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Revisiting Dream Theater (3 songs, Surrounded, Metropolis, BITS)

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(Hi, Keith)

Surrounded

Metropolis Pt 1

Bridges In The Sky (a slightly easier one)

These are all one take, no effects except some compression (except for Surrounded which has a little reverb)

M/25 Pretty sure spinto tenor.

So I've been taking lessons again for about a month now, and I'm doing more exercises to try to figure out singing with the diaphragm, and so I think these are a bit more supported, but not quite there yet. I also experiment with different voicing (like more nasal or more chest) mostly in Bridges in the Sky.

Please tell me what you think and how I can improve?

One of the hardest parts for me is keeping up with it all, it always seems there's no time to prepare for the next phrase. And the flips to falsetto-ish during just happened..wasnt intentional...

Also I feel maybe I could do a bit better if I slept more than 3-4 hours a night, but enough complaining, I leave it open to you guys!

Thanks

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Good one, mate :D

I've only listened to Surrounded at the moment.

I think you have the vocal level to make it sound good. What you need to improve on is the timing. It is very precise and also it is what gives the groove of the song. It is kind of funky in a way, listen more to the bass in the original tack :D

The backing track was weird in the first part of the song :S So try to get another one(?). I don't know what the issue was in there.. You played the track before you started recording?

I'll listen to the other tracks later :D

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Ok, now I've listened to Metropolis and I heard more of what I think could be your main issues :P

What will help you a lot I think, is to be more consistent with your vowels and your timing. I listen that there are a lot of high parts, with folds adducted and then followed by a lower note, in your mid-range lacking compression or even with some air leaking.

To correct this make sure to do your scales maintaining the amount of fold adduction in each note. Be it a scale or a siren, be sure to keep that hold constant, and not release until you finish the phrase.

You may feel that there is no time to breathe in between phrases in there, but there is actually plenty of time! You just need to really plan where you're gonna inhale, and make it short and quick.

I'm not a coach or anything, but if you'd like you can add me on Skype and I can help you out :D Look for me as Gorehax

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Alright great, thanks! And yeah I'll reach out to you on skype! Out of all the problems I thought I would have I never would've thought it would be timing! Maybe you're referring to the beginning of Surrounded where the MIDI actually didn't act out a tempo change where I got confused or something.

thanks!

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Hey, thanks Phil!

Now when you say repeat each line 3 times, you mean singing it right? Or do you mean speaking it? And what makes a line??

And tip 3 sounds insanely difficult but I'll give it a shot. You don't have to do that to the tempo right? Just broken up as separate exercises?

Another thing I did is noticed all the vowels that are causing me to widen my tongue. The ones that cause me to widen and raise my tongue seem to be

A (Eh, like canadian, eh?)

Ee (Like Eek)

I (Like Living)

U (You, pronounced with the Y)

And these seem to be narrow, low tongue ones:

Ah

I (Eye)

O (Oh)

U (Uh)

Finally, this one just caused me to raise only the back of my tongue while the tip stayed low

O (Ooh)

The only difference between Ooh and You seems to be the Y...

Not sure how helpful any of this is but my theory is when my tongue raises and widens it blocks my throat.

"I know it's easier to walk away than look it in the eye"

I oh I Ee Ah Ooh Ah Uh A Ah Ooh I I Ee I

So that's....10 narrows and 3 wides and 2 wideish...

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