Dashboard Confessional - Vindicated cover

[RHan]

Actually this song is pretty hard for me, and i've been trying to sing it for years. So hopefully you guys can give critique and feedback on improving my singing. Thanks.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRG0ifc5cvA

[simba]

Sounds a little squeezed at the chorus parts. Timing's a little off too at some parts I think.

[RHan]

thanks sir! i guess im not ready yet to sing this song, i had sore throat now after trying to cover it. 

[simba]

Just curious. Is English your first language? Sounds like a little bit of an accent in your pronunciation is throwing off how it sounds as well.

[RHan]

You got it right sir..im asian so my accent a bit weird when singing english songs..

[ronws]

You got it right sir..im asian so my accent a bit weird when singing english songs..

That's okay, I'm american and my accent is a bit weird when singing english songs, too.

[simba]

Well some parts I would say to practice in terms of pronunciation, of the ones that stuck out, would be the TH sound and the P at the end of slip (the punch sound of it). I'm currently teaching English in asia and they have similar problems with words like that, as well of Fs. I'm sure it'll be hard to improve pronunciation, but I'm sure you can manage! Not trying to seem harsh, just trying to help you out ! Good luck! Also, one of my favorite bands (before he made twin forks).

[RHan]

thanks ronws! and thanks a lot simba for that advice. i'll try to improve my pronunciation, but right now maybe i'll focus more on getting the right technique to sing so that my voice wont change much on my higher range and free of tension and squeezed sound.

[KillerKu]

Simba has this one nailed. You sound pretty comfortable on the lower end, but the upper end does sound squeezed and the pitch was wandering more. If it wasn't sending your voice sore, it's ok to 'sound' a certain way, but if you are getting sore/hoarse it's good to rethink things.

 

You do have a nice timbre shining through these technical troubles and you do sound passionate and into this song. Your voice sounds pretty cool. My suggestion might be to investigate a lighter, more top down approach (bringing head voice down) until you can handle a heavier bottom up approach, if that is your final goal.

 

For me the antidote for pushing was to sing Eddie Kendricks, Brian Wilson, Smokey Robinson, and a few others and learn what it felt like to 'release' and let go at various points in the bridge. My instincgt was to 'push' with raw power and it has limitations.

[RHan]

Thanks for the suggestion sir! Yeah i really been looking a way to get a heavier bottom up approach. Should i learn belting to achieve that? Because i've been learning mix voice from youtube so far since its not too risky even i didnt do it right. 

[KillerKu]

Thanks for the suggestion sir! Yeah i really been looking a way to get a heavier bottom up approach. Should i learn belting to achieve that? Because i've been learning mix voice from youtube so far since its not too risky even i didnt do it right. 

 

If you're already straining, I think the goal should be to stop the strain, and rethink, temporarily. Sore throats aren't necessary in singing unless you're sick or have a disease.

 

A little advice from me, on the 'mix' or in between or 'whatever' voice. When I first experimented with a voice like that, I tried to make my chest voice quieter and just strangled myself. In order to get to that place, work on your head voice too.

 

It's like a bridge kind of. Imagine if you were trying to build a bridge from like China.... To "X." But you don't know what X is. It's not defined. So rather than trying to strangle your chest voice and add more 'bottom, if you work on your head voice and give it good time to develop and 'bridge' in between one way or another, you can learn to lighten and let go.

 

And even proper belting as I understand it, still involves 'some' lightening.

 

 

Where as this is 'the chest drag' where he pretty much just stops at G4.

 

 

So yeah, a few things to think of. Mix/in between/whatever you want ot call it isn't 'strangling chest,' it feels 'lighter.' And even for a good belt, you still don't want to push bottom all the way 'all' the time. Our very own Robert Lunte, recommends specifically to start from the top, then build the bottom.

 

[RHan]

This really helpful and clarify many things that i misunderstood before this! I always thought belting is only chest drag, and i thought headvoice is not good since it makes my voice sounds lighter. Thanks sir really appreciate this, but for now i think i need to take a rest from singing first since im having sore throat now not whether from my singing or heavy smoking recently.