Man_In_Black

Try that one, I accidentally posted the mobile version.

I listened to this and the Hallelujah cover. It sounds as if you are purposely trying to add rasp for a stylistic effect. Don't do that yet.

It uses more tension on the cords and more air passing over them to get that effect. In other words it is harder to control. Use a more relaxed but supported sound for now. Adding the rasp when starting out is like putting the icing on before you bake the cake.

That makes sense, thank you. I'll try to work on it. That's a fantastic analogy by the way.

Cool man! i'd suggest working on developing a strong foundation in the chest, and then improve your range by doing lip rolls and other exercises which take strain off the voice. You'll find your range will be increased by so much once you "unlock" the use of head voice! it'll take your voice to a C5 most likely, well that's what it did for me. It will probably be very wimpy and weak to start off with but everybody's is! just keep working on that

Oh cool! I'll try, I'd love to increase my range and use head voice! Thank you!

Maybe it's just me, but are you straining? When you hit that E, it sounds like you're pulling chest up instead of incorporating the pharyngeal resonator and more head tone. It's fine, but if you sing any higher i fear it might hurt your voice.

Maybe though, it's just my interpretation. You sing your range fine, try to hold the notes for longer though

Oh no you're absolutely right. That E is pretty much my peak at the moment, and I have to strain a bit to get there. It's improving though. I've been working on it the past couple weeks and it's already much easier.

Cool! :cool: Yes, I believe that a lot of people are at least familiar with Jeff Buckley's version of "Hallelujah". I love that song! I see that you posted it, so I will check that out when I get time.

You named some great singers, and would love to hear you sing "Somebody To Love" by Queen if you can.

Oh my that's quite a challenge! I will try!=]

Hello MIB,

You have a good vocal foundation but as you said...you were off and in several places. My question is this...if you can hear that you are off, why not take the time to correct your pitches and do a good take on this song? If you can do better...than do better.

That's my take.

First of all, thank you! I agree, I'm a perfectionist, if this were for YouTube or something I would be showing to TONS of people, I definitely would have waited and redone it. I was rushed when recording it and I wasn't able to re record it

unfortunately, but I wanted to upload it just to get your opinions on my style and whatnot. I'll re record it when I can, praise.:)

I messed up in the chorus, I was off on the 4th Halelujah a couple times, and this was really pushing my upper register, but hopefully this shows what I'm capable of in a different way.

http://m.soundcloud.com/user996292020/hallelujah-cover

Will-Sing-For-Supper, thank you so much! I Erm, tried the breath thing and I can really see a difference. The style thing, I see what you mean. I'm about to post a cover of

hallelujah by Leonard Cohen, is that well known enough? I like Dean Martin and Michael Buble sounding guys, don't get me wrong, Dean Martin singing O Holy Night is one of the most amazing things to ever grace my ears, and i can somewhat do that style, but it's not really what I'm going for. Probably the best example of what I'd like to do is, some sort of freakshow blend of Elvis Presley, Dean Martin, Freddie Mercury, Johnny Cash, Michael Stipe, and Brandon Flowers, those are the kind of voices I like anyways. Or a male version of Brandi Carlile would be good too.

You have nice vibrato, for sure. If you're interested then you should definitely pursue it.:)

The next time you COUGH or LAUGH pay attention to what your stomache and ribs do. This is the area of support. keep the lower ribs expanded. When you take a breath let the bottom ribs expand.

The style of singing that you are doing has a laid back lazy feel to it. The sound itself may be cool but the problem is that the body will also react in a lazy way therefore it will not provide enough energy for a sustained note and some vowels will go flat.

Johnny Cash had a LAID BACK sound to his singing but he also had an energetic feel to it. Freddy Mercury always had an energetic feel.

Kurt Cobain had that lazy sound but his songs were still energetic.

That makes sense, thank you! I'll work on it!

too much Nasal -- for sure..... But you keep a bright tone - and that's a huge bonus... keep that going, but lay back on the nasal effect...

All you need dude, is what 90% of everyone I've come across needs ---- Support..... .that's why you "shake" on some notes, don't hold a steady sustain on others, pitchy where you shouldn't be.. etc... All comes to support man...

Practice your breathing, and you're well on your way. I think you have a very "indie" voice... better then a lot I've heard in the pubs....

Thanks for posting! I agree there's too much nasal, I'm trying to fix that. I've been pushing from my stomach more and opening my mouth wider. Apparently I should be tightening my core or something? I'm trying to fix the support issue, it's improving little by little. I appreciate it!=)

Well they are both great in their own ways. Maybe you are just falling too much into the 'nasal' sound I see a lot of people get.

Yeah that's definitely true. I'm working on that. I've been opening my mouth wider and singing in a higher key seems to help.

I hear a pop male vocal style, maybe something along the lines of inde? Not trying to be harsh, just saying.

Ahh. Well I'm not really sure what style I'm going for to be honest. My biggest inspirations vocally are guys like Johnny Cash and Freddie Mercury, I'm not really sure what style you have when you put those guys together. haha

I can't give you advice stylistically because the sound that you are going for is, in my opinion, not a very good one. What I can say is that you should watch those shakey sustained notes that you are losing. They need to be much more 'solid' if you get what I mean.

Thank you, I'll work on it.

I'm not really sure what you mean. I mean that song doesn't have the best writing, but I haven't really set a style for myself completely, I don't think.

It's a little pitchy but I think it still shows progress. A little bit flat in the chorus, especially, but it gets better at the end.

Appreciate any advice!=)

Auto-scroll wasn't working and I haven't learned the words to the last bit yet, but I hope it shows my progress.

It sounds like you are "Trying" to do something special with your voice. Like there is some kind of effect you are striving for. The reason I write that is because the first part of a word will be louder and forced sounding and then it will trail off becoming softer. At this point do not try to add any "Special" characteristics like a growl or fry or distortion. It sounds like you can have a very nice tone. If you try to force a tone that is not your natural tone you will just create more problems.

If you are not "trying" to create a tone that you do not have then I would say practice holding a steady note. What I mean by a steady note is a note that sounds the same from start to finish with no trailing off. The same volume from beginning to end.

There is a good voice there.

Thanks! And yeah I kinda add to it sometimes because my own tone is so whiny and monotone and I hate it, so I try to change it. I want to lead Worship music this July and I don't feel good enough.

I did a few more, this time with my mouth more open. Any better?

(Bridge right here is WAY off, I know.)

Your pitch is good. And you are singing in a good part of your voice, where you have the widest amount of control. A good place to start.

And here's what's wrong with your tone. Way too nasal. More apparent on "Simple Man" than "Broken." Mixing problems on the track aside (way too much treble), your consonants and esses are way to hard. Which means you are singing with a nearly closed mouth. Which means most of the tone is going through your nose. And that is most noticable on "Simple Man."

Stop it.

Open your mouth, just a little. Let the tone bounce off the juncture of the soft and hard palate. The tone actually comes out of your mouth even if some of the resonance is happening behind the sinus. Nasal resonance is not the same as nasal tone.

At least, in my amateur perspective.

You know how to sing the songs and you have good emotion. Just use less nose in the tone. Some might give me grief, since we have recently been having discussions on nasality.

Anyway, aim for a rounder tone.

Oh my gosh you're my new favorite person ever! That helped so much!:D

I hate my vocal tone! I can normally sing on key lately, but my tone is blegh. Here are some clips so you all can hear for yourself (Please ignore the Worship band one and the Iris one. Worship band one I'm not the primary singer, and Iris is badly off key):

Thanks in advance,

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Man In Black