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Pitch accuracy and ear training

Usually I do good in vocal exercises or singing songs on an instrumental track with a speaker, but when I am in the karaoke room, or recording with a headphone on, I lose my pitch accuracy, the vocal tone is not nice too and later I become tired. I can sing perfect pitch in head voice but my chest voice is usually slightly below target notes. How can i train my listening and pitch accuracy in general.

Comments

  • highmtnhighmtn Administrator, Moderator, Enrolled, Pro, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 15,354
    Ken gives some good advice in the Basic Pitch program, which you'll find with the Volume One materials.

    You should be using a bright tone always, including on your low notes. Low notes tend to go flat unless they are bright enough. Bright tones also let you hear the intonation much better as you are singing.

    You do have to listen actively as you are singing and also listen and compare what you're hearing in your head from your voice to the key and pitch of the playback you are singing along to.

    If you are having problems discerning pitch, you may have to resort to a third-party pitch program. There are several available, some for free, others for free on a trial basis.
  • viniciusoliveiraviniciusoliveira Enrolled Posts: 303
    If one's tone is super bright,won't him sound above pitch though?
  • highmtnhighmtn Administrator, Moderator, Enrolled, Pro, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 15,354
    No. You'll just be able to hear, very acutely, whether or not you are in pitch.
  • KaiEllisKaiEllis Pro, 2.0 PRO Posts: 215
    I highly recommend the app Sing Sharp. Available for iOS and Android as an assist for learning pitch. It's got a great pitch finder that I use just to make sure I'm hearing and singing the notes correctly, and it even has a library of instrumental tracks you can sing along to - standards like Amazing Grace, plus more contemporary stuff. Plus, the app not only shows you visually where your pitch is, but shows you if you're "falling off" at the end of the line. Can't tell you how much the app has helped me.
  • bentkbentk Moderator, Pro, 2.0 PRO, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 1,650
    One of the best things that help me, is just recording yourself. Even if it's only the chorus or a verse from a song. You learn a lot from listening back to your own voice. It will sound weird in the beginning, and probably will stay a little strange for your own ears. However, you can still judge your tone, intonation and 'brightness'.

    If possible, record with a backing. Either the song you are singing on the background, a karaoke version, or some acoustic guitar. It's important to have a reference, unless you have perfect pitch with your hearing...

    Good luck!
  • hponesanhponesan Pro Posts: 4
    Hey!! Thanks for all your comment. I record myself and listened back along with a tuner. I realized that most of the notes of the songs I sing are about 20 to 30 cent sharp and sometimes when I am in a tired condition its 20-30 cent flat. I rarely hit perfect pitch. After noticing I am sharp, when at a Karaoke, I know I am singing sharp, but I cant bring it down even though I know I am wrong.
  • bentkbentk Moderator, Pro, 2.0 PRO, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 1,650
    Are you doing all your KTVA exercises?
    The bright and supported tone will help you a lot with pitch control when you get used to it, and have strengthened your voice.
  • hponesanhponesan Pro Posts: 4
    Yes I am doing!!! My voice has improved a lot in pitch, control, power, open throat technique, vocal range (Can sing in chest voice up to G4 now, two month ago only up to F4, except for the low notes below, I can reach up to G#2, but below F3 struggle with chord closure.) , vocal agility. Just that I feel my pitch is not acceptable yet
  • bentkbentk Moderator, Pro, 2.0 PRO, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 1,650
    @hponesan

    Pitch doesn't come over night unfortunately, and some are naturally better with pitch than others, including hearing pitch.

    Do you play any instruments? Singing along with a well-tuned guitar or piano is always a good way to guide yourself. Playing a single note melody, and then replicate this with singing can also help a lot (or simultaneously with singing). Those are good little bits to record.

    I recommend to always practice with music, or some other guidance of pitch. Record yourself where you think this is best.

    If you play any instruments, and create or cover music, keep doing that. Try and do a lot from your own hearing instead of sheet music or tablature. This is an amazing way that will train your hearing over time. It's a very active way of training your hearing and abilities.

    Don't worry too much, but focus. Keeping your focus on areas will improve those areas over time. But you have to put in the time to reap the benefits!

    All the best,

    Ben
  • viniciusoliveiraviniciusoliveira Enrolled Posts: 303
    edited July 2017
    hponesan said:

    Yes I am doing!!! My voice has improved a lot in pitch, control, power, open throat technique, vocal range (Can sing in chest voice up to G4 now, two month ago only up to F4, except for the low notes below, I can reach up to G#2, but below F3 struggle with chord closure.) , vocal agility. Just that I feel my pitch is not acceptable yet

    Same here. I can go even higher,all the way up to an A#4 with chest (and C5 with middle voice),however my pitch is still far from good.

    Aside from Ken's videos on pitch and doing the piano-only work outs, I'm also taking these advices from wikihow. I suggest you all give it a try.
    http://www.wikihow.com/Get-Perfect-Pitch
  • stratmanstratman Pro, 2.0 PRO Posts: 364
    Pitch has been a long battle for me. I'm getting good at extending my range but it's not worth anything unless pitch is good. I do notice improvement but it's taking a long time ... certainly, I'm not naturally gifted with good pitch
  • viniciusoliveiraviniciusoliveira Enrolled Posts: 303
    stratman said:

    Pitch has been a long battle for me. I'm getting good at extending my range but it's not worth anything unless pitch is good. I do notice improvement but it's taking a long time ... certainly, I'm not naturally gifted with good pitch

    Same here.
    Man,having a great pitch yet a very small range isn't worth anything eighter. You'd be limited to sing a very small repertoire of songs.

    We should work on both what we find to be easy and what we find to be hard.
    We need both to become great singers.
  • KevinGremKevinGrem Pro Posts: 217
    It's important to be able to hear yourself when you're singing. Make sure your headphones are not turned up too loud. I have the same problem while wearing headphones. What tends to happen is that if my headphones are too loud, I have an urge to compensate by singing louder and with more air than I normally would, and this can hurt my tone and my pitch. Turn them up only loud enough to keep you on time.

    Singing live it's important to get yourself a pair of musician earplugs so the sound of the band doesn't overpower your ability to hear your own vocals. Especially when singing metal or hard rock, there is an overwhelming urge to really use a lot of power and force, both to achieve loudness and for effect. I've had to spend years trying to reverse this psychological urge. Good technique comes down to use of glottal compression. Get a good microphone and let it carry the volume and the effects for you.

    I would also strongly recommend taking up a melodic instrument in addition to singing, particularly the piano. That is one of the best ways to develop your pitch.
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