Stay Cover (Rhianna)

[Elizax]

While I don't disagree generally with Jeff's advice I think it may have caused you to focus too much on aspects that in trying to resolve have caused your overall sound to worsen. I know what Jeff is aiming for but in the latest version of she will be loved it sounds like in trying to project you are throwing more breath to the front of the mouth. This will not help with projection and actually due to less control of the air flow over the vocal chords your overall resonance and stability has suffered. Concentrate on forming the sound at the back of the throat and directing it out more using the shaping of he mouth to improve resonance. You can't learn this from comments in a forum but there are lots of videos on YouTube on this if a personal coach is not an option. Also look up breathing using diaphragm as this also key to controlling the flow of air - not sure you are doing that presently.

As for the head/chest voice - if you get the stability in the first place right where you are able to produce consistent tone using good support and breath control then you will be able to more easily identify where the bridge between chest and head naturally occurs. Doing scales is an excellent way to identify this as you will just feel the point where either your voice will break and you will have to change to head voice or if you are able to bridge seamlessly then you will feel the nature of the resonance change more from your throat to also in your head but the key to head voice v falsetto is that it will still be nice and resonant and you shouldn't lose volume.

It's a shame that some of the other folk on here haven't picked up on this thread as there are some very good technical people on here but you know you have the basics of a good sound that just needs to be perfected so you are in a great position to improve.

Just re Rons point on the reverb - what room was this recorded in as that can make a difference. Was it a kitchen or room with no carpets?

Yeah, I did think it sounded off. You're right, instead of keeping the air steady I'm just pushing it out of my mouth and I have never realised until now. This is probably the reason why I always feel like I'm running out of air so fast. I am breathing using the diaphragm but I've never thought I've been doing it correctly, as if I can't control my breath when singing.

Thankyou for bringing this up, this will really help when practicing. Ill try to concentrate more on this for now.

Sometimes I feel like I'm going onto head voice but then I'm not sure it's falsetto. I know they say falsetto has no natural vibrations but sometimes I get confused on how to slip into head voice vs falsetto. They sounds pretty alike except head is richer right?

I was recording in my kitchen and there is a little bit of an echo, I never thought of that. My bad haha.

Thankyou for your reply.

[Elizax]

https://vine.co/v/huXr3nJDgXu/embed

Just did this quickly and was wondering if that was head voice I went into or falsetto. I didn't force any vibrato out at the end either, I guess it just came naturally with the breathing?

Thanks.

[ElWin]

I'd say falsetto. Again though it sounded right because it is a soft song. In addition to the other points I'd suggest find some songs with belted high notes because you will find it difficult to use falsetto on those.

Think of something like the chorus to Adele's Someone Like You where she sings "Don't forget me" etc not exactly belted but a good example of head voice.

[Elizax]

I still don't get how to get to it from chest voice because I just break into falsetto, I can't go any higher without straining and then I have no clue where to go from there

Am I still supposed to be in, uh not sure how to put this, the same speaking voice? Should I feel any vibrations in my chest? It's just so confusing.

Sorry for all the questions.

I always thought Adele was just belting on the chorus, her voice hardly changes in difference from her chest voice.

[abajab]

I always thought Adele was just belting on the chorus, her voice hardly changes in difference from her chest voice.

A belt in head voice will give the appearance of being in chest voice. Here is a youTube on belting.

[Elizax]

So head voice is falsetto except with cord closure? My head voice with cord closure is very quiet and low :S

I never realised belting required a mix, no wonder I find it hard and painful to really hit the harder high notes!

Thanks.

[abajab]

While I don't disagree generally with Jeff's advice I think it may have caused you to focus too much on aspects that in trying to resolve have caused your overall sound to worsen. I know what Jeff is aiming for but in the latest version of she will be loved it sounds like in trying to project you are throwing more breath to the front of the mouth. This will not help with projection and actually due to less control of the air flow over the vocal chords your overall resonance and stability has suffered.

I agree with you ElWin, it did cause the sound of her voice to deminish in quality. It was a piece of advice given me by a vocal coach that work for me, but then again the coach was stand right there in front of me and correcting me when I was making mistakes. Nothing can help better than to have a coach right there in front of you.

Jeff

[Elizax]

Coaching isn't an option, there's no way I can afford it hence why I asked on the forum and use YouTube videos :)

[ElWin]

Have a look on the vocal technique page on here. There is a post from Phil about bridging which is good but if you look through you will find other useful posts.

[Elizax]

https://vine.co/v/huTdiXmAK5W?fb_action_ids=10201247127887488&fb_action_types=vine-app%3Apost&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=288381481237582

https://vine.co/v/hutg1zjPUpL?fb_action_ids=10201247679301273&fb_action_types=vine-app%3Apost&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map=%7B%2210201247679301273%22%3A345276388933858%7D&action_type_map=%7B%2210201247679301273%22%3A%22vine-app%3Apost%22%7D&action_ref_map=%5B%5D

This head voice? Or still falsetto? So frustrating, but I did feel the kind of buzz in my head :cool:

[abajab]

Kirsty,

Your first link didn’t work so I clicked on the second one. On that second clip you are hitting a C5 and you look very comfortable doing it. This is why I think that you could be in head voice. At least it sounds like it to me.

Let me ask you a question. Can you hit and hold that high C5 for a long time?

[Elizax]

Yes I can hold it however the problem I'm trying to figure out, I hope I can make sense of it.

When you go into falsetto you go out of your chest voice into a breathy tone, kind of like the way you whisper except not quite that.

Is head voice in the same speaking voice as chest voice? I just seem to break when trying to go high from chest voice, I just don't think I know exactly how to find it.

Is there any exercises other than lip bubbling to find that range.

Sorry if I'm not very clear.

Thanks :)

[abajab]

I would say that for now you should just work on getting your head voice stronger by practicing a lot in that area. You can learn how to make a connection later. You are in head voice. Keep doing your sirens and move up and down in the head voice.

Jeff