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Robert Lunte -Alice In Chains Tribute - "Rooster"

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Robert Lunte

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Enjoy... this has a lot of F1/H2 tuning to it and overlay distortion on the G#4. The overlay distortion is produced by balancing the glottal compression with the sub-glottal wind pressure just right, so that you create noise in the vocal track and not grinding... Anyways, enjoy.

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Hey Rob,

Great job! I have a quick question about the sound at 4:26 ("pictures of my boy")... obviously it's not my intention to nitpick here, because that was a great vocal, but I just want to address that sound so I can try to understand another thread on the forum.

On that line, it sounds a little bit like you have a cold or your nose is stuffed. In another thread, we recently read a study where it was determined that many classical singers use a little nasality to get through the passagio... do you think they do that to avoid that 'stuffed' sound during the transition? I find that if i'm bringing the metal from chest voice up into head voice, a couple of my transitional notes just won't pass the nose-pinch test AND sound good at the same time. If I make them pass the test, I wind up sounding stuffed up, doofy, or otherwise lame.

Is it your experience that one or two notes in the transitional area can be improved upon by introducing a little nasality?

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Interesting observation and question... I don't worry about Nasality or any of this raphael. That is nothing more then artistic coloring/shading... playing with the tongue, vowel and yes placement to get a certain color I wanted in that moment... using all the tools available to me to get that "moment" captured... there are several moments in this performance that have "character voicing" in it... its nothing more then that. I could sing "pictures of my boy" about 12 different ways, I chose to sing it like that.

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"Enjoy" ??? That's an understatement.....

This is phenomenal, coach !!!

Speaking of >> "there are several moments in this performance that have "character voicing" in it... its nothing more then that. I could sing "pictures of my boy" about 12 different ways, I chose to sing it like that."

I noticed that in the entire song, from the very beginning of your performance......

I think you should post this video on the Main Site :cool:

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Ya, I figured that out... I think Adolph is in charge of the videos for our web site... Your more then welcome to feature it Adolph, I think me and my team did a good job.... its worthy of being featured I suppose. Thats fine.

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I think Adolph hit on a good point.

Robert, you did this as Robert, NOT Layne. And kudos for that. Any number of armchair experts might pontificate on how you could sound more like Layne.

I'm a huge fan of "do it your way." Of course, some might think, that serves my ego. :lol:

Excellent performance for a video. Subtle expression, I think that is what worked for this. Rather than hammed up gesticulation. This song is in the sound, rather than Busby Berkley routines. At times, your sinewy motion was a mix of Layne Staley and Scott Weiland, and I think that worked well. And the "live" effect of showing the cameramen. I am a bit jealous that I can't grow my hair long, these days. I look more like Graham Bonnett, as far as hair goes. :mad:

And it may sound like an easy song but it covers quite a bit of range, especially in your arrangement.

I was going to say good job, but that seems to rile people up.

Anyway, you definitely had the grunge feel and pacing.

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Hmm, thanks Ron... I think feedback from you has a lot of merit, I appreciate it. Someone else, I think one of my teachers commented that I did it my 'own way'... I think that is true, but it was not really a contentious thing, I just sincerely sang the song the way it made me feel and sang the parts the way I thought sounded cool. I was trying to honor the song, but certainly update it with my own schtick.

For example in the beginning on the part, "Wife & kids, house hold pet...". I always thought it was cool to scale up on "house hold pet" up the blue scale there... so that is a cool embellishment I think that was just me talking ... Its not an easy song. You have to make it sound lazy and bluesy and on the chorus, you have to really nail a 'pulled' F#4 or G#4 to make it work... the voice wants to puss out on those notes, takes a lot of muscle to hold the phonation package together.

Anyways, glad you guys liked it, I thought I should shut up and step up a bit so... here you go.

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y teachers commented that I did it my 'own way'... I think that is true, but it was not really a contentious thing, I just sincerely sang the song the way it made me feel and sang the parts the way I thought sounded cool. I was trying to honor the song, but certainly update it with my own schtick.

And that's what makes this a performance, a true cover, rather than a carbon copy. This could stand on its own, like Metallica's cover of "Whiskey in the Jar."

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Ya, I suppose. Thanks for pointing that out... I guess thats a good sign... I don't have a problem reaching in and finding my own voice in covers or my own songs... and I suppose, having true artistic moments... I just have a problem finding time to do it more often... Im trying, it seems to be getting a little more free time for singing then before... its starting to turn and trend in that direction...

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Ya, I suppose. Thanks for pointing that out... I guess thats a good sign... I don't have a problem reaching in and finding my own voice in covers or my own songs... I just have a problem finding time to do it more often...

That would be because of your herculean workload.

i can't imagine how you find time for personal singing art, other than through some kind of magic.

Considering the teaching workload, the website and forum maintenance. The work on new versions of Pillars. Skype sessions.

Going to master classes around the world, not just the greater Washington State area.

Perhaps you have a deal with Satan to have day that is longer than 24 hours.

:cool:

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No deals with Satan... but your right, that pretty much describes my existence... No kids at home, no woman pulling on me give me more time, but I work about 6.5 days a week... Like I said, Im phasing out of insane workload I hope...

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Sounded great Robert.

You mentioned in an earlier post that you used some "Character Voicing". In the lower parts of the song you use a voice sound that I call "evil Wizard". Is that sound a result of using support on the lower register or a choice that you made for the song?

The reason that I ask is because when I would use that kind of voicing in my younger years I would be ridiculed for trying to sound like someone else. It is so far from my speaking voice. I'm wondering if that could have kept me from finding a supported singing voice.

Anyway you truely can "Walk the Walk" so to speak.

Don't Work too hard. Remember you do need rest to keep going at your pace.

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Hey Maestro! I am not a big fan of this genre, and i F'n loved it! I would have used that F word, so much calls for it ;)

I love your high notes, and their tone in this song. Really really really good!!! Hope to hear some more soon!!!

Rock on!!

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Robert,

Great singing. I'm now positive that your distortion is indeed created at the vocal fold level.

Hmm, ... Rach there are actually two different kinds of distortions here... the lower stuff in the chest voice feels like it is more at the vocal fold level, I totally agree... but the higher notes, such as the G#4, is not a squeeze of the twanger... the vocal folds are more relaxed and "flappy" in the sub-glottal wind... I think the low distorted notes are vocal fold level... the higher G#4 is noise in the vocal tract...

But thanks for your feedback... and thanks for listening.

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Sounded great Robert.

You mentioned in an earlier post that you used some "Character Voicing". In the lower parts of the song you use a voice sound that I call "evil Wizard". Is that sound a result of using support on the lower register or a choice that you made for the song?

The reason that I ask is because when I would use that kind of voicing in my younger years I would be ridiculed for trying to sound like someone else. It is so far from my speaking voice. I'm wondering if that could have kept me from finding a supported singing voice.

Anyway you truely can "Walk the Walk" so to speak.

Don't Work too hard. Remember you do need rest to keep going at your pace.

Hi MDEW... thanks for listening... your feedback has a lot of merit...

The colors and voicings we are referring to in this composition are more contentious, I am purposely laying on the F1/H2 or, bluesy overtones thickly to capture "that" kind of sound... which is just a blues sound, more or less... lots of dampening... but its not the only colors I can tune to by any means... its quite purposed in this composition.

I will soon publish a similar video of me doing Deep Purple's "Child in Time" and you will see and hear the coloring to be less bluesy and round, and more higher harmonics...

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Hey Maestro! I am not a big fan of this genre, and i F'n loved it! I would have used that F word, so much calls for it ;)

I love your high notes, and their tone in this song. Really really really good!!! Hope to hear some more soon!!!

Rock on!!

Thanks Gil, I know you have high Quality standards... glad you likey.

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and false folds distortion is something that despite you can do it with neutral with air, robert IS NOT distorting above a neutral with air configuration! so it is impossible as on his high notes he is using overdrive-like neutral, that configuration is not possible with lots of air (if not, it would be neutral with air on his high notes -which would be super 'heady'-, and not the overdrive-like neutral he is doing here) :P

Geran is there a such thing as overdrive-like neutral w/ (some) air w/ false folds distortion? That might be the best way to describe what Rob is doing on Ab4 and above.

There is actually a bit of "wind" in his high stuff, but the distortion and F1/H2 tuning make it sound overall less heady.

Remember guys CVT terms do not encompass all phonations ever. Some just can't be accurately defined by them. This is true with any method's terminology.

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From 5 minutes on my jaw dropped. Awesome job, inspiring. What would you describe the "wind pressure" to get distortion like that so high, lots of wind or very little wind?

It feels like a significant increase in sub-glottal pressure and I feel good intercostal, lower torso compression as well... the respiration is augmented compared to other phonations...

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it sounds excellent! i think it has it's own style, which i found excellent, my goal as well is to find a personal sound too :)

about the distortion!, i will use cvt terms as i think those are very precise:

i think that maybe using more air to get that distortion is more a personal sensation than a fact! cause at least creaking in the true vocal folds it is something that uses little amounts of air, and false folds distortion is something that despite you can do it with neutral with air, robert IS NOT distorting above a neutral with air configuration! so it is impossible as on his high notes he is using overdrive-like neutral, that configuration is not possible with lots of air (if not, it would be neutral with air on his high notes -which would be super 'heady'-, and not the overdrive-like neutral he is doing here) :P

What I understand about CVI, this would be overdrive-like neutral I suppose. The physical sensation regarding the respiration feel like an increase... this is not a passive, light respiration on those distorted G#4s.

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