INFJs cover song thread (80 songs and counting)
INFJ
2.0 PRO Posts: 140
I have done some more stuff and I will put everything in one single thread from now on, so that I don't spam the forum with this stuff.
The objective is to get feedback, so I that know if I suck or not. I am not able to assess that by myself.
Everything is public on Soundcloud now to get some extra views.
Dream On:
soundcloud.com/nick-burganowich/dream-on-1-key?si=d17d155f0b264e2c969f06295073a51d&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
Here I Go Again (Whitesnake):
soundcloud.com/nick-burganowich/here-i-go-again-ab-maj/s-gcWdI9EzgLV?si=1659ec04397c44eba10136b19ce7cfc0&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
Jane (Starship) - Mickey Mouse key. I think I hit some notes. I blew chunks on the first F5 and on the lyrics just before that section. The others are on pitch I think.
soundcloud.com/nick-burganowich/jane-fm?si=1659ec04397c44eba10136b19ce7cfc0&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
Mony Mony (Billy Idol):
soundcloud.com/nick-burganowich/mony-mony-gm?si=1659ec04397c44eba10136b19ce7cfc0&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
Cherokee (Europe) - original key. It felt high as it was. I wanted to sing in pure chest and place the sound further away from the face since I have a problem in that I use too much mask. Some G4s are probably a little bit too shouty.
I think I hit the C6 after the 2nd chorus. Did some ad-lib. Not sure, but it went to at least the B.
After failing about 15 times with the song "Carrie" (not sure what goes wrong but I can not sing that song) I tried this one which seemed more suitable.
That's all for now! Happy summer to all KTVAers.
Help me out. No problem if it sucks! I am ready to put more work into this.
The objective is to get feedback, so I that know if I suck or not. I am not able to assess that by myself.
Everything is public on Soundcloud now to get some extra views.
Dream On:
soundcloud.com/nick-burganowich/dream-on-1-key?si=d17d155f0b264e2c969f06295073a51d&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
Here I Go Again (Whitesnake):
soundcloud.com/nick-burganowich/here-i-go-again-ab-maj/s-gcWdI9EzgLV?si=1659ec04397c44eba10136b19ce7cfc0&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
Jane (Starship) - Mickey Mouse key. I think I hit some notes. I blew chunks on the first F5 and on the lyrics just before that section. The others are on pitch I think.
soundcloud.com/nick-burganowich/jane-fm?si=1659ec04397c44eba10136b19ce7cfc0&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
Mony Mony (Billy Idol):
soundcloud.com/nick-burganowich/mony-mony-gm?si=1659ec04397c44eba10136b19ce7cfc0&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
Cherokee (Europe) - original key. It felt high as it was. I wanted to sing in pure chest and place the sound further away from the face since I have a problem in that I use too much mask. Some G4s are probably a little bit too shouty.
I think I hit the C6 after the 2nd chorus. Did some ad-lib. Not sure, but it went to at least the B.
After failing about 15 times with the song "Carrie" (not sure what goes wrong but I can not sing that song) I tried this one which seemed more suitable.
That's all for now! Happy summer to all KTVAers.
Help me out. No problem if it sucks! I am ready to put more work into this.
Comments
Bon Jovi - You Give Love A Bad Name (+2 keys)
soundcloud.com/nick-burganowich/you-give-love-a-bad-name-bon-jovi-vocal-cover-2-keys?si=388f54b2fe36440bae1a546385a1d106&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
Urgent (Foreigner)
soundcloud.com/nick-burganowich/urgent-foreigner?si=388f54b2fe36440bae1a546385a1d106&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
@Terence - if you are still on here, do you have time to help me out?
I would like to know if I can work along this path or if it sounds like I could hurt myself.
Soundcloud shares and commentators are basically fake. It might be automated systems that try to draw traffic to their own sites. One song has 2 likes, 1 share on 0 plays. Does not make sense.
So I am looking for actual people that can listen.
Audiomack seems to be less infected by these bots or whatever they are.
All recordings can be accessed through the link below. There are some recordings that are not on Soundcloud.
https://audiomack.com/nick-burganowich
Turn up the radio (G major - Autograph original key)
https://on.soundcloud.com/QhL8a
Holy Diver (Dio original key)
Just the 1st verse for now, as this one is on the heavier side for me. The note values are not difficult, but bringing maximum power in to the sound is (for me - might be different for others).
on.soundcloud.com/bVMhJ
Rocking all over the world. In the style of Status Quo (the backing track), but I took the key up to D instead of C. I believe that is the same key as John Fogerty.
https://on.soundcloud.com/Fq2EF
Commenting on only the last post which has three songs to listen to:
"Turn up the radio" shows your blend to be much improved, good work! I don't hear anything vocally harmful here. If you sing this consistently like an exercise it would further develop your blend. How thick you want to make it is a matter of style preference but you might want to have the option to make it thicker in places, regardless. Other than that just shoot for making it more crisp by singing precisely on the beat which you're already doing in most places.
Similar comments for "Holy Diver": blend is good, key is right, sininging on beat is good but this one is pitchy.
"Rocking all over the world" is my least favorite only because of the way your volume is uneven on the "like it"s and "over's". You're not straining but the impression is that you are due to backing off the volume on those. Can you sing them evenly?
I'm sure the moderators would agree that more feedback can be had by posting just some simple LAH triads. Not everyone takes the time to listen to full songs.
Overall, great improvement!
I was on vacation for a few weeks. Now I am back with the training program again.
That's great that you can hear an improvement.
Yes, I am deliberately backing off on those parts, most of the times. I am aware it does not sound good. The same note is already in the verse, so it can be done with a heavier approach, but when they repeat so many times in the chorus it becomes harder to manage. It might be a support issue. I am not sure.
I often have this problem in that area. There is a very obvious pull when I am leaving G#4 for A4. I think this is where the 2nd passagio starts for me. I don't feel any big pull before that area. In the exercises A4 always require a lot more effort than G#4.
I tested recording the Status Quo song again. Trying to add more weight and volume in those areas. This is done with a greater risk of pitch issues. Half a step flat several times.
I guess I need to work this song more.
soundcloud.com/nick-burganowich/rocking-all-over-the-world-status-quo-2-keys?si=3981d1f4247c4345b1edf9e97b274306&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
Don't let the sun go down on me - George Michael version.
https://on.soundcloud.com/s2UZM
I mostly tried to follow those original note values. Added a couple of G4s along the way and one C5 near the end just for the sake of doing something differently.
The mix voice A4-C5 section near the end is not thick enough to match the chest notes. I tried to avoid a frontal setting. This is a huge problem for me when it travels in to the nose in mix. Not sure which exercise could mitigate that.
One way ticket (by the band Eruption).
https://audiomack.com/nick-burganowich/song/one-way-ticket-eruption-vocal-cover
This is a female vocalist song. I stayed with the original key. Some problems with hard consonants. I chose to blast through them anyway, lol. The Db5 near the end I managed to hit without sounding so nasal.
.
on.soundcloud.com/s2UZM
Most of the song this time. I cut out the saxophone part and the end where the chorus repeats.
It sounds better than the first half baked attempt, me thinks.
On Audiomack:
https://audiomack.com/nick-burganowich/song/urgent-foreigner-vocal-cover
Your latest posts are less pitchy, which is another area of improvement. However, there are times when it's obvious you were reaching for a note and didn't get the pitch you wanted. When that happens, as with any singer, it's probably better not to reach for it. For example, you could sing a well-formed and supported note, and listeners will trash it because the pitch was off. Or, as I like to put it, a Stradivarius may as well be a cheap Yamaha if it's not in tune (Comment only applicable to some of your isolated lines, not in general.)
IMO, it will be tough for you to get specific, actionable feedback from the forum now unless you post the LAH arpeggios and scales in head and chest. As @Klaus_T points out, such removes any stylistic interpretation out of the feedback.
I took a year and a half before submitting simple LAH and EE scales for feedback. When I did, the feedback was pure gold! (I did them live on three of the webinars and received the feedback directly from Ken, so you won't find them on the forum, in my case.)
5 months of headvoice training seem to be paying off. I have started with vol 5 again and it makes more sense now. I'm in the process of stretching the chest upwards. Instead of relying on the lighter mix sound. It seems I can actually go higher in pure chest than I previously thought. With pure chest I mean a belted chest voice (no mixing) where much of the weight from the speaking register is still present, just to be clear how I define it. The main thing is to not be too shouty. This stretching exercise might mitigate some of the pitch problems. I am not sure. But seems that if I stretch Bb4 a lot in the exercises then the A4 becomes more manageable in songs. I don't know if that is the way it works but feels like that.
I see. Well, I have not paid any attention to recording scales since he said in the program that you can do the scales perfectly but still fail in songs because of glottal stops etc. Maybe that was a misunderstanding of the concept on my part. I can try to record something. They should be chest + headvoice clips or should it be one clip where you connect and then bring it in to full head? Full range or just let go when you are in headvoice only?
Only arpeggios or can you do a major or inverted scale?
--
Some recent stuff which is subject for scrutiny. It does not have to be highly technical feedback. I mainly want to know if the sound is acceptable and I can work along those lines. Or if it lacks emotion or style.
--
Foreigner - Head Games (upped key). Just the start of the song. Trying to avoid mask. Yet on the phrase "high time" I did it again. Other than that it felt comfortable.
https://audiomack.com/nick-burganowich/song/head-games-1st-part-1-key-foreigner-vocal-cover
--
Dio - Holy Diver. Original key. 2nd attempt. Trying to redeem myself with a less pitchy approach. Was it better?
https://audiomack.com/nick-burganowich/song/holy-diver-dio-vocal-cover-original-key
--
McCoys - Hang On Sloopy. Original key. It sits relatively well for me since most of it is at G4.
https://audiomack.com/nick-burganowich/song/hang-on-sloopy-mccoys-vocal-cover
--
Deep Purple - Perfect Strangers. Original key.
soundcloud.com/nick-burganowich/perfect-strangers-deep-purple-vocal-cover-orig-key
https://audiomack.com/nick-burganowich/song/perfect-strangers-deep-purple-vocal-cover
--
Genesis - Land Of Confusion. Original key.
Only on Audiomack. This one is difficult. Goes up to Bb4 a lot and it seems he does it in chest only (most of the times at least) unless my hearing is not that great. Looks like they lowered the key mid 1986 which is understandable. The risk of straining is huge if you attempt chest only on the top notes and keep most of the muscle mass. I wobbled through somehow with an uneven approach.
https://audiomack.com/nick-burganowich/song/land-of-confusion-genesis-vocal-cover
--
That's all
--
@michaelmusic I noticed in another thread you were offering to help people with feedback. If you have anything to say about the more recent stuff it would be interesting to hear your analysis. It's not with video, but still.
The songs from this spring which can be found early in the thread mainly suck. I am going to delete them eventually.
I will be taking notes about anything feedback related. Please expose my vulnernabilities and shortcomings. I want to know where to apply changes and more work. It can be a comment just generally speaking or on a specific line in a song.
Comments from other beginners are also welcomed. Maybe you see some pitfalls which you just encountered yourself.
This should be a learning process that never ends.
Thanks for tagging me! I listened to Head Games and Holy Diver.
Sounds like you definitely have the ability to sing songs from tenor vocalists. In both cases, I hear a lack of consistency in vocal placement. Larynx is raising in the throat. Not having lots of resonance in the mouth cavity. No vibrato (don't worry about this yet).
I would start by posting LAH AH with video. Be very particular when doing these exercises. Likely, you are not opening the mouth as wide or singing that bright ping as well as you can. This is something hard for most people (including myself) to grasp.
We want to build a strong foundation that includes that bright and consistent ping along with body fundamentals like breath support and proper vocal placement.
Keep up the great work and posting these covers. Stuff like this will help you grow!
So some new info to take into account.
Raising larynx - is that what causes "shoutiness" and some unwanted tension in the sound?
So raising the soft palate more? I understand the concept, but difficult to do it in practise. Does it help if you try to expose a lot of the upper teeth row? Some say that's part of it.
I will work on some AH scales. Maybe I should bring a mirror for tonight's practise (I should practise even though it's New Year). I have never looked at myself when doing these exercises.
--
Two more songs which are up for feedback.
Rainbow - Street Of Dreams
I think this one was less shouty. Felt good actually. Although there is an unwanted volume increase when it hits some of the A4s. I stayed on the safe side the whole song. Skipped the Db5 adlib. Better to learn the basics first.
Direct link if it does not work: on.soundcloud.com/HEKKr
Audiomack, if soundcloud is broken: https://audiomack.com/nick-burganowich/song/street-of-dreams-rainbow-vocal-cover
--
Guns N Roses - Sweet Child o' Mine.
Only on Audiomack because there was a licensing issue on Soundcloud and I dont want to pay 20 dollars just for internal feedback purposes.
https://audiomack.com/nick-burganowich/song/sweet-child-o-mine-guns-n-roses-vocal-cover
--
Isolated vocal track - Sweet Child o' Mine
I chose a more open and clean sound than the original of course. I need to stay away from a lot of mask since my frontal singing is super ugly when it gets stuck in that position. On the phrase "to a special place" something happened. It's not very obvious when you have the instrumental track running. But the tone and pitch suffered after that. I suspect it was the P consonants that messed things up.
Direct link if it does not work: on.soundcloud.com/2BZQN
Audiomack: https://audiomack.com/nick-burganowich/song/isolated-vocal-track-sweet-child-o-mine
--
That's it for 2023.
Happy New Year to anyone reading the thread!
It's from the vol 2 piano guide. The simple triad (octave).
The top notes would be C#4 to C#5.
C#3 is basically as low as I can go comfortably without major pitch problems and wobbly sound.
C#5 is the highest I can go with chest connection without sounding nasal, so I quit there since I hate the nasal sound.
This is basically how I practise every day so let's hope it is not an unhealthy sound.
I am not so good with ditching weight or modifying. If anything of that is going on it came automatically.
AH scales C#4-C#5
or soundcloud.com/nick-burganowich/ah-vowel-sounds-c4-c5
--
Down Under (Colin Hay / Men At Work)
or soundcloud.com/nick-burganowich/downunder
or Audiomack: https://audiomack.com/nick-burganowich/song/down-under-colin-hay-vocal-cover
--
Have You Ever Seen The Rain (CCR)
or soundcloud.com/nick-burganowich/have-you-ever-seen-the-rain-ccr-vocal-cover
or Audiomack: https://audiomack.com/nick-burganowich/song/have-you-ever-seen-the-rain-ccr-vocal-cover
--
Adios Mexico (Doug Sahm cover)
or soundcloud.com/nick-burganowich/adios-mexico-doug-sahm-vocal-cover
or Audiomack: https://audiomack.com/nick-burganowich/song/adios-mexico-doug-sahm-vocal-cover
Perhaps an unusual cover. This stuff is probably popular only in the state of Texas because it is like tejano combined with rock n roll. But I liked the sound of his voice and that he can go fairly high. My dad was acquainted with this guy, but it was like 100 years ago.
I am not used to backing vocals that are higher than the lead, so I mainly followed up to the A4 when it should have been lower.
--
New 2024 attempt on Dream On (Aerosmith).
or soundcloud.com/nick-burganowich/dream-on-aerosmith-vocal-cover-upped-key-version
or Audiomack: https://audiomack.com/nick-burganowich/song/dream-on-aerosmith-vocal-cover-upped-key
--
Hold The Line (Toto cover)
or soundcloud.com/nick-burganowich/hold-the-line-toto-vocal-cover
or Audiomack: https://audiomack.com/nick-burganowich/song/hold-the-line-toto-vocal-cover
--
November Rain (Guns N' Roses)
Only on Audiomack: https://audiomack.com/nick-burganowich/song/november-rain-guns-n-roses-vocal-cover
--
Tagging those who helped me in the past. If you have time guys.
@michaelmusic
@Terence
@Klaus_T
I have more stuff on the drawing board.
https://on.soundcloud.com/hcXr9
--
Rueda de Fuego - Spanish version of Ring Of Fire.
If anybody is able to assess this I would like to know how did I do with the new language. I do speak basic Spanish, but I have never tried singing it except for in the car.
Did the vocals 1 octave up which fits me better and I can stay in chest voice still. The original is out of my comfort zone and some low notes are completely out of reach.
Am I missing the beat significantly in the end of the 1st verse? I had to study this thing with time signatures, but it's still difficult to hit correctly even when counting.
Big In Japan (Alphaville cover)
https://audiomack.com/nick-burganowich/song/big-in-japan-alphaville-vocal-cover
F major, which should be the original key.
The track was forbidden on Soundcloud and the censors did not offer a solution with buying a license, so it's only on Audiomack.
Nick, All your links work except the all-important AH Scales (neither of the two links work.) You'd get the best feedback from that link, alone, for many reasons. I'd even recommend posting it in its own thread so people know exactly what you want them to listen to and it will only take them a minute or so to listen.
Your blend continues to improve and you're settling into your true tessitura. I think your main focus now would be on pitch and then on dynamics. All the tracks you posted have long sections that are consistently off pitch. I'm not talking about stylistic choices but where you don't make the pitch you're going for, not because the pitch is too high or low but just that you're not on pitch. Ken has a pitch section in version 3 but don't know if its in version 2. If not, an excellent app I use in every practice session is:
TonalEnergy Tuner & Metronome
https://apps.apple.com/app/id497716362
You have the ability to use more dynamics but are not taking advantage of them. That leads to long sequences where the volume of the vocals is identical. Are your compression settings doing that? In any case, more dynamics would make everything better, IMO.
Your song choices are fun and it's obvious you're working hard and getting results so mucho kudos on that!
The detailed feedback is great.
Pitch
So it appears I have not been able to improve much lately regarding the pitch. Unfortunately I cannot hear this very clearly. Especially if it's like half step flat/sharp my ears don't really notice.
That looks like a good app. Is there a similar thing that will work on a Win 10 laptop?
Does direct monitoring help with this? It has never worked for me because of latency issues. I cannot hear myself in the headphones.
I guess a lack of monitors is mainly an issue if you are in a noisy setting? Where I practise it is very calm.
Dynamics / compression
I am not sure, but I think the compression settings probably cause some of this. I can see the graphs are mostly all aligned. It looks like a neat forest of planted trees.
I really don't know much about the subject. There was "some guy somewhere" who said a 4:1 compression ratio is good for rock songs, so I went with that. I am very quiet in the 3rd octave and up to around D4 and it helped with bringing up some volume, but probably destroyed the dynamics. Manual amplification on individual sections would be a better solution then I guess.
For reference, I did a Beatles song yesterday in which I throttled the compression ratio way down from 4:1 to only 1.2:1.
It's not very high (mostly E4-F4 and once up to G4 if talking about chest notes - I also did some dumb improvised higher notes in mix, but let's disregard from those now lol). The instrumentation is mostly piano and very clear. So it could be a reference not just for dynamics but also for pitch. I had live notes turned on (Cantovation - which shows the notes, but not in relation to a specific key) for this song. It's not possible to look there all the time, since I don't know the lyrics and have to read those lines first.
Let It Be (Beatles / Paul McCartney):
Last but not least I changed the C#4-C#5 AH scales to public and now it appears work, at least in the preview I get. Check it out.
This song basically covers the entire chestvoice comfort zone. G#3 to A#4.
For those who want specific questions to answer I have the 2:15 time stamp. Is that a well placed note or is it just in my little head?
@michaelmusic If you have time. Do you think I have more open space in this song than the past stuff? Any progress at all?
Also, the AH scales are in the post above, if the link is working now.
Against All Odds (Phil Collins) - Bbm (original key)
I just improvised in the end. I am fascinated by the Robert Plant live version of this song. Some note selections are from that performance.
In the beginning one can hear that I am not very loud. Not until it hits F#4 the volume picks up.
Crazy Little Thing Called Love (Queen)
Starman (David Bowie +2 keys) - I chose another key, which complicated the high part but was more comfortable for the verses.
--
Some On The Water (Deep Purple) - I found the phrasing and lyrics to be difficult. But the song is moving slowly, which gives time to push chestvoice upwards.
--
Angels ( Robbie Willams +1 key) - I heard this song here on the forum a while back and I liked that version. It starts fairly low which I why I upped the key. I tried to find alternative note selections along the way. Not sure if it was a success.
--
Take On me (a-ha)
--
Little Lies (Fleetwood Mac) - I wanted to try a male cover. Kept the original key.
--
Don't Look Back In Anger (Oasis)
--
That's all for now.
Since You Been Gone (Rainbow)
It moves too quickly for me. It sounds more like street singing this one. I lost control several times. A breath control problem?
--
Sussudio (Phil Collins)
--
Send Me An Angel (Scorpions)
The original has a lot of mask which is not good for me to emulate as I sound like Mickey Mouse. So I opted for a more open sound.
Learning To Fly (Tom Petty) 2 keys up
--
Somebody To Love (Queen) Very raw. I just went through it on the 1st attempt and that was the result.
--
Stand By Me (John Lennon)
--
Sweet Caroline (Julio Iglesias) 2 keys up. In Spanish. Probably unusual for non-native speakers, but I have been subjected to this type of music (family in Mexico) since I was a baby so does not feel uncommon.
That's all. Happy Easter holidays!
https://rumble.com/v4nmeqw-hey-jude-the-beatles-vocal-cover.html
--
One more song from last night.
Oasis - Wonderwall. 2 keys up.
Boulevard Of Broken Dreams (Green Day) +1 key
--
Bad Moon Rising (CCR). Not sure if this style fits my voice that well, but anyway.
--
Travelin' Band (CCR). Just no. Tempo is too fast and the constant stabbing on the A4 in pure chest voice makes it difficult to keep things together. Another sign of a breath management problem? Maybe should work the huffing exercise more?
--
Wonderwall (Oasis) +2 keys.
--
That's all.
Ticket To Ride (The Beatles)
--
Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me (Elton John) I experimented a bit, especially towards the end.
--
Abracadabra (The Steve Miller Band) +2 keys
--
Over and out.
The first country song.
Significant key upping on this one. I don't know about BR Cyrus, but I guess he is like a lower baritone.
Staying at the F4 is good on this one, since there is no apparent pulling sensation there and I can sing it without much effort, trying to preserve the original style of the song and not make it a belted rock song.
Achy Breaky Heart (Billy Ray Cyrus) 4 keys up:
I Want It All (Queen) 1 key up.
--
Go Your Own Way (Fleetwood Mac)
https://audiomack.com/nick-burganowich/song/go-your-own-way-fleetwood-mac-vocal-cover
--
Un Canto A Galicia (Julio Iglesias) 2 keys up. This is sung in gallego, which I do not speak. But it's not very far from regular Spanish. Sort of a mixture between Spanish and Portuguese.
Any KTVA:ers who are from Galicia/Spain/Portugal can help me point out my language mistakes.
Key changed from F# to G#. Iglesias is a low tenor as far as I can tell. I need to have the bottom resting notes slightly higher. Otherwise I end up in murky waters.
https://audiomack.com/nick-burganowich/song/un-canto-a-galicia-en-gallego-julio-iglesias-vocal-cover-2-keys
--
Video Killed The Radio Star (The Buggles).
https://audiomack.com/nick-burganowich/song/video-killed-the-radio-star-the-buggles-vocal-cover
This Love (Maroon 5) No backup vocals, so the chorus is just me.
Bad Day - Daniel Powter
It's in E instead of Eb. I ducked some notes on the bridge. Found that part to be the most difficult, no matter what key.
Since nobody isn't really playing anything I will not pay for further space. I will instead upload everything on Audiomack and/or Rumble.
Rock 'N' Roll Is King (ELO) 1 key up
--
New attempt on Holy Diver (Dio). This one is less pitchy. I did not get locked up in the throat like on the first version.
https://audiomack.com/nick-burganowich/song/holy-diver-dio-original-key-1st-part?key=holydiverdiovocalcover
First Head Games by Foreigner (1 key up)
It's mixing better than a year ago, but I don't really like the mix sound at B4-C5. It shall be more round eventually. I am working in vol 3 trying to place the sound further back in the throat and lowering the larynx.
https://audiomack.com/nick-burganowich/song/head-games-foreigner-vocal-cover-1-key?key=headgames
Restless Heart (John Waite 1 key up)
https://audiomack.com/nick-burganowich/song/restless-heart-john-waite-vocal-cover-1-key?key=restlessheart
Yes, raising the larynx creates that "shoutiness" and some unwanted tension in the sound. You can use a mirror to see that your tongue stays mostly at the base of your jaw as you rise in pitch with the different vowels.
No worries!
I have tried to work on this for some time, to reduce the shouting. It can still happen if there already is some tension to begin with. Like moving from G4 to A4 in chest voice only, then the larynx is very likely to move up anyway and create that shouting sound.
I will put a couple of songs in the student progress area for feedback and tag you there. Seems people do not browse the beginner's section a lot or the thread has simply become too much to digest for most.
https://audiomack.com/nick-burganowich/song/higher-love-steve-winwood-vocal-cover
--
Fernando (ABBA) original female key. No backing vocals for the chorus. Just me. Also the word "stars" is a terrible thing fort the throat. Complete reset.
https://audiomack.com/nick-burganowich/song/fernando-abba-male-vocal-cover-original-key
https://audiomack.com/nick-burganowich/song/hello-mary-lou-vocal-cover-3-keys
--
Died In Your Arms (Cutting Crew)
https://audiomack.com/nick-burganowich/song/died-in-your-arms-cutting-crew-vocal-cover
--
Volver A Empezar (Julio Iglesias) 2 keys up. This is a cover of Begin the Beguine. Not sure this style is in my natural habitat. I do like the song.
https://audiomack.com/nick-burganowich/song/volver-a-empezar-julio-iglesias-vocal-cover-2-keys
--
Before the Next Teardrop Falls (Freddy Fender) 1 key up. Not sure if this is country or rockabilly or whatever. I stumbled upon it on YouTube.
https://audiomack.com/nick-burganowich/song/before-the-next-teardrop-falls-freddy-fender-vocal-vover-1key
--
Let the Good Times Rock (Europe). This was recorded immediately after working with lowering the larynx. It's probably not ideal still, but it was enough to give a new sense of freedom in the throat. Very easy to hit A4 in pure chest voice.
I oversang most of it though. I am not good at backing off. If the A feels easy then I will go for the B.
https://audiomack.com/nick-burganowich/song/let-the-good-times-rock-europe-vocal-cover
--
Two Eric Clapton songs. Both +2 on the key.
Tulsa Time:
https://audiomack.com/nick-burganowich/song/tulsa-time-eric-clapton-vocal-cover-2-keys
Lay Down Sally:
https://audiomack.com/nick-burganowich/song/lay-down-sally-eric-clapton-vocal-cover-2-keys
--
The Power of Love (Huey Lewis)
https://audiomack.com/nick-burganowich/song/the-power-of-love-huey-lewis-vocal-cover
--
Re-recorded the Doug Sahm song (Adios Mexico). This new version is less shouty and I think I matched the backing vocals better. It felt more relaxed this time. Easier to get to the A4s.
https://on.soundcloud.com/GryGQjk4B5EEjxgu7
--
Last one is When I'm with You (Sheriff). A song that probably matches my natural voice fairly good. It's not something which you have blast out.
https://on.soundcloud.com/5TDD2BuwG5kgbnQ68
One of my favourite songs.
I cannot post on Soundcloud because I have reached the treshold for uploads.
Oh Julie (original key)
https://audiomack.com/nick-burganowich/song/oh-julie-shakin-stevens-vocal-cover
Marie Marie (+1 key)
https://audiomack.com/nick-burganowich/song/marie-marie-shakin-stevens-vocal-cover-1-key
--
Money For Nothing (Dire Straits +3 keys). This does not fit my voice type at all. It doesn't matter what key. But the guitar part is nice.
https://audiomack.com/nick-burganowich/song/money-for-nothing-dire-straits-vocal-cover-3-keys
--
Europe - Carrie. This song has been a significant obstacle for a long time (not sure why - I am guessing hard consonants and bad air support), but this time I think it was ok enough to post.
https://audiomack.com/nick-burganowich/song/carrie-europe-vocal-cover
--
First classical piece, in Spanish. This is completely new territory. Al Bano Carrisi is one of my favourite singers if not the actual favourite.
There are some less known live recordings from the 80s on YT. Insane control of both chest voice and mix I think.
I have recently started studying Italian because I would like to understand the language structure and eventually record songs in Italian.
La Mañana (Al Bano Carrisi)
https://audiomack.com/nick-burganowich/song/la-maana-al-bano-carrisi-vocal-cover
--
That's all for now.
Or
https://audiomack.com/nick-burganowich/song/sharazan-al-bano-romina-power-spanish-vocal-cover
--
Here In My Heart (René Froger) +1 key.
https://audiomack.com/nick-burganowich/song/here-in-my-heart-ren-froger-vocal-cover-1-key
--
Layla (unplugged version) Eric Clapton +4 keys
https://audiomack.com/nick-burganowich/song/layla-unplugged-eric-clapton-vocal-cover-4-keys
--
The Search Is Over (Survivor)
https://audiomack.com/nick-burganowich/song/the-search-is-over-survivor-vocal-cover
--
Pick it apart please (those who have time).
I would like to post in more places, but I am worried I am not good enough for YouTube. I would not like to be trashed for every little mistake, which happens mainly on YT since most people are there.
I have been working for 3 months trying to place the A4 more efficiently in chest voice and I believe it has gotten better and less shouty. The larynx has dropped by a bit I guess (?), because I can sense there is more freedom in the throat now.
How long have you been doing the course?
I listened to a couple of clips, eg the Spanish song & the recent deep purple. Have a listen back because it seems to me that your support may not be very strong, which means you lose the ping.
I’m just transitioning into Vol 4 on HTS 3.0. I’m not singing songs at the top of my passagio or above, because I’ve realised my voice needs a lot more training. I’m now aware of what I can’t do!
My focus is on the exercises, to build the skills I need.
For me, this is the nub of your problem.
Adult learning has two key components: you know what to do, and you know whether you are doing it. The expression "walk the walk, don't talk the talk" only partially captures this, because how do you know whether you are actually walking the walk?
The answer is: awareness. YOU compare what you're trying to do with what you're actually doing. The more aware you are, the quicker you develop.
Anyone can sing. A bit. But that's not the point of this course. This course is about making us AMAZING singers! That takes time: not weeks or months, but years. We have to develop a set of skills, including good support, vowel mods, chest voice, head voice and mixed voice. When all that's in place, we can then bring these skills into our singing.
But songs are really complex, because we have to do loads of different things at the same time. If the skills aren't fully embedded, there's no realistic chance we'll be able to apply them to songs.
My suggestion is:
1. Keep working on the course. Keep building the core skills. There are no short cuts, but the more aware you are of what you're meant to be doing, and what you're actually doing, the quicker you can develop.
2. Listen to one of these songs critically. Think (in advance) about what skills you need. And then analyse the song. Identify the parts you're doing well, and the parts that need more work.
3. Post the audio and your comments. We can then help identify any additional areas where you don't have awareness.
By the way, I'm a great fan of MBTI! I'm an ESTJ.
Thanks for taking the time to help me out with such a lengthy answer! I think I have a couple of follow-up questions to understand some things better.
Questions
How do we in general identify when a vocalist has constantly inadequate or shifting levels of support?
What are the indicators to listen for?
My assumption in my own case would be that I have air support that keeps shifting between very good and very bad.
I feel I take in enough air for the highest chest notes and use it correctly. It feels comfortable. I have never been hoarse ever, not with KTVA and not before that. On the way down I know the volume goes down significantly and it resonates less. From about the D4 and then it just descreases as the pitch drops. Is that a support issue or is it because I have a smaller voice?
KTVA experience & performance anxiety
Just over 3 years since I got the KTVA program, at age 37. I guess my awareness has become a little bit better during this year that I have recorded some cover songs. I can attempt songs that were a no-go zone 12 months ago. I believe that I have developed a bit. But I am not one that want to toot my own horn in order to draw attention. Those who do that are usually scrutinized much more thoroughly by internet detectives and/or trolls.
I do have some level of performance anxiety so I am always worried about how others will perceive the content. That worry is not really about something directly technical. I am concerned that people would say that I stink as a vocalist IN GENERAL. That I am not suitable for this type of cultural activity. That's probably the worst feedback you can get, that your overall performance stinks. Not that you miss some notes or get a voice crack here and there, but that you sound shitty just overall.
General comments
I encourage and respect those who want to become "amazing vocalists" like you said, but just sounding decent and creating content that has a relatively even quality would be enough for me. I am fine with having some "rough edges" and uploading content that has a few mistakes, just as long as it is perceived as a decent level by most of the listeners.
Sometimes I am a perfectionist, but I am also a realist and I understand that I will never become amazing or make any money or whatever by doing vocals. Nothing is impossible, but I don't think it is likely to happen.
I think that if I upload an isolated vocal track where I am in my belting comfort zone, then probably you can make an analysis if the calling register has proper support or not.
MBTI is a great tool to understand people! When I have time I like to sift through YouTube and learn something or look at type assessments of famous people.
I know ESTJs are usually very disciplined and can do repetitive work for long time periods in order to achieve certain goals.
As an INFJ I am more of a black sheep because of high levels of introverted intuition. I often veer of course and try unconventional methods. I am like a "hit or miss" person. Sometimes the methods work and sometimes I destroy everything.
/Nick
First the section with instrumentation followed by the vocal only (with delay but no EQ and don't think I put any compression on it either).
I think I had enough air, but that's just my opinion, so let's see what people say. The last A4 on the word "adios" felt well placed, way back in the mouth.
Firstly, MBTI is such a fascinating psychological theory! I hadn't really thought about it, but it's almost inevitable that people with different types will learn differently. You're right about me: I have no problem doing the exercises repeatedly, because I'm confident they will bear fruit. (Interestingly, I'd given up on a couple of other courses because I wasn't confident I was making progress). But my wife, an INTP, definitely prefers to learn in a different way. If she wanted to learn to sing, I'm not sure I could imagine her learning in the same way.
In your experience, what is the best way for you to acquire new skills? Whatever skill you're seeking (sport, learning a language, singing), you need time on the job. What's the best way for you to do this?
Secondly, in terms of how much support, I suppose it's about comparing the sound we're making to the sound we hear others make. When I first learned this, I was amazed at how strong my voice suddenly sounded: it was rich and powerful, rather than airy. I didn't even need to record myself: the difference was so obvious. I wonder if it would help to record yourself doing one of the exercises, and then play it back, interspersing with Ken doing the same exercise, and seeing if you can hear the difference? Then you can experiment with how much abdominal tightness you apply, and listening for changes in what comes out. This is about training to hear your voice to hear what is happening, rather than what you are trying to do.
Thirdly, I saw an ad for a T-shirt on Facebook recently. It said "I don't play guitar because I'm amazing. I play guitar because I enjoy it." That's a great lesson for us! Could I develop my voice to become a top singer? In theory yes. Am I going to put in the hours to get close to this? No. So, my aim is to enjoy my singing, celebrate the arrival of head voice, look forward to building this, then being able to sing seamlessly from low to high. I'm happy to keep working on that!
Fourthly, I'm also learning Spanish. I often hear people mocking foreigners who can't speak English well. But I know just how much work goes into getting my Spanish to an intermediate level. Really good singers would never mock another person's efforts, because they know how much time and effort is required to get a great voice. And I'm not too concerned what those who've never learned to sing think. (Although it would be impolite for me to try and impose my voice on them if they didn't like my singing!)
Fifthly, singing songs is way more difficult than doing the exercises. This is why the course is all focused on exercises until the end. In one interview, Gabi said that when she's learning a song, she starts by just listening to it about 20 times. 20 TIMES!!! In contrast, I'm normally trying to sing it within 1-2 run throughs. I think Gabi is showing the depth an excellent singer goes to in order to master a song. Therefore, I suggest you take a small portion of a song, (10-20 seconds max), and just work on that, focusing on the core skills you've developed one at a time, until you're confident it's all there. It would be interesting to record a before and after, i.e. singing it before you did the work, and then again afterwards. But if that's not your preferred way of learning, you need to find a different way that achieves the same results.
Finally, with regard to this latest audio clip, I note you said that your voice never feels strained, which is generally positive. My voice can feel tired after a workout, and sometimes the pitch of my speaking voice drops. But I face a constant temptation to push for notes at the top of my passagio, and I can feel tension in my throat. I wonder if it's worth repeating the passage, but try singing it really quietly, having a laser focus on throat tension? Try singing it a few notes lower, and again seeing if there's a difference in tension that you can feel.
So, my suggestions for practice are:
1. Record an exercise, then play it back and compare it to Ken's sound. Can you hear differences?
2. Experiment with different levels of abdominal tension, to see if you can produce a different sound. Perhaps do some exercises when doing a sit up at 45˚: that'll give you masses of abdominal pressure!
3. Songs are SO difficult. Work on small sections at a time, focusing on each of the core skills you need.
Hope that helps!
MBTI or Jungian typology are really good psychology tools to learn how to understand people. Just this basic thing with introversion or extroversion, which explains why some people prefer time on their own or if they would like to be with others all the time. I enjoy going to a concert for instance, but after that I want to go straight home, not do barhopping or go to a home party. I need time for inner reflection of the music I heard and to recharge the batteries.
INTP is probably a great companion. They have high objectivity and high abstraction. In general I think NP types are the ones that are able to see things before they happen. They are the most intuitive.
Regarding the question on developing new skills. I am among the NJ types and If I am going to learn something it is likely that I will take an alternative route. I sometimes receive warnings from others not to do that, but I simply don't care, lol. INFJ and INTJ have this thing with willpower and if they have decided to do something a certain way then there is basically no stopping them. We learn by failing and then we adjust the strategy and try again.
I don't enjoy sitting like sardines in a classroom and I don't like working in groups. I have learned Spanish and Russian on my own and so far I have not opened a book on the subject.
I learned the basics by watching the Tintin cartoon series which are available in a huge amount of languages and I have a set ot paper cards where I write down unknown words/phrases and their translation to English on the backside. After each episode I look at the cards again for a visual memory. Now with Italian I have the words going from Spanish to Italian instead of English - Italian. Because that would automatically refresh my Spanish.
I should point out that I am not at a high level in either language. But I understand about 95% of the spoken language and written material and I can speak enough to handle everyday situations and some business terms.
When I was 21 I went to a university course in French which lasted for 3 months and I basically learned nothing. I was present on most lectures and I had books, but never developed any understanding of what I was doing. So works differently for different people.
I don't have time to put that much effort in to learning a new song, but I agree that the Gabi approach is really good! The results speak for themselves.
I rarely learn the lyrics. I read on the screen. Usually I record/publish in 2-5 takes and if I just struggle after 5 times then I forget about that song completely and try something else. Livin' On A Prayer is such song, because I cannot bring enough chest up to the Eb5 and I cannot distort either which makes it sound small and phony even though the note value is the same. So hitting notes is one thing, but hitting them correctly to convey the message is another story.
The message in the course was that if grit does not come naturally then don't do it, so I have refrained from trying it in songs. It's not there anyway. I will end up with some bizarre vocal fry.
I am going to work some songs differently and see how that plays out. Especially if they are difficult. Maybe only record some sections and then try to stitch it together later.
I also have a tendency to just want to go higher and higher. But it might be wise to play it safe. I think if I stay with the A4 then I am safe. Sometimes in exercises I try to push the chest voice higher. I guess if I have never been hoarse or experienced much fatigue, then I am hopefully not on my way to blowing the cords.
Some people claim that GIRTH will kill the voice over time. There is a lot of debate online. I have not felt that the stretch of chest would be damaging. Of course if you only experience straining and voice breaks then it is too high. But if the note can be placed comfortably things are likely alright?
Learning to sing is about developing a skill, in the same way as learning a language, how to play a sport, etc. For any skill acquisition, you need time. Not just time practising, but good practice, where you're really focusing on how to improve. There's lots of evidence that with 10,000 of good practice, you will master the skill. Doesn't sound much, but if you're only practising for an hour a day, it'll take you 27 years to get those hours in.
From my experience of the course, this requires long hours of repeating exercises. Slowly, very slowly, the ability to do the exercises changes. You begin to see, feel and hear the changes that are taking you from incompetence to competence.
I note you've been on the course for about 3 years, but how many hours of practice do you estimate you've done? (i.e. average per day, multiplied by 365 x 3 years?) The point is, unless your alternative ways of learning are as effective as putting the hours in, it may not be realistic to expect to see any improvement.
Tiene sentido?
I have about 2 hours per day, 6 days per week constantly. Occasionally it might be 3 hours. Plus an 1-2 hours in the car here and there, if I have a long drive scheduled.
A 15 min ah-scale warm-up, 80-90 minutes of exercises (vol 3 mostly) and the rest is attempting to record songs.
I guess readers of the thread may think that I am just shitposting covers and that I am disregarding actual exercises, but I do practise more than I try cover songs.
It's not just KTVA, although that is the core basis. I look in several places, just like Ken did. If it seems to help then I'll use it.
What parts of your singing have developed the most? How confident/competent are you with head voice, mixing voice, singing in your Segundo passagio?
Our advice is to stick to the KTVA method. He's spent $1m on his voice, and the course is effectively what Ken feels are the best bits of singing training out there. The risk with seeking information elsewhere is that you'll get mixed messages, which could hold you back. Too many cooks will spoil the broth!
--
Felicidad (Al Bano & Romina Power Spanish version)
I absolutely think the chest voice has developed the most. I was weak and nasal when starting (I was shockingly disappointed with my 1st recording). The listeners can judge, but I think the strength is much better than 2 years ago. I can feel that the sound is resonating further back in the throat. And it has been stretched in terms of note values. It also doesn't wobble if I try to hold a higher chest note for a longer time.
I got help in here to lower the larynx, so that is something that I try to work with currently in chestvoice.
I am not good at all with mixing. In songs I mostly stay at the notes where I can rely on chest only. I have worked in volume 5, but so far I have not been able to understand practically how to punch in a lot of chest presence in the mix and keep the round sound as it goes up in pitch. The upper mix area between B4 and D5 is competely undeveloped. Mostly I sound nasal and small. I guess it will come eventually if I stay the course.
I can send the headvoice quite far up in terms of note values and volume, but it probably needs some work as it is pretty raw. Basically I do short incursions to high head notes like in the Deep Purple song.
1. Are you getting air leaking into your nose? Easy way to check is sing whilst pinching your nose. If the sound is different you’ve got leakage.
2. Practise sustaining the notes a little more. You cut them off really quickly.
3. There’s some strain with the top note. No surprise: Bb4 I think! I’d suggest you isolate that interval from the preceding note, so you can get it cleanly.
Hope that helps!
1. I think there is some of that going on. I had a huge problem with nasality when I started. How can I make this go away?
2. You mean like "Starmaaaaaaan" a lot longer? I probably played it too safe now since the first upload had many mistakes.
3. Yes, this was the dreaded note. It should go to the B4 (not sure I hit that all the times though) and that's way outside of comfort chest area. Will work with this interval separately for a future 3rd upload.
2. If you listen back through the track, you’ll hear loads of times you don’t sustain the note at all. Cutting off too quickly reduces the musicality.
3. Bb4 & B4 are my most challenging notes. I’m now finding I can switch to head voice, but still get lots of breaks. Just gotta keep practising! Can you post a couple of the exercises that really work this part of your voice? Much easier to hear what’s going on!
It's the same with developing any skill, including singing. Songs are complex, and things happen very quickly. You haven't got time to think about skills, technique, etc, because things are moving too fast. Therefore, how you sing a song is actually a very good indicator of what is in your singing toolbox, and also what is missing.
This is why we moderators prefer to listen to students singing the exercises, because they provide a much simpler way of identifying particular technical issues. This is exactly the same as tennis practice, where the fundamentals of each stroke can be broken down into small parts, with a laser focus on each of these.
1. This was a good tip! I did some of vol 3 with pinching the nose and compared. There is leakage on some vowels. On the Aa (or Ae or Ä in some languages). I noticed a difference there. Especially when the top note is over and the pitch is dropping - then it starts to resonate in the nose. I think there was some on the Eh sounds also, but not as much. The Ah sounded the same with and w/o pinching.
2. Yes, I will pay attention to this for the next attempt.
3. Similar for me. Above the A4 then the risk of voice breaks is quite big. I guess some kind of ditched weight approach could be done to place the B smoothly in chest, like in this song. It's preceded by a fairly heavy A and then it goes straight to the B with the consonant T (told). I find that to be difficult circumstances, but it is a good challenge.
I will look at recording some exercises which goes up to this area and we can see.
Have you seen the consonants mod chart?
closing down the vowels intro their third mod on those notes. Then we have to take care to open them back up when descending back through them.
The grid pattern (fret board) of my voice is set, now, and no longer migrating as it was during development. When the Bb4 or B4 is coming up it's good to know what to expect. And the more thoroughly you're warmed up the more graceful the transition through that area, as well.
I'm finding that my respect for professional singers is growing more and more. You realise that they will have worked on songs for 100s of hours, focusing on the difficult bits in particular. Perhaps it's a mark of respect to recognise we need to invest a LOT of time in a single song to make it good!
I am not sure I read that chart. He did spend some time discussing it on a video. I remember he said B could gravitate towards a V. Not sure how to approach the T.
On that Oh sound in "told" the 2nd vowel mod feels like the correct one for me. That's comfortable, but the consonant destoys the whole thing.
If I do it a 100 times it may find some way naturally to get around the T. I have noticed that after skipping a song after 5 failed attempts then the following week suddenly it may work for some reason. Maybe that's muscle memory.
I also like to listen to the backing track while working at the computer. And envision what it should like if there was a vocal on it. Maybe humming some lines, but I don't want to disturb others by blasting out belted notes.
--
On a separate note I did one more Spanish song. This also has some difficult consonants. But is lower than Starman.
That’s your program, right, @INFJ?
Leaning more towards D sounds reasonable for the word "told".
I will get back on the scales.
--
On another note:
This one is new. Human by the band The Killers.
I would say this is the sound which is more natural to me. I think I have a pop tenor voice. Not great for rock singing. I lack the attitude, grit and power that should come with a rock voice.
No compression, so the volume changes on the vocal are what's occuring naturally.
However, I think you're still getting nasal leakage. What happens if you sing when you hold your nose?
Remember, the purpose of KTVA is to give you a voice that can sing any type of song. If you only want to sing pop, you won't need the power and grit of other genres. However, I want to develop my passagio and head voice, as so many of the songs I want to sing require this!
By the way, I've been pondering the MBTI issue a bit more. Remember that there are 16 types, and the theory is that each of them is like a room. We all have a preferred room, but can go into any other room as well. If you need less preferred methods to commit to the course and work on building up your vocal skills, go ahead and visit another room! :-)
Yes, there are some cognitive gateways as they call it (CS Joseph on YouTube is pretty good at explaining this). The most common is to use the "subconscious mind", which is basically the same functions as your usual type but in inverted order. S-types (concrete) will become more N (abstract) and vice versa. In my case the inverted functions are the ESTP. They are good with details and the physical reality. Probably one gateway to go if you need to learn something that requires physical skills and just not theory or concept thinking.
They call the 2nd gateway the shadow, meaning the complete opposite cognitive functions. The more we can use this the more complete we will be, according to theory.
There are other layers as well (interaction styles etc), which I don't fully understand. I looked at it around 2017-2018, but a lot has happened since.
--
One new cover. Love Ain't No Stranger (Whitesnake).
I need to use some mix here, from Bb to the C, since it was simply too high and too quick to do all in chest. The line "I feel the emptiness of love" is all in mix. I felt the amount of muscle mass decrease on that part.
I think it is obvious when I am mixing. The sound shift is noticeable. I am not really happy with it, but sounds better than a year ago at least.
I have noticed that in mix the off-pitch notes tend to be sharp whereas in chest they tend to be mostly flat.
Listening to the original, I think he’s got loads more support, even when he’s singing quietly. That’s the biggest difference.
Suggest you take the first paragraph, & play your version & the original to compare. Perhaps try singing in a press up at 45 degrees, to generate loads of support?
Exercises are a MUCH better way of nailing this stuff. Songs are sooo complex!
Thanks for listening! I will have to look at the support issue again. I have some back issues that have been bad lately and it hurts when I go in too hard with the lower abdominal support.
I recorded a scale on AH. This is after 2 min warm-up only. I cut the first half off because I was way too sharp.
--
One new cover song that I recorded last night.
Jump (Van Halen) 2 keys up
This has a few B4s as well. But it feels easier if the route to the B4 is D and F# and not G-A-B like in that David Bowie song.
A really powerful form of learning is self-awareness. This involves you describing what's gone well, and what needs more work.
Can I suggest you go through your version of Jump and do this? This will help us to identify any areas where you aren't aware of what's going well/what needs work.
For the Lah exercise, I couldn't hear any vowel mods. This means there's more of a splatting sound for the highest notes: have a listen and see if you agree. Also then try it again with vowel mods: you should find that the sound is much gentler, and doesn't sound strained.
Good luck!
I have listened to the song again as well as the isolated vocal and run it through a pitch monitoring software.
The best part is likely the high sections in the first verse. Those who start with "And I know" and "You got to roll with the punches". Especially the last one has good pitch according to the graph and it is close to the sound I would like to achieve. Perhaps a bit rounder, but not too much. I want to send out a signal of a high chest sound. I like the dynamic shift in volume. I am not looking for a RnB approach. I sing this louder deliberately. It did not feel uncomfortable at all. The oh vowels are good for that altitude and there is plenty of time to take in air and adjust.
On the bridge part with the "record machine" I felt quite a few problems, even though this is lower. The hard consonants give me problems to keep the throat open. The tone is suffering. I would say it is quite a struggle there. Much harder than to hit the B4 on the word "roll".
The ending with "you know what I mean" is probably the hardest part of the entire song". I backed off on the first one (A instead of the B4) and the last one felt uncomfortable and also sounded amateurish. The shift from the M consonant to the EE sound is a really big problem.
On the the "Go ahead and jump" parts it seems I am sometimes completely out of sync with the beat.
That's what I believe.
I tried adding the first mod to the AH scale last night, starting on the A4. That feels more comfortable yes. Less resistance. I haven't given it that much thought before, but will try to implement that as a subtle change. Below the A it did not produce any different feeling.
Ok, a couple of observations. Firstly, I think the best critique you can bring is to think about the skills you're learning on the course, and how these are coming across into your songs.
If you compare your singing to that of the original, Sammy sounds like he has much more support. Also some pretty solid glottal compression, which gives him a much punchier sound. Glottal compression is something that's pretty new to me, but I'm keen to work on it, because it gives such a punch. How is your glottal compression coming along in your practice?
You've taken it up a tone, but this will inevitably make it harder. Was there a reason you did this?
Look back at these problem areas you’ve identified, & see if you can identify which is the core technique that is the problem. Eg support, glottal compression, vowel mods, & so on.
The more awareness you build, the more focused your practice & the better the growth that follows.