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Impromptu show in Flagstaff before my Vocal Lesson with Ken!

michaelmusicmichaelmusic 2.0 ENROLLED Posts: 271
in VOCAL DEMONSTRATIONS for the Bold!
https://youtu.be/7VW-QBM9Qew
This is a short clip of me playing the song Valerie by Amy Winehouse. I'd like your feedback on how I can improve! TODAY I HAVE A LESSON WITH KEN TAMPLIN IN PERSON!!

I chose to fly to Flagstaff, AZ to visit Ken's studio in-person for my second time in 6mo.

Yesterday, I was sitting on a plane having a conversation with a lovely woman who had visited Orange County to treat her lymphatic cancer.
While getting to know her story, I discovered she owned a restaurant 10min. from my hotel. She mentioned how it would be great to have live music at her restaurant. "Why don't I come by and play tonight?" I said.
Within the hour she had her son and daughter set up an electric guitar (with pretty old strings) and a microphone (which he purchased at a nearby second-hand store minutes earlier). Also, I played the first two songs without a microphone and my voice projected throughout the restaurant.
Even before being able to sing and play songs as a solo performer I thought to myself that if I ever had a good voice I'd happily share it with others. Having the ability to play guitar and sing is a gift that can be shared with others. People love live music and it does something physiological to us that elevates our mood.
This course and my commitment to working hard on improving my vocals daily has paid off in more ways than I could have imagined already.
As with any new skill we commit to learning, the hardest parts are the beginning when your hard work and focus give little visible return on investment. However, progress is exponential. Over time, your efforts compound and you have greater improvements faster.
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Comments

  • michaelmusicmichaelmusic 2.0 ENROLLED Posts: 271
    Tagging some cool people to help provide feedback!
    @DannyOc3an
    @bentk
    @Wigs
    @LindseyBean
    @guychan
    @Terence
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  • TerenceTerence Moderator, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 487
    edited June 2022
    Whew, way to use those gifts, put yourself out there, and spread the joy, Michael!!! And the day before a big lesson, no less!

    For this song, I can hear you taking liberties with the melody and putting some Marvin Gaye style runs in using a higher mix/reinforced light head as in "Let's Get It On"? https://youtu.be/x6QZn9xiuOE

    Just a thought and Hoping for an excellent and illuminating lesson for you.
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  • GuyChanGuyChan 2.0 PRO, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 175
    Alright, that's great, you seem so enthusiastic ! I'm happy to see you progress and get excited about your journey. There's nothing better than enjoying your life. See how we can get lucky sometimes ? What a wonderful adventure.

    Nice energy in the song ! This is cool. How long have you been doing the course ? Are you stretching chest voice or are you more of an RnB singer ? I wonder what kind of singer you are, and are going to.
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  • DannyOc3anDannyOc3an 2.0 PRO, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 668
    Sounds great Michael, relaxation is kicking in and it translates into an enjoyable performance. you are using contiguous phrase singing and good vocal tract shaping, by not drifting too much away from the AH vowel, and not using hard consonants. It sounds like a continuous LAH scale which is the point when applying the method to songs, it seems you are aware of it and it's becoming second nature, so great!

    Do you mind sharing what tips Ken shares with you? Maybe on the students section :)

    Keep it up!
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  • michaelmusicmichaelmusic 2.0 ENROLLED Posts: 271
    @Terence I totally agree. In fact, Marvin Gaye is one of the musicians Ken suggested I start referencing more for developing swag and smooth tone in my voice.

    @guychan, I have done the course for about a year now. I try stretching chest. In this clip I believe I have one volume level which is like high intensity and am not as dynamic as I'd like. In the lesson Ken mentioned I should pull back that volume a bit and be more dynamic.

    @DannyOc3an Agreed on using contiguous phrase singing. An interesting point Ken had was to have more energy and staccato on phrases. To have more swag and slide between notes. Depending on the singer, this helps with a more engaging performance. I will create a post sharing Ken's tips right now.
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  • RLVRLV Member Posts: 170
    Very nice man! You can really tell that your practice is paying off, such smooth phrasing and your tone is perfect for the vibe of this. I would agree that some old school r&b runs would add that little extra spice to it all, but nothing to sneeze at here as is, nice job!
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  • GuyChanGuyChan 2.0 PRO, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 175
    @michaelmusic Yeah, it's easy to get stuck in a full "On" mode. It takes some work to achieve dynamic moves in volume and texture. It takes a lot of great control of the breath to be able to navigate through your voice with such variation. Also, it will be way better once you'll start to learn to navigate skillfully through mixed voice.

    You'red on a great track. Keep going, my friend : ;)
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