Dido Thank you (after taking lessons)

[Matakka]

Hi everyone,

 

Here's another try of singing, after taking a few lessons at music school. Trying to feel my chest voice here, so my diction is far from perfect because of that

The good thing is that I sang it without any tension in my throat. And I think I kind of moved that tension into my abs (diaphragm?) and concentrated on that. Is that actually the right feeling to catch?

And I wonder if I sound better or is it just an easier song..

 

 

Thank you.

[KillerKu]

I still like your timbre after your lessons, so they haven't screwed that up.

 

You do sound more controlled, and supporting from your diaphragm is exactly what you want to do. You don't want to store tension in your throat.

 

I really like your diction, it is clear enough to me as a native English speaker, but has exotic flavor but isn't blatantly like, 'incorrect.' It could work as a strength if a little bit is kept.

 

Anyway, I enjoyed it, this song is in a bit of a lower register. It's closer to a chesty sound, but isn't extremely chesty. That's alright though, cause singing is a journey and you can keep expanding.

 

The only thing I noticed, is the sound is just a bit muffled. Which might be mic, but you might also be able to sing with a bit more punch with training. I don't want to sabotage you by introducing new concepts too soon, but twang can help a lot with that. Twang is when your tip of your tongue rests at your bottom row of teeth, and the tongue arches up, backwards and wide at your top molars, kind of like you might be cleaning food off the top row of teeth.

 

Twang can be controlled, so it can be anywhere from 0 percent (tongue down) to 100 percent (tongue high and back). If you toy with that idea, make sure it doesn't add any tension in your throat. It should be possible to achieve with only the tongue, without the throat feeling any discomfort. If your throat feels tension, you should revert to the comfortable sound for awhile, and you could try again. 

 

But yeah, I do look forward to hearing your voice go on its journey. Cause I like it already in the beginning stages and believe it will blossom into a beautiful instrument.

[ronws]

I liked it. Whatever you are doing is good. And I also liked your cover of "Stay." You need to be a diva on the radio. So, make it happen ...

[Matakka]

KillerKu,

 

thanks a lot for your kind supportive comment!

I was advised to pick a softer song, because trying to sing Stay in chest voice resulted into an awful strain in my throat… Or was it by psychological reasons, I’m not sure.

I hope I’m getting the right technique, but for now it feels like I’m kind of squeezing the sound out of diaphragm which is really weird to me and takes a lot of muscle effort.

Thanks for an interesting new concept, I’ll surely try it as soon as I get confident with the basics.

 

ronws,

thank you, that's really inspiring to read. My ambition doesn't go this far though 

[KillerKu]

KillerKu,

 

thanks a lot for your kind supportive comment!

I was advised to pick a softer song, because trying to sing Stay in chest voice resulted into an awful strain in my throat… Or was it by psychological reasons, I’m not sure.

I hope I’m getting the right technique, but for now it feels like I’m kind of squeezing the sound out of diaphragm which is really weird to me and takes a lot of muscle effort.

Thanks for an interesting new concept, I’ll surely try it as soon as I get confident with the basics.

 

ronws,

thank you, that's really inspiring to read. My ambition doesn't go this far though 

 

That's interesting. For me support is more like maintaining an expansion and keeping some engagement? Have you tried the exercise I've mentioned a few times elsewhere of the inhale through a real straw or invisible straw (small mouth opening) and exhaling an 'sssss' hissing sound (kind of like a snake) until you run out of breath yet. Repeating this exercise a few times, while feeling the area below your chest and above your belly. If you don't raise you shoulders, and feel engagement down there in your diaphragm, for me I get a bit of expansion, and it feels a bit anchored, but doesn't feel squeezed.

 

People have varying ideas of support (some people even talk about like 'toilet squeezing') , but for most scenarios you don't need to squeeze or have huge tension. So if it feels like you have to squeeze too much you may want to keep dialing in with support.

 

As for the second thing, never close those doors. You never know what might come up on your signing journeys. I'd rather hear you on the radio too.

[Matakka]

That's interesting. For me support is more like maintaining an expansion and keeping some engagement? Have you tried the exercise I've mentioned a few times elsewhere of the inhale through a real straw or invisible straw (small mouth opening) and exhaling an 'sssss' hissing sound (kind of like a snake) until you run out of breath yet. Repeating this exercise a few times, while feeling the area below your chest and above your belly. If you don't raise you shoulders, and feel engagement down there in your diaphragm, for me I get a bit of expansion, and it feels a bit anchored, but doesn't feel squeezed.

 

People have varying ideas of support (some people even talk about like 'toilet squeezing') , but for most scenarios you don't need to squeeze or have huge tension. So if it feels like you have to squeeze too much you may want to keep dialing in with support.

 

As for the second thing, never close those doors. You never know what might come up on your signing journeys. I'd rather hear you on the radio too.

 

 

Thank you for another great advice, I have not tried this way yet, but I will judging from your description of support (which is quite specific) I have not fully reached this feeling yet.

 

I hope I will get a clear understanding of support with more exercises.

 

And I'm not closing the door, I'm just looking in another direction now and singing is just a hobby ) but anything is possible.