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How to I improve my singing? Opinions needed.

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Very informative post! First of all, you mentioned using guitar to find out my singing range. I have done that already - I can sing comfortably every note between 3rd fret 6th string (that is G note) and 1st fret B string (a C note). Hopefully that nails it. BTW, it was an open 1st (E) string note I was trying to sing when my throat begun to hurt.

I'll try to work on breathing support. I didn't understand one thing though:

Does this mean that my diaphragm should not move upwards while I sing the phrase? I don't want to get this the wrong way.

About learning a song in my range and then recording it for you, would you suggest the one linked in the bottom of the post?

This is what I am looking forward to read.

Everything else you said pretty much makes sense, at least I think so. ;)

PS. There is something else that boggles my mind. Open the video below and go to 1:26. Note that 'vibration' in his voice when he sings the word 'are'. That sounds good and I have no idea what that is and how to do it, yet seems important to learn.

Thanks!!

You asked what Tose Proeski is doing at 1:26. I think that you are going to become a good singer because you were able to pick up on what is one of the hallmarks of a great vocalist, and that is vibrato. "Vibrato" is the Italian word for vibration, and is one of the advanced techniques that every singer should learn, even if they never use it for their particular style of singing. It is required for operatic singing. Listen to opera if you want to really hear some strong vibrato. If you want to sing in the style of Tose Proeski, then it is required. Check out him singing Lionel Richie's "Hello" to hear a more prominent vibrato. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnPn58Mf0TQ. When used lightly, you will hear it mostly in sustained notes. When used heavily, as in opera, it is practically constant. Now that you noticed the vibrato in his voice, go back and listen to his songs. I am not familiar with his work (I actually never heard of him), but I'll bet he uses it in every song. His style is similar to jazz vocals, which uses vibrato.

However, now is not the time for you to learn vibrato. You don't have the basic skills yet, and you need those in order to train for vibrato. Your natural vibrato will begin to appear as you train.

Meanwhile, you can still practice and record the "Fragile" song, just don't try to mimic the vibrato.

My quote: "You must be able to hold this position while you vocalize a phrase, release it to exhale during your rests in the song, and inhale and hold again for the next phrase."

You asked: "Does this mean that my diaphragm should not move upwards while I sing the phrase? I don't want to get this the wrong way."

If you are doing everything else correctly, you will have the sensation that it is very slowly moving upwards. This is because you are allowing (in a very controlled way) air to pass over the vocal cords and up through the nose and out of your mouth. Properly engaged core muscles help you control this slow climb of the diaphragm.

I will get back to you on your range question. I have to pull out my keyboard to do that. Maybe someone else will read this and answer the question.

I also will put the vowel modification on the back burner. You are not ready for that yet.

By the way, this reminds me of a young man I met in downtown Portland. He was playing his guitar and singing songs by his favorite band, Radiohead. I stopped to listen, and tossed a dollar into his hat. We started talking and he asked me to sing a song. I sang "Unchained Melody" by The Righteous Brothers. I used vibrato. He said he had never heard anyone sing like that before, so I told him that it's called vibrato. I thought it was funny, but didn't say anything. I didn't want to embarrass him. He didn't realize that Radiohead's vocalist uses vibrato! ;)

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The range you describe on the guitar, that is G2 to C4. You have not yet learned to go through passaggio. Hazardous to type your voice at this time.

let me channel my inner Felipe. Get some training and see what happens after that.

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Thanks, Ron. :)

Yeah, just sing in your comfortable range. It will expand on it's own while you are training. Daily vocal exercises will strengthen your entire range if you are doing the appropriate exercises. You have to strengthen your chest register if you want a full sounding head register. They are not two separate instruments. When properly combined, you get what some call a mixed register because it seamlessly bridges the passage (passagio between chest voice and head voice.

I will stop there. First, I am brand new to the forum. If I am wrong about anything at all, please correct me. I also might be going too far into these concepts for beginners. I ramble. Please forgive me. :P

I should also say that I do not consider myself to be knowledgeable compared to probably most of the people reading this! :lol:

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Good advice, Will. I was also suggesting that imperator seek whatever coach is local to him that he can afford, a good set of ears to hear him, in person and help him make adjustments. Sheesh, now I really sound like Felipe. Next thing you know, I'll be speaking Portuguese. The reason is because we cannot hear ourselves as others hear us.

In any case, not much judgment we can make about the voice without some idea of how he goes through passaggio. And even so, range description won't matter in pop or rock music.

Crap, now I sound like Jens.

I should take some aspirin to get rid of this fever.

:lol:

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You asked what Tose Proeski is doing at 1:26. I think that you are going to become a good singer because you were able to pick up on what is one of the hallmarks of a great vocalist, and that is vibrato.

Now I am proud of myself, LOL.

Check out him singing Lionel Richie's "Hello" to hear a more prominent vibrato.

...

. I am not familiar with his work (I actually never heard of him), but I'll bet he uses it in every song.

This singer is my favorite so apparently I have listened to his performance of "Hello" many, many times.

You definitely don't want to miss his songs. Take a look of him singing "Bed of roses" for example.

Now sorry for me going offtopic a bit.

Some time ago, someone gave me the book "Complete vocal technique" (I suppose it's a good book), and I read about vocal support there, which is extensively explained and described. And from what I read there, my support was totally wrong up to time. I was doing what is described as bad support - the lower tummy pushed out as much as possible while vocalizing phrases, which probably is one cause of all the symptoms you mentioned in my singing.

let me channel my inner Felipe. Get some training and see what happens after that.

That is what I was going to mention next. If you think that I have the potential to become a relatively good singer (not necessarily professionally), I could really think about getting some lessons. Posting in this forum was just to get feedback how my voice is (but I got some valuable advice as well!).

Should I mention, I am struggling with doing the support correctly (bulge at the solar plexus, which I can't seem to make). Don't know even if I am moving in the right direction, but that would be solved with my teacher IF I manage to get lessons.

If you have anything to add, feel free to do so. Otherwise, this topic would be closed as I don't have anything else on mind to write.

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Okay, I hope you won't mind, but I need to ask several questions about support.

1. Breath support is meant to lower the breath expelation rate, as far as I know. What happens then, when we need to sing higher and stronger? How can low breath volume being expelled result in strong and loud tone?

2. How can I know for sure on my own if I am doing the support right? Whether that is by vision, or feeling, or tone, I need to know how.

3. Should my abdominal muscles be tense while I am exhaling?

4. Which area should be bulged while I am excaling? And more important, which area should I make sure to bulge while inhaling at first place (lower belly, vs solar plexus area)

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You only let as much air out as needed but you do let enough air out.

Control is from keeping the ribs expanded and using the motion of the lower stomache to move the air.

That is what I understand it to be. :/

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Okay, I hope you won't mind, but I need to ask several questions about support.

1. Breath support is meant to lower the breath expelation rate, as far as I know. What happens then, when we need to sing higher and stronger? How can low breath volume being expelled result in strong and loud tone?

2. How can I know for sure on my own if I am doing the support right? Whether that is by vision, or feeling, or tone, I need to know how.

3. Should my abdominal muscles be tense while I am exhaling?

4. Which area should be bulged while I am excaling? And more important, which area should I make sure to bulge while inhaling at first place (lower belly, vs solar plexus area)

I recommend that you ask these questions in the Vocal Technique section. Here is the link to that: http://themodernvocalist.punbb-hosting.com/viewforum.php?id=3 I think that section will attract some of the experts to answer your vocal technique questions.

I will attempt to answer some of your questions, but I still would like to see this moved to Vocal Technique...

1. As you sing higher, your vocal cords change the shape and size of the hole where the air is passing through. With proper breath support, this increases the air pressure. It's this high air pressure, not volume, that allows you to sing high notes easily. One of the problems beginners have is taking large breaths just before they are about to sing a high phrase. this makes it more difficult to control with even the best breath support. With experience and focus, you will learn this. To simplify, proper breath support allows you to do a whole lot with the air you inhale because of the dramatic increase in air pressure. Yes, you will need to move more air for high volume singing, but not nearly as much as the average singer thinks you do. For me, this took years to figure out on my own because I didn't have a vocal teacher.

2. You will feel and hear the difference. Do the cheesy superhero pose by placing hand on hips, then slide hands up until your thumb and forefinger are on your lower ribs. When you inhale to start a phrase, you should feel everything you have your hands on expand at roughly the same time. I don't think it really matters where you feel it first, as long as everything feels as if it is expanding.

3. IMO, you should not intentionally tighten your abdominal muscles when singing. For me, my abdominal muscles begin to tighten when singing at a high volume, but I have heard some coaches say that you should not tighten their abs. Maybe someone can help me clarify that.

4. See # 2

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Okay, thanks a lot. Just to mention, I found a local singer & former teacher that is willing to listen to my singing, to help me learn proper breathing technique while also correcting me if I am wrong, and give me some exercises that will benefit me most - all that for free! It should be just OK for beginning.

Again, thanks for everything!

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