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Post by geraint on May 2, 2011 7:13:01 GMT
Shyam has suggested this new board for vocalists, and I am happy to oblige.
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Post by rogerb on May 2, 2011 8:07:26 GMT
Good idea Shyam. Due to somewhat stringent work-permit regulations here in Cyprus, singing (with an amateur choir) is what I do most of musically these days. This section will be useful to discuss different vocal techniques etc.
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Post by shyamwestwind on May 2, 2011 8:53:28 GMT
Thank you sooooo much, Gerraint. This will be definitely be interesting !
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Post by shyamwestwind on May 2, 2011 9:19:03 GMT
Hi Everyone
How many of you have had formal voice training ? In India, there are many classical music teachers , teaching Carnatic and Hindi classical singing and it amazing to see the dedication and professionalism of these tutors. They literally "skin" your tonsils (pardon my crude description) but at the end of it all, after years of an ever learning process, the singers who survive the discipline and sweat, should be heard to be believed. A M A Z I N G !!!
Alas, they never had any such teachers to teach us "English singing", so we learnt the techniques on our own.
I learnt how to sing "from my stomach" which is actually singing with a lot of breath control.When I started out as Rock Singer, I still remember the many hoarse throats because of lack of breath control. I must have drank gallons of Mandles throat paint and downed hundreds of Strepsils to carry me through the Rock Competitions. Today singing is so effortless, thanks to self taught lessons in breath control.
I do wish I could have learnt from those wonderful classical vocal trainers, when I was young !
Give us your experiences, guys !
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Post by rogerb on May 2, 2011 11:36:29 GMT
Another good topic Shyam.
Singing for years with a mic and then suddenly having to do it without any amplification in a choir situation has been a steep learning curve for me. Fortunately our choir mistress/ MD has given me some terrific tips on breath control and voice projection and I can now make my self heard when soloing even in some pretty big halls. I guess I've really almost come full circle from singing in a church choir as a boy soprano at about age seven to singing tenor in a mixed voice choir sixty years on!
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Post by geraint on May 2, 2011 18:59:02 GMT
I am very fortunate in having a big brother who is a voice coach and singing teacher.
When I was a heavy smoker a few years ago, I was struggling with breath control, and once I packed up the evil weed, I asked my brother for help.
He taught me what I should have known years ago to sing from the diaphragm.
I can now hold my notes forever, and sing happily with or without amplification.
Cheers Bro.
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Post by shyamwestwind on May 3, 2011 6:10:06 GMT
I still remember those lovely days when I used to sit on the verandah of our house, singing loud with a guitar on my knee and our friends would join us one by one , bringing a harmonica, a plastic mug, a tea chest box bass, and we would have a good throaty band playing to all our girl friends and having a great time.
NO MICROPHONES, NO AMPLIFIERS - JUST RAW THROATY SINGING !!!
Ive become so dependent on microphones, its really saddening!
@gerraint ......... You have a "one in a million voice " Gerraint and I never ever thought you'd require a microphone. Its sure tough to hit such low notes without a mic !!!!! Cheers to you !
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Post by steveb on May 3, 2011 12:07:09 GMT
I have been singing in a 3 piece band for 30 years and i can honestly say that I still can't sing. I have never ever considered myself a good singer, I am not sure how I have managed to do it for so long. Maybe I have just been lucky. I do give gratitude for given the opportunity to sing and play guitar for so long.
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Post by shyamwestwind on May 3, 2011 14:14:32 GMT
Dont be so modest steveb. You obviously sound good to many who hear you sing and thats what matters. Everyone of us have our own distinctive style of singingand you'll find a fan club of your style of singing, so start considering yourself as a GOOD singer, from now onwards and build up on this and do better.
Now get to your room and send us a recording of your favourite song !!!!!
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Post by codmot on May 5, 2011 11:00:48 GMT
i have been singing since i was knee high i consider myself quite good if you can sing in key and the right timing anybody can sing
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Post by oliver101 on May 5, 2011 12:34:39 GMT
I dont consider myself a good singer either Steve, I am also only an average guitarist. I dont think you need to be great at either as long as you can entertain people. Singing excercises definately work to make the best of what you have though.
Good topic Shyam.
Ian
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Post by weegeo on May 5, 2011 13:39:10 GMT
I agree with Ian on this point!!one doesn`t need to be a good singer as long as you can hold and entertain your audience then you have it cracked.I don`t gig much now as everyone knows but i still follow my exercise regime before going on stage ------------------------ 2 large smirnoff no ice lol
weegeo
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Post by shyamwestwind on May 6, 2011 11:34:20 GMT
I smoked for 38 years and gave it up when I was doing 60 ciggies a day ! Whatever anyone might say, I know it did help me with my singing and I know the reason now. The body always finds means to protect itself and every time the smoke irritated the throat, saliva would form to protect the throat. Theres nothing like a wet throat to sing good !!!
Thats the GOOD part of it !!!
When you keep smoking and you keep irritating the throat, you make the body produce more and more saliva, till ......... the capabilty to produce saliva diminishes and you could land up with cancer of the throat (and lungs too )
Thats the SAD, BAD, part.
It was tough singing without smoking and with a dry throat, but eventually, all's well with the throat and all's well with my singing.
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Post by oldsage on May 9, 2011 20:59:20 GMT
my best advice is dont sing a song,in the original key.Sing it in your key!!!.I have heard quite a lot trying to sing a song as it was originally done,which is OK if you can sing comfortably in that key and pitch.i always start about 2-3 keys lower,then try it 1 key at a time until i find the one that suits me the best.Also remember there are 2 pitches to each key (high and low),so sometimes putting the key up enables you to sing at your lower end range!!.I tried it with Celine Dion,s song My heart will go on!!.I raised it by 4 keys,and found the perfect pitch for me.If i had gone the other way,it sounded awfull.Hope this might help you.Also i still go up and down the scales with the keyboard,and try to add just 1 note extra to try and stretch the vocal range.(not too often or you can strain the vocal chords)..........Steve
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Post by JohnG on May 10, 2011 8:06:32 GMT
Couldn't agree more.
It's rare that one has exactly the same vocal range as the original singer. Most sequencing programs will allow you to change the pitch of the whole file without committing to it, in order to experiment with it. When you've found 'your key' stick to that.
I know that Simmo for one does this with his MIDI files.
Good advice Steve.
JohnG.
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