#2 Snejk - Wind Of Change (Scorpions)

[Snejk]

Okay so I try to sing a song where I use a lighter approach.. Trying to be a bit more nasal like the original as well as trying to blend in falsetto at some places where it is just simply to high for me to use chest voice...

Be cautious before listening because I BUTCHER this song...

I have not eaten anything today and just got off work but... Regardless how rested, warmed up and full I am, it still sounds like shit.

This is my "tenor" approach.. I LOVE the lighter, not as full sound... But that's about it...

As I said, be aware, if you love this song, don't click on the link;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNb6V_jLUJ0

[ronws]

I think you did it well. Your voice is so strong that even your falsetto is is pure. In my opinion, Klause Meine sings the main stanzas, such as at the beginning, with a falsetto that is bleeding a lot of air, almost as if you are singing through the nose, rather than behind it. Like this.

I did that quickly just to show what I mean. In other parts of the song, he goes full voice. It's not quite a fry but it helps to think of whispering, in order to waste enough air to make it that soft.

But I liked your version. You have such a strong voice.

[Snejk]

Thanks! My falsetto has always been sharp and clean, if I'd like it to but that, I guess is because I'm still only in my 20's... I had a falsetto competition with my father who's 60. He gets quite a bit higher than me (which REALLY ticks me off since he hasn't sung a note or a song in his entire life) but he's airy and rough...

You really sing in falsetto there, in your clip? You have such a sharp and clean high voice!!! I am so much in awe, you have no idea!!

I head to falsetto at a few parts in my clip and it sounds way different... You sound way more chesty than I do I think with all the voice connected. I can't do that at all in that register :(

[ronws]

Thanks! My falsetto has always been sharp and clean, if I'd like it to but that, I guess is because I'm still only in my 20's... I had a falsetto competition with my father who's 60. He gets quite a bit higher than me (which REALLY ticks me off since he hasn't sung a note or a song in his entire life) but he's airy and rough...

You really sing in falsetto there, in your clip? You have such a sharp and clean high voice!!! I am so much in awe, you have no idea!!

I head to falsetto at a few parts in my clip and it sounds way different... You sound way more chesty than I do I think with all the voice connected. I can't do that at all in that register

Thanks, man. I've been working on it for 22 years. And I am still learning and developing. It will never stop.

When I did the first part, it's not falsetto for me but I am wasting air and putting a little through the nose. At least here, I thought I sounded a little raspy. For the part of "Take me the magic of the momment" and on, I quit leaking air but I am also using easy air pressure, so as not to increase the volume too much. It was actually quite subtle. But I was using a lot of chest, though I think I was mixing just a little. The idea was to not hit the note like a sonic blast.

I want to see if I can do an example of "Rock you like a hurricane." There's a song with some raspy soft, full voice in mixed, and supersonic head voice.

[ronws]

I don't know if it's a trick of recording, or what, but you didn't sound all that falsetto to me.

I think I want to provide a better example of the difference between the two. Namely, the song "Better" from Chinese Democracy. I don't know the chords to that one so I would have to do it a capella.

[ronws]

Here's a rough, and I do mean rough rendition of "Rock you like a Hurricane." No rehearsal, just hit record and go for it. But I wanted to show the different resonances. It still starts out in high chest or mixed, with some of that crying or wasted air bit going on, for the softer parts. The high parts are in head voice, but wasting some air to give it a raspy tone.

[Snejk]

My falsetto, I mean was at the higher, briefer parts such as "August summer nights, soldiers passing by lis'ning to the wind of change".

Now YOU my friend have an EXTENSIVE range... That is just sick...

[ronws]

Again, thank you, for that is indeed, a high compliment to me. I thought I was baritone and could only hit notes that weren't too high in falsetto. But learning to resonate in the head opened up the range. Later, came the mixing resonances thingy. Right now, I am making a short of the song "Better" by Guns and Roses to show more of the differences in resonances.

[ronws]

Here it is. Another rough cut. I actually got some rasp on this, interestingly enough, by backing off the tension of the folds and the air pressure. Not quite a fry but leaning that way, maybe. Anyway, the song starts out in falsetto. Then transitions, in the same range to a high chest that freely changes to mixed on some of the higher stuff. "By the one who raised me .." is a head resonance that is leaking air to give it a raspy feel. "All that I wanted was ... now I know you better, you know I know better" is chest and transitions immediately to a twanged head resonance "Now we all know better." I like this song simply because it's a good song but it also shows the mixing, as it were, if different resonances or modes or whatever you want to call it.

Instructional a capella of "Better" by Guns and Roses.

[ronws]

And dang it, I'm not trying to take over your thread. I just thought I could help you get that soft Klaus Meine sound. I think it's just a matter of backing off the tension of the folds and use a little less air. It's very subtle, indeed.

[jonpall]

Snejk:

Do you want to hear the good news or the bad news first? Sorry too late!! I'm gonna tell you the bad news first...

Ok, just every now and then you try to imitate Klaus by singing slightly nasal - he does sound nasal every now and then but not always. But this is the part that I don't like all that much in your clip. When you're not trying to sound like yourself - the best version of yourself you can be, your sound simply gets a little worse. So I'd suggest you stop trying to imitate a very specific sound that some other singer has and listen to what's special about your own voice. Secondly, very late in the song you had slight pitch problems. But to be fair, they were very small and this was an unedited take (no studio recordings are so all other singers sometimes drop a bit out of tune so you're in good company). I'm almost certain that you went out of tune because of lack of confidence in your voice. So start to believe that you're a good singer, relax more, breath more relaxed and the pitch problems will happen far less frequently.

On to the good news: So, when you were not trying to copy Klaus, which was actually the majority of the time, I really loved your take! And I love that song. You did a great take my friend and you're already a good singer with a great sounding voice! It was MUCH, MUCH better than you described it. But that's common for beginning singers Your core sound is great, you have good vibrato, great pitch, good sense for melody and music in general and in no way do I think that it's impossible for you to gain some range if that's what you want. But I suggest that you just PLAY around with your voice endlessly for many months and stop worrying so much about how you sound - you already sound great my friend - better than the majority of people, IMO. You've just started as a singer, well, pretty much, and you have your life ahead of you to get better and better. Also, if you want to chase that range stuff a bit as a side project, you can start some vocal training via an instructor or a book or a DVD or something. But join a band if you haven't already done so and spend the next many many months and years happy with the great voice you already HAVE. And just know that it WILL improve with time. There are lots of people here that can help you add some range with time but play, play and play with what you have without worries and be happy. And get on stage, dude. Cheers.