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Whisper sound underneath my sung note?

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RoboJames

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Hi everyone, when I sing a high note I can hear a faint sound like a whisper or air leaking underneath the sound of the note that I'm singing. It's very soft, but I can definitely feel it. It's also much more noticeable if I sustain the note.

I would not describe my tone when singing these high notes as being breathy or airy. It's a pretty clear tone with a bit of strain/squeeze.

What is this a symptom of and how would I go about fixing it?

Thank you!

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Here are some clips:

*edit: clips removed*

The whisper sound starts in the higher notes (I'd say C4 and up). You can faintly hear it in the sirens, but you can't really hear it in the songs. It's a faint sound, but I can definitely feel it if I look out for it.

Please let me know what you think of my tone (I sure hope I don't have voice damage!). I would say my tone gets really squeezed/tense in the higher sections. How can I reduce this squeezed sound?

Any critiques or tips for improvement are much appreciated. Thank you.

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Your tone is full of air. You seem to be singing like you talk, with no support. What instruction (if any) have you had? I suggest getting a coach or singing program (or both) - start with the basics and work from there. I hear a ton of potential in these recordings... The longer you keep singing like this, the harder those bad habits you have will be to break. My $.02

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Thank you Keith and Owen for your replies, really appreciate it!

I've had a feeling that there was something fundamental that I was messing up in my singing/speaking that needs to be fixed before moving on. I'm curious to know if other forum members think this essential skill is breath support (like Keith said) or proper cord closure (as Owen mentioned), or both.

The most probable cause of bad vocal health for me would be bad speaking habits. So I'll focus on that. However, I don't want to go to a speech therapist if my speaking issue can be solved with something like proper breath support. That's why I'd like some other opinions of whether my speech/singing issue is more related to breath support or poor closure/vocal health.

I won't be able to get a vocal instructor until next year or later, so I'll stop singing until then. In the meantime, are there any safe exercises that I could do? If breath support is my main issue, I'd like to work on that so that I feel like I'm making some sort of progress...

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Lip bubbles, slow sirens on mmmm, ng, and others - you can prolly find some on youtube.

And dont stop singing - just build a workout from videos from Lunte, Tamplin, Richards, as you can trust their content to be "good for you". You can find some free videos on youtube as well.

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I can really relate to this problem, this is the way I used to sing. Luckily I have recieved a tone of help and am now "on the right track", so I know it can happen for you too. You asked if the essential skill is breath support or proper cord closure, I would say both :P For me at least, they have been going very hand-in-hand.

I will not give you any advice, save one, and that is what has already been said. Get some kind of vocal coach. I could try to give you advice, but I think I'm a nicer person if I don't since I'm not experienced enough yet and might send you 180 degrees in the wrong direction.

Good luck and know that it can be fixed, as long as you know how and put in the time!

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I can really relate to this problem, this is the way I used to sing. Luckily I have recieved a tone of help and am now "on the right track", so I know it can happen for you too. You asked if the essential skill is breath support or proper cord closure, I would say both :P For me at least, they have been going very hand-in-hand.

I will not give you any advice, save one, and that is what has already been said. Get some kind of vocal coach. I could try to give you advice, but I think I'm a nicer person if I don't since I'm not experienced enough yet and might send you 180 degrees in the wrong direction.

Good luck and know that it can be fixed, as long as you know how and put in the time!

Thank you for your reply and encouraging words Mivke. Did you by any chance have speaking issues like I do? I find that if I raise my voice even for a short amount of time, my throat gets sore (more details in my other thread: http://themodernvocalist.punbb-hosting.com/viewtopic.php?id=4946).

If you did have speech issues, was that fixed with just singing lessons alone?

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Thank you for your reply and encouraging words Mivke. Did you by any chance have speaking issues like I do? I find that if I raise my voice even for a short amount of time, my throat gets sore (more details in my other thread: http://themodernvocalist.punbb-hosting.com/viewtopic.php?id=4946).

If you did have speech issues, was that fixed with just singing lessons alone?

I did not have speech issues to the degree you speak of, but after extensive speaking I would definitely feel it's effects. Now though, if I want to speak for a longer time or infront of more people and I need to be heard I find myself incorporating singing technique in my speech. The two things that so far has helped me the most is support and placement.

Good luck!

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