Intonation problem!!!

maralov

Hi guys! Can you help me to understand what I am doing wrong in this perfomance?I don't like my intonation in upgoing intervals (f to c,to d,to e) May be because of losing the open throat position?
http://youtu.be/NRQ7DSLlJdQ

highmtn

This link takes you to a video that is 0.0 seconds long. 

That is a little too short for me to evaluate.  It seems like it's over before it starts.

 

 

Bob

maralov

I can't attach an m4v file(  (unsupported???) I checked the link it works(  http://youtu.be/NRQ7DSLlJdQ

david1552

Hi maralov,

I listened to the short youtube clip and to me it sounds like your're a bit out of tune and maybe the reason is that you cannot hear yourself properly? 

highmtn

Those are hard notes and intervals to hit.  Everybody, the musicians and the vocalist included, need to be right on the money.  When you go from the F to a high E and to the Bb it is a slight variation in the pitch that you are not liking.  Those two notes are a touch flat. The first D sounds good, but the D at 0:51 is flat. The high F at 1:09 is a bit flat and strained. 

It sounds like you are reaching for those high intervals.  Better support would help to not have to belt those notes out and possibly miss the pitch by a semitone.  One suggestion is to practice at a higher key so that when you do it in the performance key, it won't be a stretch.  Using more support will help you to be able to sing from the diaphragm and get the note out of the throat and with more ease.  Try to "drop down" on those notes "from above" rather than "reaching up" to them.

Work on your support and practice singing the intervals of low F to High E, F to Bb, F to D, And F to High F.  Get comfortable nailing those notes.  You might want to use a chromatic guitar tuner with a built-in mic and ensure that you are centering your pitch when you get to those target notes.  Hold those notes and watch the tuner to see and learn how much more you need to adjust your pitch to be spot-on.

I don't mean this as negative criticism.  This is what you need to practice to learn to nail difficult intervals like this.  If you want to sing tough notes like this, you need to work out on nailing the notes and using supported tone. 

You can do it.  You're really close.  You just need to do a little target practice.

Bob

maralov

Thank U Highmtn! After years of speechlevel-wasting-time I discover again and again that nothing works without good support( Thanks to Ken-he returned me on the right track)
As for tuner-Vocal lab is a great tool^I have to use it more!

david1552

@maralov,

I was surprised how bad my support was when I recorded myself doing some of the exercises just before I go up from chest to headvoice. Actually for me it was so bad that I forced myself to redo most of the techniques I thought I did correct during the exercises. It was one of those aha moments that made me feel like crap for a moment... but I think I'm on the right track now with better support and also that I force myself to re-evaluate myself after a while (record myself during the exercises). My new rule is: If I think I've got it, I watch the videos again to find out stuff that I missed earlier = Re-evalute

//David

sspatrick

Hey Maralov I took a listen to your clip. Overall it's pretty good. One other aspect that may be causing you trouble with the intervals is that you are darkening your tone in the lower notes and then brightening on top. This shift in placement can make it difficult to negotiate intervals. Try maintaining a brighter tone in the lower notes not trying to put so much bottom end in the tone. Sing into the front of your face just like you are doing on your higher notes. Also keep that support working. Think of a steady flow of air pressure as you go through the more difficult phrases. All the best.

maralov

sspatrick said:r hig

 darkening your tone in the lower notes

 Absolutely right!Thats what my friend-producer always talking about.But it requires a proper monitoring .I have no problem with upper register especially after Ken's lessons but lows sound not so good . Last night I rewatched Ken's "mask webinar " to learn how to improve it. Even my high notes are  not sounding in front of my face ^but somewhere in the head cavities (may be where brains used to be))))  Smiling and "eeing"are my friends in it. My friend recommens me to sing into teeth area mostly. What do you think?

highmtn

This is a good discussion and we are getting some good feedback.

Thank you, maralov, for being gracious and allowing us to look at some of the finer points of pitch and tone control with your demo.

Many students can learn much from this.  We have to be willing to be honest about our weaknesses in order to turn them into strengths. 

The suggestions of singing into the teeth is valid, much like Scott's suggestion to sing into the front of your face.  Also, Scott is right about shedding the weight Before you go high.  It's really hard to start low with a lot of weight and then expect to be able to shed it instantly on a wide interval.

Some people like to feel the teeth buzz, some like to feel it "out in front of the nose".  The main idea is to put the sound forward and keep it bright.

Bob