The Show Must Go On (Queen)

[LydiaN]

Okay, I said a while ago that I was going to put something out here, but my husband and I are still working on our covers and haven't recorded anything yet. So I happened to playing songs and singing along while I cooked and cleaned up after dinner and "The Show Must Go On" came on which is one of my favorites to sing--well, try to sing anyway. I decided to record it on my mp3 player while I sang along with the original in my headphones. There was a lot of background noise so I did edit the noise out using Adobe Audition (although you still can hear a door close at the end that I couldn't remove). It seemed to add a little reverb to my vocals which I kinda like. The file is all just my voice, no backing tracks to hide my imperfections.

I haven't had any vocal lessons since 2001, so please tell me what things I need to work on. Be gentle please, I'm no Freddie Mercury...

http://www.box.net/shared/d7iajgoizx

[ronws]

Excellent breath support. It actually requires greater control over breath to sing high and soft than to sing high and loud. I didn't hear so much of the room reverb, probably because of the noise reduction that you did. A light, high voice that floats on air like a hawk riding the wind currents.

[LydiaN]

Thanks Ron, that was very kind of you. It's actually easier for me to sing in my higher range and I have a lot more power and breath control there than in my lower range. I'm not sure why, though. Did you notice anything at all as far as technique that I might need to work on? Maybe it's hard to judge when I'm singing along with someone else. I'll post one of the covers when my husband and I get one finished.

Lydia

[ronws]

I noticed, believe it or not, that it had something of an R & B feel and I don't say that, knowing of your ethnic background from another thread. I say that because I could hear some nasal quality popular in some of the more recent R & B songs. Nothing wrong with that. Just a stylistic thing. If, however, you wanted to negate some of the nasal tone, dropping the jaw would raise the soft palate and move it back to the upper throat, which would give more of a "rock" sound. Again, I like your version because it's you. Lately, when some uploads themselves singing a song and a version of the original. I don't even listen to the original. I just want to hear that person sing. And you have excellent volume control, tribute to both your breath support and adduction abillities.

I also liked the "softer" approach you gave this song. Freddie belted it like a rock anthem. Your take portrays more of the pathos from a slightly different perspective. That is, there is nothing I can "critique" as we're really talking about stylistic differences. And what if you sang it exactly as he did and managed to have the same timbre (difficult to do as he was a lebanese national with dual citizenship raised in Great Britain,) so what? Then we'd have a Freddie part deux. Instead, we have Lydia, who can also sing "The Show Must Go On."

[devaitis]

Ive never thought that it is possible to sing this classic song in other stylistic way. You show it is possible - thank you! So I'm on my way to sing "Show must go on" just like cover not tribute.

hmm,...very interesting.... a shy try http://www.box.net/shared/lbj6sy83rq

but im afraid that people wont accept this song in another frame! We are accustomed to rock vocal in this song. I want to be wrong with that.

[LydiaN]

Ive never thought that it is possible to sing this classic song in other stylistic way. You show it is possible - thank you! So I'm on my way to sing "Show must go on" just like cover not tribute.

hmm,...very interesting.... a shy try http://www.box.net/shared/lbj6sy83rq

but im afraid that people wont accept this song in another frame! We are accustomed to rock vocal in this song. I want to be wrong with that.

OMG!!! I love it!! The acoustic guitar really compliments your voice... Can you do the whole song? :D

[LydiaN]

I noticed, believe it or not, that it had something of an R & B feel and I don't say that, knowing of your ethnic background from another thread. I say that because I could hear some nasal quality popular in some of the more recent R & B songs. Nothing wrong with that. Just a stylistic thing. If, however, you wanted to negate some of the nasal tone, dropping the jaw would raise the soft palate and move it back to the upper throat, which would give more of a "rock" sound. Again, I like your version because it's you. Lately, when some uploads themselves singing a song and a version of the original. I don't even listen to the original. I just want to hear that person sing. And you have excellent volume control, tribute to both your breath support and adduction abillities.

I also liked the "softer" approach you gave this song. Freddie belted it like a rock anthem. Your take portrays more of the pathos from a slightly different perspective. That is, there is nothing I can "critique" as we're really talking about stylistic differences. And what if you sang it exactly as he did and managed to have the same timbre (difficult to do as he was a lebanese national with dual citizenship raised in Great Britain,) so what? Then we'd have a Freddie part deux. Instead, we have Lydia, who can also sing "The Show Must Go On."

Wow, what an interesting take... and I'm really happy to hear that I didn't sound like I was trying to imitate Freddie. That's one of my biggest fears, and biggest challenge, when doing a cover--trying to sound like me and not the original artist. Another thing, my kids were in bed when I was recording this so I was trying to sing loudly, but not too loudly, so maybe that have contributed to the slightly nasal sound?

Thank you for your feedback--I really appreciate it! I'm actually excited about posting something else...

[Guest]

I found this very nasal, possibly due to recording software or mic. Your pitch seems to be good, although it's hard to tell without any music. There doesn't seem to be much breath support, evidenced by not much or too fast vibrato, something voice lessons could probably help. That and lots of singing.

[ronws]

I liked yours, too, devaitis. You have a light voice type that matches this song, I think.

[LydiaN]

I found this very nasal, possibly due to recording software or mic. Your pitch seems to be good, although it's hard to tell without any music. There doesn't seem to be much breath support, evidenced by not much or too fast vibrato, something voice lessons could probably help. That and lots of singing.

I appreciate your comments... However, I posted just a quick recording made with my mp3 player, which I thought had pretty darn good sound considering the mic was just a small hole on the side of it, and not professional recording equipment. I didn't think I needed to use that since I was not going for studio quality sound. All I wanted was to get something out quickly and get some advice on what I need to work on. Isn't this, after all, a vocal forum where we are here to encourage and help each other improve?

As far as vibrato is concerned, isn't it something that happens toward the end of a sustained note, if there is proper breath support? Are you saying that vibrato should be present all of the time on every note sung? I noticed that as I hold notes that I do have a vibrato. I tried to research too fast vibrato to see what it would sound like and found very little on the subject other than it can cause pitch problems. But since I was on key (which should be evident whether music is present or not), is my problem really too fast vibrato? How do you tell if a vibrato is too fast? And if so, how do you correct it? Since I am currently unemployed, voice lessons are completely out of the question right now--which is why I posted here. If I am not using proper technique, then "lots of singing" will not help at all because I don't know what I am doing wrong.

I know that a lot of people have listened to my recording--can you please help? What problems do I have and how do I "fix" them? (By the way, my next post will be recorded using professional equipment and complete with background tracks, for those who prefer posts with music...)

Thanks!!

[Guest]

I don't know what to say other than "not properly supported." The beginning was possibly too low, as in out of your range. And yes you would benefit from voice lessons or choral singing, which is free, and something I have done most of my life. Studio quality recordings aren't necessary, I did my recording only with the laptop mic. And no, it's not easy at all to be on key with no music. Unless you're barbershop quartet person, most of us need it to stay on. I have been singing chorally my whole life, I'm now 41, and have had voice lessons interspersed with that time in college and grad school, just to affirm a few qualifications.

[LydiaN]

I don't know what to say other than "not properly supported." The beginning was possibly too low, as in out of your range. And yes you would benefit from voice lessons or choral singing, which is free, and something I have done most of my life. Studio quality recordings aren't necessary, I did my recording only with the laptop mic. And no, it's not easy at all to be on key with no music. Unless you're barbershop quartet person, most of us need it to stay on. I have been singing chorally my whole life, I'm now 41, and have had voice lessons interspersed with that time in college and grad school, just to affirm a few qualifications.

Jdawg--I never said that I wouldn't benefit from more voice lessons--that's why I'm here. What I said is that if no one can tell me where my technique is flawed and how to fix it, then lots of singing isn't going to help because I would still be using the same flawed technique. Maybe the not properly supported part you mention was because I was sitting at my desk and not standing like I normally would when recording for real...

I also did not say that it is easy to sing on key without music--even though you can't hear it, I was singing along with the original recording. My statement was made from the listener's point of view. If someone is out of key, I can hear it whether or not music is present, but then again, I must have a highly sensitive ear. There are some songs on the radio I just cannot listen to because the singer is flat. If I am singing a song that I am very familiar with--I know whether or not I'm on key whether there is music or not--even if we have transposed from the original key of the song.

Btw--I was not attacking your qualifications. I was looking for more than just "Gawd, you suck--you need voice lessons..." Tell me why I suck and specific ways on how to suck less..

When I posted here, I thought that this was the place where the vocal professionals would critique my technique and give pointers on how to improve. Now I understand why jonpall posted his recording in the vocal technique section.....

[Guest]

It's NOT your technique. I can see that word gets thrown around here. It's like has always been said on Idol, the only popular show I can think of, "song selection." And I have been very specific and NEVER said you suck. I wonder what your vocals would sound like on a song sung by a female. And I, as a listener, need to hear music AND vocals to make a judgment as to quality of tone and pitch. As any judge would say, without going into the specifics a coach would do, I can say that we should never get so wrapped up in our song choice that we are unwilling to find one that suits our voice better. I certainly have my favorites, but if I were gigging or preparing for a contest that involved money I would want the best songs for MY voice:)

[ronws]

I think, what it is, jdawg, is that your style of commenting puts people off. You mention that you have sang choir most of your life. And that you are now 41. But I think you haven't studied how to talk to people. I'm a little bit older than you and probably singing a little bit longer than you, which doesn't mean a darn thing. But what I do know is how organisms, from dogs to humans learn. We avoid punishment and seek reward. I have used this when I led work crews and it worked every time. You get more out of people by applauding the good things than you do with just a constant stream of what went wrong. Granted, that may just be my style but I would rather lead someone toward what they did right. Whatever they did wrong will wither and go away. In operant conditioning, it's called the extinction of unrewarded behavior. It's a scientific fact. In your first post in this thread, there was not one positive comment. Just a blistering slam, right out of the gate.

Don't get me wrong, it's important to receive instruction in areas we can improve upon, it's just not necessary to be something resembling a penis when explaining it.

And that is a case of me trying to say it nicely and probably failing at it.