I like the attitude you inflect into your vocals on this song. Pitch is good, delivery good, support good. You could improve support some, at places, but for the most part, you've got it.
You are doing well with your training. Keep it up!
@cgreen. Great job. I agree on opening to the Ah vowel a little more. In the chorus How Long, think about the vowels you are singing. It's more Aa(hat) then moving to Ah(loft). Keep the vocal tract the same for that phrase and the following will help ease that part. I'm working on this as well not letting the words interfere with the nice open throat. Looking for Ah Aa and Eh through each phrase. once again great job
I hear a voice that is untrained, but with a lot of potential. The things that I hear that need attention are listed below:
support
pitch
control
range
You have good tone. The items listed above all are fixable. They have to do with vocal technique, which is both teachable and learnable. You have the desire to become a better singer, and that counts for a lot, but you have to follow through and dedicate the time and energy to take it to the next level that addresses these elements.
If you have the ability to learn to hear your pitch issues and tackle them head-on, then the other problems are matters of exercises and perseverance.
As a matter of advice, KTVA is the best and actually the ONLY vocal method that will take you to a professional level. Many of us here have wasted tons of money on other methods that simply emptied our wallets without producing the results we sought.
Don't waste your money on something that is not going to truly build your voice in ways that will last you a lifetime!
Thanks for the pointers. It is definitely something I have a passion for, and something I want to peruse as a career. But as you said i need training, PROPER training. Once i can afford it, I do want to take some online lessons from Ken.
@highmtn, also the emptying of the wallet; been there done that, and it sucks. I was very disappointed!! I have seen Ken's students perform some songs, and he produces results.
I think the title change and the updated chorus will be an improvement. More appropriate to the genre.
I think it's cool that you found that cassette and can hear the changes so plainly in the character of your new, improving vocal quality as compared to a sample just a few years old.
So which Boston tune are you thinking of? Smokin'? Long Time? ??
Great job once again. I heard some Nirvana/Stone Temple Pilots/the Cult in this song. I liked when you opened up in the chorus nice bright tone with slight distortion. You keep getting better and better.
Yes, you are right, the distortion you are using is not the best for your voice. A little too much air there.
Your voice is coming along nicely, and I hear improvements. You are getting more polished. Good tone, good pitch, nice character in your voice.
Keep working to improve your support. It will take you to the next level to really improve your support. It will help your distortion, and improve your tone all the more.
It has been about 2 months that I´m working regularly on KTVA (5-6 days a week without exception). I started with Volume 2 two weeks ago and yesterday I decided to record myself doing some exercises.
So here they are. I would appreciate any comments, I really want to know what I am doing right and wrong, because sometimes one can barely recognize. I´m really focusing on:
brightness of my tone,
support (I would say it´s better than it used to be, but still not perfect - your opinion please) ,
vowel modifications
and finally blending from chest to head voice (I would really like you to evaluate me:))
It's the Lah! Pretty good. I think you could open up a little bit, but you connected well, and you took it up to an F5. Not bad!
Slides- Smooth. These sound pretty good.
OOh, OH, AH - I'm hearing the same thing I heard on the first one, but more so: I'm wanting it to sound more open. Are you holding the mic too close to your mouth? Or are you closing down? It sounds a little covered at the top.
You have a very good range and great pitch. I'm wanting to hear more openness in your tone. Could be your tongue rising (along with your larynx, possibly?)
Your support sounds pretty good to me. If you beef up the support, it will probably beef up your tone some, as well. You made it up to E5. Your Passagio almost undetectable.
I´m so happy to hear that, I would be lost without you!
I´d like to ask two more questions:
1) According to the openness - I know I can do better, so I will keep trying. But I find one thing really confusing and that´s when I focus on stretching the chest voice.
There are two problems
- one is that I sometimes find very difficult to distinguish between Chest and Head Voice -> I can recognize the pure Head voice, but in the context of the scale I´m lost. So how can I focus on pushing the chest high when I don´t know whether I sing chest or head - > or maybe -> am I doing Mixed voice? I really don´t know.
- second would be the point when Ken says: Ok, now it´s time to stretch the chest voice. I somehow convince myself that chest is the powerful "manly" sound, so I forget the brightness and do it more covered. But again, that´s the same point - because I don´t recognize my chest and head voice. Any ideas?
2) Another question deals with my passagios - can you recognize them from the record? I am not so sure where exactly they are. I would say the first one is probably on the F sharp and the second somewhere below the high C - is that possible?
Thank you again, Bob, I really appreciate your help!
1) For the openness, just OPEN THAT THROAT UP!! AH!!! AH!!!! Like the video. Make it really ping!
2) If you can't tell where your voice is shifting into head, there are a lot of people reading this who wish that was their problem. Most people are trying very hard to smooth over their passagio. If you want to reveal where yours is, then try doing some slides, going upwards very, very slowly. Lean into the sound enough to try to feel and hear the larynx shift into head voice and try to make a deliberate speed bump. Try to get a real Country and Western Yodel out of that Adam's Apple! If you feel that shift and hear that little yodel, find the note on which it happened, quickly with a piano. That's your secondo passagio.
If yours is at C5, then that helps to explain why it is so undetectable on your vocal demos. I heard a hint of it yesterday when I listened to your demos, and it Was high, near the turnaround point in the scale. The higher you can get in chest voice, the more difficult it is to tell when someone goes into head, because chest sounds very much like head voice in that range.
If you can improve the open sound, get more ping, and bolster your support, you will be on a really good track with your training!
Here is an original work in progress. There are a few specific parts in the lead vocal track that I will retrack to achieve a more palatable vowel sound. Again, this is a work in progress and your constructive criticism is welcome.
Hey Jason
This sounds really good. There are some vowels you could open up more that will make your life easier. Stay, same use the Eh(led) or slight Aa(hat). LOOK in the chorus sing with Uh(hook). Right now you are closing to the Oo vowel. Words like Give, Live, add more Eh into the sound as well. Nice tune great delivery. Hope these tips help.
I appreciate the feedback! I warmed up with Volume 2 audio workout prior to retracking some of the parts today and believe I made some significant improvements. I had the audio workout DVD playing through my headphones while I warmed up into the vocal track as well. I could hear myself and Ken singing together which really helped me hear my vowels against his.
It would be difficult to find a harder song to sing. All those belted B4's and C5's, back to the A4's. Brutal.
You are nailing most of them, but there are so many eighth notes in a row. A few of them come out a couple of cents flat. I'm thinking this tune must require massive support. Another strategy might be to ease some of those eighth note glottal shocks by keeping a cushion of air going throughout them and pulsing accents to them to get the effect of the rhythm without having to set up the vowel over and over at those high-range, high-volume notes. Just think what your support has to do for those successive eighth notes!
What I'm suggesting might not work at all for this song, but It's really long, really high, really loud, and really has a lot of glottal onsets with heavy attacks.
I'm certainly not in shape to tackle a song like this one.
More support will help sew this tune up a little more solidly. For demo purposes, being a little closer to the mic, with the mic higher in the mix would also help us to give you better critiques.
The support is most evident on the long, sustained "pack it UUUUUUUUUP" note.
This is a wordy, consonant-y tune. It doesn't allow you to set up many sustained vowels. Tunes like this can put a lot of wear and tear on your cords. It's a good tune, I'm just sayin'... we like to stress minimization of consonants and sustaining of vowels and vowel transitions.
I think you're doing a good job. Like me, you need to work on building your support engine. You will be able to rely on it even more after you build it up to the point of being a support gorilla.
@Bob, thanks for all of your feedback. The support is something i need to get a firm grasp on, I'm going to keep working at though till I become a Support Gorilla lol. It sure is alot easier to sing vowels.
I gave Golden Slumbers by the Beatles a try. I struggle with Sleep, pretty darling... part and probably as I lack support and maybe also because I enter the "Sleep" totally wrong regarding the EE vowel?
Anyway, feel free to listen to it and give me your thoughts!
I am the lead singer, guitarist, and songwriter for the band Burning Bush. We're hoping to release an album by the end of the summer. I know my voice isn't the best. It's what I've always felt is holding back the band. But, my passion is endless. So we're pressing on. Here's a demo of one of our original songs. Any constructive feedback you can offer (especially @hightmtn and @sspatrick, but really anyone. There are some great singers on here) would be greatly, greatly appreciated.
Good try at a hard song. You were really channeling McCartney at 0:44!!!
Yes. You know exactly what is needed. The "S" word. Support, as well as support, and did I mention support? At "Sleep" and just as importantly "pretty" requires monster support, yet you don't want the listener to perceive it as belting, just a high, effortless note. This "E" should probably be the narrow "E" we tag at the top of the scale after modifying to "eh" as in eight. "Pretty" should probably be more like "preh-teh". Good job overall.
Also, the Soundcloud kept rolling at the end, and I thought you did a very good job on Bad Day. That song is well-suited to your voice, and you sound right at home in that tune.
Your voice has a good core to it. You could still brighten it a bit more. Build your support, your support, and don't forget your support! That will really build your voice in the way that you would want. It will give you the power and the range without strain.
I think you've improved a lot over your 2012 version.
Nice job! I expect many good things to come from you.
Yes, support seems to be the key here I will continue to add more support. Maybe I should have a "The month of support" and really dig deep into the nature of support ;-)
I watched McCartney do Golden Slumbers (Carry that weight, The End) he did a couple years ago and when he sang "Sleep Pretty Darling" it was so easy for him (I think he's a low tenor) and I want it to be that easy
This is an very enjoyable challenge to be able to sing "The McCartney Medley" - Golden Slumbers, Carry that weight and even more with The End...
Thanks for the support Bob, and advice regarding Sleep & Pretty.
I did the "Bad Day" song after 1 week with KTVA and that's pretty amazing when I think about it, before I started with KTVA I would never ever think about singing that song not even in a different key
I think that recording yourself doing the different songs that you struggle with really helps and also gives you perspective about the progress you make.
Thanks again for your comments Bob, I really appreciate it!
@hightmn. Since support seems to be such a reoccurring theme in these posts, could you elaborate? I'll try to be specific in my request. So far what I know is based on Volume 1, basically making sure to take deep belly breaths before each phrase and releasing after, so as not get bound up. So, support seems intimately connected to breathing and airflow. Yet, I've been told I use too much air (by Ken himself and others). So, how do I increase my support, while decreasing my air? This is the question currently perplexing me. Thanks in advance for the enlightenment.
Increasing your support WILL decrease the amount of air going past your cords. It's how we REGULATE the air we sing upon. Support is actually RESISTANCE to the otherwise uncontrolled escape of air as we sing.
Please watch every KTVA Webinar on Support and Glottal Compression. That will give you more insight, directly from Ken on this subject. After that, we can talk more. I just want you to hear it from Ken himself. I can help clarify after that, if necessary.
@david1552, this goes for you, too. And everybody else who may be thinking "what's the big deal about support and why doesn't Bob tell us what we REALLY need to know so we can sing like Ken."
I keep telling you because Ken is right. 90% of my and probably your vocal issues boil down to lack of sufficient support. It is THE ENGINE that POWERS our VOICE, even at low volumes and low tones, but ESPECIALLY the Higher we go.
I'm giving everyone here a homework assignment: Go to the Webinars section and carefully watch every Webinar recording having to do with Support or Glottal Compression. Then let's put our heads together and talk about what works for each of us as individuals. It's one of the most important components of transforming our voices.
Get Ready, Get Set, GO watch those videos and let's supercharge the conversation!
thanks for the reminder about 'support' being "the resistance to the uncontrolled release of air"
Just had a thought which might be useful although it maybe a kind of "don't try this at home" type of idea - and looking back it seems like a fairly ludicrous thing to do:
When I was about 10yrs old, I used to do a "stunt" in the school playground where I would invite other boys to punch me in the abs and I would tense my abs to resist being harmed. Must have had good abs back then because it always worked.
I'm thinking that this kind of tensing of the abs may be the same as (or have some aspects in common with) the "bearing down"which is needed for vocal support.
Good work. You have a nice laid back tone that really works for this song. Even though its not a great Range tune, there are still some challenges when doing a song like this. You could add a little more support and brighten up your tone. It makes it much easier to maintain pitch in the lower end of your voice as well as strengthen up the tone a little bit. Try adding the Lah tone that we work in the exercises into the song. Support does not have to be all out on a song like this, but you do want to provide enough to keep the notes afloat. good work
I think I'm 9months in KTVA now and I have been a lazy student but here's where I'm at. I been leaping with singing, but I have also used other methods beside Ken's. I need to find good topic to tell about that in greater detail.
Yes, Ken has said that proper support does resemble the way you tense your abs when somebody is about to punch you in the gut. Also it's like the way you bear down to raise yourself up for a situp.
The main important thing to REMEMBER is to RELEASE that tension at the end of the phrase or scale. A split-second of relaxation, like your heart resting between beats. That rest/relaxation is JUST as IMPORTANT as the tension, because without the relaxation/release, you won't last through one song, let alone a whole set or an entire performance.
BUT, we're not going into training by swapping gut-punches with one another. No need for that. It's just a word-picture.
You should practice the A4's and G4's a bit. The pitch is a little shaky on those. A lot more support is needed for those notes. Those are tough notes, so please don't be offended. Work on that support and spend some time singing sustained G4's and A4's until you don't have to reach so hard for them. It takes a lot of strength.
You should practice the A4's and G4's a bit. The pitch is a little shaky on those. A lot more support is needed for those notes. Those are tough notes, so please don't be offended. Work on that support and spend some time singing sustained G4's and A4's until you don't have to reach so hard for them. It takes a lot of strength.
Bob
Thanks for your feedback @highmtn I have only just achieved a proper chord closure on high fourth octave notes so I'm confident that the power will be finding it's way up there when I just keep on training. Also singing Adele songs earlier in a day didn't do any favors for pitch.
From Trine, Our Vocal Queen at KTVA and, also our resident Geologist:
I think this might be soundtrack material like the version of the Immigrant Song in Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I would seriously protect this work and shop it around!!!! This is genius. I think Plant would be very impressed. Simply exquisite!
@green Zeppelin cover had me really groovin wow. Can hear the Ann Wilson influence in the chorus. Nicely done Trine. Gave me inspiration, thanks for sharing.
Thank you @cgreen for posting the song, and thank you all for your kind comments! Makes me really happy! You know what is really inspiring for me? One year ago I never sung if anybody listened. I was too shy and doubted my voice. But then I decided to do something about it and started KTVA last autumn. I am so happy for that!!!
You're making me proud of you! You've been doing your exercises! Your voice is developing nicely. Your pitch is spot on. And guess what... ? I'm NOT going to nag you about your support. You've been paying attention to my incessant pestering. Granted, this is a song that does not require massive support, but you're there like you need to be for this song.
Your tone is good, it sounds like YOU, not like a copy of somebody else. Your pitch is spot-on. This is a very good demo. Keep up the good work.
@highmtn Bob! YAYYYYYY!!! Hahaha I really do feel the difference in my singing now! Thank you so much for the support (no pun intended) throughout the past few months You've made a big difference! There's still a lot more to work on so I'll definitely keep up the good work! VERY PROUD OF MYSELF NOW! HAHA!
Good job man, pleasant tone throughout. I agree with you that there was an element of shouting on the same melodic phrase "but THEY say / she's in the class A team / stuck in her DAYdream" You sort of over-emphasize those words throughout the song. Try to not slam the word so hard when going higher but rather slide more gently into the sound sort of like a very quick crescendo, if you are familiar with the concept.
Excellent work on that last falsettoish head voice to chest segment in the end, that was easily the best bit.
Hi there! I tried playing around with it just now and I think I get it. Not so much power should be places but rather phase into it.. I'll play around with it to get the crescendo effect!
And thanks alot! I have worked so hard to eliminate falsettos but only recently discovered that it could be my strength! Will be working on it too! Thanks for the comments!
I was singing while playing the guitar and made few mistakes so sorry for that!
For me my voice lacks the 'edge' presence to it (as in I don't really like the tone as it sounds weak and sorta lacks power). I really want to have the rock N' roll sorta Cornell'ish sound hahaha! Feels like Chris has so much presence and emotion to his sound!
Also, i feel like my voice is 'shaky' and isn't consistent with pitch or tone. I am thinking its to do with breath support? Especially during '21 guns' part, think its the F4 note, sounds like screaming (even though it doesn't hurt) and as if my voice is 'breaking'.
Any feedback would be much appreciated guys! Any tips and helps on how to improve and if there's any exercise that i should focus more on that would benefit my voice?
I listened to your demo. You are correct that you have some issues with Pitch, and that correct support would help with that issue. Your tone isn't so bad, but could be improved.
It takes you to a new program that Ken is providing to his students called Basic Pitch Part One. There are seveal videos there where Ken will take you through a lot of basics about pitch and show you some exercises that will be helpful in determining just what pitch problems you may have. Some of the exercises may seem simple, but they may reveal just what kind of issues you may or may not be having.
Please go through these videos and perhaps afterwards you can post a demo of you singing along to some of the exercises on the Basic Pitch tracks.
Also, you might want to think about recording your guitar without singing so that you can make a CD of your guitar part. You are having trouble singing and playing at the same time, so you aren't singing as well as you might otherwise be able to do. If you record the guitar part first without singing, you can then play the guitar CD and sing along to it. That way you won't be distracted and you can pay full attention to your singing so we can work with you on your voice.
So I've just given you some homework assignments that will help us to be able to better help you.
Please do as I've asked and we'll see where you are after giving this a go.
hey @cgreen thank you soo much for your response!! Its really great seeing how much support is in this forum! :-)
Starting with the chord closure, would that be the reason why my voice sounds 'airy' and 'weak', due to lack of proper chord closure? And usually past the E4 (start of my passaggio) my voice flips into falsetto and never really has proper chord closure i believe. Btw I have never heard of the 'hut method', if you don't mind could you explain what it is please. :-)
Btw just curious, at any point in the vocal demo, did I manage to keep my throat open? or was it closed all the time? Only asking cause throughout my childhood I had chronic tonsillitis, so now they are quite big, so i was wondering if that would stop me from achieving an open throat? But as you said i will soon post me just doing the volume one scales on the Ah vowel, should clear my confusion.
Would you recommend any breathing and support exercise that i could possibly start doing cause i do feel my supports really weak and I never really get the sensation of 'pushing down' on my diaphragm.
Thanks again for all your information! I will try and apply everything you have said into my singing and whilst doing the exercises. It has been around 2 weeks I started with Volume 1 and I can actually notice vast changes in my voice. I am willing to do whatever it required to become a good singer! :-)
Thank you for your feedback! Thank you for the link I will surely check it out and will post myself doing some exercises from there as a check point to see how 'bad' my sense of pitch it! ahaha!
And about singing while playing, I shall follow your tips and record the guitar parts before hand for the future demos, as it does feel much easier to sing without playing the guitar!
Thank you for your advise and I will surely do my homework! :-)
This is pretty good start. You are right the tone is a little week but the good news is that proper support will help that. As you work more at stretching your chest voice you will find that F4 in the chorus a lot easier to do. Approach the word Guns just like the Ah vowel ken demonstrates nice and bright and open. You do drift off pitch which I think increasing your overall support will help. Review the Ah vowel in volume 1 and work at that tone.
Hey thanks for the feedback! Yeah i don't feel any 'support' or feeling of 'pushing down' while singing. I will check some support videos and articles on the forum and start working on it more. :-)
Hey i tried the 'hut-method' and it feels like i am forcing note out, ermm sounds like vocal fry with the 'crackling' feeling and texture in the sound. Am i right in assuming that is my cords closing completely?
I will surely, do the ha-ha-ha exercise regularly and other cardiovascular exercises too! thank you! Good singing to you too sir! :-)
If you are experiencing vocal fry the cords are not closed enough. You should experience a clean bright tone almost like speaking. Watch the Lah video get that tone.
You could possibly be closing your cords too tight. You don't want to clench them shut so much that you have to blast air through just to make a sound. You just want to learn to feel them when they ARE closed as opposed to being leaky and not fully closed.
I listened to all the three songs that you have on Soundcloud. You have a strong, clear voice. In the two first songs, Funky Music White Boy and Come Together, I hear that you have some pitch issues that you need to adress for your voice to develop to its full potential. In the last song, White Wedding, your pitch is fairly ok. I don't know why there is a difference between these songs. Maybe you do?
I recommend that you go to the KTVA forum Volume One section called Better Pitch and Tone and download the BASIC PITCH PART ONE program. After working that program, you can send us demos where you perform the Basic Pitch exercises. From that we will be able to help you identify the problem and help you learn to discern pitch better. Here is a link to the Basic Pitch Part One:
I commented on this demo previously in your introductory post.
I listened again, and I still think this sounds really good.
I have a couple of items of feedback for you.
I like the use of Mask and how it richens your tone. There are two places where you need to open up a bit, where the mask gets in the way. At 1:41 and also at 3:08 where you do the "to you" you need to open up and not let the mask overhang the notes.
Also, at 2:53 where you do a three-note walkdown on "And" you could use a little more support.
That's not bad at all for a song like this. Overall, I would have to say this is a great recording.
I'm looking forward to hearing a lot more from you.
Up until 0:45 I thought it was solid. Good relaxed bright tone. Then it seemed like you thought to yourself "Ok time for some vowel modifications", and subsequently overdid them big time and strayed away from your previously good tone to a sort of muffled, possibly overly lowered larynx, sound. When doing the vowel mods it should be ever so subtle and to be honest I'm not sure they are even needed when doing the scale in a quieter way like you are here.
We brighten the voice with the open AH sound, making it really ping. When our voices are darkened, it can be for any of several reasons: Larynx lowered too much, covered sound, mouth or jaw not opened up properly...
Mods are needed whenever we start to run out of range in the pure vowel form. When we get close to needing to go through our passagio, we should modify.
Sing a little more frequently in lower range, and pay attention to your breath pressure there. Experiment with how much pressure your cords need or don't need in order to nail notes in the lower range, and to sound and feel natural.
Hi all - just joined the forum/course and have debated the wisdom of posting a sample up here already but I think it will help me to be able to look back from where I am now to where I hope to be in a few months after working through the course. This is my partial cover of Simple Man by Lynyrd Skynyrd but in the style of the Shinedown version which Ken did a breakdown of in one of his video lessons I saw on YouTube. Sadly I did this before I saw Ken's video!
Critique appreciated - I already have quite a few elements of this that I have identified myself but always hard to judge your own singing I find.
Really great job man. Nice bright tone on the bottom end using very little air, and nice top end as well. Support is pretty decent throughout. One thing that will definitely benefit you is the vowel modifications. In the chorus you could open up a little more on Simple(S"Eh"m p"Ah"l), Kind(K"Aa(as in hat)nd. As you work through the course that throat will open up and you will look for the staple vowels Ah, Eh, Aa through song phrases. All the best!
Yeah very good cover dude and a well chosen song. Have you seen the performance where they are just playing in some random living room infront of 20ish people?
Anyways you were very much on top of things throughout, right until final part with the variated higher chorus. I think you did get up and hit the highest note on "be.. satisfied", but it was fairly evident that you weren't completely comfortable in that range, making it a bit shaky. After that your pitch went a bit to shit hehe But overall good and if you just do some work on that A4-B4 area to get consistency you will definitely be able to nail that as well.
Thanks sspatrick - vowel modification is something that when recording that I didn't really know about but already I am getting to see how that can change the performance.
Ragnar - I know man. That's why it faded out so quickly from there! The range itself isn't a problem for me but I think the approach/style means that I struggle because I'm trying to use the EE sound so I'll work on modifications as per above.
That live acoustic session is pretty cool. I like the fact that they let the guy film and post it as well as some bands might be a bit precious about unofficial videos.
Yeah that sounds just right to my ears. Any critique from my end would be nitpicking. Now "just" remember that sound and start+keep adding more and more strength and power to it.
I would like a critique from anybody on my recent cover of "madness" by muse. This isn't how I sing all the time, but when I sing in this style it always feels the best to me. I'm all ears and I look forward to hearing some good advice. Thanks!
Thanks man! I feel I bottom out at the low notes sometimes. That's one of my concerns lately, aside from that I also have no clue what my vocal range is lol
I'm a huge Muse fan so I was naturally hesitant before listening, but you absolutely nailed it! Easily as strong of a vocal performance as Bellamy himself. You especially pulled off the whole crescendo nature of the song, where the initial soft parts are probably the hardest to get right wouldn't you say? My only critique would be that maybe the final high falsetto part could have been a little bit softer/prettier.
Ragnar, thanks so much for the critique.. Dude, you'd think those soft parts are easy but they aren't if you don't have the right support lol About the falsetto.. I'm starting to get the different between falsetto and head voice.. So I actually wasn't in head voice there? Also, did you notice where I bottomed out at the humming part? I don't know if you caught that.. It wasn't TOO bad, but you could tell I was definitely not hitting that low note with power, in fact I feel I was a little sharp.
You will eventually develop more chest-like timbre in your head voice, which will make that section even more impressive.
You have many things working together to pull off a performance like this, and you're relatively new to KTVA. As you incorporate more of Ken's techniques and embed them into your style, you will really develop into more of a monster vocalist, and learn to preserve your voice in ways that will keep you singing better and better for years to come!
Comments
@realityfusion
I like the attitude you inflect into your vocals on this song. Pitch is good, delivery good, support good. You could improve support some, at places, but for the most part, you've got it.
You are doing well with your training. Keep it up!
Bob
Darn words! Always getting in the way of the singing!
;^)
@hansonc2
I hear a voice that is untrained, but with a lot of potential. The things that I hear that need attention are listed below:
support
pitch
control
range
You have good tone. The items listed above all are fixable. They have to do with vocal technique, which is both teachable and learnable. You have the desire to become a better singer, and that counts for a lot, but you have to follow through and dedicate the time and energy to take it to the next level that addresses these elements.
If you have the ability to learn to hear your pitch issues and tackle them head-on, then the other problems are matters of exercises and perseverance.
As a matter of advice, KTVA is the best and actually the ONLY vocal method that will take you to a professional level. Many of us here have wasted tons of money on other methods that simply emptied our wallets without producing the results we sought.
Don't waste your money on something that is not going to truly build your voice in ways that will last you a lifetime!
Good luck and good singing to you!
Bob
@cgreen
I think the title change and the updated chorus will be an improvement. More appropriate to the genre.
I think it's cool that you found that cassette and can hear the changes so plainly in the character of your new, improving vocal quality as compared to a sample just a few years old.
So which Boston tune are you thinking of? Smokin'? Long Time? ??
:^)
Bob
@cgreen
Yes, Rock n' Roll Band is a toughie!
Looking forward to it!
Bob
Great job once again. I heard some Nirvana/Stone Temple Pilots/the Cult in this song. I liked when you opened up in the chorus nice bright tone with slight distortion. You keep getting better and better.
@kurzweil "Heroes"
Love your video, your song, your band, and your vocals!!
Great Job! More! More! More!
Bob
@Zerathios
Yes, you are right, the distortion you are using is not the best for your voice. A little too much air there.
Your voice is coming along nicely, and I hear improvements. You are getting more polished. Good tone, good pitch, nice character in your voice.
Keep working to improve your support. It will take you to the next level to really improve your support. It will help your distortion, and improve your tone all the more.
Good job!
Bob
@cgreen
That wasn't "I ain't no Wyatt, I ain't no Wyatt, I ain't no Wyatt" was it?
Nice tune. Great support!
Bob
It's the Lah! Pretty good. I think you could open up a little bit, but you connected well, and you took it up to an F5. Not bad!
Slides- Smooth. These sound pretty good.
OOh, OH, AH - I'm hearing the same thing I heard on the first one, but more so: I'm wanting it to sound more open. Are you holding the mic too close to your mouth? Or are you closing down? It sounds a little covered at the top.
You have a very good range and great pitch. I'm wanting to hear more openness in your tone. Could be your tongue rising (along with your larynx, possibly?)
Your support sounds pretty good to me. If you beef up the support, it will probably beef up your tone some, as well. You made it up to E5. Your Passagio almost undetectable.
Good job! Keep up the good work.
Bob
Vlad,
1) For the openness, just OPEN THAT THROAT UP!! AH!!! AH!!!! Like the video. Make it really ping!
2) If you can't tell where your voice is shifting into head, there are a lot of people reading this who wish that was their problem. Most people are trying very hard to smooth over their passagio. If you want to reveal where yours is, then try doing some slides, going upwards very, very slowly. Lean into the sound enough to try to feel and hear the larynx shift into head voice and try to make a deliberate speed bump. Try to get a real Country and Western Yodel out of that Adam's Apple! If you feel that shift and hear that little yodel, find the note on which it happened, quickly with a piano. That's your secondo passagio.
If yours is at C5, then that helps to explain why it is so undetectable on your vocal demos. I heard a hint of it yesterday when I listened to your demos, and it Was high, near the turnaround point in the scale. The higher you can get in chest voice, the more difficult it is to tell when someone goes into head, because chest sounds very much like head voice in that range.
If you can improve the open sound, get more ping, and bolster your support, you will be on a really good track with your training!
Bob
@jasonm
Nice track, nice tune, good work!
Bob
P.S. Good job on Soulshine, too. ;^)
Nice crooning, Cinema. Reminds me a little of Rudy Vallee or maybe Perry Como...
Sounds nice and comfortable for you, even the high notes going into the bridge.
Keep the hits on happening!
Bob
Ulrich,
You keep on improving, with your vocals, your songwriting, your playing, and your recording artistry.
Thanks for sharing your journey with us!
MORE!
Bob
Yes, Cinema, I can hear what you mean about the Dream Theater flavor in Ulrich's tune. But still, a flavor all it's own.
Do you notice the smoky, woodsy tone @Ulrich is using? Subtle, but rich. I'm liking it... Lots.
Nice soundscapes, too.
Bob
Good job, Cinema. You're putting out a lot of demos these days. I'm enjoying them. You do a lot of tunes by some of my favorite artists.
Nice upper mids. Consistent tone. Well-supported.
Bob
@cgreen
Cinema,
It would be difficult to find a harder song to sing. All those belted B4's and C5's, back to the A4's. Brutal.
You are nailing most of them, but there are so many eighth notes in a row. A few of them come out a couple of cents flat. I'm thinking this tune must require massive support. Another strategy might be to ease some of those eighth note glottal shocks by keeping a cushion of air going throughout them and pulsing accents to them to get the effect of the rhythm without having to set up the vowel over and over at those high-range, high-volume notes. Just think what your support has to do for those successive eighth notes!
What I'm suggesting might not work at all for this song, but It's really long, really high, really loud, and really has a lot of glottal onsets with heavy attacks.
I'm certainly not in shape to tackle a song like this one.
Good job.
Bob
@ irond76
More support will help sew this tune up a little more solidly. For demo purposes, being a little closer to the mic, with the mic higher in the mix would also help us to give you better critiques.
The support is most evident on the long, sustained "pack it UUUUUUUUUP" note.
This is a wordy, consonant-y tune. It doesn't allow you to set up many sustained vowels. Tunes like this can put a lot of wear and tear on your cords. It's a good tune, I'm just sayin'... we like to stress minimization of consonants and sustaining of vowels and vowel transitions.
I think you're doing a good job. Like me, you need to work on building your support engine. You will be able to rely on it even more after you build it up to the point of being a support gorilla.
Bob
Your intonation is good, for the most part.
@cgreen
Bravo for tackling a tough Dio tune, head-on, Cinema! It's so long, it's nearly a Marathon!
Bob
thanks for all of your feedback. The support is something i need to get a firm grasp on, I'm going to keep working at though till I become a Support Gorilla lol. It sure is alot easier to sing vowels.
I am the lead singer, guitarist, and songwriter for the band Burning Bush. We're hoping to release an album by the end of the summer. I know my voice isn't the best. It's what I've always felt is holding back the band. But, my passion is endless. So we're pressing on. Here's a demo of one of our original songs. Any constructive feedback you can offer (especially @hightmtn and @sspatrick, but really anyone. There are some great singers on here) would be greatly, greatly appreciated.
@david1552
Good try at a hard song. You were really channeling McCartney at 0:44!!!
Yes. You know exactly what is needed. The "S" word. Support, as well as support, and did I mention support? At "Sleep" and just as importantly "pretty" requires monster support, yet you don't want the listener to perceive it as belting, just a high, effortless note. This "E" should probably be the narrow "E" we tag at the top of the scale after modifying to "eh" as in eight. "Pretty" should probably be more like "preh-teh". Good job overall.
Also, the Soundcloud kept rolling at the end, and I thought you did a very good job on Bad Day. That song is well-suited to your voice, and you sound right at home in that tune.
Keep up the good work.
Bob
@enthused
Your voice has a good core to it. You could still brighten it a bit more. Build your support, your support, and don't forget your support! That will really build your voice in the way that you would want. It will give you the power and the range without strain.
I think you've improved a lot over your 2012 version.
Nice job! I expect many good things to come from you.
Bob
@enthused,
Increasing your support WILL decrease the amount of air going past your cords. It's how we REGULATE the air we sing upon. Support is actually RESISTANCE to the otherwise uncontrolled escape of air as we sing.
Please watch every KTVA Webinar on Support and Glottal Compression. That will give you more insight, directly from Ken on this subject. After that, we can talk more. I just want you to hear it from Ken himself. I can help clarify after that, if necessary.
@david1552, this goes for you, too. And everybody else who may be thinking "what's the big deal about support and why doesn't Bob tell us what we REALLY need to know so we can sing like Ken."
I keep telling you because Ken is right. 90% of my and probably your vocal issues boil down to lack of sufficient support. It is THE ENGINE that POWERS our VOICE, even at low volumes and low tones, but ESPECIALLY the Higher we go.
I'm giving everyone here a homework assignment: Go to the Webinars section and carefully watch every Webinar recording having to do with Support or Glottal Compression. Then let's put our heads together and talk about what works for each of us as individuals. It's one of the most important components of transforming our voices.
Get Ready, Get Set, GO watch those videos and let's supercharge the conversation!
Bob
@SingingPurpleZebra
Nice job. A wonderful tribute to Robert.
Bob
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqlDv2NRKn4
I know, it isn't the most challenging song but hey...
Let me know what you think
The Animals - House Of The Rising Sun -Cover
-Pete
@DavidG
Yes, Ken has said that proper support does resemble the way you tense your abs when somebody is about to punch you in the gut. Also it's like the way you bear down to raise yourself up for a situp.
The main important thing to REMEMBER is to RELEASE that tension at the end of the phrase or scale. A split-second of relaxation, like your heart resting between beats. That rest/relaxation is JUST as IMPORTANT as the tension, because without the relaxation/release, you won't last through one song, let alone a whole set or an entire performance.
BUT, we're not going into training by swapping gut-punches with one another. No need for that. It's just a word-picture.
Bob
@pantero
You should practice the A4's and G4's a bit. The pitch is a little shaky on those. A lot more support is needed for those notes. Those are tough notes, so please don't be offended. Work on that support and spend some time singing sustained G4's and A4's until you don't have to reach so hard for them. It takes a lot of strength.
Bob
Go, @Trine!
:^)
@saifulrizal21
Saiful,
You're making me proud of you! You've been doing your exercises! Your voice is developing nicely. Your pitch is spot on. And guess what... ? I'm NOT going to nag you about your support. You've been paying attention to my incessant pestering. Granted, this is a song that does not require massive support, but you're there like you need to be for this song.
Your tone is good, it sounds like YOU, not like a copy of somebody else. Your pitch is spot-on. This is a very good demo. Keep up the good work.
Bob
Good job man, pleasant tone throughout. I agree with you that there was an element of shouting on the same melodic phrase "but THEY say / she's in the class A team / stuck in her DAYdream"
You sort of over-emphasize those words throughout the song. Try to not slam the word so hard when going higher but rather slide more gently into the sound sort of like a very quick crescendo, if you are familiar with the concept.
Excellent work on that last falsettoish head voice to chest segment in the end, that was easily the best bit.
abhss1,
I listened to your demo. You are correct that you have some issues with Pitch, and that correct support would help with that issue. Your tone isn't so bad, but could be improved.
I think we need to see just where you are with respect to pitch. I would like for you to follow this link http://kentamplinvocalacademy.com/forum/#/discussion/1560/basic-pitch-part-one
It takes you to a new program that Ken is providing to his students called Basic Pitch Part One. There are seveal videos there where Ken will take you through a lot of basics about pitch and show you some exercises that will be helpful in determining just what pitch problems you may have. Some of the exercises may seem simple, but they may reveal just what kind of issues you may or may not be having.
Please go through these videos and perhaps afterwards you can post a demo of you singing along to some of the exercises on the Basic Pitch tracks.
Also, you might want to think about recording your guitar without singing so that you can make a CD of your guitar part. You are having trouble singing and playing at the same time, so you aren't singing as well as you might otherwise be able to do. If you record the guitar part first without singing, you can then play the guitar CD and sing along to it. That way you won't be distracted and you can pay full attention to your singing so we can work with you on your voice.
So I've just given you some homework assignments that will help us to be able to better help you.
Please do as I've asked and we'll see where you are after giving this a go.
Thanks.
Bob
@abhss,
You could possibly be closing your cords too tight. You don't want to clench them shut so much that you have to blast air through just to make a sound. You just want to learn to feel them when they ARE closed as opposed to being leaky and not fully closed.
You want to close your cords just right.
Not too leaky, but not too tight.
Bob
Hi @opgalliano!
I listened to all the three songs that you have on Soundcloud. You have a strong, clear voice. In the two first songs, Funky Music White Boy and Come Together, I hear that you have some pitch issues that you need to adress for your voice to develop to its full potential. In the last song, White Wedding, your pitch is fairly ok. I don't know why there is a difference between these songs. Maybe you do?
I recommend that you go to the KTVA forum Volume One section called Better Pitch and Tone and download the BASIC PITCH PART ONE program. After working that program, you can send us demos where you perform the Basic Pitch exercises. From that we will be able to help you identify the problem and help you learn to discern pitch better. Here is a link to the Basic Pitch Part One:
http://kentamplinvocalacademy.com/forum/#/discussion/1560/basic-pitch-part-one-video-program
I encourage you to keep on singing, because your voice has potential, and I like your attitude!
Trine
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@opgalliano, we 'accent people' need to make ourselves heard.I am representing the vikings (I'm from Norway)!
Trine
http://youtu.be/RoK2_UXNTVE
Hey, Noel!
I commented on this demo previously in your introductory post.
I listened again, and I still think this sounds really good.
I have a couple of items of feedback for you.
I like the use of Mask and how it richens your tone. There are two places where you need to open up a bit, where the mask gets in the way. At 1:41 and also at 3:08 where you do the "to you" you need to open up and not let the mask overhang the notes.
Also, at 2:53 where you do a three-note walkdown on "And" you could use a little more support.
That's not bad at all for a song like this. Overall, I would have to say this is a great recording.
I'm looking forward to hearing a lot more from you.
You have a very good voice.
Bob
Thank you for listening through and giving me some pointers. I agree with what you pin-pointed on these trouble spots! I will keep working!
Then it seemed like you thought to yourself "Ok time for some vowel modifications", and subsequently overdid them big time and strayed away from your previously good tone to a sort of muffled, possibly overly lowered larynx, sound.
When doing the vowel mods it should be ever so subtle and to be honest I'm not sure they are even needed when doing the scale in a quieter way like you are here.
Marek,
The first low scale sounds a little low for your voice. After that you seemed to be well within your range.
As Ragnar commented, your voice seemed to darken a little after the beginning.
Your intonation was good.
I think you are on a good track and just need to keep on doing what you are doing. The details will work themselves out.
Thanks for posting. It helps us all to work through these demos together.
Bob
Hi there!
Few questions:
1) is there anything i can do about the dark in the voice whan doing mods?
2) are the mods needed when doing scale in this quieter way ( ragnar wasn't sure...)
3) what can I do to solve the problem in lower scale
Thank's a lot and have a nice day!
Marek,
We brighten the voice with the open AH sound, making it really ping. When our voices are darkened, it can be for any of several reasons: Larynx lowered too much, covered sound, mouth or jaw not opened up properly...
Mods are needed whenever we start to run out of range in the pure vowel form. When we get close to needing to go through our passagio, we should modify.
Sing a little more frequently in lower range, and pay attention to your breath pressure there. Experiment with how much pressure your cords need or don't need in order to nail notes in the lower range, and to sound and feel natural.
Bob
Yeah very good cover dude and a well chosen song. Have you seen the performance where they are just playing in some random living room infront of 20ish people?
But overall good and if you just do some work on that A4-B4 area to get consistency you will definitely be able to nail that as well.
Ragnar - I know man. That's why it faded out so quickly from there! The range itself isn't a problem for me but I think the approach/style means that I struggle because I'm trying to use the EE sound so I'll work on modifications as per above.
That live acoustic session is pretty cool. I like the fact that they let the guy film and post it as well as some bands might be a bit precious about unofficial videos.
Thanks both for the tips.
Nice introductory demo. Looking forward to hearing you as you get all of this figured out!
Simple song, Simple Man.
Bob
Yeah that sounds just right to my ears. Any critique from my end would be nitpicking.
Now "just" remember that sound and start+keep adding more and more strength and power to it.
@marek,
This sounds about right. Nice and bright, very consistent. Good support. Pitch is on the money.
No worries!
Bob
I would like a critique from anybody on my recent cover of "madness" by muse. This isn't how I sing all the time, but when I sing in this style it always feels the best to me. I'm all ears and I look forward to hearing some good advice. Thanks!
My only critique would be that maybe the final high falsetto part could have been a little bit softer/prettier.
Awesome demo, @AnthonyV,
You will eventually develop more chest-like timbre in your head voice, which will make that section even more impressive.
You have many things working together to pull off a performance like this, and you're relatively new to KTVA. As you incorporate more of Ken's techniques and embed them into your style, you will really develop into more of a monster vocalist, and learn to preserve your voice in ways that will keep you singing better and better for years to come!
Good job!
Bob
Hey Marek, where did you get that scale from? Is it your own or is it on the Ken Tamplin package?