just one chorus of "Crazy"

[Carol M]

Yeah I know, overdone. But I really need to know this for requests and am trying to learn to do it without belting.

It's basically just me singing into a Tascam DR7 with karaoke playing in the background.

I'd like to get some critique & advice here before I take it to my new teacher.

Thanks!

http://soundcloud.com/carol-m/crazy

[gno]

I thought it sounded very good. Nice phrasing, nice timing, good tone. I like the delayed and light vibrato. I can't really give you any advice other than practice it a lot and try singing with a tad more conviction. It'd be cool to hear you belt this out. Maybe on the last chorus or in the middle you would let loose and make use of your entire range of dynamics.

[Carol M]

I thought it sounded very good. Nice phrasing, nice timing, good tone. I like the delayed and light vibrato. I can't really give you any advice other than practice it a lot and try singing with a tad more conviction. It'd be cool to hear you belt this out. Maybe on the last chorus or in the middle you would let loose and make use of your entire range of dynamics.

THanks but I can't really belt that high anymore. It sounds flat, or flatter than usual.

I could lower the key but then the starting notes go into the basement.

Is this a song that should be belted? I can't really tell from other singers' versions how they're doing it. I'm bridging all through this thing, and it's a new technique for me.

[gno]

Carol - Whether you belt it or not is completely up to you - it doesn't need to be belted. I wouldn't lower the key. Keep up the bridging - that's a good thing to practice.

[ronws]

I don't think this song should be belted. But, in a similar statement to Geno's comments, basically, you need to hold the note until the end of the word or phrase. You tended to back off the note, which changed the tuning of it. Especially at the beginning of your clip. Toward the end, you carried it through in a more solid fashion. Let your voice be heard and you don't have to tail off the end of phrases. Let them ring and carry through.

[Carol M]

I don't think this song should be belted. But, in a similar statement to Geno's comments, basically, you need to hold the note until the end of the word or phrase. You tended to back off the note, which changed the tuning of it. Especially at the beginning of your clip. Toward the end, you carried it through in a more solid fashion. Let your voice be heard and you don't have to tail off the end of phrases. Let them ring and carry through.

Ok...I think you're right & it's my support giving out. Also I'm kinda conflicted now because my new teacher is encouraging to not hold notes out so much, not follow the music strictly, break it up more..but that's more of a jazz reading I guess.

[ronws]

I think you just explained it perfectly, Carol. You were doing jazz version when we were expecting more of an operatic or pop version. Good call.

[stew503]

Hi,

Firstly - very nice, the voice is there - sounding good, but not only that - you know when you are not right, thus the acceptance and will to improve. (an excellent quality).

I agree with the, "hold the note until the end of the word or phrase". You should be reading the music and the note values on the melody line. The only time I tend to ask people to not hold the note length is when the note length is tied over 3 bars (Minim, Semibreve, Minim, ... rest) as it can get long. (which seems some phrases are - I don't have music to hand).

You can hear the backing off on the notes (occasionally - it's not all the time), when you actually hold and / or vibrato the note - the pitch is good, otherwise elsewhere you seem to drop support and thus the pitch flattens and breathiness appears. You "could" work on dynamic volume change on the end note to phrase it as well as adding colour to the note.

If you listen to 0:25 - 0:30 - (is it "Blue") You hold that REALLY well. So you can do it.

You also hear it on the onset occasionally ... The onset isn't pitch on, it's attacked breathy at the start, thus the pitch flattens before the note pitches correctly with support. an example 1:39 ish

On your warm up's and octave exercises - listen to (and ask coach to) the onset of 1st note ... Do you "pitch --- oo" or pitch "whhoo, slightly flat". And again with "Ah", do you pitch "Ah", or "hah", do you "ee", or "Hee".

As your teacher to listen intently on warm up and guide your onset, re-do if breathy, and just tighten it up. It's something I hear often, and usually to someone with intermediate experience - I just say, "onset" and maybe just show the difference with "hah, vs ah", be it support, breathiness, placement ... etc, so just say the appropriate word when required.

Possibly ask coach to spend 10 mins with you on placement and sensations throughout your range too.

1:20 - 1:25 is beautiful.

Hope it helps.