Hello all! I'm back!

Kokonuht

Hello everyone!

My name is Rayhan. I'm 22 this year and I'm from Malaysia. Currently studying in Singapore.

I bought the course when I was 17. Worked with it for 3 years and could belt pretty well and went off to experiment other ways of singing. Here I am, two years later, coming back to my roots to find a solution to my problems.

I have also enrolled in some voice science courses so everything is much clearer to me now especially Ken's teachings. I have to say, Ken was SPOT ON on his information 99% of the time. Sometimes it's just a matter of terminology mix ups. Though seriously, if you want to learn how to belt and stuff, follow this man all the way!

Right now I've been trying to learn to sing the pop / rnb / jazz way but it's way too hard as I just belt out everything. Before bed last night I recited some positive thoughts saying that I will be a great singer and I can find a way to achieve it. Magically today I had an idea to open my old rusty KTVA folder and go through Volume 1 again. I have rewatched the videos and I'm like, all of this makes so much sense now. I noticed I forgotten about a video as well, which was "Intro to bridging". So after rewatching that, I'm now on my way to build my bridge and strengthen my mix.

FYI, I've taken lessons with SLS teachers and even SLS courses and until now, it still hasn't work. I even revisited it recently and no, it just doesn't. For me at least. The reason? I think I have a good idea of the reason. Feel free to PM me or just leave a comment and I'll do my best to answer it.

I'm really grateful that I'm still a moderator here despite my long 2-3 year hiatus!

Oh, I am currently studying in Lasalle College of the Arts in Singapore. Pursuing a Diploma in Music and with Vocals as my main instrument.

Aside from Ken's course, the only other thing I would recommend is training your ear. I had a really crap ear to begin with but now I can hear much better and it has helped my intonation a lot as well.

So here I am guys! Not sure if any of you still remember me but, I'm back!

Oh and here's a video of me singing Chandelier - Sia. This was before I enrolled in Lasalle and I had no idea of ear training. So pardon my intonation. Piano playing as well! Haha. I'd have to say, my technique wasn't really good here but hey, we're all works in progress

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vSOX6OQ-fM

Just a short note of my history:

This was in Dec 2010 I believe. Before any sort of training at all.


This was after 6 months of doing Singing Success. Not much progress and I think I sounded shittier HAHA.


This is 11 months after doing KTVA. Huge increase in range.


And the latest recording would be that Chandelier video.

My range increased tremendously after doing Ken's course and it's currently G2 - C6.

I usually utilize my range about C3 - A4 for Pop songs with slight belts. Rock songs I'd go up until an Eb5. Currently learning to improve my pop, rnb, jazz voice. Less chest, more mix-y, more head.

Thanks and hope to hear more from everyone!

highmtn

Welcome back, @Kokonuht!

Long time no see! Looking forward to you getting back into the groove!

:^)

Bob

Semi

Hi @Kokonuht,

it`s so good to have you back! I was curious how are you doing man, back in time you were nailing the course pretty well. From time to time I watch the video with you and Ken, working on the mixed voice. Still very useful stuff!

Sam

Kokonuht

@highmtn Thanks Bob! Looking forward too!

@Semi Thanks man, how have you been doing? How's your progress! I'm still working on the mix as I pretty much slacked on it the past few years haha.

Semi

Thanks for asking @Kokonuht,

my voice was never in better shape. As a classically (and poorly) trained baritone, struggling to reach an F#4, doing the course on daily basis I was able to overcome my limitations and develop this bright tone, extra range (can stretch my voice up to C6, C#6 pretty consistently) and finally, stamina to go through set of songs of my favourite artists and bands like Sam Cooke, James Brown, Toto, Queen, Journey.....
I`m so glad that doing the KTVA course for more than 3 years made me able to sing a song like this:

Kokonuht

@Semi That's pretty awesome! Thought you would belt it out like James though! Haha! Might wanna work on those runs as well. Deconstructing them and articulating each note instead of sliding through all of em. But damn, glad you've made progress!!

Semi

Thanks @Kokonuht,

I hope that in time I can lean more into the sound and good point, I really need to start working on my riffs and runs.

Sam

nmartinez

Welcome back!

Kokonuht

@Semi, have you been practicing leaning more into the sound? How's that going ?

@nmartinez thank you!

Semi

Yes @Kokonuht, but when I overdo that, I end up using the dark, round vowels I used back in my bel canto days and I find myself in trouble to sustain that kind of sound. So I have been experimenting with lowering the overall loudness of my voice and concentrate more on relaxation into the sound and adding more bright ping using more mask. Love the Steve Perry/Bobby Kimball/Mickey Thomas sound.

nmartinez

@semi I posted a question a while back that touched on this. Remember, the bright ping doesn't just mean mask, but it grows from all the fundamentals talked about in vol1's DVD. Support, standing up straight, jaw as wide as we can make it without straining it, tongue is droppe to the base of the jaw, and it's the "La ah!" with good controlled air. All that together creats a bright ping that will grow. Ken says somewhere that after the voice grows you can start adjusting the jaw a lil higher nd such, but the growth starts at the fundamentals. Something I have been struggling with is keeping the sound bright as I get to higher modifications such as "hook" and "Who" but, again, once I drop the jaw and relax, it comes out nice and bright, and overtime, more full and powerful.