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Questions about high notes


YvonMoraes

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Hello everyone,

I have a question about high notes. While working on the High B flat, High B, and High C, I feel a strange flip between B flat that goes into B natural and C. This causes the notes to become louder and very ringy/piercing. What is that flip?

Thanks!

Yvon

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Hello everyone,

I have a question about high notes. While working on the High B flat, High B, and High C, I feel a strange flip between B flat that goes into B natural and C. This causes the notes to become louder and very ringy/piercing. What is that flip?

Thanks!

Yvon

Yvon: its the heavens opening up, and the blessing of the almighty on pleasingly high notes :-)

er, perhap better understood as a better resonance adjustment. With what vowels does this happen?

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hahahaha nice response:) thank you for taking the time to answer my question, it happens with the Ah vowel like in "father"

Yvon

Yvon: Thanks. The sensation of a 'flip' us usually associated with a transition in the way that the harmonics of your sung note are aligning with the resonances of the particular vowel. Depending on 'which' high Bb, B and C you are discussing (whether its the around the octave above middle C (the tenor high C) , or another octave up (the soprano high C) ) will determine which harmonic and which particular resonance.

If you care to know which particular resonance, post a clip of these notes in a scale with some of the lower ones on the same vowel. I will analyze the spectrum of the notes, and post back for you two pictures, one of a lower note, like the A or Bb, and one of the B natural or C. I will also give you an instruction on how to read the pictures.

If you don't care so much about it, but are just curious, its the alignment of the harmonics to the various resonances of the voice that make the sensations of vocal placement, flips, etc., occur.

I hope this helps,

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Thank you Steven! A very great and detailed response, I am very interested in knowing more. Just to clarify, I meant the notes by Tenor C. I'll post three clips tonight D#4 - Bb4, E4 - B4, F4 - C5.

Thanks again for taking the time to respond to my post, part of the reason is to find out if I am truly hitting those notes, when I first stepped into choir in highschool I was told on the spot I am a baritone, so I'm not sure, but it doesn't sound to me like falsetto in the least bit, but what do I know :)

-Yvon

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Thank you Steven! A very great and detailed response, I am very interested in knowing more. Just to clarify, I meant the notes by Tenor C. I'll post three clips tonight D#4 - Bb4, E4 - B4, F4 - C5.

Thanks again for taking the time to respond to my post, part of the reason is to find out if I am truly hitting those notes, when I first stepped into choir in highschool I was told on the spot I am a baritone, so I'm not sure, but it doesn't sound to me like falsetto in the least bit, but what do I know :)

-Yvon

Yvon: Cool. BTW, who ever said a Baritone should not have a High C? ;)

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Many people do unfortunately. Unfortunately my higher range wasn't touched because I was a baritone and didnt need/could do it. Infact, I haven't trained voice in whats been 4 years, I just got back on it actually this week, and am very surprised these notes are there(I think). But mostly what I heard is that baritones dont have a mechanism or something that allows the Tenor C and above notes to come. Thats what I was wondering :)

thanks!

Yvon

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Hello everyone,

I have a question about high notes. While working on the High B flat, High B, and High C, I feel a strange flip between B flat that goes into B natural and C. This causes the notes to become louder and very ringy/piercing. What is that flip?

Thanks!

Yvon

that "ring" is an enviable ability that should treated like you struck "gold." lol!!!

i'm trying to increase the insidence of doing it that way. did you notice how the effort level is reduced?

bob

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I really like the way Steven explains things!

And the voice-typing that you experienced in high school is one of the reasons I don't classify voices anymore as SATB or anything in between! Our goal as singers is to have one smooth vocal range that is free and well-supported. Those register shift places are all part of this flip thing and it sounds like you will be working to smooth it out. Ultimately, as you progress in your understanding of how to "mesh" the register shifts together seamlessly you will find a tremendous degree of freedom and power in your voice.

Also, about the baritone mechanism versus the tenor notes, I wouldn't focus on that. In fact, I encourage people to stay away from what people say about "don't" in singing and focus instead on the "do."

In other words, let go of the classification of baritone or tenor and simply focus on YOUR voice and where it wants to go naturally. Singing mindset is incredibly important as we seek to discover our true and authentic voices, so envision your voice as soaring over and above the place where the "flip" is currently happening.

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that "ring" is an enviable ability that should treated like you struck "gold." lol!!!

i'm trying to increase the insidence of doing it that way. did you notice how the effort level is reduced?

bob

hi Bob,

actually yes, I noticed it does feel easier then the previous two notes(A4 & Bb4) almost like theres a release. And oddly enough, it feels "comfortable" although I have no stamina on it, after about a good 5-8 times I get fatigued, and my notes go back down to just Bb4, :)

Yvon

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hi Bob,

actually yes, I noticed it does feel easier then the previous two notes(A4 & Bb4) almost like theres a release. And oddly enough, it feels "comfortable" although I have no stamina on it, after about a good 5-8 times I get fatigued, and my notes go back down to just Bb4, :)

Yvon

i find it when a do an arpeggio on "ah"...when i get around a4 i modify to an "uh." steve fraser and ken tamplin's program helped me on that. i used to try to get it staying with "ah" which was a huge mistake...lol!! it feels like a release, a volume boost and like you're in a palate pocket...right?

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I really like the way Steven explains things!

And the voice-typing that you experienced in high school is one of the reasons I don't classify voices anymore as SATB or anything in between! Our goal as singers is to have one smooth vocal range that is free and well-supported. Those register shift places are all part of this flip thing and it sounds like you will be working to smooth it out. Ultimately, as you progress in your understanding of how to "mesh" the register shifts together seamlessly you will find a tremendous degree of freedom and power in your voice.

Also, about the baritone mechanism versus the tenor notes, I wouldn't focus on that. In fact, I encourage people to stay away from what people say about "don't" in singing and focus instead on the "do."

In other words, let go of the classification of baritone or tenor and simply focus on YOUR voice and where it wants to go naturally. Singing mindset is incredibly important as we seek to discover our true and authentic voices, so envision your voice as soaring over and above the place where the "flip" is currently happening.

Hi SMM

thank you for your response, it's good that there are teachers out there who will consider the singer. I do understand, gotta mesh it together, I was recording myself the other day and was surprised how a couple of high notes sound light and thin in my head but when I heard the recording it sounded similar to the lower notes :) lots and lots to practice.

You say envision the voice soaring over and above the flip huh? that sounds like very good visualization, I'm trying it tonight :) thank you for your advice.

Yvon

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i find it when a do an arpeggio on "ah"...when i get around a4 i modify to an "uh." steve fraser and ken tamplin's program helped me on that. i used to try to get it staying with "ah" which was a huge mistake...lol!! it feels like a release, a volume boost and like you're in a palate pocket...right?

Agreed! I remember that from Chorus, modifying the Ah vowel to Uh, I get what you mean completely, it's what I've been doing. Makes a big difference. :D Oh, and treat it like I struck gold? why's that?

Yvon

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Agreed! I remember that from Chorus, modifying the Ah vowel to Uh, I get what you mean completely, it's what I've been doing. Makes a big difference. :D

Yvon

yes, still the consistency is what i'm working on and the strength

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Hello to everyone!

Here are the clips I mentioned earlier sorry I couldn't post it any earlier, it's my younger brother's birthday. :)

Clip #1 Eb4-Bb4 http://www.box.net/shared/f9c51q5ijo

Clip #2 E4-B4 http://www.box.net/shared/8a6csgh98k

Clip #3 F4-C5 http://www.box.net/shared/9d7c1fsj41

****just for fun!****

Clip #4 Gb4-C#5 http://www.box.net/shared/lbsrgge3el

Be brutally honest, it's the only way to grow :)

Yvon

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okay, but i'm gonna get my ass kicked after this...lol!!!

yvon, with no intention of breaking your spirit, this is great if you intend to sing light and airy, but if you are desirous of singing rock or more demanding vocals, this type of phonation will not deliver the goods. it is not using adducted, "appropriately" compressed vocal folds for phonation. full voice phonation as just described enables dynamics, consistency, power, and even safety because breathy, air blowing by the folds phonation is drying and potentially damaging. you simply cannot sing with power and consistency with heady placed phonation. you've got to get into that lower register...actually, development of the lower end helps with the upper!

you must realize that you have to gradually build the strength and coordination to adduct the vocal folds. it takes time and a lot of practice. you're so young, you've got plenty of time!

here's what i want you to try. this i learned from roger kain. after warming up a bit....

sing a c3 (or a similar lower register note) that's comfortable for you in your chest register, just the one note, in a medium to loud volume...sing the words too, (1 second) wee, (1 second) and yah and hold out the "yah" as long as you can....

strive for volume consistency, longevity (try to phonate the "ah" of "yah" (as in father) for 15 secs. or more) and eveness of tone. this simple diagnostic is harder than it sounds.

remember phonate from your lower register...let's hear that.

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Hello to everyone!

Here are the clips I mentioned earlier sorry I couldn't post it any earlier, it's my younger brother's birthday. :)

Clip #1 Eb4-Bb4 http://www.box.net/shared/f9c51q5ijo

Clip #2 E4-B4 http://www.box.net/shared/8a6csgh98k

Yvon

Hi, Yvon.

Ok, here is the spectrum analysis of the Bb and the B Natural. The lower note is in blue, and the higher in yellow. I have marked all the harmonics, H1( fundamental) all the way up to 5000 Hz in light blue.

Left-to-right is frequency, right=higher, and up-down is intensity, up=greater intensity.

Interpretation: Harmonics 1-3 at this pitch range are what form our impression of the vowel, and are largely due to the frequency locations of formants 1 and 2. Interestingly, the intensity of these three harmonics are not too different for the two notes, except that H2 is less intense in the B Natural. I think this is because it has risen above the first formant, and is not benefitting from it as much as it was with the Bb.

H4 and H5 for both notes are intensified by the 3rd formant, which is mostly vowel-independent... that is, it does not move much or at all from vowel to vowel.

Harmonics 7, 8 and 9 show you the location of the singers's formant, which we hear as ping, 'ring' and sometimes discuss as 'focus'.

I think the sensation of 'flipping' you experience is likely due to two things happening at the same time: 1) partly a lightening of your registration as your 2nd harmonic decreases in strength between these two notes, and, 2) continued favorable resonance in the higher frequencies for your 3rd formant and singer's formant.

These effects are subtle. There is no drastic difference in resonance alignment between them, and listening to the recordings, the sensation you feel is not reflected as prominently in the sound.

However, what does creep in to the sound of the B Natural, and also the C and the C# recordings, is distortion, I think from letting too much air through those notes because of not-quite-optimum vowels and a lightening of your registration. IMO, this is why you find those notes tiring... the technique for them is not quite right.

The frequency position of your singer's formant leads me to favor the idea that you are a high-voiced singer, so you might consider some vowel modifications for the B, C and C# that better align the 2nd vowel formant (Formant 2) with H3. Up there, the particular vowel makes a big difference in the resonance, and not so much difference in the intelligibility of the text. Find the vowel that is absolutely the best. Doing a vowel-glide (smooth vowel transition) from Ah to oe (as in 'foot') should be very helpful in finding a vowel that will bring out H3. You will be able to hear and feel distinctly when this happens.

Be sure, too, that as you let the vocal bands thin as you go up, that you do not let go too much of your connection to the lower voice.

I hope this helps,

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okay, but i'm gonna get my ass kicked after this...lol!!!

yvon, with no intention of breaking your spirit, this is great if you intend to sing light and airy, but if you are desirous of singing rock or more demanding vocals, this type of phonation will not deliver the goods. it is not using adducted, "appropriately" compressed vocal folds for phonation. full voice phonation as just described enables dynamics, consistency, power, and even safety because breathy, air blowing by the folds phonation is drying and potentially damaging. you simply cannot sing with power and consistency with heady placed phonation. you've got to get into that lower register...actually, development of the lower end helps with the upper!

you must realize that you have to gradually build the strength and coordination to adduct the vocal folds. it takes time and a lot of practice. you're so young, you've got plenty of time!

here's what i want you to try. this i learned from roger kain. after warming up a bit....

sing a c3 (or a similar lower register note) that's comfortable for you in your chest register, just the one note, in a medium to loud volume...sing the words too, (1 second) wee, (1 second) and yah and hold out the "yah" as long as you can....

strive for volume consistency, longevity (try to phonate the "ah" of "yah" (as in father) for 15 secs. or more) and eveness of tone. this simple diagnostic is harder than it sounds.

remember phonate from your lower register...let's hear that.

VideoHere,

Firstly, no ass kicking necessary, and believe me, there's nothing that can break my spirit :). Second, no sweat! that's why I posted in the first place, I wanted to find out so that I can do it right, learn, and develop my voice. I do in fact like metal/rock a lot, I would love to sing PowerMetal (like Stratovarius, Sonata Arctica, Blind Guardian, Iced Earth etc), but I'm also a very large fan of Opera.

To be honest, I dont really understand what you mean by not using adducted appropriately compressed vocal folds...sorry,maybe you can explain how to do so?

Here's a clip of what you asked for C3 - WeeYah http://www.box.net/shared/uic9k053dj

Sorry its short, I can physically hold it for 15 seconds, the problem is I've noticed if I hold a note too long my computer's mic feeds back badly and you just blank noise.

A note on this, as I had mentioned, it's been four years since I've actually been trained and worked with. these higher notes are coming along, back then in high school I didn't have them, or at least I don't know, my teacher trained me on my middle voice and lower only, never touching the top.

Thank you for your help, I do appreciate it a lot.

Yvon

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Hi, Yvon.

Ok, here is the spectrum analysis of the Bb and the B Natural. The lower note is in blue, and the higher in yellow. I have marked all the harmonics, H1( fundamental) all the way up to 5000 Hz in light blue.

Left-to-right is frequency, right=higher, and up-down is intensity, up=greater intensity.

http://api.ning.com:80/files/GHF4jNxL57*aDnjFUwTeJTgBbpypaHqgc51vQ*QuRoJ1tpX7rgrGlT06-msbU2MusOgKQxut64jTgCoziFa1*nec6AAoY5I*/yvonBbandBNaturalAnnotated.JPG

Interpretation: Harmonics 1-3 at this pitch range are what form our impression of the vowel, and are largely due to the frequency locations of formants 1 and 2. Interestingly, the intensity of these three harmonics are not too different for the two notes, except that H2 is less intense in the B Natural. I think this is because it has risen above the first formant, and is not benefitting from it as much as it was with the Bb.

H4 and H5 for both notes are intensified by the 3rd formant, which is mostly vowel-independent... that is, it does not move much or at all from vowel to vowel.

Harmonics 7, 8 and 9 show you the location of the singers's formant, which we hear as ping, 'ring' and sometimes discuss as 'focus'.

I think the sensation of 'flipping' you experience is likely due to two things happening at the same time: 1) partly a lightening of your registration as your 2nd harmonic decreases in strength between these two notes, and, 2) continued favorable resonance in the higher frequencies for your 3rd formant and singer's formant.

These effects are subtle. There is no drastic difference in resonance alignment between them, and listening to the recordings, the sensation you feel is not reflected as prominently in the sound.

However, what does creep in to the sound of the B Natural, and also the C and the C# recordings, is distortion, I think from letting too much air through those notes because of not-quite-optimum vowels and a lightening of your registration. IMO, this is why you find those notes tiring... the technique for them is not quite right.

The frequency position of your singer's formant leads me to favor the idea that you are a high-voiced singer, so you might consider some vowel modifications for the B, C and C# that better align the 2nd vowel formant (Formant 2) with H3. Up there, the particular vowel makes a big difference in the resonance, and not so much difference in the intelligibility of the text. Find the vowel that is absolutely the best. Doing a vowel-glide (smooth vowel transition) from Ah to oe (as in 'foot') should be very helpful in finding a vowel that will bring out H3. You will be able to hear and feel distinctly when this happens.

Be sure, too, that as you let the vocal bands thin as you go up, that you do not let go too much of your connection to the lower voice.

I hope this helps,

Steve,

WOW is all I have to say, that was a lot to try to comprehend, but I've read it a few times and I think I understand it. Basically, I need to find the correct vowel for me in that range? Also thin out the vocal bands...but how do I thin out the vocal bands? I apologize for my lack of knowledge...

I'll definitely try out the vowel glide you mentioned. How do I keep myself from letting too much air through the notes? I understand that it takes time and will strengthen and improve with proper technique(that way my voice won't fatigue as fast!!), but are those notes actually being produced, albeit weak? They don't sound like falsetto to me...of course I definitely and probably am wrong :). You say my singer's formant leads you to favor that I am a high-voiced singer? How so if you don't mind my asking? Based off my old choir teacher I was a baritone, and I've heard on and off from various people that I'm a baritone, or tenor. Always switching :) I was just not explained WHY for either or haha :).

thank you again for your response, I appreciate you taking the time to help me.

Yvon

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I've been reading books written from the late 1800's to the early 1900's (one was compiled from notes and essays from 1903, to be exact) and these were from professors of voice, as well as voice therapists, including a surgeon who repaired cleft palates.

Anyway, these people also feel that the classification of voice in fachs does a disservice to singing, in general. And a few of the books agree on placing the voice in head register more often than not. Modernly, one finds that approach in Lunte's system of 4 Pillars. Personally, I would classify Lunte's voice as "heavy." Yet, look how high he can sing with "weight" in it, even though he's placing in head voice. Decades of instruction and experience aside, if he can do it, so can others. (this is not a plug for 4 Pillars. Just saying that there is academic and medical validity to support the system of resonating in the head and phonating and breathing accordingly.)

As for compression of the cords, we use that term to mentally imagine the cords coming together like the lips of a coronet player. But really, it is a matter of proximity of the cords to each other to produce a sound at a given amount of air pressure and escape velocity. The real physics of it is like this. Any note generated is a wavelength (amount of distance travelled) in a certain time period. The combination is frequency. A high note is a small wavelength in a second, therefore, high frequency. What gives it volume is resonance, period, paragraph, new book. Any effects of the voice, timbre, etc, happen after the tone is generated. If you try to make a certain tone with the instrument itself, you destroy the instrument. Special effects happen afterward. For example, play the violin with a hand saw. Neat effect and the instrument is ruined. However, play the violin and put it through an effect that "sounds like" sawing, then you have something. The unique timbre of each person is just such an effect and is totally dependent on genetics and how it controls the construction of the bony and hard cartilege features of the head, as well as the musculature and nerve impulse control of the throat. If, for example, someone has had a broken hyoid bone from an injury, this will affect the ability to control the larynx. That's just hardcore nuts and bolts and denying that would be beyond stupidity. And once a bone has broken, even if it knits back together in place (non-reducable fracture), there will be knot of calcium that builds up, but sometimes goes away after healing, sometimes not. (I've had broken bones and know what I am talking about, from a layman's perspective.)

As for timbre of voice. I like Iced Earth and they do a bunch of great covers, in their own style. The singer of Iced Earth classifies himself as a baritone with a developed falsetto.

I have been told by others that I have a light voice and probably, I do. But it doesn't stop me from doing Led Zep songs. Granted, Led Zep is not heavy metal, they are heavy blues with a jazz sensibility, but if I want to sing Dio, I'm going to sing Dio whether or not I sound like Dio. I'm not sure there's anyone physically big enough to stop me.

Which brings me to my next point. Decide what it is you want to do and go for it. But also set reasonable goals and expectations. You can sing like a favored singer but odds are you won't sound just like them. And remember that what you hear on the album is the result of a mixing engineer and a mastering engineer. You are not singing along with the singer, you are singing along with autotune. So, if you think your note was not perfect like the album, that's because no human note will ever be perfect, like the album. Because they are applying a non-human process to the sound the voice. And that is a cold, hard fact that I will keep repeating until I lose my own voice.

And you don't have to blow down walls with your voice. A few people that have worked with Ronnie James Dio have said that he didn't sing much louder than he spoke. The rest is amplification through technology.

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I've been reading books written from the late 1800's to the early 1900's (one was compiled from notes and essays from 1903, to be exact) and these were from professors of voice, as well as voice therapists, including a surgeon who repaired cleft palates.

Anyway, these people also feel that the classification of voice in fachs does a disservice to singing, in general. And a few of the books agree on placing the voice in head register more often than not. Modernly, one finds that approach in Lunte's system of 4 Pillars. Personally, I would classify Lunte's voice as "heavy." Yet, look how high he can sing with "weight" in it, even though he's placing in head voice. Decades of instruction and experience aside, if he can do it, so can others. (this is not a plug for 4 Pillars. Just saying that there is academic and medical validity to support the system of resonating in the head and phonating and breathing accordingly.)

As for compression of the cords, we use that term to mentally imagine the cords coming together like the lips of a coronet player. But really, it is a matter of proximity of the cords to each other to produce a sound at a given amount of air pressure and escape velocity. The real physics of it is like this. Any note generated is a wavelength (amount of distance travelled) in a certain time period. The combination is frequency. A high note is a small wavelength in a second, therefore, high frequency. What gives it volume is resonance, period, paragraph, new book. Any effects of the voice, timbre, etc, happen after the tone is generated. If you try to make a certain tone with the instrument itself, you destroy the instrument. Special effects happen afterward. For example, play the violin with a hand saw. Neat effect and the instrument is ruined. However, play the violin and put it through an effect that "sounds like" sawing, then you have something. The unique timbre of each person is just such an effect and is totally dependent on genetics and how it controls the construction of the bony and hard cartilege features of the head, as well as the musculature and nerve impulse control of the throat. If, for example, someone has had a broken hyoid bone from an injury, this will affect the ability to control the larynx. That's just hardcore nuts and bolts and denying that would be beyond stupidity. And once a bone has broken, even if it knits back together in place (non-reducable fracture), there will be knot of calcium that builds up, but sometimes goes away after healing, sometimes not. (I've had broken bones and know what I am talking about, from a layman's perspective.)

That makes sense, The idea then is to produce the pure note as it should be, resonant and full, and add style after the fact by slight modification of other factors, not the instrument itself. I just need to A, actually understand how to, and B, get a training program, because I've only been doing scales for the past week after a 4 year hiatus...and thats just not gonna cut it

As for timbre of voice. I like Iced Earth and they do a bunch of great covers, in their own style. The singer of Iced Earth classifies himself as a baritone with a developed falsetto. That he does, Matt Barlow is a crazy metal singer, very nice voice, he has indeed mastered his instrument.

I have been told by others that I have a light voice and probably, I do. But it doesn't stop me from doing Led Zep songs. Granted, Led Zep is not heavy metal, they are heavy blues with a jazz sensibility, but if I want to sing Dio, I'm going to sing Dio whether or not I sound like Dio. I'm not sure there's anyone physically big enough to stop me.

Which brings me to my next point. Decide what it is you want to do and go for it. But also set reasonable goals and expectations. You can sing like a favored singer but odds are you won't sound just like them. And remember that what you hear on the album is the result of a mixing engineer and a mastering engineer. You are not singing along with the singer, you are singing along with autotune. So, if you think your note was not perfect like the album, that's because no human note will ever be perfect, like the album. Because they are applying a non-human process to the sound the voice. And that is a cold, hard fact that I will keep repeating until I lose my own voice.

I understand what you mean, maybe I didn't express myself correctly when I mentioned those bands, I meant in range and in music style, I don't want to sound like any of them, as much as I like them all, I love my own voice more, its the one I have, and I want to develop it to the best it can be, I just mention both styles because I enjoy those types of metal vocals best of all types of rock vocals and other higher metal vocals that started it, Like you mentioned Led Zepelin, Iron Maiden, also to add Boston, and Kansas. I find that I can sing the majority of the notes in most of those bands songs, except the very high notes. My other love is Opera, and I would love to actually partake in Opera performance, maybe even more so than metal. I was inspired to sing by the late Maestro Luciano Pavarotti afterall...pity I never got to see him perform live.

And you don't have to blow down walls with your voice. A few people that have worked with Ronnie James Dio have said that he didn't sing much louder than he spoke. The rest is amplification through technology.

Believe it or not, I think that was my biggest problem with trying to even achieve headvoice in the first place, I know, and have been told by everyone that I have a very large instrument, it produces much mass of sound, and even the badly produced notes I posted above fill my house up(I'm upstairs) and my parents complain that they cannot hear a thing downstairs...always telling me to close my door when I sing...but it's always closed. Luckily I've been trying that, and find that even though in my head it sounds weaker, it still is pretty loud and cuts, so less volume is helpful :).

Responses are in bold, thank you for taking the time to give me your response

Yvon

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...Basically, I need to find the correct vowel for me in that range? Also thin out the vocal bands...but how do I thin out the vocal bands? I apologize for my lack of knowledge...

Yvon: Yes, you have to find the right vowel. Thinning: you are aldready doing it. I happens naturally.

I'll definitely try out the vowel glide you mentioned. How do I keep myself from letting too much air through the notes?

As you are doing the thinning, you must not let the registration suddenly get lighter... it has to get progressively lighter. One key thing, though... what ever you are doing at the laryngeal level must be balanced with what you are doing with your exhalation force. If you do chose to let registration lighten significantly at a certain point, for reasons of musical effect, you must reduce the force of exhalation or you will suddenly get an airier phonation... kinda what Bob VIDEOHERE was mentioning.

The subtle balance and interplay of laryngeal muscle action and exhalation force falls under the general category of breath management, or 'support'. Not only will singing be more consistent with the selection of the right vowels, but with prudent attention to the consistency of the phonation that results from letting the right changes occur in that pitch region.

I understand that it takes time and will strengthen and improve with proper technique(that way my voice won't fatigue as fast!!), but are those notes actually being produced, albeit weak?

Sure, they are being produced, and they are not so weak. They just not as great as they will be :-)

They don't sound like falsetto to me...of course I definitely and probably am wrong :). You say my singer's formant leads you to favor that I am a high-voiced singer? How so if you don't mind my asking? Based off my old choir teacher I was a baritone, and I've heard on and off from various people that I'm a baritone, or tenor. Always switching :) I was just not explained WHY for either or haha :).

Classification as baritone or tenor is more about tessitura and tone quality. The way you are singing now is not clearly one or the other.

I hope this helps.

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Even in some of the classical texts I have been reading, the move was away from classifying in one fach or another. To simply say one is baritone because that is where you were strongest before training is erroneous and a detriment to the developement of the voice. I prefer Steven's own (loosely paraphrased, please, forgive me) definition. Your fach or range classification should be defined by where you are strongest in dynamics and control. I am reminded of reading of a case study from one voice teacher who encountered a student who had been classed by other teachers as a baritone but he was having problem projecting with power in that range. So, the teacher had him try some different things in different ranges. Turns out he was a beautiful tenor who had been holding himself down, based on earlier judgements of his voice.

So, wait until you've done some different things and see where your voice takes you before you "decide" what kind of voice you have.

Two cents = two cents (so far, unless the fed keeps printing money.)

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