Dream On

[Jeran]

Hi, all. I'd really love your opinions on this one: me taking a whack at "Dream On" by Aerosmith. In my opinion, the climactic head voice stuff in the bridge is pretty weak sounding, but it felt full during the recording, so it may be a mixing issue.

Anyway, one take, no autotune or thickener, or any of that stuff. Just some reverb and compression. I wanted it more "naked," so I could get some real feedback on the vocal, not the effect. Thanks!

[Daug Poland]

It's pretty cool man!

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Maybe most of the high notes sounds a bit insecure - maybe it's your style. But the bridge head voice stuff sounds pretty good

[devaitis]

Are you sure you dont pull up chest?

G4 had been sung with a lot of tension.

The highest notes was fantastic IMO. No everyone can sing that notes "dream on" congratulation.

[Jeran]

Thanks! Yeah, I was definitely pulling chest.

[ronws]

It didn't sound like you were pulling chest. I happen to read the comment on your soundcloud account from that other person. And he merely showed his ignorance. And if you correspond with him, tell him that I, ronws, said he is ignorant. Because he is. Your style on this song is actually close to that of Dennis DeYoung from Styx. Very tight on the closed vowels.

A very solid performance and I would personally put it up against the original precisely because you sang it as yourself, rather than trying to sound like Steven Tyler. Which you cannot do unless you have the same genetic anomaly that he has, as was shown in the scope video of his folds doing this very same song.

Kudos for singing it your way. Solid.

[analog]

Jeran,

Wow...seriously...F that idiot that posted on SoundCloud. I thought you sounded great and completely agree w/ ronws that you make it your own. As a listener nothing struck me as "wrong", so as long as it felt good to you, I say keep rockin' it. I really liked your sound.

[Jeran]

Thank you both, very much. It's inspiring to practice a bit more with your comments.

Steven Tyler is my vocal idol, and "Dream On" is my favorite song, but I don't have Steven's rasp, or his crazy range. I'd NEVER be able to pull off even a somewhat believable Tyler impersonation. The guy's a God, in my mind.

Forgive me showing my ignorance, Ron, but can you further explain what you mean by how I sing "closed vowels?" Is that healthy, in the long run?

[ronws]

You shift your "eye" sound to the "ee" sound to tighten the resonance. Listen to some Styx songs and you will hear what I mean. Like "Sail away."

Contrast this to Tommy Shaw's more open vowel, "rock" style singing.

[Jeran]

I see what you mean, Ron. Thank you for the clarification. I do tend to close down the closed vowels. If there's one failing (from a "correct technique" standpoint) that I have, it's that I tend not to modify my vowels as classically as instructed. I've never cared much for turning to "me" to "may," and "eye" to "ih." For some singers, it sounds great. I've never cared for it much in my own voice.

[Paulius]

Good! If properly balanced, your high register could sound more bottomy and full. It's not easy stuff.

[ronws]

Actually, Jeran, I appreciate your style and my comments were in no way a criticism or a suggestion that you change what you do. I applaud that you sing with classical technique (I'm a classical technique kind of guy, too.)

And your performance reminded me of how I sing this song. I'd say, keep doing what you do.

[Spectrum]

That was absolutely glorious! Your tone on the high belts was dark and meaty, your high head notes were anything but weak, and your rasp showed control and power well beyond Steven Tyler's ability. That idiot who commented on Soundcloud couldn't be any more wrong. I'm lovin' it man. :)

[Jeran]

Wow, thank you very much, Spectrum. Cool avatar, too.

Ron, I took no offense from your comments at all, and didn't read any criticism into them. I was just making conversation. In general, I try and lessen the more "rock" type vowel modifications.

[jonpall]

I click on the big button inside that link but nothing happens. Could you perhaps upload to box.net or youtube?

[Keith]

I love it, and I hate it. I hate it because I just hate that there are people that can hit those high notes at the end, and thats way too high for me. You sound great! My version is more like the Dio version, and the end is still very very hard for me to sing.

[Validar]

I gave it a thorough listen, and didn't hear any chest pulling, either. Good job.

I saw the buffoon who left the snide comment, too. Don't worry about it. Every neighborhood has its asshole, and internet boards are no exception. Take satisfaction in the fact that your critic is probably a dreamer who will probably never muster up the guts to sing, let alone record it and post it in a public forum.

[ronws]

What Validar said, in triplicate.