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Audition Practice

MatsyMatsy Pro Posts: 168
edited April 2017 in Newbies Demo Area - for those who want to test the waters!
I was going to upload a pure voice version of me singing a song for an upcoming musical... but then I wasn't sure of where I stand with copyright regarding that... so changed my mind. Sorry.

I wonder if it is ok if it is just my voice and nothing else?
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  • highmtnhighmtn Administrator, Moderator, Enrolled, Pro, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 15,380
    We kind of need to hear the backing tracks to know the context of the pitch.
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  • MatsyMatsy Pro Posts: 168
    edited April 2017
    Hmm, I will see what I can arrange later. Earlier when I tried to upload it to soundcloud with the track in the background, they wouldn't let it upload. But I will see what I can organise. I would definitely like some feedback on it.
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  • highmtnhighmtn Administrator, Moderator, Enrolled, Pro, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 15,380
    You might try YouTube, set to "unlisted".
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  • MatsyMatsy Pro Posts: 168
    Sounds like a plan! :smiley:
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  • alexanderdesalexanderdes Pro, 2.0 PRO Posts: 10
    i wanna hear!
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  • MatsyMatsy Pro Posts: 168
    edited April 2017
    I have uploaded the practice to YouTube as unlisted.

    But I am thinking now that I won't audition for the role after all. It requires a Pop/Rock voice and even though I know I am probably being hyper-critical I don't think my voice has the right sound to pull it off convincingly. I feel like to audition would be a waste of their time.

    This is the "easy" song - IF and it's a very big if, I was to get a call back the next song is significantly harder and each time I practice it, I feel my throat getting very strained. I have tried singing it on vowel sounds only - but the moment I reintroduce the consonants everything becomes very strained - to the point where I can only sing it a couple of times before I feel like I need to stop singing for the day. The audition is next week and I doubt I will be able to improve enough in time to get it working well.

    In this practice I was trying to make sure I didn't over-sing... maybe because of that, I think my voice sounds weak and lacking confidence. To me it just doesn't fit the role of this self assured character.

    I was having trouble with those long "life" notes, but I think I have sorted that out - I wasn't using enough support and toward the end I need to move my mouth into an "EE" like shape to get that last transition to the F without it bombing out.

    Anyway here it is - you will most likely need headphones as I recorded this via my phone's voice memo.

    EDIT: I have deleted the video.
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  • highmtnhighmtn Administrator, Moderator, Enrolled, Pro, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 15,380
    @Matsy,

    What's so difficult about musical theater songs like this is that they rely so heavily on consonants to tell the story. You will really have to work on this material a lot if you get the part. Then the lyrics will be a mouthful. Finding a way to minimize the consonants could decomplicate the task of singing the songs.
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  • MatsyMatsy Pro Posts: 168
    For sure - for the call back song the very first words I have to sing start at C5 scaling up to G5 with the lyrics 'maybe I'm brainless' The transition from "m br" into the "ai" is G5... and that isn't even close to the highest note in the song, that mbr transition is a killer... I sort of fudge the m to make the b sound but then still struggle to make the r sound without killing my throat. By the time I get through the first "verse" of the song my throat is dead... :neutral:

    It really isn't the notes that are the problem, it is the consonants... damn language and it's consonants!

    I might post a little demo of me trying that second song later. It's actually the second song that is making me doubt that I should audition in the first place even though it will be good for me to do some singing in front of an audience, even if it is only the audition panel.

    I sort of feel like I maybe I would be able to grow into it over the months of rehearsal by working with what Ken teaches... but if I start by dragging bad habits and strain going in...

    The first song - Dancing through life doesn't bother me at all, except that I don't think I have the right sound and I need to make my voice sound more... strong/confident?

    Because it is musical theater you really have much less leeway with vowel modifications. I don't know how they do it for months at a time like that. They sing like they speak except in all but a few spots. All of their "ing" are pronounced perfectly... gah.

    I watched the original cast member do it, he makes it look like he is taking a walk in the park. I guess that will teach me to bite off more than I can chew!
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