Stuck with my singing, please help!

[Sriee96]

So Ive been trying to learn how to sing on my own for a little over two years now. The improvement was noticeable at first but I haven't seen any improvement in the past year. Also I don't really like my overall tone so tips on that would be great also! 

https://vocaroo.com/i/s01pMRhyLQc0

[kickingtone]

What specific improvements are you aiming for, and what don't you really like about your overall tone?

[Sriee96]

My problem is that I really can't tell what I should improve. I just want my voice to sound good enough that I can sing in front of people.  And about my tone I just think it's really flat and weak. Sorry I'm not too familiar with the technical side of singing or the vocabulary:D

[kickingtone]

ok

A singer is an artist. That means that you MUST have or develop CREATIVE INTENT. So, first off, you can build up positive ideas by listening to your favourite singers more critically, and deciding what it is that you like about their singing in particular -- physical sound AND psychological expression. Then you can start to incorporate some of those things as your voice evolves. A lot of voice training starts with listening. Yes, you have to put aside time for critical, not-so-easy-listening of other singers.

Listening to your one clip, you seem to be using one coordination for everything. But your last post shows that you appreciate and know the importance of DYNAMIC, without which the tone remains uneventful. You can explore head voice, chest voice, mix, falsetto, vowel modifications and shades, to achieve more dynamic and expression. Dynamic is the transition among the various modes, and expression comes through the artistic choice of mode.

I don't think that your tone sounds at all weak. There is some decent projection in there, but effort is showing through, and the cadence sounds a little too deliberate. If you keep practising, it will become easier and more natural sounding. Singing may be technical, but you probably don't want it to sound that way.

You are ok for two years of self-teaching, imo, and right to question, if you feel stuck.

I just want to emphasize that i think that it is crucial to have a target tone evolving in mind, even if you cannot achieve it now. It can, and perhaps should, be your own creation (not lifted from anyone else). And don't worry too much if you have to go through a "phase" to get close to it Your evolving creation is always supposed to be a step ahead of you, anyway, and, like the fruits of Tantalus, just out of reach.

 

 

[MDEW]

Your tone itself is not bad. It seems to me that you need to work on your vowels. Vowels change the shape the vocal tract and the shape of the vocal tract effects resonance and tone. Different cultures, nationalities and environments tend to influence the way we speak. We develop different accents and other characteristics or habits. It seems to me that your vowels are not finished. Meaning that you start to shape a vowel sound and do not quite get there. Instead of getting an Oh sound on a word you shape to an Ah. Almost like your tongue is not getting involved with  shaping  the vowel.

Out of curiosity where are you from?

[Sriee96]

2 hours ago, kickingtone said:

ok

A singer is an artist. That means that you MUST have or develop CREATIVE INTENT. So, first off, you can build up positive ideas by listening to your favourite singers more critically, and deciding what it is that you like about their singing in particular -- physical sound AND psychological expression. Then you can start to incorporate some of those things as your voice evolves. A lot of voice training starts with listening. Yes, you have to put aside time for critical, not-so-easy-listening of other singers.

Listening to your one clip, you seem to be using one coordination for everything. But your last post shows that you appreciate and know the importance of DYNAMIC, without which the tone remains uneventful. You can explore head voice, chest voice, mix, falsetto, vowel modifications and shades, to achieve more dynamic and expression. Dynamic is the transition among the various modes, and expression comes through the artistic choice of mode.

I don't think that your tone sounds at all weak. There is some decent projection in there, but effort is showing through, and the cadence sounds a little too deliberate. If you keep practising, it will become easier and more natural sounding. Singing may be technical, but you probably don't want it to sound that way.

You are ok for two years of self-teaching, imo, and right to question, if you feel stuck.

I just want to emphasize that i think that it is crucial to have a target tone evolving in mind, even if you cannot achieve it now. It can, and perhaps should, be your own creation (not lifted from anyone else). And don't worry too much if you have to go through a "phase" to get close to it Your evolving creation is always supposed to be a step ahead of you, anyway, and, like the fruits of Tantalus, just out of reach.

 

 

Thank you so much for taking the time to give such a comprehensive answer! I will listen to my favourite singers more critically and just keep practising!

[Sriee96]

2 hours ago, MDEW said:

Your tone itself is not bad. It seems to me that you need to work on your vowels. Vowels change the shape the vocal tract and the shape of the vocal tract effects resonance and tone. Different cultures, nationalities and environments tend to influence the way we speak. We develop different accents and other characteristics or habits. It seems to me that your vowels are not finished. Meaning that you start to shape a vowel sound and do not quite get there. Instead of getting an Oh sound on a word you shape to an Ah. Almost like your tongue is not getting involved with  shaping  the vowel.

Out of curiosity where are you from?

That's interesting! I'm from Finland and tend to speak from the back of my throat and that really isn't the sound I'm looking for when I'm singing and my accent probably affects my vowels quite a bit so will definetly concentrate on them more! 

[MDEW]

32 minutes ago, Sriee96 said:

That's interesting! I'm from Finland and tend to speak from the back of my throat and that really isn't the sound I'm looking for when I'm singing and my accent probably affects my vowels quite a bit so will definetly concentrate on them more! 

My Family is from the eastern central part of the US mainly Virginia and North Carolina. My accent is more towards the front of the mouth/nose I had to learn how to get rid of a high tongue position. Oddly one thing that helped me was listening to a Korean singer singing a Country song from a Nashville Tennessee singer and he was over accentuating the American accent.

Changing the space inside the mouth and throat is how you adjust resonance(position of lips, tongue, cheeks, soft palate, throat wall , larynx or adams apple position etc.). These are the same things that distinguish one vowel from another.  Accents are usually created by keeping one aspect or another static.

4 hours ago, kickingtone said:

Listening to your one clip, you seem to be using one coordination for everything. But your last post shows that you appreciate and know the importance of DYNAMIC, without which the tone remains uneventful.

Dynamics in tone can come from the different ways we sound when emotional. Emotional expressions seems to be universal. When mad you use a powerful loud deep voice, when sad soft and light, Crying.. high and shrill. Even if you do not speak a different language you can usually get an idea of a conversation between two people. You can tell whether they are mad, playful, serious, depressed...on and on by the "Tone" of their voice or rather from the ups and downs in volume or the changes from light to heavy  timbers etc. in the voice.  These same dynamics work to make a song more expressive and interesting to listeners.