I want people to like my voice :(

[Shifty_eyes]

Hey guys

- my larynx raises as I sing high notes

- I learnt vibrato from Singing Success and haven't got much control over it (hasn't been long)

- I sing different words with different resonances, I would love a controlled voice which people really enjoy listening too.

Basically would just love some advice- every family member tells me how mediocre I am- until I realised my favourite vocalists aren't really naturally gifted singers, so I set out on a journey and I've been studying for about a year without a teacher. Currently 18...

Soft Example

https://app.box.com/s/jit5vgwy8fotmtmb6iu8

Rock Example

https://app.box.com/s/h6afc62y8xr71ndrjm8i

I like the way I sound in the Soft Example singing the word "Inside" at 9-11 seconds. Is this an accent/resonance thing? - I am Australian and I am not trying to change my accent to american, merely make it more accessible.

Thank heaps! your opinions will be highly regarded!

[Owen Korzec]

A little larynx raising is okay. It should raise a little bit more the higher you sing, just not so much it hurts and chokes off your range.

Don't worry about vibrato yet. People will like your voice fine without it and it is a bit of a distraction from the fundamental techniques you should be working on - building range and control over dynamics and registers.

I don't hear any resonance problems either. Once you go into the higher range they will become more apparent and you'll have to work them out, but now it sounds like you are in a pretty comfortable range so shifting resonance is fine.

You sound pretty good actually, I just think in order to get past "mediocre" you need to increase your versatility - both of your examples are in the same range and a similar intensity (the rock one didn't sound that much louder). Challenge yourself more to sing some stuff that is a bit harder for you, and try to figure out how to get through it - you will probably need a coach eventually for this, but it won't hurt to start now, just be smart about it, take it gradually. Building versatility in your voice will make you stand out as a skilled singer and that will make a lot of people appreciate your voice more.

Your tone could use some work too, and that is the other main thing that tends to determine if someone likes a singer's voice. To be clear, your tone now isn't bad, it's pretty, but it is not as resonant as it could be, and doesn't have much of a signature "color" to it. Try imitating a variety of your favorite singers and combining those tones you like into your own unique voice. But your tone will also improve naturally as you work on range and power and your voice gets stronger and more flexible.

[Xamedhi]

Well, my advice is similar to Owen's.

I say, play around with your voice and spaces, imitate opera singers, women, witches cackling, grandpas and their weird wide vibrato when they sing, imitate Disney characters singing, etc. All of that will give you knowledge and control over your voice. It will build sensibility on your muscles. You will learn in a fun ( very fun, indeed haha ) way to manipulate your soft palate, tongue, twang, and vocal muscles.

I agree with Owen on the resonance part. You sound good, but you have a lot more space than that to use, it's very constricted and small.