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Increase Song Key

Hi All,

My name is Ryan. I would like to ask for some guidance and tips pertaining to the subject above.

Few months ago I managed to stabilize a little bit of my Mixed Voice so it wont break or crack. However, on certain song I still have a hard time to control them when reaching certain note where it getting soft(like disconnected). Therefore what I did to be able to still sing the song was by increase the song key above original record then only I can sing comfortably and sharp when I reached the part I was break in original key. So my question, is that a normal behavior for me to do that if I wanna come out my own record of that song or actually it is unhealthy and I still have to continue to find a way to fixed my voice break? I really dont want to go through that moment again. Huhuhu...

Please help me...


Regards

Ryan

Comments

  • highmtnhighmtn Administrator, Moderator, Enrolled, Pro, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 15,354
    We would need to hear your voice in both keys on the song to hear exactly what you are doing.
  • shahrizanshahrizan Member Posts: 13
    Hi Bob. Tq for replying. Here is the original key sample https://www.smule.com/p/581578959_2736654612
  • shahrizanshahrizan Member Posts: 13
    https://www.smule.com/p/581578959_2736662996

    Increased key...Well I guess you can see I look so uncomfortable on the original key.
  • HuduVuduHuduVudu 2.0 PRO Posts: 1,818
    Singing is a funny thing, what everyone thinks of it is different. In my opinion if you are covering a song then you should be in the original key. Is this hard to do ...YES! But doing this will work areas of your voice that you think are inadequate. This makes you grow as a singer. A lot of singers of famous bands started out in some sort of cover band. I think this serves two purposes, first it forces them to build their voice and second it forces them to find their voice (their weakness).

    You can certainly change the key to make it easier, but will it help you with the next song that you try to sing? Or will it give you this song easily? Which is better for you as a singer? You must answer these questions, and they are entirely based on what you want to be as an artist.

    Good luck in your singing journey. :)
  • shahrizanshahrizan Member Posts: 13
    @HuduVudu

    Fair enough. Agreed. I wish I could sing any song with whatever key. It just I've heard and thought in mind that a song composed should follow a singer voice range and genre. Not sure whether this is true. But what I'm sure of is most top singer in the world only have 1 genre they attached to and their song always follow their voice range so they can remain their voice tone at same. For instance Michael Jackson wont be singing Unchained Melody as how original singer deliver it or Jon Bonjovi to sing My Baby You with Marc Anthony key if he wish to sing it too. I just afraid I keep pushing my voice so hard just to achieve something which at the end its useless. I've been struggling to stablize my Mixed Voice for 2 years now and able to sing most of songs except a song with lower key. If I wish to sing the original key I surely can but have to let it soft and make it like cosmetic of my style. But I want it strong and sharp because normally that is at the climax of the song for my reason to increase the key instead. Well the fact I couldn't sing on that note very well is still unknown and I may need in person vocal teacher which very difficult to have one in Malaysia especially a Vocal Teacher with a prove is in the singing😁. Thanks a lot for your comment. Appreciate it 🙏
  • HuduVuduHuduVudu 2.0 PRO Posts: 1,818
    edited January 2019
    True enough about original singers setting the key to their songs. BUT ... I have heard Michael Jackson's workouts. They would easily allow him to sing other songs that wouldn't be considered Michael Jackson's.

    I think that you are confusing accomplished artist's having found their "voices" with the key that they are singing in. They can sing outside of their comfort zones and they do on some songs, to get where they do they HAVE to be able to do this. Don't forget to look at the whole body of work from an artist before you jump to the conclusion that they are choosing keys that will only "fit" their voices. The goal of any technique is in service to something. That something in this case is vocal artistry. Your artistry (voice) is an expression of you, and the broad range of tools that you have of expressing that artistry makes your art more true to you. Consider having 100 words to express an idea in a language. Now think of having 5000 words to express the same idea. There WILL be a difference.

    Ken showcases students that he is currently coaching, and one of the hallmarks of these videos to me is that he pushes the students to do songs outside of their comfort zones. I believe he does this to strengthen their vocal toolbox that will better serve their artistry. Here is one such example:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skjaYt_gmrc


  • highmtnhighmtn Administrator, Moderator, Enrolled, Pro, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 15,354
    @shahrizan

    Thanks for posting the examples so we can hear your voice on the two examples.

    On the first example (lower) you are having troubles with the F4 and G4. You aren't supporting those notes sufficiently, so you just don't have the strength required (at the moment) to do those notes well.

    In the higher version, the hard note moves to G#4. You're actually having issues with both versions, and the issue that is holding you back the most is that you don't know how to support these notes.

    It would also benefit you a lot to learn to stretch your chest voice several steps higher. This is something that is not easy or quick, but it can be very beneficial to you as a singer. If you can't hit a note in chest voice, you won't have any chest voice to mix it in, either, so a weaker head sound will be the best you can do without the upper chest voice skills.

    I can clearly hear that you have a voice that could be more supported and have more reliable chest notes to choose from in that area. You are just untrained in those skills. Training is a way to get those skills and grow them. Quick tips and simple answers are not going to fix that. Correctly practicing the right methods can get you there.

    All the Best!

    Bob
  • shahrizanshahrizan Member Posts: 13
    edited January 2019
    Hi Bob,

    What a useful information! No words to describe how thankful I am to you and Ken Tamplin Academy. I learn to sing all alone from the scratch just mostly through the videos posted by Ken and some other vocal coach since 2 years ago. My vocal type that time was Push Chest High Larynx. Straining all the way for the higher notes. When in the beginning of my study I was so much push myself to sing in the Head Voice because I have no idea what is the Mixed Voice or Belting all about. Maybe that was the reason why I fall easily to Head Voice instead to sing first in Belt then Mixed. After so often singing in Head Voice I notice my Chest Voice getting weaker and I never at all singing in my normal Chest Voice anymore because when I attempt to use my Chest I always fall to my old push chest style and I feel pain. I cannot go back to my old way anymore. Therefore I keep singing in my Head and fall to unstable Mixed Voice or Belting.

    Unfortunately, no Vocal coach here in Malaysia that I can trust Bob. Haiss...

    Does Ken Tamplin have online coaching that I can sign up? If yes how much would that be and how effective it is? Can it help me to solve my problem from far away? I was so impressed and glad to hear your professional comments on my vocal problem. That mean you know exactly what is my problem and know what training I should go for. I do hopes you have the online coaching. Thanks a lot Bob. Appreciate it.

    Regards,

    Ryan Shahriz
  • highmtnhighmtn Administrator, Moderator, Enrolled, Pro, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 15,354
    Ryan, you would be best served if you can purchase Ken's home training course. Ken does give private lessons, but you are charged an hourly rate. And before you can move on to other things, Ken will be making sure you know everything that is in his home course. So it just makes sense to get the home course and have an infinite amount of time to work with it at your own pace.

    If you purchase Ken's course, you then get access to the students-only areas of the forums, where we can help you with issues you may have. We go into depth on what is in the course in the student areas.

    Ken's course covers the things that you need to learn to really shape-up your voice and build it into something you have confidence in, because you learn how to do these things properly.

    All the best!

    Bob
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