Cover Autumn Leaves - Critique please

[AmyEl]

Anyone can give an opinion and it is neither good or bad. I never much liked Bruce Springsteen's voice. But he's the professional.

Professional singers are out there recording albums and playing concerts, rather than hanging around in forums.

Case-in-point, James Lugo, who has recorded with Nazareth, doesn't hang around much.

One of our fellow members happens to be aquainted with James LaBrie but James is too busy to spend much time discussing singing in a forum.

Not that there is anything wrong with discussing singing in a forum.

Something I have learned is to not take offense at a critique. Though I have given critiques and suffered the consequences because I hurt someone's feelings and they would dog me for a year. Because people are human. So, now, I am accused of being too soft.

To quote Ricky Nelson, "You can't please everyone so you've got to please yourself" - from his hit song, "Garden Party."

(That's an old one. Adolph, Bob, and MDEW are likely the only ones to remember that. We are the "old" guys here.)

I'm completely with you on the Springsteen issue!! There are others that I can barely tolerate as well and then I have my favorite voice (if not favorite..no, wait, terrible writers) like Sting!! That voice is just spot on, IMO. But not everyone writes like Billy Joel. The cool thing about Sting is that he still sounds so good with those arrangements despite the writing. It shows that ppl do really enjoy a jazzy tune and smooth-as-honey voice some days.

[Adolph Namlik]

Well, For one:

I'm extremely grateful and complimented by all these comments. I don't usually get offended easily. So, please... keep em' comin'. No worries at all on any criticism, at ALL!

I LOVE iT!!

No seriously.

I respect your comments Clint, ronws, MDEW, the Aspiring Singer, and everyone else! How COOL to have "met" you all!! I look forward to more of it!

In that vein: while there are days that I really enjoy and appreciate that added praise. There are certainly those times I feel frustrated when I post in forums and get only positive answers or little actual critique of areas to improve. But what am I saying??? No, it's true. A true professional is, imo, someone who WORKS at the job.....everyday and isn't stopping so that they can get their ego stroked. I like the feel-good...but I don't stop at it because of criticism. To me, those are people who don't have the character to be equipped for the pro business, precisely because it HAS to include some bad and painful situations/awful reviews from time to time/much rejection. If you stop at that....it's not a business that will survive.

My motos for music:

1)If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.

2)Hope for the best, expect the worst.

3)Do it all for the Glory and Enjoyment of something far greater and more important than myself.

I don't do these everyday. I slip and fall. But these are still my motos for now. :cool:

So to that end:

1)The mouth thing is something that I somehow do different than others. I don't understand it actually and for what reasns. Part is training from a few ppl that are not in agreement with vowel modification if the megaphone is in place properly. Some is just that I need that small opening to connect sometimes. While I love the big "LAHs" for connection too, I don't yet have a place to use it other than in practicing. It's not part of my open mouth feel. I remember that some ppl will recognize it and thinks it's odd; but I don't really care. It's the german mouth that I got, from the Good Lord above. I will use it as well as I can.. cause it's mine and I like what I got. I address the big mouth singers because for some reason, there are ppl out there that think it's necessary. I don't but I am willing to hear others opinions. It's part of life and it's great to have other own opinions, cause God knows that I certainly have my own. For me, when I modify vowels too much, it can sometimes cause my connection to fail altogether. I assume it's because of my deep desire to keep both upper and lower resonances singing along and I'm focusing on that mostly......with whatever oriface that it takes, but it just works this way for me. Also that concentration is because, I personally hate to flip and pull too much; but boy it's nice to hear MDEW and others here.... that when I did, that it may have sounded pretty well afterall.

2) I do know that getting more training will mean more styles of getting to the same end results, with other techniques....and maybe that will be prettier; but for now, this mouthpiece will have to do it's thing.

3) I have to apologize that my microphone was just not turned down on the input better so you can hear those upper belts and moderate to loud mixes with more clarity. I will post soon.

Adolph- I tried to do as ronws here suggest and get added to the media site for a feature??? I have no clue what that means; but ok!

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE!!

Now- please criticize or encourage more! I welcome new friends too!!!

:cool:

Vr and Sincerely- Amy Elizabeth

Amy,

What ronws was referring to was the other section of TMV World. Click the following link and the click the tab where is says "JOIN". It's relatively easy from there. Hope to Welcome you when you decide to join. :cool:

http://www.themodernvocalist.com/

Note : Feeling about 65 today

Warmest Regards,

Adolph

[ronws]

Note : Feeling about 65 today

Warmest Regards,

Adolph

I'm still feeling about 50 - ish.

Amy, it was neat that you set out your mottos.

I would add a few of my own.

Fear is a killer. Corollary: plan to fail, then fail.

When you are sure you are going to fail and expect the worse, it is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Which leads to my next motto:

Don't make excuses or list conditions or disclaimers, this is my attempt, I am not worthy, I had a cold, my dog ate my homework, ad nauseum (I say nauseum instead of infinitum because such things make me throw up, just a little.)

Shut up and sing. Stand and be judged unadorned. It doesn't matter as any kind of serious singer what kind of day you had. How did you sing on this song at this time? Always do your best, each time, whatever that "best" was.

Sometimes, I have done a note I thought was weak but others quite liked it, which is fine because a singer cannot hear himself as others hear him, or her. So, trust, just a little bit, the ears you are asking to judge you.

I also have a german mouth so, I don't do lip bubbles.

[AmyEl]

Yeah- I don't do the tongue trills, but lip bubbles instead. Not sure why I can't do tongue trills. I also can't whistle. BTW_ I love that rendition of the first motto. Plan to fail and you will fail....... It's just so true. Boy, does it ever get humiliating in the earlier learning years, but the only benefit that I see from a society who has no clue that singing *can* be taught and doesn't have to be born perfect is this.... in my mind.... that: when you just keep going... it's probably because you really let it come right back down to the music. It can get so simple as that and it still holds water. Keeping it there, keeps me from taking it too personal. I think otherwise, this entire journey would just be so heartbreaking. So many ppl hav no idea how much work these things can be for many if not most professionals. It's such a farse too. I know that Michael J. on tour would vocalize with Seth 3 times per day. I've done two years of level 1-3 SLS, some SS, MM, MV, and I watch lots of videos. I don't know which way is next; but I'm considering CVT (sando...) and in the meantime watching a lot of Roger Burnley. I welcome advice and thoughts. The open troat techniques I've picked up on my own and from a personal trainer at BM's studio who has taught it in actual class.... I may or may not be correct; but I get the impression that they reserve some information for actual lessons and that this is the reason that open throat is not presented in the self-taught materials for purchase. I respect that, but I know that for me switching up the techniques have started to actually work to my benefit.

Adolf- Thanks Man.