A question on stage 3 and rehearsing....

Jonny Wilkinson

I have been on stage 3 for 6 months now. But I find that I will do the stage 3 workout then the next day I will rehearse with my band, but I will find by the end of rehearsal I start straining, and have a feeling of being burnt out. We have 2 hour rehearsals. What am I doing wrong? Also when warming using stage 3 before a rehearsal/ gig should I do it lightly or heavy? Thanks for the fantastic vocal lessons ken!

Joshua

You're just falling back into a bad habit. I have the same problem. From time to time you forget that you need to use the technique. Usually overall volume is the issue. If you can't hear yourself, you'll instinctively push; which is never a good idea.

I've done stage 3 back to back in one day, then when to rehearsal for 3.5 hours and no strain whatsoever. I could have sang the national anthem and I would have rocked it. So it's that you're using too much air due to bad habits, or not being able to hear yourself. I'm pretty confident of that.

highmtn

You might try asking the guitar player if he could possibly turn that Marshall Amplifier down just a bit to where you don't have to bellow in order to be heard... Small rooms with Marshalls usually means the vocals will be drowned out.

Perhaps you could monitor your voice with in-ear monitors or encapsulating headphones. 

Your guitar player sounds really good on the recording, but I have a feeling that he may be overpowering your voice at the rehearsals.

I know, this is usually a touchy subject.  I host a lot of jam sessions, and when we get a new group of people up on the stage I tell everybody "Hey, let's all play at a level where the vocals are dominant, and no one has to scream to be heard.  If I turn the vocals up any more, all we'll get is feedback, so please just play to the mix we've got going and everybody will get a chance to be heard."  It works when everyone quits competing and instead plays together.

Using a lot of air to be heard will dry your cords out and you will be hoarse and lose your upper midrange.  You should be cutting back the air, which will actually lower your volume a bit, but preserve your voice immensely.

Bob