Any opinion is more than welcome, tks!

[fidhell]

I'm 25, have been casually doing some exercises for years, but only focused on training everyday for the last 2 months.

What should I concentrate on FIRST? I would like sincere criticism. I don't think my voice is good atm, so albeit knowing what's working is a good thing I really want help in fixing my **?color?(**my voice just doesn't sound pleasant to me even if not strained and in pitch), my agility in the upper range, and understanding what out of pitch, tone and key mean...cause I haven't figured it out, and I don't know which one I'm doing, although probably all 3!

Of course I know a vocal teacher is the best option...but atm, money is short and I don't feel good about getting free sample lesson one after another and not hiring anyone...they need to eat and should waste time with whom is actually going to pay.

I'm providing 3 songs that I both like, and each cover a different part of my range, feel free to comment on whatever aspect strikes out more to you!(IT'S PROBABLY VERY LOUD)

YM\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\(Your Man-Josh Turner)

This one starts and stays on my lower range(I can hit the F2 with focus, but here I only managed to get to the G2)

CR1\\\\\\\\\\\\(Country Roads) End verse

The most difficult one tbh..I did it because it matches a range close, and passing my bridge, Definitely some wrong pitches there, but I really don't know what to do to ease this part of my voice.

LP1\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ LP2\\\\\\\\\\\(Livin on a prayer-Bon Jovi)

I provided 2 audios cause although it wasn't as difficult to hit and maintain notes as with the previous song, actually hitting the Eb5 instead of the F5, E5 or even D#5 seemed impossible, it's as if the higher the octave the less precise I get with pitches.

Thanks so much for your time!

[kickingtone]

22 hours ago, fidhell said:

What should I concentrate on FIRST?

I would say breathing or "breath support". I'm sure you know that has a special meaning in singing pedagogy.

Basically, you can't "fix" tone until you bring it all out. Breath support will help get your registers blending and transitioning more efficiently. Then you have more choice in whatever tone you want to produce.

Tone is very subjective, and you don't say what it is that you don't like about your tone. If you are more specific, then someone may be able to give you their technical take on it.

You seem to be very well organized! Keep the recordings. Archive them and track your progress. I think that a cappella is the most important part of the training. You can really scrutinize your voice when you sing a cappella and listen to the recording.

I think you have good natural ability to work with. All the best with it! 

[fidhell]

15 minutes ago, kickingtone said:

I would say breathing or "breath support". I'm sure you know that has a special meaning in singing pedagogy.

Basically, you can't "fix" tone until you bring it all out. Breath support will help get your registers blending and transitioning more efficiently. Then you have more choice in whatever tone you want to produce.

Tone is very subjective, and you don't say what it is that you don't like about your tone. If you are more specific, then someone may be able to give you their technical take on it.

You seem to be very well organized! Keep the recordings. Archive them and track your progress. I think that a cappella is the most important part of the training. You can really scrutinize your voice when you sing a cappella and listen to the recording.

I think you have good natural ability to work with. All the best with it! 

I honestly don´t know what to say about my tone...that´s why I'm asking others...Do I sound unplesant in my range, be it upper or lower? is there just something that sounds weird even on pitch? I have considered the option of it just being that reaction we all have when listening to ourselves for the first time...just happening every time,lol.

If I had to define to you what I find beautiful in a voice I´d say 3 things, powerful, as clear as possible from distortions; raspiness, and understandable wording wise...this guy singing fits the bill, but a tad less operatic and  I have no problem going more "rock-y" to access my upper range.

I´m always going acapella, vocals are what matter to me and putting them on the table by themselves really allows you to be sensitive to all imperfections that might would otherwise be masked by waves of other sounds.

But I do ask, given I´ve had these terms thrown at me with good intention, but I´m still confused...is my intonation ok? From what I understand, it´s the capacity of going from pitch to pitch correctly...which I do think is a bit off especially in Livin on a Prayer, where I kept hitting the F instead of the Eb ...

Tks again!

 

[kickingtone]

1 hour ago, fidhell said:

I honestly don´t know what to say about my tone...that´s why I'm asking others...

But you have to know! That is what creative art is all about. You can't let other people decide, otherwise you will get pulled in every direction.

1 hour ago, fidhell said:

...this guy singing fits the bill, but a tad less operatic

ok, I feel more confident speaking my mind, now, as we both agree that this dude sounds good. (I don't like talking at cross purposes if someone has completely different taste in singing.)

I think that the operatic quality is important to this guy's sound, because it is built around blended (not bridged) registers. He uses the richness of his tone to colour it. So, he doesn't need rasp or stuff like that to give it character. Also, a blend of registers is a great dynamic. Instead of jumping between registers he can lean as little or as far as he wants, giving greater scope for expression. That is why I like these kinds of singers.

It is my opinion that that comes from the classical breathing technique. You can use classical breathing techniques without adopting the classical sound.

In my opinion, your second clip sounded the most natural. The pitch is good and the timing is good. I think it could do with a touch more "cry" in the sound - a bit more chesty buzz. It think that Ramin Karimloo uses that cry mix well throughout the song, and it balances the tone.

I don't know if I am splitting hairs for the first clip, but I think that your low register could be a bit more responsive. For me, it seems to kick in a tad late and throw off the pitch. Or it may be diphthong problem. Maybe MDEW will see this and comment. I'm just getting the feeling that, although you are hitting the right notes, the timing is upsetting the sound.

Last clip, sorry, but the pitch sounded very out to me. But, I do have to confess that I am not really the right person to ask how good the tone sounds. I don't mostly like the sound of the male voice singing what has been called the "money notes"! Neither do I like belts and screams. I like more timbral sounds.

[fidhell]

2 minutes ago, kickingtone said:

But you have to know! That is what creative art is all about. You can't let other people decide, otherwise you will get pulled in every direction.

ok, I feel more confident speaking my mind, now, as we both agree that this dude sounds good. (I don't like talking at cross purposes with someone who has completely different taste in singing.)

I think that the operatic quality is important to this guy's sound, because it is built around blended (not bridged) registers. He uses the richness of his tone to colour it. So, he doesn't need rasp or stuff like that to give it character. Also, a blend of registers is a great dynamic. Instead of jumping between registers he can lean as little or as far as he wants, giving greater scope for expression. That is why I like these kinds of singers.

It is my opinion that that comes from the classical breathing technique. You can use classical breathing techniques without adopting the classical sound.

In my opinion, your second clip sounded the most natural. The pitch is good and the timing is good. I think it could do with a touch more "cry" in the sound - a bit more chesty buzz. It think that Ramin Karimloo uses that cry mix well throughout the song, and it balances the tone.

I don't know if I am splitting hairs for the first clip, but I think that your low register could be a bit more responsive. For me, it seems to kick in a tad late and throw off the pitch. Or it may be diphthong problem. Maybe MDEW will see this and comment. I'm just getting the feeling that, although you are hitting the right notes, the timing is upsetting the sound.

Last clip, sorry, but the pitch sounded very out to me. But, I do have to confess that I am not really the right person to ask how good the tone sounds. I don't mostly like the sound of the male voice singing what has been called the "money notes"! Neither do I like belts and screams. I like more timbral sounds.

I never stopped to consider that his success came from mixing more...I had the sense that operatic singers were clutched to their chest voices like a turtle to a shell.

I'll definitely listen to the first song again and try to hear the timing issue.

About the high notes...yeah, maybe that mixing thing is what'll solve it...what happens is that when I know I'm gonna have to sing a high note I throw the whole verse into head voice to get myself ready for that one part...so that's why the pitches are way higher than they should be...I'll  take a look into mixing more and operatic breathing techniques.

About the tone, I do agree with you that some people tend to push their "money notes" so much that they sound awful to me(Bruno Mars is problematic imo) thats why I'd rather have my head voice usable to avoid as much strain  and give out that easy sound,like Ramin does

[kickingtone]

11 minutes ago, fidhell said:

I never stopped to consider that his success came from mixing more...I had the sense that operatic singers were clutched to their chest voices like a turtle to a shell.

The chiaroscuro sound has grown on me slowly. I think it gets compromised, though, if the singer has to use a lot of power (necessary to fill an auditorium before they had mics). I don't think you can do that without distortion, and I am not a fan of too much distortion.

Yes, the squillo part of the classical singer's sound mixes with the scuro or dark chesty sound (although they probably don't call it a mix). The squillo (the head voice bit) places in the classical mask, which is higher than the contemporary placement. It is a lot more powerful and flexible, too.