Elton John Cover - Seeking Constructive Criticism

[Major-Third]

Hi. I've been playing and singing for several years now, and as always, I am looking to broaden my horizon as an artist, and seek the help of others who are more experienced than myself. Please give my video a watch, and let me know what you think. It is up on my homepage.

http://www.youtube.com/user/Orendrol

[ronws]

Well done on the Sir Elton John cover. Sorry, I can't resist the title. He never refers to himself by his title but for what he has done for music and charity, he deserves some kind of honor. And you did an excellent cover. I think, if he were to hear it, he would say, "Yeah, the lad gets it" in that slight cockney accent of his.

"I'm no superman" equally well done. I've heard the original and I know most people don't realize that a show themesong usually comes from an whole song. And I think you did this one well. And, one of my favorite episodes is the one with Colin Hayes as a patient sneaking around the hospital playing "Overkill" until Dr. Cox breaks his guitar. "I have other songs," says Hayes. "I'm sure you do," Dr. Cox, resident a-hole.

Your voice sounds like mine when I was in my early 20's, though you have a tighter vibrato than I did back then. You would most likely get advice, if any, from Steven. Primarily because you are singing in baritone in these two songs and Steven is a classical baritone, though a number of others here classify themselves as classically baritone but, in the rock genre, get up to C5 or higher or, to make it easier for a pianist like you, maybe a two octave range above middle C.

A large number of pop and rock songs have the main lyrics and certainly the chorus around the 4th octave, which is in tenor, and often near the normal male passagio. And so a lot of work is in dealing with the passagio. And we've been having another discussion on that just recently.

Here's why I think there is a passagio to deal with. Most men, especially with much training will reach a break in their voice and "flip" into falsetto, which is a timbre, not a range. Falsetto involves much air escaping through the vocal folds and gives the tone a fluty, airy quality, and not much volume.

Anyway, physically, or acoustically, a high note is actually a "small" note that is driven by enough air to properly vibrate a small section of the folds very fast and is resonated in a space of the proper size. You will not get tenor C resonating the way you get G below middle C. The notes are physically different and require different resonating chambers. Someone once said, well what about a guitar with a fixed resonance chamber? Well, a guitar has a "sweet spot" in it's range, where notes in that range receive maximum resonance. In addition, one can vary the length of strings far more than a voice. I like a voice unto an Oboe or clarinet, now. A limited range of vibration, (like a reed) and the resonance is changed by pressing the valves on the instrument, which physically change the length of the resonating chamber.

And that is what things like using twang, and a relaxed and slight raised back of tongue do. They create a certain resonating space that is more appropriate for the higher pitched notes. Your doing fine with the range you have.

A number of the singers here often work on hard rock and heavy metal numbers, for various reasons. Some of them are interested in sounding like their favorite singer. Me, not so much. I normally look for a clean sound but I learn from the heavy metal singing how to accomplish that.

[Major-Third]

Thank you for your post. I really appreciate it. I'm glad to actually get some advanced advice.

You've made my day.

[Quincy]

I really liked your cover. You showed a lot of musicality. What are you wanting to learn to do with your voice?

[Major-Third]

I'm not entirely sure how to answer that question. I plan on being a music major. I would really like to teach. Theory and music concepts come very easily to me, and my ear is pretty fine tuned. I think the main thing I'd like to do, is just learn the smaller techniques and methods that I can use to make myself sound even more musical. My main area of focus needs to be the dynamic changes, and phrasing. The more I can make it sound like a musical "sentence" the better off I think I'll be.

Thanks for your compliment, I hope you enjoy any videos I do in the future.

Travis

[drew77]

Very enjoyable.....you defiantly have an inborn musicality......... Where are you planning to go to school?

[Major-Third]

Honestly, I wish I had more options. Right now I'm finishing up my basic courses at a community college near home. I guess the answer will reveal itself in time. *Shrug*

And thank you for your comment about an inborn musicality. I definitely feel it. When I was very young, probably around 3-4 in church I can remember hearing old hymns and songs... and the harmonies and rhythms just clicked. Ever since that point, I was trying to do something new with music. It's just about finding an outlet and running with it, I guess.

[ronws]

Well, if the college and teaching thing doesn't work out, you could just settle for being a rock star. The hours are strange, the people are stranger, a lot of work away from home. But, with the right business management, you could make some money.

[drew77]

Thats EXACTLY the same situation that Im in......... Im taking basic classes at community college......but music is my passion.......and I have a burning desire to share that with the world...... Im seriously considering the rockstar option....hahaha