What vocal register is this singer singing in?

[numba1]

Hello, I am new here. I want to get right to my question so hope you guys don't mind me not introducing myself. This singer I'm about to show you is a Korean R&B/Soul singer and is also one of my favorite. Hope you all don't mind the Korean language. Some clips are not the best quality but you can still here his voice.

Now I wanna know what vocal register is he singing in most of the time when he gets way up there. Is the part from 0:30-0:33 all falsetto? What about at 3:09, what voice is that? What about the rest of the clips. Does he just have a very strong chest voice or is it a mix voice that he sings in when he gets way up there like Stevie Wonder? Or is it a very strong head voice? Is he singing with an open throat?

Now which vocal program would suit me best if I wanted to sing in this kind of style or sing like him? Don't get me wrong, I don't want to sound like the guy (I probably don't anyways). I just want to be able to hit those notes without flipping into falsetto or using head voice. He makes it look so easy, because his mouth doesn't open up that big with veins popping out at his neck and his posture doesn't get all bent out of shape like some other R&B singers I've seen singing live. He looks like he doesn't try very hard at all. Does that just come natural to some singers or can I develop it? Thank you very much in advance to all who responds.

[numba1]

Hello everyone. I thought I write again since I didn't get any response from anyone. Here's another video of which I'm trying to find out what type of voice this singer is using. I'm still new to this method so I'm not sure if it's falsetto, curbing, or if he's belting. So please let me know as I hear this kind of voice in R&B/Soul music a lot, such as Stevie Wonder, Brian Mcknight, and Boyz II Men. I'm talking about at 2:30-2:36 and at 3:24-3:37. I hope you guys don't mind since I do notice a lot of posts in this forum are more Rock music related. Thank you to all!

[gno]

In the first video I thought there was a lot of falsetto. In the second video I think there is much more head voice. Except at the very end - that descending run was falsetto.

There are so many classifications, (curbing, mixed voice, neutral, etc.) that it can get confusing. I prefer a simpler, mechanical explanation of what's happening with the folds and how the sound is produced. Check out this link where I posted on the differences between the different registers:

http://www.punbb-hosting.com/forums/themodernvocalist/viewtopic.php?id=2568

The main thing guys like Stevie Wonder and some of the guys in your clip are doing is bridging into the headvoice seamlessly, by keeping TA active and gradually reducing it as the pitch rises (as CT starts taking over). What this does helps to keep deeper vibration in the folds. This can take some serious effort to acheive. Along with the tricky coordination of TA / CT, you also need to shape the vocal tract for optimum reasonance as you go higher in pitch. If you don't, it can cause pain and irritate the folds. This may come naturally to some, but most of us have to practice a lot to acheive this - and it helps to have a teacher, or work with an instructional video. The good news is that all of us have the ability to sing this way. You don't need to be born as a "tenor" to be able to sing seamlessly up to a Soprano high C6 without "flipping" into falsetto.

Stevie Wonder and these guys are using head.

[numba1]

Thank you for the response guitartrek. I appreciate it. Yes, it does get confusing. Now what about this clip? I know he's probably just singing like this for effect or attraction. At 2:10, I'm talking about the high voice and all the way to the end. Is this also falsetto or full head voice? If not, how does it differ from the other clips?

[VideoHere]

in addition to geno'd great advice, perhaps this will help:

the falsetto versus head voice question remains the most hard to explain/define topic in all of vocal pedagogy.

sometimes people regard them as synonymous and distinctly different within the same book!

i find the best way to deal with this is the following:

perhaps this will help as well...

falsetto = hard to support, hard to contain air, tone cannot be sustained because little to no fold adduction.

head voice = can add support, tone can be sustained, fold adduction.

however, this is not correct depending on where you live, who you talk to...

for a singer (i.m.o.) falsetto is a breathy unsupported tone, a vocal accoutrement, which should used sparingly. head voice is a register that should be developed and strenghthened.

i am inclined to believe the predominate portions you asked about were more of head voice than falsetto, but again the two terms are often thought of differently.

perhaps the most important thing to realize is the singing is occuring from the head register for all of this high note singing you are hearing, and it needs to.

[Kratos777]

Hi guys, the funny thing is i was about to post a video of the same person singing - Na Ul really is one of the greatest singers

Here's my question, if my highest note is a B5, does that mean it is possible for me to reach the same note (or there about) with a belty/curbing effect? In head voice I feel like there are two different types of the strong connected voice where you can add vibrato.

I'll give you an example:

The Note Marvin hits at 4:04 is one of the types I mean, but listen to Stevie's voice at 3:55 onwards and he is in head voice too but with an even stronger production of sound compared to Marvin... can someone please explain how Stevie still sounds like he has one big chest voice that never ends and can I acheive the same thing!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXDEBVBBzIw

[jonpall]

Hi, I listened to the clip in the first post. For the notes in the tenor range - about D4-D5 or so, he's using mostly mixed voice or curbing. To do this, you need to have a "crying" sound in your voice, restrain the volume to about medium level and increase the resonance by yawning and NOT opening the mouth too much. The O vowel as in "woman" is a good practise vowel for this, because it's hard to get TOO loud with it.

Notes HIGHER than about D5 can be done without that "cry" and just by using head voice with lots of twang on top of it (to make it more powerful). That's what this guy is basically doing. And he's not alone because this type of singing is extremely common among very good technical singers.

The volume needs to be between 4 and 7, assuming that 1 is the lowest possible audible volume and 10 is as loud as you can get. Here's a good clip that shows how you can get mixed voice up to about 7 in terms of volume and power:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H__nwMClsxY

[Kratos777]

Haha that video was really weird but also kinda helpful, Thank you Jonpall

When you say this type of singing is common among very good technical singers, I think that's where my problem might lie... I'm still a beginner when it comes to singing and have never had lessons (or even sung a whole song start to finish) so maybe I just need to focus more on having a solid voice before moving onto this stuff.

I've just always thought that I need to do would be increase my range and then work on a personal style, but i haven't even ironed out all the kinks & breaks in my current range lol

Okay so, I have uploaded some files that I'd like you to listen to...

File one: I seem to have always been able to twang in head voice.

http://www.box.net/shared/c3ceraa7vuaqu8pvytdv

File two: Here is around the highest my voice goes without breaking. Holding a note higher than that can be hit or miss (mostly miss )

http://www.box.net/shared/3me34j4kf4bux7hoq6b4

File three: Now this note is the highest I can reach, but I can't implement it into a song or go back into my chest without those freaky sounds at the end. I also struggle to keep it controlled, you can hear a break or two.

http://www.box.net/shared/4cpjzfi1u6ct7v63oh25

Do I just need to wait and train my voice until things sort themselves out or what? Any feedback is appreiciated

[VideoHere]

kratos, you will need to build coordination and strength, plus learn to relax, yet support the voice without pushing. yes, it will take time but it's very achievable if you're willing to work at it.

[Kratos777]

Well at the moment, I warmup my voice using eric arceneux's videos on youtube, I also have a book + CD by Seth Riggs, but his instructional singers don't have limits lol they keep going higher and I don't where I should be stopping.. If you have any methods that you have seen work please send'em my way :D

[jonpall]

First of all, if you've sung so little, I suggest that you start by getting your chest voice to sound good before worrying about the high notes. The high notes could be considered the "icing on the cake", so if your chest voice is poor, that means there is no cake, only icing, no?

Having said that, you could try this simple exercise to help you connect your low and high notes together:

This is just one of many exercises there are for this type of thing. Sing a pretty high pitched, relaxed, low volume note and then slide slowly downwards to an octave below (or just all the way down to the bottom of your range, if you prefer). The objective is to keep your voice from breaking or yodeling or cracking as you go down. To help you with this, stick to very low volume at first (you can experiment with increasing the volume slightly later), yawn a bit to get your throat to relax and when you get to a spot in your range when you feel you might crack, try to sing while holding your breath (i.e. use very, very little air). You might need help to learn how to do this correctly, though.

[Kratos777]

I have always wanted to be a belter as it conveys my emotions when singing much more so I've always gone for more challenging songs technically speaking :/ Well anyways, I bought an internet lesson today.. does anyone know how it works? is it always with Rob? Thanks

[VideoHere]

I have always wanted to be a belter as it conveys my emotions when singing much more so I've always gone for more challenging songs technically speaking :/ Well anyways, I bought an internet lesson today.. does anyone know how it works? is it always with Rob? Thanks

i'm now dealing with vocal issues i have never had before, and i'm getting 2 different opinions of what's wrong with me. start slowly and with lower volumes and work up to things. i know you're anxious to do this and that, but take your time and move up into things.

[Kratos777]

Oh I see, well i have my lesson with Rob in literally 10 mins so we'll see how that goes lol I want to start working on my weaknesses right away... Vocal athletism here i come :D