Hey everyone I'm new here and I've read a lot of the topics and I was just surprised at the amount of help everyone gives or at least tries to give so I figured I would join.
Now that that is through, I have a problem. I don't know if it is just because my voice is still changing (16 year old guy here) or what but some days i feel like I can sing anything I want and then other days everything just sounds disgusting in my opinion. I like a wide range of music from classical to death metal and I love it all. Some days I can sing higher pitched songs just fine and then other days my voice just won't let me do it. Other days I'll sing some deep songs and sound like a country music singer and then the next day just sound like I'm forcing it too much. I'm in my high school choir but other than that I know nothing about singing. I know nothing technical and could just use some help on really getting started. I love singing and playing guitar, It's really all I do outside of school and sports, but I would like to actual start doing it as a serious thing and just want to know where I should start.
Thanks
It's probably just your voice changing. Once things settle down you'll undoubtedly get a better idea of how your voice is going to shape up. Or down, as the range may be.
If you're really interested in singing, you've already got someone who can probably answer not only this question but a host of others concerning your voice and singing technique in general, and that would be your high school choir director. Why not ask him or her if the two of you might be able to discuss things during a free period? Chances are likely that your director will be able to get you started on the right foot.
Not to say you won't get advice around here! :wink:
Hope this helps.
Peace
Thank you. I had figured it was just my voice changing. I would be overjoyed to ask my choir director for help, she gives voice lessons after all, but then comes the next part... I am extremely shy when it comes to playing guitar and singing in front of people other than my immediate family and my closest friends. I was playing guitar and singing during a free period in choir about a week ago and she heard me playing and started asking me when I was going to sing a solo. I can't even sing in front of my small church let alone the entire school and town. I know that most of that just comes with needing more confidence in myself but I just don't want to be embarrassed you know?
Also, here is a recording of me singing I would enjoy any kind of feedback: good or bad
Hey and welcome :).
If you really want to learn, throw yourself in and take every lead you can. Start thinking about singing the same way you think about guitar: The more you practice, and the more effort you put into striving to be better... the better you will be :).
There's lots of good books out there, go out and find one, read a bit of it before you buy it and decide if its for you. And honestly, start talking to that choir director of yours... that's a easy one! :D
I like your voice, I think its good considering you say you know nothing about singing! But there were several times when you sounded a bit off key and other times where you sounded like you were reaching the top of your range. If you want any other advice you shall have to be a bit more specific in your questions i'm afraid :).
FYI
Thanks for the advice man. I was in a good mood pretty much all day today and then I read your post today during class and thought to myself: "Hey why not just sing?" So I started singing I'm Yours by Jason Mraz and I got a lot of compliments. It was fun and idk... it made me feel a little bit better about singing. But I have plenty of questions about things like breathing, and then i've been doing some reading and what are head voices and the other types of things idk... i'm lost. But it's fun. I thoroughly enjoyed singing in front of my classmates. So yeah, about breathing... Are there like certain routines or something or what? I'm a fairly athletic person so I don't run out of breath extremely fast.
Thanks for the help
No probs man, glad to help :). With breathing, I don't think its necessarily having a massive lung capacity because there are plenty of overweight opera singers with incredible support! I think its about learning how to properly breath and use your breathe.
Try lying down with you're knees up and putting a book or something small on your stomach. Focus your breath down into your diaphragm, the breathe should go right down through your body and your 'stomach' should appear to expand forcing the book or other object to rise. Once you get the hang of this, try it standing up (or sitting up right), its a little trickier standing up I find... especially if your posture is off, but try moving around a bit til you get it.
However this is only the breathing in part, learning how to maintain or 'support' your voice is just as important. You need to start thinking about not wasting your breath... you wouldn't turn all the lights in your house on and then go out would you? So don't waste energy whilst singing either! :). Try to focus your breath when exhaling, try to keep the tones you make constant and sustained. It will take a lot of practice at first, but the results are worth it.
Hope this helps.
FYI
yeah professional lessons in singing can change your entire voice and way of singing
