Voice After A Gig

Fenderjedi

Hi All,

Just wanted some advice about what is happening to my voice after a gig. I'm finding I'm stuck somewhere in between two techniques. After singing for about 16 years I have gained a pretty strong voice. I have never lost my voice ever. I used to average around 400 shows a year and could sing them all with ease. After starting this program I have definitely noticed some positive changes in my voice but am finding it almost impossible to apply them at my gigs and so have to do a hybrid of techniques which is leading me to lose a huge chunk of my range out of my voice. For instance I woke up this morning and my head voice is none existent. What I wanted to gain from KTVA was to be able to increase my range as I sing a lot of Rock and some of the songs push me to my limit. 

I'm not expecting a quick fix with all this but gigging is my living and I can't afford to stop singing as I have bills to pay. 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Many Thanks

Dave

rcrosier

@fenderjedi:  I had a similar problem Dave.  Though I don't make my living singing, I do have anywhere from 1 to 4 gigs a month, and was struggling learning the "right" way to sing, and mixing it with the "old" way...  but frankly, for me, I used to lose my voice somewhat often before, too.

I have been working at trying to implement as many of the new techniques I can while gigging, but kind of "backing off" on those that I find I'm not ready for in a live situation.  In doing so, I've found that my voice has gone much less after gigs, and I can come back the next day, run through the warm ups again, and be pretty much back on track.

Try to learn to sing your gigs with less "weight", that might help to not blow it out as much.  May not be what you WANT right now, but might help.

It's not perfect, I'm sure, as I'd probably be better off to just "take a year off" and practice... but that's not practical, so...

But the good news, for me at least, was a comment the other day from a friend guitarist/singer, who has a really great, deep, smokey voice, after she invited me to sing lead on "Twist and Shout" with her band... AND it was after I had sung for 3 hours with my own band... she said "Ray you sounded great last night-you're voice is getting stronger and stronger! awesome!" At the time, I was pretty spent, so that compliment was GREAT to hear!

Good luck finding a happy medium!

ragnar

@Fenderjedi

Do you have something uploaded where we can hear you demonstrate your way of singing before starting KTVA? It would be easier to comment if I knew what kind of range and tonal quality you had beforehand

Ken Tamplin

Yes, I would like to hear the same as Ragnar suggested so I have a reference point. "Do you have something uploaded where we can hear you demonstrate your way of singing before starting KTVA? It would be easier to comment if I knew what kind of range and tonal quality you had beforehand"

I would like to hear a before and a current sample of your singing to hear what you are or are not doing correctly.

Fenderjedi

https://soundcloud.com/fenderjedi

highmtn

Hi, @Fenderjedi,

Ken was wanting you to include a recording of you also demonstrating  "my head voice is none existent"  so that can be assessed as well.  Ken said: I would like to hear a before and a current sample of your singing to hear what you are or are not doing correctly.

Could you do a quick recording that demonstrates what you say has happened to your voice?  That would be helpful.

Thanks.

Bob

Fenderjedi

Hi Bob,

The "I want it all" track is me singing now and although doesn't demonstrate any head voice it shows how weak my mixed voice is and how the depth of my voice has disappeared. The "young fighter screaming" line and the last few notes of I want it all are probably the best indicators of what I'm doing wrong.

I have tried to lighten up my chest but that just leaves me with no vocal stamina.

Let me know if you need more examples and I'll record some. 

Thanks all for your help it's really appreciated!!

Dave

Ken Tamplin

I heard the breakup the first time.

Is there any way we can get a before of the exact same song?

If he you were singing in a light mix voice before and now are singing this piece in a full chest in a full chest belt, there would be a considerable stamina difference (and management)  however this version would be ore authentic to the original.

Do you have a version of your singing this before KTVA?

Also, how much do you train and how often?

If you are not training enough (about 1 hour per day 5-6 days per week) to sustain this kind of belting, you will only last so long.

(this will also lead to another question I have for you about mix voice and bridging after I get the answers from you)

One last thing:

Are you coming off any colds or flu since this has been going on...?

Fenderjedi

Hi Ken, 

Thanks for the reply!! Unfortunately I don't have a version of this song pre KTVA. I could however sing one of the other songs now to give you a proper before and after.

I'm currently doing volume 2 - 5 days a week and volume 1 before I gig as a warm up.

No haven't had a cold or flu for a long time. 

Do you think there may be a possibility of some throat problem ie nodules? Like I said earlier I have sang a lot over the past 10 years! Sometimes I had to cram in 6 hours of singing a night, 7 days a week. 

In the morning when I wake up after a gig if I siren up and down my range I often have a big chunk of notes missing in my mid- high register.

Thanks again for your help!

Dave