Terence Trent D'Arby (Sananda Maitreya) or Study of soul singing

[joshual]

Hi there,

Today i want to talk about one style that is not often discussed in the forum: Soul singing.

This kind of singing seems really close to rock, but with some differences that makes a big difference in tone.

I want to know everything about the technique of Terence Trent D'Arby (Sananda Maitreya).

Here's a video of Sananda singing live:

It seems to me that it's only headvoice, lot of twang, the volume does not seems to be loud at all and he's but i'm not really good at finding those kind of things:rolleyes:.

I wonder how he do that kind of twangy & raspy head voice. At 2:12, i can see that for the rapsy tone he seems to put the back of the tongue in a really high position with wide open jaw. I saw that kind of things on other singers with that kind of tone( Richie Kotzen is the best exemple). The tongue placement seems to be very important for producing the tone.

So i think it could be great study or discuss another thing than rock or metal ;-).

Hope you will be interreste joining in this discussion, sure it could be really great!!!!

Josh

[analog]

joshual,

the tongue position, high and flat against the molars, will keep the larynx high. The smile(bite) will keep the palate wide and stretched(like a sail.) Scientifically speaking...I'm at a loss...but apparently this helps increase resonance

I love this style of singing...hopefully more people will get involved.

[VideoHere]

let's also not rule out psysiological endowment.

[joshual]

I know what you mean videohere ;-). But i think everyone got a voice and can achieve all the things we want. I'm not trying to have his voice, but understand the mecanism of it. It's more a stylistic choice.

[VideoHere]

i hear ya. i don't know sometimes.... twang, compression, overdrive, this, that and the other thing...sometimes you folks get too technical for me. i know and respect what you're trying to do, but somtimes i think these vocal modes can happen intuitively.

[Steven Fraser]

I wonder how he do that kind of twangy & raspy head voice. At 2:12, i can see that for the rapsy tone he seems to put the back of the tongue in a really high position with wide open jaw. I saw that kind of things on other singers with that kind of tone( Richie Kotzen is the best exemple). The tongue placement seems to be very important for producing the tone.

Josh

Josh: I'll offer another opinion: I think the jaw and tongue position are more about the vowel he is singing at that point, (which is an EH that he is singing in a manner that is shaded toward AY) than it is about the mild rasp. To my ear, tts just that the rasp is more obvious when he is singing that particular vowel. Or, perhaps he wanted to enhance the effect, to make it more distinctive, for expressive reasons.

Over the week-end, I'll do some additional analysis, and post 1 or more spectrograms to help us visualize the sound spectrum that results from his technique. It will be fun ;)

[joshual]

Hey masters, nobody interrested in this topic

We have discused here a lot on the rock thing, just tought it could be great to change a little....

[judyrodman]

Fun to see another genre represented on the forum! As to his technique... I don't believe he is singing in head voice. It sounds to me that he is using a light, well-mixed middle voice, with a lot of

head voice influence in his mix. The big thing is, as you have noticed, he is not putting a lot of pressure on it. That's the mistake I find most singers make when trying to apppoximate that kind of rasp... pushing it to make the sound instead of relaxing and intending the sound. I look forward to Steven Frasier's coming thoughts.

[Steven Fraser]

Hey, all...

Here is another recording, I think from an earlier stage in his career, where he goes in an out of the raspy tone quality.

Going back to the original clip, I looked spectragraphically at the rasp used at 2:12, and also a scream at 4:07.

Here is the tonal content of the raspy eh (shaded toward ay) vowel at 2:12:

The harmonic peaks in his voice are distinct, but there is a lot of non-harmonic sound content, which I think is what we are percieving as the rasp.

While I am now tending toward an interpretation that is similar to Judy Rodman's, there may be something else going on here. There are peaks of sound energy in this profile that are not harmonic to his fundamental, but too pronounced just to be just broadband noise in his voice. My current thought (which I will have to research a bit) is that he may be doing both a phonation model like Judy suggests and a supraglottal effect on top of that. Specifically, I need to check up on the wave form effect of the over-twanging that has been suggested by others. I should be able to do that over the next few days. It reminds me a little bit of the vocalism of Janis Joplin, in one of her more restrained moments.

Also worthy of note is the strong acoustic energy from about 3200Hz to 4500. IMO, this is an audio engineering artifact. Its too neatly arched to be natural. Either the PA is set up to do this live (and recorded faithfully) , or the audio was tweaked in post. I rather think it was the latter, since some of the guitar solos show the same boost going on.

I will get back to you.

[Snax]

Thanks for posting this. One of my favourite singers of all time. Chops like non one else and soul for days!

[joshual]

You're welcome. Now that i know a little more about singing, i think his sound is coming from overoverovertwanging lol.

[analog]

You're welcome. Now that i know a little more about singing, i think his sound is coming from overoverovertwanging lol.

Yep...on thinned(as opposed to thick-ish fold overovertwanged Belt.) Cuts like a mofo with minimal work.

[joshual]

Hi there,

It's me trying wonderfull world by Sam Cooke à la Terence trent d'arby.

I try to get this bite Terence have and the dynamics too. But i think i need help, i think i'm too chesty don't know how to get a lighter sound whithout loosing the bite.

My biggest problem is really losing the weigth of the voice, maybe i'm supporting too much and not isolate twang the right way. Hmmmm not sure if i twang on this one ( completly lost on this term)

Please help me in my quest!

http://www.box.net/shared/cd4rl3e0bx

Thanxs in advance

ps:

I'll put this also in 'critizice my singing" , but thought it could be cool to have it here as the main topic is soul singing

[VideoHere]

Hi there,

It's me trying wonderfull world by Sam Cooke à la Terence trent d'arby.

I try to get this bite Terence have and the dynamics too. But i think i need help, i think i'm too chesty don't know how to get a lighter sound whithout loosing the bite.

My biggest problem is really losing the weigth of the voice, maybe i'm supporting too much and not isolate twang the right way. Hmmmm not sure if i twang on this one ( completly lost on this term)

Please help me in my quest!

http://www.box.net/shared/cd4rl3e0bx

Thanxs in advance

ps:

I'll put this also in 'critizice my singing" , but thought it could be cool to have it here as the main topic is soul singing

josh, respectfully you worry too much....you sounded pretty damn good to me.

[VideoHere]

Thanks for posting this. One of my favourite singers of all time. Chops like non one else and soul for days!

mine too snax....i'm working on "change is gonna come"

[joshual]

Thanxs Bob, and you know what i'm also workin on a change is gonna come too. If you record it, post it here!!! It's a really tough song.

Yeah, i may worry too much, but i'm really looking after gaining some freedom in my singing, more than just technique for itself. If only i had the money to have a coach... But you know i really do think like you, that singing, is more intuitive and acting than too much thinking.

[VideoHere]

Thanxs Bob, and you know what i'm also workin on a change is gonna come too. If you record it, post it here!!! It's a really tough song.

Yeah, i may worry too much, but i'm really looking after gaining some freedom in my singing, more than just technique for itself. If only i had the money to have a coach... But you know i really do think like you, that singing, is more intuitive and acting than too much thinking.

i'm right with you my friend, i'm so glad i discovered daily vocal exercise, and i'm strapped to do lessons myself. i'm learning sam cooke's version (1/2 step down).

i like to continually challenge myself by picking songs that are difficult but give me a chance to emote.

i really believe it's the nuances in the vocals too that can make for huge enjoyment....for instance, i can listen to a song, hear a few seconds of a vocal and just get chills from the sound or emotion coming from the artist.

[ronws]

I just wanted to comment that I also think that singing becomes intuitive, reflexive, like acting. But I also know how actors work on speicific exercises and techniques that make their work seem so "effortless." Even odd bits that had a different effect in the end. This requires some trivia. Leonard Nimoy, while playing Spock on the original Star Trek series, often kept a lollipop with him, even during filming. When you saw him standing with one or both hands behind his back, it was not just a military pose, he was holding onto a lollipop.

More to the point. Sir Anthony Hopkins played Hannibal Lecter in the movie, "Silence of the Lambs." In an interview, he revealed how he came up with the affectations of movement and personality for this role. From a cat. Cats are obligate carnivores. And they always move with purpose. And rarely blink, especially when hunting. In his view, Dr. Lecter was an obligate carnivore, always on the hunt. So, if you watch the movie, you will see that Hopkins never blinks on camera. So, what's my point? That model of behavior is a technique to create an effect. In the same vein, so is practicing the techniques one can learn here and elsewhere. In the end, when the techniques have become second-nature, akin to blinking or breathing, then you are free to emote because now you have the skills to emote.

[joshual]

Yep, agree, but i was more talking about real acting when singing. The more you practice technique the more you forget about it. But only good technique does not make good singer, at least for me. I prefer those who really act and live their singing ;-). That's what i always try to do, practice technique, apply it on the singing and then completly forget about it and just try to be emotional with my singing ;-)

[ronws]

Yep, agree, but i was more talking about real acting when singing. The more you practice technique the more you forget about it. But only good technique does not make good singer, at least for me. I prefer those who really act and live their singing ;-). That's what i always try to do, practice technique, apply it on the singing and then completly forget about it and just try to be emotional with my singing ;-)

I agree with you, too, from that perspective. What pops into my mind is Iggy Pop from the Stooges. Not only can he sing, but he acts, both in movies and on stage. He gives you the energy he feels and it makes for a complete package. So does Mick Jagger. But there's more to acting on stage than just gymnastics. I am still entertained by Sir Elton John even though he doesn't climb up on the piano like he used to do. So, it is an intrinsic part of the singer's ability to project a feeling or emotion that is aside from technical expertise. Such as Robert Lunte's performance of "Gethsemane." There's not enough room to climb rocks and hills like Neeley does in the movie yet Lunte's performance still conveys the emotion and power of the piece. I think that is a quintessential example of acting and singing fluidly, making it look effortless, which belies the talent and work that went into it.

[VideoHere]

Yep, agree, but i was more talking about real acting when singing. The more you practice technique the more you forget about it. But only good technique does not make good singer, at least for me. I prefer those who really act and live their singing ;-). That's what i always try to do, practice technique, apply it on the singing and then completly forget about it and just try to be emotional with my singing ;-)

if we wanted to, we could pick a line of a song, any line, and sing that line a multitude of ways...

Don't laugh, i am an avid karaoke buff. sometimes i want to imitate the sound of the original artist and other times i want to just deviate and act on my emotions. i also enjoy trying songs that are sung by women and try to do a male version...it really helps you get in touch with other sides of yourself.

try it sometime.

try a song like etta james' "at last." i'll bet you'll really surprise yourself.