Here Without you

[MDEW]

Let me know what you think. Any help apprieciated.

http://soundcloud.com/mdew/here-without-you

[Keith]

Sounds to me like you are lacking an incredible amount of support - your pitch is wavering on and off pitch in the chorus. Are you straining on the higher notes a little? You need work on vowels also. Correct vowel pronunciation and modification are pretty crucial. Are you taking lessons with anyone? Buy any learn to sing system? If so, what are you working on? And if not, what are you working on? How do you practice?

[MDEW]

I am aware of my support issue. I have been working on it. Yes I am straining on the chorus but not as much as I was last week. Also I am sitting down recording and its past 11 at night with others sleeping. Not an excuse just fact.

Yeah I am also working on vowels until recently I did not know how important they were. My whole family sings but self taught We are hill billies. Mostly Bluegrass and gospel.(mostly my parents aunts and uncles).

AS for taking lessons I have Seth Riggs DVDs,Roger Love, Brett Manning.

Mainly I am grabbing things here and there and training in my car on the way to work.

I'm not trying to make it to the Rock-n-Roll hall of fame, but am going to be singing in front of the public weather they like it or not and I would rather them like it.

[izzle1989]

You don't sound nearly as bad as you believe.

I actually enjoyed this recording very much. I feel that you are doing a lot of things correctly and you will make progress with practice. The main thing I noticed was that your jaw seems a little close down/tense. Doing some work to solve this problem could really help you to release the sound correctly.

There are other issues, but I believe this will give the most improvement to you voice as of now.

[MDEW]

Thanks Izzle. You are spot on with jaw tension also. I have a problem with gritting my teeth alot.

Any suggestions on loosing the tension?

[ronws]

, but am going to be singing in front of the public weather they like it or not and I would rather them like it.

That's the spirit. I sing anywhere that they don't run me off. But, like I said before, maybe they are just intimidated by my height and grisly visage, waiting quietly for me to go away on my own.

What was missing from the first part of the song was some vibrato but I noticed you let it in later. So, I know you are still battling against the admonition from whoever it was that said you should not have vibrato in singing.

One of the last notes was off-pitch and I think that was simply your vowel sound was not quite a true "ee" sound.

But that is a neat song and it sounded like your voice was in a comfortable spot in the range, for a change.

As for when you can sing with volume, take the statement of yours that I quoted and record when others are awake and then you don't have to hold back, excuses or not.

What are you afraid of? Is your family that bad? Do I need to go over there and start kicking some hind end? I can guarantee that they will be embarrased to get their butts kicked by me.

If your family is that bad, maybe it is time to move. Or simply learn to show them how you feel by extending only the finger between your forefinger and your ringfinger. Or do I need to take a pic of mine and email it to you and then you can keep it as a screensaver or desktop background?

You are only stopping yourself by listening to them. Quit listening to them, quit stomping on yourself.

Grab a gut full of air and wake the dead.

And tell them I said so. And that I live in Texas.

[MDEW]

The not wanting to get loud thing is in my mind not anyone else. I know how I was when others were playing loud music that I didn't like. I would be a hypocrit to put others through it.

Another thing is they always want to hear Gospel. I don't mind hearing them sing Gospel music but I prefer other types of music.

[izzle1989]

Thanks Izzle. You are spot on with jaw tension also. I have a problem with gritting my teeth alot.

Any suggestions on loosing the tension?

General stretches and massages.

I personally like to let my head fall backwards as if I fell asleep with my mouth open and breath in this manner for a few mins. Then I use my hands to gently massage the muscles of the jaw while maintaining the open mouth position. If the jaw is tight then the neck may be tight too so I massage the soft areas around my neck and shoulders.

I feel that performing the NG exercise with a dropped jaw helps this the most. Hear is a great link.

I hope this helps.

[MDEW]

Thank you

[Keith]

Do you record wearIng headphones? If so, you can trick yourself into singing loud just by turning up the backing track so you instinctively sing louder.

[izzle1989]

You're welcome.

[ronws]

The not wanting to get loud thing is in my mind not anyone else. I know how I was when others were playing loud music that I didn't like. I would be a hypocrit to put others through it.

Another thing is they always want to hear Gospel. I don't mind hearing them sing Gospel music but I prefer other types of music.

So, then, you are afraid. Just because you don't like what others have played loud is no reason not to sing at the volume that you need to. It's not hypocritical. In fact, it is you claiming the space you need to do what you are going to do. Except that you are afraid. And the song you sang would not be all that offensive to people that I know that have gone to church regularly. So that excuse lacks any real weight.

For the love of all that you deem holy, please, quit stepping on yourself. Or do you not belief in the bible verse that says that if you have a talent, you should let it shine forth, rather than hide it in a bushel? I know you don't have an answer for that one. So, sounding as ironic as possible, shut up and sing.

[MDEW]

Thank you Ronws. So far one of the best lessons that I have learned here is get out of your own way.

I am training more. I have stood up to my band members and demanded my songs.

Talking through the reasons that I do what I do has helped me to remove the roadblocks that I put up.

I know that it is me and noone else that is stopping me.

[izzle1989]

Thank you Ronws. So far one of the best lessons that I have learned here is get out of your own way.

I am training more. I have stood up to my band members and demanded my songs.

Talking through the reasons that I do what I do has helped me to remove the roadblocks that I put up.

I know that it is me and noone else that is stopping me.

Keep up the good work!

[ronws]

Well, good on you. I know I challenge you the hardest. More challenging than instructions about breath support and vowel sound. I challenge you to change your mind, and that is the hardest thing.

Dare I say it? Yes, I dare. Singing is mental.