Bridging early in CVT terms

[benny82]

While digging a little deeper into the CVT book I stumbled over a passage that basically advocates "bridging early", too, comparable to other method, "if you want to keep an even voice and passage into the high area of your vocie".

This "bridging" referred to Overdrive in this case, which is usually the mode that you will use for the lows as a male, especially if you sing more intensive stuff. However, this passage made me think about "bridging" in general from a CVT perspective.

The essential content of this passage is that at a certain point you can't bridge away smoothly anymore from Overdrive because Overdrive surpasses all other modes in intensity and bridging away from it would need you to drop down intensity a good chunk in an instant, which makes you flip instead of bridge smoothly.

So this made me try out the following, which seemed to lead to good results on "where to bridge".

- Start on something like A3 and sing an EH vowel in Overdrive, then modify to an EH vowel in Edge while holding the note

- Go higher note by note, B3, C4, etc. and keep an eye on how the intensity changes when switching back and forth between Overdrive and Edge

- On a certain pitch it will become really difficult to switch because the gap between intensities will rise

This way you can negotiate a good bridging point that fits your voice and maybe also current state of training. You will probably be able to make the switch on higher notes when you are trained better, but this routine gives you a good hint on where a smooth bridging point currently sits four you.

And in my opinion the switch from Overdrive -> Edge is really the switch that is most valuable to learn. When doing this switch you basically:

- pull back on the airflow

- raise the larynx

- increase twang

which is basically also the essence of the "traditional" switch chest voice -> head voice.

[Martin H]

Nice post Benny

Though of course there are many ways to "bridge" between the various modes and which one is most valuable is depended on the singers preference.

[Jens]

Yeah. Really great post benny, however i agree with martin there is no more "valuble" bridge it's all about taste.

For instance I think edge is to whiny and sharp to use in the pop/rock "singing" range c4-g4 above that however especially around high C i feel like edge starts to sound more acceptable.

[benny82]

Yeah. Really great post benny, however i agree with martin there is no more "valuble" bridge it's all about taste.

For instance I think edge is to whiny and sharp to use in the pop/rock "singing" range c4-g4 above that however especially around high C i feel like edge starts to sound more acceptable.

Yep, that was my impression, too. However, I figured out that, at least for me personally, it works very well to bridge to Edge early, while at the same time going for a very covered, almost classical sound color. This removes a lot of the "edginess" and makes it more suitable in the middle range. I usually do this around G4 on open vowels. On closed vowels like EE I do it a lot earlier.

I even do it on Overdrive vowels like EH if I just want a little less intensity but still want to sound "full metallic". If you cover enough (lower larynx, higher palate, more "rounded") it doesn't sound that different from Overdrive.

Especially that EE vowel is really a bitch to sing in Overdrive, but in Edge it works quite well (when modified similar to "sit").

[jonpall]

I think the overdrive to curbing switch might be even more valuable to learn, IMO.

[gno]

Great post Benny. Here is an example I created a while back to demonstrate Overdrive to Curbing. Halfway through the clip on "oh" singing F4 and G4 in overdrive, and then converting to Curbing while sliding up to A4. I'm not a CVT expert - so please correct me if I'm wrong.

https://www.box.com/s/drgnpablzzl63nccrqg0

[benny82]

can't hear the clip now unfortunately, will listen later. Overdrive into Curbing seems to be quite common, too (I think this is what Ken Tamplin does for example). I use Curbing mostly in the middle range, but only on certain songs where the "moaning" character of Curbing fits it.

Somehow I find Edge easier than Curbing in the high part of the voice. Probably because I don't have to "pull back" on the airflow (induce "the hold"). Instead I can just "push less" and switch to Edge-Like Neutral if I want to have an easier time up there, while still staying somewhat "metallic". I never really managed to get into Curbing-Like Neutral, though. Maybe I'm just too used to the Overdrive/Edge-vowels because they are so dominant in TVS.

[eggplantbren]

Great post. Yes, getting out of overdrive early is very important if you don't want it to sound very abrupt. Say if you did a C5 in overdrive and then a C#5 in curbing that would be jarring. But it's the singer's choice if they want to do that.

I have noticed an issue with the way we talk on this forum. It seems like we are often thinking about sirens or scales without meaning to. Our language sounds like we always have low pitches at the beginning of a phrase and high pitches at the end, which is obviously not true. For example, people often say that overdrive on low pitches, curbing on middle pitches and neutral on high pitches is a popular strategy. Well it is, but if you listen to virtually any song, they don't stick rigidly to that. There is probably a dominant mode-choice strategy, but occasionally it's nice to break the mold, for example do one particular high note in a song in overdrive even if that's not what you would normally do. Now that I can actually hear the modes easily (earlier I was like 'wtf, all singing sounds the same, where are these modes'), I realised almost all singers do this.

Finally, it's good to see Martin H back. I learned a lot from him back before everyone started hating each other. ;)

[Rachsing]

The choice of mode is also highly depended on the style.

[VideoHere]

modes aren't for me...too restricting...but to each his own.....

[eggplantbren]

You're using them Bob, even if you don't like to talk about it that way. I can tell from your Lou Gramm and 'uh' threads that you particularly enjoy listening to men using curbing in the high part of the voice.

[Owen Korzec]

IMO as you progress in your training there should be a gradual shift from thinking in modes to thinking in one voice, as this compliments the gradual shift from having to conform to primitive modes as a beginner to avoid the unstable areas, to being able to access the full potential of your voice as an advanced student that has put in the time necessary to train the entire voice, both the primitive modes and the infinite greyzones in between that take far more time to master.

[eggplantbren]

The grey zones are definitely interesting and useful. But the idea of 'one voice' seems a bit strange to me. Of course we all have only one voice but there are clearly many different ways of using it. Why ignore that? I want to know about all the different ways, not talk as though it's all the same or something.

There is definitely a place for "just singing" sometimes, but I think that's a different idea from "one voice".

[VideoHere]

that's true......(referring to post #11)

[ronws]

And in my opinion the switch from Overdrive -> Edge is really the switch that is most valuable to learn. When doing this switch you basically:

- pull back on the airflow

- raise the larynx

- increase twang

which is basically also the essence of the "traditional" switch chest voice -> head voice.

I am probably wrong, which has never stopped me before but I had not seen it described this way before in CVT but I can see where it makes sense. I think you have described in CVT terms how I approach Led Zep songs. And it's not that you cut off the airflow. But you don't let it all blow out. You meter it out under pressure, if that makes sense, probably doesn't, please excuse my redneck phrasing.

Layrnx, I don't worry about it but if the ee sound brings it up, so be it.

Which I think contributes to twang.

And anyone can prove me wrong. But, I swear, I think you just described how I sang "Ramble On."

[benny82]

Great post Benny. Here is an example I created a while back to demonstrate Overdrive to Curbing. Halfway through the clip on "oh" singing F4 and G4 in overdrive, and then converting to Curbing while sliding up to A4. I'm not a CVT expert - so please correct me if I'm wrong.

https://www.box.com/s/drgnpablzzl63nccrqg0

Just had a chance to listen to that, very nice example! Im not 100% sure, but I would think that F4 and G4 are Curbing too and what you are encountering towards A4 is the switch into head voice. There is definitely additional narrowing going on between G4 and A4, but I think the mode is Curbing for both. Could be wrong though. Hard to hear the intensity on a recording. On Overdrive I would expect a heavier, glottal attack.

[Martin H]

I agree with Benny, those notes are also in Curbing. Close to the "UH" vowel. :)