NoLongerAPotato Posted January 19, 2015 Share Posted January 19, 2015 Hi guys, registered just to ask a few questions about my voice. I'm a 16 year old male and my current vocal range is about F#2-D5 and falsetto that goes up to (gasp) A6 (is this crazy?)... I need some help finding a bridge between my chest voice (Which I believe I'm pulling up into the fifth octave, unhealthy) and my falsetto/head voice that will make my falsetto sound like it has more closure. Any advice would be fantastic. I can upload some sound clips later when I get a chance. Thanks in advance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Korzec Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 Please do upload sound clips. First of all the super high falsetto ability is something I also had during/after voice change, so I think it has to do with your age. If your voice develops anything like mine, that extreme falsetto may eventually go away as your true voice strengthens and then you build those notes back slowly in a more connected head voice. They won't go as high in range but they'll be way more singable. However, D5 in chest pulling would be ridiculously high for a beginner if your bottom note is F#2, so I think it's unlikely you're really pulling chest that high but might actually be in a fairly correct mixed voice. What I mean is, if it hurts to sing that high it's probably not because your intensity is wrong (pulling up too much chesty weight) but because you're supporting it with excess tensions instead of the good tensions we want (good vocal fold closure and breath management) and because you're not shifting resonance which adds release and freedom to the voice. Finding the bridge may involve finding a new, more connected way to produce falsetto/head voice, as stuff that goes to A6 generally doesn't carry down and blend well with chest in the 4th octave where the main passaggio happens. But we'd need to hear a file to hear how your voice behaves currently in order to make sure you get set on the right path. My biggest advice you can work on immediately is singing at a comfortable soft volume (not super soft, just falsetto volume) without tension where you start in a light speaking voice sound and slide up your range and work on thinning out and relaxing to get up there rather than the two extremes - straining and pulling chest and hitting a range ceiling, or flipping into falsetto changing the sound. Once you can avoid those problems and find a smooth "one voice" feeling at a soft volume, that's step one of vocal training. Don't forget to also spend some time singing how you normally would as well as keeping the powerful side of the voice is important too even if it's not completely correct technique. Later on you will learn how to apply that smooth one voice feeling to your loud sounds in the high range, then apply it to more and more areas of the voice. Hope that's helpful insight. Good luck in your training! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronws Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 Cool, another singer with over 4 1/2 octaves. And at the age of 16, when most guys are starting to get away from the whole voice crack thing. That is amazing. Anyway, so having "chest" at D5 is a misnomer. Even a trained light tenor is bridging at F4, regardless of how strong and full it sounds. "Chest" is volume and ring, not how much fold tissue is involved or even a specific amount of adduction. I would also ask what kind of music you are wanting to sing. The trick to bridging is, oddly enough, to bridge. And actually to bridge earlier. I happened to like Anthony Frisell's idea. Let the controls of falsetto control the whole voice. This means that your lowest notes should be light-weight, otherwise, you will carry too much up. And he is not the only one to say this, simply the most quoted. Now, sometimes, this means losing the lowest notes possible, at least for a while. In his book, if you want to train like a tenor then you should, by golly, train like a tenor. Others have made similar instructions, such as Debra Lynn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoLongerAPotato Posted January 20, 2015 Author Share Posted January 20, 2015 I would also ask what kind of music you are wanting to sing. I am a massive fan of Tool and similar bands (I know Maynard isn't exactly a good vocal role model but I love his sound) I'm not sure that I can lay claim to 4 1/2 octaves just yet... my falsetto is unusably piercing and thin. I'll get some recordings to you guys as soon as I can but I'm quite busy these next few weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khassera Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 I am a massive fan of Tool and similar bands (I know Maynard isn't exactly a good vocal role model but I love his sound) I'm not sure that I can lay claim to 4 1/2 octaves just yet... my falsetto is unusably piercing and thin. I'll get some recordings to you guys as soon as I can but I'm quite busy these next few weeks. What, why not? See how he exhibits phenomenal posture, the way he projects the sound by standing perfectly in the noble stance with a high sternum and relaxed shoulders, legs spread just about a foot apart with one foot just a tad behind, because it is the only way to sing with power. It is the posture of a true singer, and if you somehow manage to pull it off with anything less you are not a true singer at all. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronws Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 I also like Tool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoLongerAPotato Posted January 20, 2015 Author Share Posted January 20, 2015 I've read he produced his distortion in a less than healthy manner, although I can't deny his support is fantastic. I feel like if I increased my power I'd sound a lot like him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khassera Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 I dunno, he does seem to sing really, really unhealthy most of the time. He's got a very husky, breathy tonality in 10,000 days. Vicarious comes to mind first. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ADVy3Zhum8 But yeah, I remember him saying they don't do Ticks and Leeches too often live because it tears down his voice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoLongerAPotato Posted January 20, 2015 Author Share Posted January 20, 2015 10,000 Days was after he recorded the studio version of Ticks, which apparently left him almost voiceless for a month. Luckily I've learned to fry scream that song rather easily and painlessly. His tone on 10k was a direct result of the Lateralus sessions IMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronws Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 What, why not? See how he exhibits phenomenal posture, the way he projects the sound by standing perfectly in the noble stance with a high sternum and relaxed shoulders, legs spread just about a foot apart with one foot just a tad behind, because it is the only way to sing with power. It is the posture of a true singer, and if you somehow manage to pull it off with anything less you are not a true singer at all. I know this was their big hit but it is one of my favorites from them. The lyrics tell a story and the music matches the mood. Songwriting at its best. And I like the looks of the Les Paul Standard the lead is playing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khassera Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 I know this was their big hit but it is one of my favorites from them. The lyrics tell a story and the music matches the mood. Songwriting at its best. And I like the looks of the Les Paul Standard the lead is playing. I think that's an eclipse. I might be wrong tho. EDIT: I was. It's a silverburst LP std. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronws Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 I think that's an eclipse. I might be wrong tho. EDIT: I was. It's a silverburst LP std. It's okay, I forgive you for doubting me. I have a Memphis Les Paul Standard that I bought in 1982. But I am fixing to sell it or donate it, as I don't play it anymore. I have 5 guitars now and need to get rid of it and the old cheapie acoustic that has a broken brace. That will leave me with the Hondo Flying V, Spectrum acoustic (with pick-ups and on-board volume and 3 band eq) and my recent acquisition of a Yamaha classical for really cheap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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