srs7593 Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 I like the sound of chest voice as opposed to mixed voice. It's a mean rowdy sound. I started out at F4ish a couple years ago and now I'm up to a Bb4. I'd like to be able to belt a B4 by the end of the year. I'm wondering is there any point where my chest voice will just stop moving up. I believe I've heard other Bass Baritones hit a B4 in chest. Also, is this dangerous and how do I make it less dangerous? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronws Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 So, what are you defining as chest voice? I think it means different things to different people. Another question, just so that I can be a PITA. What do you have against mixed or head voice and why? I'm not defending anything. Just trying to peer into your psyche. So much of what a person does is driven by their own aesthetic, whether it matches objective reality. And yeah, I'm getting way too deep. My bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VideoHere Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 I like the sound of chest voice as opposed to mixed voice. It's a mean rowdy sound. I started out at F4ish a couple years ago and now I'm up to a Bb4. I'd like to be able to belt a B4 by the end of the year. I'm wondering is there any point where my chest voice will just stop moving up. I believe I've heard other Bass Baritones hit a B4 in chest. Also, is this dangerous and how do I make it less dangerous? it's likely you mean a resonant, vowel modified, chesty-sounding tone in your upper register. at some point you need to hand it over to head register i.m.o..... it's the safer way to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonpall Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 One answer would be "C5". Another would be "It's possible to make your mix or head voice sound pretty much exactly like your chest voice, with enough practise". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronws Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 One answer would be "C5". Another would be "It's possible to make your mix or head voice sound pretty much exactly like your chest voice, with enough practise". Well said. Short answer, you are not getting a strat note with what you (in general) think is chest. Notice I said "think." Yeah, I'm on the highway to Hell ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
srs7593 Posted July 17, 2011 Author Share Posted July 17, 2011 So, what are you defining as chest voice? I think it means different things to different people. Another question, just so that I can be a PITA. What do you have against mixed or head voice and why? I'm not defending anything. Just trying to peer into your psyche. So much of what a person does is driven by their own aesthetic, whether it matches objective reality. And yeah, I'm getting way too deep. My bad. To be honest I'm not sure how to describe what I consider to be chest voice... all I know is that I can't go past Bb4 with it. Some people refer to it as belting (although you can belt in mixed voice). The voice that you would shout at somebody in if you were trying to be heard. The voice untrained singers use for everything they sing. I can't really imitate the sounds I get in that voice in mixed voice. I can get the same volume with mixed voice now but it tends to be lighter sounding and I can't control the grit or get the same kinds of grit. For example I couldn't sing something like Goddamn Electric in mixed voice. It would just sound silly. What's a better term for mixed voice? I hate calling it that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonpall Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 If you want a truly "shouty" sound up to C5, try modifying all your vowels to either Eh (as in "stay") or Oh (as in "so"). But personally, I think it's a better idea to try to make your mixed and head voices sound more like your chest voice. Do you follow any vocal training routine/program? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
srs7593 Posted July 17, 2011 Author Share Posted July 17, 2011 Not any single program but I've had a few teachers. Right now I'm doing classical lessons to get ready for college. I think the sound of chest voice is more related to muscle activity. I feel like trying to imitate the sound of full on shouted, gritty chest voice in head voice is like trying to imitate someone else's voice. It's next to impossible to do perfectly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
srs7593 Posted July 17, 2011 Author Share Posted July 17, 2011 But my question isn't how to get a chesty sound I'm just trying to get a ballpark figure of how high other singers can sing in chest. You all say about C5? I also want to get it higher because as it's gotten higher it's gotten easier to transition into head voice. If I could get up to C5 that would be fantastic because I feel like the transition would be so easy to make that I wouldn't notice it as I do it. Before when G4 or so was the top I had a much more difficult time managing my passaggio than I do now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gno Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 Lately I'm not into the boundries of chest / head / mix at all. To me it is one continuous voice. The degree to which the sound is "chesty" is all a matter of how deep the folds are vibrating, and the brightness of overtones produced (basically how much you keep TA engaged). I can stretch this chest sound beyond C5, altough it wouldn't be considered CVT Overdrive. Adam Lambert seems to be able to carry this up way beyond C5. Here is an example of him doing that - go directly to 2:34 on this song where he gives us a short clinic on singing chest high: I have no idea how CVT would classify that. To me it is chest from A4 up to F5 using the same mode or vocal configuration throughout the whole lick. Traditionally there is a big difference in tone when people start letting the CT take over and start stretching the folds. It starts to sound like "head". The trick is to keep TA very engaged on the way up. This is like the holy grail of producing chest beyond C5 and does not come naturally to most people. It takes a lot of work and a lot of coordination. But done correctly it is perfectly safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
srs7593 Posted July 17, 2011 Author Share Posted July 17, 2011 what is CVT overdrive? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jugulator Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 To me the usage of chest/mixed/head voices is a fully controlled thing. I can start singing in a mixed voice at, say, F4. At the same time, I can sing in a chest voice at D5 (listen to my "Show must go on" cover as an example). I can hit D5 in a head voice (like in my "She's gone" cover). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spectrum Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 what is CVT overdrive? Complete Vocal Technique (CVT) splits the voice into four vocal modes, rather than registers. Overdrive is one vocal mode, and on high notes it gets extremely loud and quite shouty, and the vowels are limited to OH (so) and EH (let). It's limited in pitch to tenor C, so if you're using this approach, that will be your limit. There is another 'chesty' mode called edge, which gets sharp, twangy and quite screamy on high notes, and it's only limited by your technical ability. The other modes are curbing (mixed) and neutral (head). If you post a clip, I could tell you the mode you're using, it might help you figure out how to go higher with that approach. Adam Lambert seems to be able to carry this up way beyond C5. Here is an example of him doing that - go directly to 2:34 on this song where he gives us a short clinic on singing chest high: I have no idea how CVT would classify that. To me it is chest from A4 up to F5 using the same mode or vocal configuration throughout the whole lick. That's all curbing IMO. Notice the UH vowel, and the restrained sound. It gets quite loud at that range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonpall Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 To me it is chest from A4 up to F5 using the same mode or vocal configuration throughout the whole lick. = curbing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gno Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 I would agree that the Adam Lambert clip is CVT curbing. Can you guys check this one out - go to 0:50 - "In the Aftermath" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8y9CmAAnEY These are Eb5 to Db5. "Math" is really a spread vowel - I'm trying to get this exact shade of vowel and it is tough for me. It doesn't sound like curbing and it isn't Overdrive, but it sounds really cool and intense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spectrum Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 Whew, that was a toughie. I had to listen to that a number of times. Anyhow, if you listen to "gonna tell ya, you'll be alright" you can hear the qualities of curbing: half-metallic sound, plaintive character. But when he goes higher, the volume doesn't increase like it would in curbing, the metallic sound is gone, and the character is more open. I can also hear a hint of AH in the vowels. So I'm gonna go with MLN. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
srs7593 Posted July 17, 2011 Author Share Posted July 17, 2011 What I'm thinking of I believe matches your description of overdrive. Except for me it stops at Bb4. I don't know if I can post a clip today. Is the Bb4 in Man in a Box by Alice in Chains overdrive? Or the Abs in We die Young? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spectrum Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 I'm not familiar with those songs, but maybe this will help... Listen to this video from 5:36 to 6:59, most of those A4's are overdrive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonpall Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 Whew, that was a toughie. I had to listen to that a number of times. Anyhow, if you listen to "gonna tell ya, you'll be alright" you can hear the qualities of curbing: half-metallic sound, plaintive character. But when he goes higher, the volume doesn't increase like it would in curbing, the metallic sound is gone, and the character is more open. I can also hear a hint of AH in the vowels. So I'm gonna go with MLN. The link doesn't work for me, but what Spectrum is saying sounds correct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devaitis Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 I understand your question in my way. I can sing chest to F4, F#4 is my mix voice. Full voice is not equal chest voice I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VideoHere Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 To me the usage of chest/mixed/head voices is a fully controlled thing. I can start singing in a mixed voice at, say, F4. At the same time, I can sing in a chest voice at D5 (listen to my "Show must go on" cover as an example). I can hit D5 in a head voice (like in my "She's gone" cover). that was an awesome queen cover! you have a nice high pitched voice. very nice. may i ask how long you have been training? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronws Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 According to his answer in one thread, something like 5 to 5 years, claiming a 4 octave range. All of his recordings sound like they are professionally mixed. Nothing wrong with that. Sounds like it was ripped off an album, which is a compliment. I guess he's "slumming" with us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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