Hi and asking for some feedback on clips

rgrandel

Hi guys.

Happy to be here. I'm a country/rock/singer-songerwriter type of performer who just flat out like to sing and have an interaction with myself and the audience through music. I've sang in a couple of bands over they years, mostly one-man-and-a-guitar the last few years.

I've tried a lot of different ways to develop my technique the last 10 years, Singing success, CVT, SLS-skypesessions and so on. I took a break a couple of years back after feeling rather confused, and just sang songs and gigged without any intention to grow my voice. It did good for me, got out of the overtechnicality and brought back the joy of the craft.

I started thinking about technique now a while back again, found some new inspiration to think about the shape of the intstrument I like to play. I stumbled upon Ken's videos on youtube, thought his stuff made most sense to me out of everything I've ever heard, and decided to get the first volume. So here I am

I would like some feedback on a couple of clips regarding singing and the scales.

First off, here is me singing a Jon Bon Jovi song called Destination anywhere:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/3s71eg96zkc9arb/destination anywhere 6.9.mp3?dl=0

What I'd like to know is, 1) anything in particular that sounds off, wrong or in need of fixing in the singing?
2) I sing a higher note with a different coordination at the end of the clip. It feels easy, and at the same time, its a different type of coordination in my throat. Is that headvoice? If healthy, I'd like to be able to connect those high notes to the rest of my voice


Here is another clip of me doing the basic lah-scale.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4stfffwqaz262hr/lah scale 6.9.14.mp3?dl=0

Any feedback, something that needs fixing? I feel like I need a ton of support on the highest notes, and it's somewhat hit and miss at this point. But does it sound like I'm on the right track?


And here is a clip of me doing a lip roll scale:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/0nut3m9ppa9ljy0/lip rolls 6.9.14.mp3?dl=0

I'm doing the rolls with what feels like two completely different coordinations in my throat. The first one (about 40 seconds) feels connected all the way, but is somewhat limited in range, goes up to about A4. The second coordination is lighter, and allows me to go higher, but feels disconnected in the middle voice. The question is, which way to go? Or is it a combination of both that is needed? What does your ears tell you?
 
Oh, and a final question, what does my voice type sound like, Tenor, baritone, bass?

Have a good one, rock on!

Sincerely,
Ron



 

highmtn

@rgrandel

Hi, Ron.

Nice to meet you, and glad to have you here at the forums.

First of all, your recording is just a bit fuzzy, so it sounds a little raggedy on your voice, but most of that may be distortion on the recording level.  On Destination Anywhere, at times it sounds just a little bit squeezed, and I think you need to open up your throat just a bit more.   It sounds a little oversung, in that I believe your voice is going into distortion beyond the possible distortion of the record level.   It gets a little "yelly" at times.  To me, this sounds like a need for more solid support, to help provide more consistency in your voice.  You do take your voice up to a C5 in this, so you have no perceptible problem with bringing chest voice up to tenor high C.  It's not in head voice, though, just a lighter chest note.  Almost a mix, but to me, sounds like full chest with some weight shaved off.

 

The LAH scale sounds pretty good.  You do get to an Aw modification on the A4 and Bb4.  That's about right if you would go to oo around B4 to C#5, and Ooh anywhere above that.

Again, support could be better.

The lip rolls sound good.  You need a combination of both sounds you described.  The lip rolls are primarily intended to help you shift easily and connectedly into head voice, and that is the voice that tends to skip the upper mid part of chest voice.  On the other hand, resisting early bridging can help you to extend your mid voice and strengthen it.

As a new student you need to be aware that you should have two (2) initial missions, pursuing both goals concurrently and along parallel paths: 1. Learn to bridge into head voice smoothly and connected seamlessly, and 2. Begin now the long process of stretching your chest voice, up into the midrange and beyond.

Both of these two tasks must be practiced separately, because each is the opposite of the other when going through the midvoice notes, the passagio region, to be specific.  Don't skip either of these processes.  Both are very important!

So I think you have a good basis from which to continue to develop your voice.  You have experience to build upon, and probably some new techniques to integrate into and to some degree replace old techniques that may be holding you back in some ways.

You sound like a baritone down low, and like a tenor up high.  So you must be either a Barinor or a Tenritone.  Don't worry too much about those labels.  You can sing parts for either one.  Most tenors can't sing as deep and low as you can, and you are singing into the tenor range.

 

I'd like to hear a cleaner recording of you to make sure that you aren't really that distorted all the time.

 

All the Best!

 

Bob

rgrandel

Hi Bob.

Thanks a lot for your detailed feedback Bob, I really appreciate it!

I'll make sure to post another clip in a couple of days, the recording was low-quality, recorded with my smartphone

I'm taking several things with me from your feedback into the practice room. I'll particurarly focus on maintaining an open throat, as well as building my support stronger. And, I'll make sure to give both tasks you mentioned time, thanks for pointing that out as I noticed myself putting most time into stretching chest.

Have a good one.

Ronnie