Singing 101

[ScorpSath]

Ok post tips for singing and how to improve, or give sites.

[Light_Fantastic]

Hey Mx'ers
I am seriously thinking of starting an interactive web based rock vocal clinic...
when I will take on a limited # of talented young singers & work with them to develop their chops, skills, & vocal techniques.
I want to make it affordable , accessible, & want to make sure, you really DO learn something..
Do you think there is a need for something like this..
If so, I would appreciate your comments or suggestions on what would work for you...


Thanks,

Jay Link

[Scarred4Life]

stickied

[Light_Fantastic]

Thanks Scarred4lLife....
Don't be shy rock singers...
I am still glad to help & giving away lots of free tips & advise.....

Jay

[King_Karl]

I'm a rock singer
give me help and advice

[Scarred4Life]

Um yeah...whenever I try to sing, its always as if Im holding back or something. But when I try to just let go, my singing just turns into screaming. Is there some way to kind of get more power from your voice without just shouting? merci in advance.

[Light_Fantastic]

Originally Posted by King_Karl

I'm a rock singer
give me help and advice

Hey King Karl..
We have a few threads started on general advice with vocal care & some technique...
I need to know more about your style of singing & what you hope to accomplish...where your at now & where you want to get to in singing....
I need more info from you....
Take Care

Jay

[Light_Fantastic]

Originally Posted by Scarred4Life

Um yeah...whenever I try to sing, its always as if Im holding back or something. But when I try to just let go, my singing just turns into screaming. Is there some way to kind of get more power from your voice without just shouting? merci in advance.

Hey Scarred4Life......
Your holding back because of our natural tendencies to feel awkward & funny about putting everything out there ...
Singing is 50% mechanical & 50% mental....
You need to work on your control, diaphram support & yes ,they are many ways to get more power...
Some vocal exercises & try going about 1/2 volume...going from your speaking voice to your loudest singing voice..
Singing actually is controlled shouting..you just have to learn how to smooth things out...
There are also many dynamics to sing (loud to soft, whisper Voice with more air) so, lot's to work on..
I will try to post some beginning voice exercises in a day or so...
Take Care

Jay

[King_Karl]

Originally Posted by JayLink

Hey King Karl..
We have a few threads started on general advice with vocal care & some technique...
I need to know more about your style of singing & what you hope to accomplish...where your at now & where you want to get to in singing....
I need more info from you....
Take Care

Jay

i have the general problem of being unable to sing. I am ok with a mic but without it i suck. Is that normal? The style i (am trying to) sing is a rock/grunge thing. No need to worry about screaming tho cos i've got that nailed

[sliver]

Singing 101:

Intro:

I will be going over the basics of vocal technique, it is important that you understand the simple concepts of music theory such the names of scales and notes. When I refer to a note, I refer to its root note and its octave. For example C3 would mean the note C in the third octave, in this lesson we will consider C3 to be middle C.

About me:

I’m 20 a male, and I am trained in jazz, pop, rock and metal singing. I started singing when I was 15 and have taken lessons for about 3 years. I have studied jazz vocal at University for a year as well. Over the next few weeks I will post extensive lessons on several singing topics, hopefully this will help anyone trying to improve their voice.

Natural Skill vs Perseverance

It is true that some people are just naturally very good singers. They can adlib melodies and be on key right on the spot. Don’t worry though, just because you are not naturally a good singer doesn’t mean you can become a decent singer, it just means you have to work about 100 times harder than they do. I am not exaggerating to the least bit, you really do have to work your butt off. Very few people are actually tone deaf, and yes its true that they are “hopeless� as far as singing, but don’t worry I’m sure you aren’t one of those people Singing is just like anything in life, to be great you have to work.

Finding your singing range:

Your singing range is simply the lowest to the highest note you can sing. (this can or may not include falsetto depending on the style of singing you). Most males are usually Baritones; this range starts at about F#2. Personally I can’t sing an F#2 I am more comfortable at G#2 or if I have to a G. If you can sing lower than F#2 you are probably a Bass. If your range starts at about B2 or C3 you are probably a tenor. Most people’s ranges (full voice, not falsetto) are about 1.5 – 2.5 octaves. If your range is less than this it generally means your voice underdeveloped and needs some work (don’t give up yet, you can do it). When I started singing I had a singing range of about 1.5 octaves, now I can sing about 2.3, so yes it is possible to increase your range!

Lesson 1: Breathing

Breathing:

Before we start to run, we should learn how to crawl right? Well for singers breathing is the FOUNDATION of our voices. If you are constantly out of breath you are going to sound horrible, end of story. Breathing strengthening exercises are arguably THE most important for beginning singers. The higher the note is up in your range the more breath that note will take to sing. Thus to be a versatile singer it is important to strengthen your lungs to avoid constantly taking breaths between words or sentences.

Exercise 1:

1) Look around the house, find the following items:
– a stopwatch
– the heaviest hardcover book you can find (The fifth Harry Potter book is great for this)
– a CD player, headphones and your favourite CD (optional)

2) Lie down on your back, with your hands at your side.
3) Place the book in your stomach
4) Inhale SLOWLY, but instead of sucking in your stomach make you stomach EXPAND out.
5) Exhale SLOWLY, this time less your stomach shrink back to its normal state.
6) Repeat.

It feels different from normal breathing doesn’t it? It is because when you normally breathe you contract your stomach. All your life you have been breathing incorrectly, from now on, this is the only way you will breathe.

I only suggested the CD player because this can get very boring, but if you are listening your favourite music time can pass by quickly.

If you are inhaling every:

- 20 seconds (needs improvement)
- 30 seconds (fair)
- 45 seconds (good)
- minute (very good)
- one and a half minutes (excellent)
- two minutes (wow)

I myself have got lazy with this I used to be able to only need to breathe every one and a half minutes but now it is probably something in between 45 seconds to a minute.

Exercise 2:

Can you count?

Count slowly, make sure you enunciate every syllable VERY clearly, to the point its almost ridiculous. This is important, as a singer you want to be able to sing every possible sound in the human language.

Count as much as far as you can without taking a breath (without killing yourself).

A good goal would be to be able to count to 65-70.

Exercise 3:
Atonal Scales:

We are not singing yet, we are simply just practise saying these words clearly and loudly in a manner that does not strain your voice. When you breathe, make sure when you do have to breathe you do it in the exact same way we did it in our first exercise, from the diaphragm (expanding your stomach). Make sure that when you SPEAK these exercises they are also coming from that same place you breathe. For simplicity, I spelt everything phonetically.

1. Daah De Dee Doh, Daah De Dee Doh, Daah De Dee Doh Du
2. May Mee Mah Moe Moo, May Mee Mah Moe Moo, May Mee Mah Moe Moo
3. Ah Eh Eee O Eww, Ah Eh Eee O Eww, Ah Eh Eee O Eww
4. Doh Ray Me Fa Soul Fa Me Ray Doh
5. Day Dee Dah Doe Doo, Day Dee Dah Doe Doo, Day Dee Dah Doe Doo
6. Doh Me Soul Me Doh, Doh Me Soul Me Doh, Doh Me Soul Me Doh
7. Create your own variations.


Exercise 4:

Speaking and Proper Singing Form:

Ok so we’ve learned to crawl, now maybe we can take our first real baby steps.

Lets go over proper form:

1) Stand up straight
2) Shoulders back
3) Head straight ahead (or maybe slightly a little down, stylistic reasons)
4) Cheekbones up (to the point, that it looks like you are the joker and are making a stupid grin on your face).
5) Be CONFIDENT (very important)

Ok here are so weird ones:

6) Stand on your tip toes
7) Make your arms into a slightly broken ring above your head, every time you say a syllable make your hands come together.

The last two are only for practising purposes, these will help you feel your chest open up and will allow you to sing from your diaphram easier. If you already understand how to sing from your diaphram than these are not that necessary, but are still helpful. Now that you have learned this form make sure you apply it to all the exercises you have learned today.

Speaking:

Simple enough, we are going to talk. Make sure you use, all the techniques you have learned (breathing, form, etc.)

If you have to breathe at any point, make sure it is done so in a manner that doesn’t break-up individual words.

Practise this phrase:

The lemon tree is very pretty, and the lemon flower sweet. But the fruit of the poor lemon, is impossible to eat.

Create your own phrase, the best is to use lyrics from songs, or your own songs. Keep your breathing consistent; make sure you breathe in the exact same parts every time.

If you are getting bored, just talking and feel you are ready, you can practise singing a note (keep it monotone for now), when you say these sentences or lyrics.

I hope this was useful; check back for new lessons, in the near future.

Sliver

[ScorpSath]

Sliver ur my hero!

[Scarred4Life]

Wow, great lessons sliver, kudos.

[sleepy1212]

thanks sliver...i can sing but it helps with the exercises.

Question: I have a co-lead singer in my band who can't sing nearly as good as me but thinks he can. He refuses to take lessons because he feels they will ruin his "natural style." How do you get a stubborn as* to do his duty to the band and take the lessons?

[Kif]

Apparently I have a gift for singing. I was in a lot of school plays and stuff, and I was sadly in the choir in year 7. I left because it was teh suk!

[Kif]

Wow that's a great singing guide. I'm gonna start doing that from now on, as my singing voice through the mic completely sucks!

Nice on sliver

[sliver]

Originally Posted by sleepy1212

thanks sliver...i can sing but it helps with the exercises.

Question: I have a co-lead singer in my band who can't sing nearly as good as me but thinks he can. He refuses to take lessons because he feels they will ruin his "natural style." How do you get a stubborn as* to do his duty to the band and take the lessons?

get him to listen to a recording of himself singing... after he hears how horrible he sounds his confidence will be in the gutter

[MxShredder]

Originally Posted by sliver

get him to listen to a recording of himself singing... after he hears how horrible he sounds his confidence will be in the gutter

to get it done quickly, just hook him up to a 2 second delay, i give him about 30 seconds before ->

[Dredg]

Excelent lesson Silver! But I have a question - when you're talking about breathing properly and the timescale for inhaling, is that you holding your breath or imediatley exhaling?

[DaneCobain]

I've got a question which is probably pretty hard to answer...

I reckon i'm pretty good at singing, my friends reckon I'm okay, and my parents think im crap.

Do you reckon that they say im crap cos they don't like the music i'm singing or because im crap. I admit that i'm crap when i've just got up, or when i've been siging for a while, cause my voice starts to break. They might just say that cos they are sick of me singing cos i sing all the time.

Also I heard somewhere that if you sing a load while your voice is breaking, then it strengthens your vocal chords. Is that true or is that crap as well?

[Light_Fantastic]

Hmmmmm Interesting questions DaneCobain. I will try to answer them.
It is pretty sad when your own parents put you down, & call your singing crap. I was lucky. back in the day, both my parents were super supportive, even when I sucked starting out.
I think you parents might have "Issues" with your singing. You might ask them nicely, if they could just stay "Neutral", while you are learning your craft.
You style of music, especially if it's thrash, punk, or death metal, might be difficult for your parents to deal with, but hey, each generation has their own music.

Also, what you heard is NOT true. When your voice breaks & cracks & you go hoarse & feel some pain...that is your vocal chords telling you to "Lay off".There is some damage going on..So rest your voice, take large doses of Vitamin C, & some hot tea with a bit of honey...
& allow your vocal chords to heal...pushing your voice harder, will only result in permanent damage...

Good luck with your parents..I hope they cut you some slack...

Rock on...

Jay