Looking for some more feedback!

crs

Hello everyone!  So I've been singing again, recently getting back to doing my workouts on volume 2; I'm not sure how long I have until I got everything in volume 2 down and ready to move on to volume 3, but ah well.  I have a youtube channel where in the last week I uploaded a couple of things; sort of like my practice grounds for critique and whatnot!

here it is!

I'd appreciate some constructive feedback as usual!  Willing to take the road to becoming a vocal "monster"!  By the way, I know it's not really important, but if I were to be categorized voice-type wise, what would I fall into?

Thanks again in advance!

highmtn

Chrisrs,

You have a very good sound to your voice, and I like your style with all of the runs and trills.  I'd like to hear you mixed in with some backing tracks.  Sometimes your acapella drifts a little more than it probably would if you had a reference track to keep you on concert pitch.

I think your niche would be classified as an R&B style, which I personally like a lot, right after Atlanta-style gospel singing.  Where did you pick up your trills and runs?  You seem pretty adept at that style. You definitely sound like a tenor, but I don't know specifically which particular one, maybe a lyric tenor? 

If you are working on volume two, I'm not sure why you are listed as a "member" rather than enrolled.  Maybe @nigel knows the answer to this question.  He knows everything administrative :^) 

Anyway, good job at getting up the nerve to start posting demos.  That's what we've been needing to get rolling around here for a while, and now it seems to be catching on.  Are you listening out there? Time to dust off your microphones and warm up the laptop or iphone and press "record" like chris here.

I know you've all been "meaning to get around to posting a demo some day".  Well, some day is here.  Let's get it on!

Good job, Chris. Keep the tunes coming!

Bob

Ken Tamplin

Hi Chris,

I am currently in Barcelona Spain and it won't let me view these videos for some reason. (it says there is a problem please try back later). I will try to view this later and give you my thoughts.

crs

@highmtn:

Thank you very much!

Well, my next post is definitely gonna include a backing track, since I only uploaded those two as an experiment to see if I was going to have a good response to my voice from the public.  And I absolutely love old R&B and Soul music.

I picked up riffing from Xtina and Mariah mainly, and some Soul artists along the way, but I've taken some of their riffs and changed them so it won't be a complete mimic and I have some of my own style.  I've learned from most of the female divas anyway, lol.  As my hearing gets better and I can improvise on key more, I'm hoping I can create some of my own runs.

And well, at the time I purchased Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 I never really joined the forums , and I don't have my receipt or proof of purchase except a bank account statement proving that I purchased anything from KTVA, so I'll just wait until I get a hold of Vol. 3 to pursue Enrolled status.  For now, it's alright though.

@Ken Tamplin:

That's strange; and alright Ken, thank you again for offering your time to analyze vocal samples!

crs

Hey Ken, Have you gotten a chance to review the samples by chance?  I'm not sure what exactly the issue is that you can't view them from Spain, as my videos have no region block.  Maybe try different viewing quality? (from 480 to something like 240, etc.) - I'm not sure if it'll affect audio quality, though.

highmtn

chrisrs,

Ken may or may not have been able to hear your samples.  He's been in Spain the past week or so, and the internet service he's been experiencing has been, like the rain in Spain, mainly on the pain.  I believe that's why we haven't  heard much from him here in the very recent past.  He will be back stateside soon, and with that, good old-fashioned high-speed internet service, just like they had back in the Wild, Wild West. 

In the meantime, we hope he's having the time of his life in the beautiful Mediterranean climate.  I'm pretty sure he's checking out all of the vocal legends along the way from Rome to Madrid!  

He'll be checking back in with us when he gets a chance!

Bob

Ken Tamplin

I still can't open the file.

Can you e-mail them to ktvainfo@gmail.com ?

Ken Tamplin

have these files been moved?

crs

Hi Ken,

I sent them to your email a few days ago via Box.net link.  If you did not receive the email, then here are the links:

https://www.box.com/s/58sbk0fpzguqtlvu8dg3
https://www.box.com/s/a41hkx1xhh2zj6aed3fn

crs

Hey everyone!  I actually tried singing WITH a track this time, although it is not 'studio-quality' or anything.  Just a raw track; I'm looking into purchasing a microphone that I can record vocals strictly with at home.  Any recommendations on an affordable microphone for vocalists who don't have a budget over $200?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0baV9ssn8E&feature=g-upl

Looking forward to some good critique from you guys!

highmtn

Hey, chrisrs! 

I think maybe you were having a bit of a hard time hearing the backing track or maybe locking into it.  In this recording your pitch is drifting from the key of the music track. 

I know that you have good pitch, because I've heard you do well on acapella, and you have a really good voice and a lot of control. 

You will probably need to come up with a way of hearing your own miked voice in with the music on some decent headphones so you can zero in on the pitch of the backing tracks.

I'm serious, I think you've got a really good voice, but this recording doesn't do you justice, pitch-wise.

You also did very well at recovering and not being thrown off track when the phone started ringing!

I don't mean for this to sound discouraging at all.  I think you have a great voice!  Listen to what I'm talking about.  If you make corrections and enable yourself to accurately track the pitch of the backing tracks, you will be able to put out some killer demos on youtube!  It isn't enough to sound really good by yourself when singing with backing tracks.  The whole has to fit together like a hand in a glove.

You'll work it out!

My best to you, my friend!

Bob

 

crs

Hey Bob, you don't have to worry!  I know you don't mean anything discouragingly, lol.  You and the rest of the guys in the forum are really helping me pick out all these technical quirks that I don't notice to help me better my craft!

And thank you very much for your words, again!  Your advice on blending with the track makes a lot of sense, and makes me realize how important it is now.  I believe that I should have probably raised the volume of the backing track, or compromised to listen to the track a little more than just feel the rhythm of it, because my pitch made the backing track feel less important.  Where do you notice the blatant pitch fluctuations specifically though?

highmtn

chrisrs,

A couple of spots where I think the pitch is pitchy would be at 1:14 "very special" and at 1:17 and 2:09 the notes for "for me" are just a few cents off.  It's not a wrong note, just not quite spot-on, with regard to pitch accuracy.

I like your runs and trills a lot.  I also like your energy, you put off such good vibes when you are singing, you're fun to watch.  The overall sound of your voice is pleasant to listen to.

Bob

crs

Ah. I see why!  I was trying to hit the notes that you mentioned with a softer, more heady quality and I guess I lost control of them, especially since I almost attempted to sing a pure EE vowel instead of the 'AH with an ee opening in the mouth.' - Gotta work on being able to transition through dynamics then!  

And thank you so much!  I really enjoy singing and performing!