plugin in Logic, so I can listen back and try to adjust my voice because of pitchiness. It's not that bad, but you hear that falling off at the end of each note? That's something I want to change. I want to eventually get to a point where I'll never have to use an autotune. And the tuner goes crazy and is very hard to read because it shoots all over the place (not sure if its good for vocals), but I can see that I'm rarely right on pitch, always a little bit sharp or flat, or sometimes a lot, but it still registers as that note. So I'm wondering if you have any advice on fixing that kind of pitch problem? An exercise I can try to gradually hit the blue (that's perfectly accurate on the tuner) or at least closer to it? Or might that just be something that gets better as your support gets stronger? http://picosong.com/nmYx/ And while we're at it, do you have any advice on expanding range lower? Mine stops being coherent (just turns to growls, can't make words of it no matter how hard I try) at G2ish, and I'd like to be able to go to E2, because that's "the word is all of US" on Speak by Queensryche. Heres how that goes for me: http://picosong.com/nmeS/ Here's how it should sound: (Skip to 42 secs) Thanks!

Thanks, after reading that I did put in a solo XD

Hey Gina thanks! Right now I'm working on the breathing exercise of whispering counts to 10 while holding my breath, also the SSSS and ZZZZ noises. Normally I do that one ear off thing to listen to the outside world, because I'm usually singing in a small closet while my roommates aren't home so I listen for them. The clothes make good insulation I think. Sometimes I'm not sure when one of my roommates are home. I'm working on trying to keep my throat open too. And Nick, no I haven't tried practicing songs acapella. I usually have some sort of backing/guide. Otherwise my rhythm goes off. And the deal with this 'karaoke' songs is I can't control the volume of any instrument, it's all or nothing. But if it's my own song I usually mute all but a few instruments, maybe drums/piano. Or I make a sequence of notes that beep 8 times on the note that starts whatever I'm singing, before it gets to the part I'm about to record (hit record, then go to where the mic is, fix the wire, put on headphones, take a deep breath and wait for the beeps) and then put more beeps where there's some kind of big change, like maybe verse -> chorus or something, just to make sure I'm on the same track.

Original piece because it's only a short piece/exercise (sounds like the end, or a break), and I haven't made any other part of the song yet So today I just had an idea to experiment with harmonies, and also see if I could do a better C5 than before. Still think I need more support on the C5, but I'm glad it's still there, since I haven't reached for it in so long. And a simple 2 words just kinda popped into my head out of nowhere started that kinda evolved into this rough draft of a 80s-90s ish ambient rock type thing. Which reminds me, I want to try to make a rock cover of House Of Stone And Light soon. There's a ton of reverb/echo on vocals here, but no other effects except slight pitch correction on the lowest voice in the background echoes (I think it's called Droning, but correct me if I'm wrong) because that's baritone territory (G2-C3) and I was off by a little, but you can barely hear that voice anyway. Echoes/EverythingControl I actually like how this is coming along, and because it's original I don't have another singer to try to be by default. Anyway enough talk, please let me know what you think, maybe any tips on harmonies? (is what I'm doing called harmony?)

Hey guys thanks for all your input, sorry I haven't been here in a few days. Lord Adon, thanks, I've been trying to improve my ear with some exercises and quizzes, but I'm finding I'm still off a little bit. I also find that (today specifically) that I could be singing something I'm absolutely sure is a C note (without any other music) but as soon as I bring up a C on a piano, it turns out I'm actually somewhere in between a B and C, on a note that doesn't exist. But once I hear the C, I can sing it the right way, and the other notes fall into place. Do you have any tips on making this more natural, so that I don't have to refer to something all the time? Gina, David, MDEW, thanks I'll try to work more on my support. Currently I do take a deep breath in my diaphragm every time I get the chance to, like I'm going back underwater soon. I do find that I get anxious as I'm waiting for each next note. Like once I get to the point where the beeps start counting me in before the song starts I lose some resolve and might mess up the breath, I'll work on that. Also for some reason I think it's harder for me when I'm listening to myself through headphones where I can only hear what's being recorded and nothing else. So sometimes I just hang em on my neck so I can hear both the outside world and the headphones and for some reason this makes me feel better.

First off sorry you're having a rough day Ron. "False humility", I actually had to look that up. I didn't think I was being too depreciating up there, but you're right See my logic is just, I pay the voice teacher. But voice teacher contradicts himself on a couple of things, seems he says something the opposite of what he said last week sometimes. Says that pretty much everyone uses auto-tune in order to stay in complete pitch, and that the human voice naturally falters. Whenever he tries to show me what autotune sounds like like in a studio recording on youtube (not the HEAVY autotune) I can never pick up on it. And when I use the tuner inside Logic to try to measure my pitch, it's never on pitch. It's probably broken though. I know he's a great singer, but I feel it's possible he might've just been born with that natural talent, and I pay him, but because I pay him and know him I feel that might make him bias as opposed to you guys, who can be completely honest and tell me my weaknesses so I can tell my teacher and he can show me exercises that help with that. And also I don't even know where my lessons will end, I'll run out money eventually, or spend a fortune and always sound like I do now, and I'll not know when to stop. I've said all that before though so I obviously haven't gotten over it. But listening back to the day I started, I hear improvement. My voice is getting stronger, a bit more present. Less wavering. I think I got paranoid of my pitch when a couple different people told me to check my ears and my pitch is way off. But those were the first things I posted, looking back. Right now I'm noticing that my problems are mostly breaking on notes like "Smiling face on your TV" in Cult of Personality, for one. I also have a question, since your diaphragm is pretty much the main source of your sound, do ab exercises reflect on your singing? And what about hiccups? Hiccups are a spasm in your diaphragm right?

Hi! Been awhile... So the last time I posted I was doing more dream theater rock-type things that pushed the height of my voice, not so good... Well I've been sticking with lessons for maybe 3 months now, and I just wanted to get some feedback on what you think maybe I should work on with my teacher for technique. Also, do I typically have pitch problems? Because my teacher says I don't but I think I do. Maybe it's just the whole 'not sounding like those singers' thing still getting to me. Also around Christmas I had bronchitis and it killed my throat to even talk. But I got my voice back and only have a slight cough now very rarely. So I eased it up with this, trying to branch out into things I haven't done before. Songs I feel are less demanding. And I'm trying to sing with my diaphragm, but it still feels like I'm singing from my throat. Enough talk, on to the songs! Each one I did with one take and very minimal effects. In some I tried to remove the voice of the original but some reverb remained. Still recorded with a rockband usb mic. Held sorta to the side to reduce the pops. That's the way to do it right? Walking in Memphis (I know Marc Cohn is probably a baritone, but if Scott Grimes can do it, why can't I?? ....I'm pretty sure Scott's a tenor...) Cult Of Personality (Got the Karaoke track off of youtube, and there's some backup vocals on it.) Drops Of Jupiter (Ugh the end sucks I think I ran out of breath but I wanted to stick to the 1-take policy like it was live....except the Nananas. And I can't mimic his tone...is he raspy??) Roll With The Changes So, any progress? Am I ever going to be able to sing better? Thanks

Sorry, it's been near a week and I been busy and just noticed this now. Thanks for such a great response Ron, you sound like you know exactly what you're talking about. Now one more thing, and we're going to work on this tomorrow, but I find that I can't perceive when my throat is 'open' or 'closed'. It just happens, but I don't feel anything at all.

Hey Ron, thanks for your post! I asked my teacher before about getting a raspier voice for rock, and he said that the rasp is usually the result of years of drinking, smoking, and getting vocal nodes, which I understand are a bad thing. My main goal is to be able to sing 80s style rock, but also be flexible to sing anything with a rock-based background. He's basically taught me useful things like how to breathe correctly, but I feel I'm learning more combining his teachings with ones online and my own practice. There are days I honestly feel I'm wasting money because we just do a warmup and then he shows me youtube videos of great singers and how cords work. I mean I wish he would've just told me to look these up as 'homework' or something. But most days I feel we're getting stuff done. He tells me I oddly have a bunch of natural things like resonance and vibrato that others would kill for, but I'm like a kid with no idea what I've got or how to use them. To me, I don't hear that. I don't know if that's true or if he just wants me to give him money every week for years when there's really no way to improve what I have. I mean, yes, now that I know how to support I think I'm doing better, but I don't know what else can change...I just can't imagine my voice on like a studio track matching a professional or something ya know? I just think, will there ever be a time that I can sing a cover, then listen to the cover later and believe the singer was actually singing it? I just gotta put doubts out. Ok, I rambled. Anyway, in the future I think I'll try less high, easier songs for practice. What exactly is rasp and rattle? When I think rasp, I think ummm...buckcherry, or louis armstrong for two strong examples. But I'm seeing people say Bryan Adams is raspy, I wouldn't have recognized that until I started listening for it. It's weird how imagining things (breathe into lower back, aim sounds at back of throat, 2nd mouth) actually have an effect in reality. Thanks again for your post!

Anything to say? I'd really like some feedback

Hey there, since I lasted posted like a month ago I've found a teacher to help me weekly. I think it's making a big difference. So I wanted to see what you guys thought about any progress now. http://picosong.com/3CVC/ On the Backs Of Angels (Cut around vocals, track thanks to Keith who recommended easier DT songs and has been a great help) http://picosong.com/3CVq/ Surrounded (The high part) (That 'WAAAAALL' right after the rest is a doozy. Still can't do it.) And High F# attempt from Learning To Live, except I think I accidentally went higher, or sharp or something. Possibly because forcing it too much? I just wanted to see if I could even do it. Also, do you think this was falsetto? It didn't feel like it. http://picosong.com/392n/ All still recorded on a rock band mic, except the F# attempt which was just my phone. I feel like I haven't progressed enough to post here but I think it'd be good to have records and see what you guys think. Thanks! One more thing, my teacher tells me there's no surefire way to not damage your voice over a long time, especially in rock. But the training with proper technique helps to protect it. Is this true and if not, what should I be doing to assure myself I won't destroy my voice before it fully matures (I'm told that's around 30.) Also, he says that I should feel vibrations or something in my mask area, but no matter what, I don't, near my nose/sinuses. He felt it too and said it was weird there was nothing going on. Is this going to be a problem? ...damn, I told myself this would be a short post for once.

Hey thanks! Yeah Keith yours sounds so much better than mine! I just don't know how to get that support and resonance I guess. I don't know how to develop it and I dont know if I can or if my voice is just wired like this. And when you say higher notes, do you mean everything after "Heaven must be more than this!", or do you mean pretty much everything after the guitar starts? I didnt even know that was falsetto And Tommy that makes perfect sense, but I didn't realize the songs I picked were so demanding. They were just some of my favorites that I figured were within my range. Now, take something like Rock and Roll Band - Boston....I couldn't do that. That's too high. Can't even hit that highest note at the end when I tried, my voice basically just broke off. Tried Spreading The Disease - Queensryche because it had a good comparison of low and high, but that turned out to be way too hard. I thought Surrounded would be one of the less challenging vocal songs from DT. And Learn To Fly one of the less challenging ones from Foo Fighters. The thing is, I wasn't whispering at all, but because I need intensity I guess it sounds like that. What do you recommend for beginner songs, and developing intensity? Is it in my future to improve my voice (I fear its genetics), like maybe if I get a teacher and training, or should I just stick with instruments? Also, does my voice sound damaged, or nasal? And if it does how can I treat it? Also I think my range ends at D5, what does this make me? Thanks!!

Ok thanks for your response guys, I had some time to record some new covers of some of my favorite songs when my roommates weren't home. This should make it a lot clearer. Done with one flat take, a glass of water in between each song, no effects/compressor...a couple double tracks to fix lyrics I forgot in LtF and REO....you'll hear it trust me. I was singing with what I believe is my full voice standing, not just sorta mumbling/whispering. Kinda sounds like mumbling at times but I believe I was yelling. But I had headphones listening to myself so I'm not sure. Surrounded - Dream Theater (Used a MIDI as backing) Learn To Fly - Foo Fighters (Found backing track, forgot some lyrics...) Roll With The Changes - REO Speedwagon (Removed vocals, still some echo/reverb, forgot the ohhhhhhhs at the end, ended early.) So as you hear I need your help, honesty and magic. Thanks!

Hi! I'm new and I'm trying to improve my voice (read: start from scratch) and I just don't know where to start. The main thing I notice is it lacks power. I don't know how to say it other than that...it just sounds weak, airy, no ummm...presence...bass....not sure. I don't know if I can even sound as good as I'd like to. I wrote a quick little piece of a song just for fun, in no way finalized, it's sloppy and I'm sorry if everything is off beat and the mix sucks.. Its rock ballad-like and so I also apologize for cheesy lyrics. Which you may or may not hear clearly since I kinda made em up as I went along and mumbled some of them... I was also trying to not be that loud because people were sleeping, and I didnt want them to hear me sing So basically I'm just really looking for help with my voice, and this is the best place I know to ask. Last thing is I'm using an old USB rockband mic, but I dont think that should make too much difference. But what do I know? Maybe I should try another song, if ya need... i dunno, less filtered-to-hell-vocals-hiding-behind-music to make judgment then I'll sing a cover of something without effects....but...this is all I got right now EDIT: I did other covers for better example. They got normalized on output but I dont think that matters if you turn it up a bit. Surrounded - Dream Theater (Used a MIDI as backing) Learn To Fly - Foo Fighters (Found backing track, forgot some lyrics...) Roll With The Changes - REO Speedwagon (Removed vocals, still some echo/reverb, forgot the ohhhhhhhs at the end, ended early.) /EDIT Original song Serenade http://picosong.com/wa42/ Thanks!!