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plz listen and tell me if voice lessons is worth it!

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(@ddreww)
Active Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 7
Topic starter  

so basically i really want to sing! i love music and its my passion but i do think singing is a natural talent..and lessons can only do so much so i was hoping if anyone could just listen to my clip of don't stop believing and honestly let me know if me taking voice lessons is even worth it! i would give anything to sing, i don't want to spend time and money on a lost cause =[. I noticed that i kind of sound like im basically talking...but the thing is i'm so restricted and i can't go any higher or louder because it strains my throat and suonds terrible lol, If anyone can let me know what im doing wrong and has any tips at all that would be great too! thank you everyone and i appreciate all the help!!!!!

-Andrew

http://soundcloud.com/drewhsia


   
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(@wade-mcclusky)
Active Member
Joined: 13 years ago
Posts: 7
 

I would keep at it...I'm a believer in voice lessons and treating the voice as seriously as you would any other instrument. There are a ton of resources on the 'net, but any metropolitan area should have qualified voice teachers. Shop around for price. I also think joining a choir is also useful practice. That doesn't cost anything usually. You'll learn how to lock in with your section mates and understand how the section that doesn't have the melody contributes to the overall sound - harmony. Also, if you correctly identify your voice type (I would guess baritone) you won't be given more than you can handle. Choir directors generally run you through warm up exercises that you can practice on your own. Once you get through some concerts you get more confidence in yourself.

As a singer/guitarist, keep in mind that you have this weight on your shoulders, so work on good posture. Standing/sitting straight leads to having more breath. For practice I have a music stand that I set up so I can look at words and music while standing. Other useful things I've learned: Stay fit and smoke very little or not at all. Stay hydrated. Going for a walk and singing is good. Your breathing and heartbeat are already a bit elevated and it will make you stronger.


   
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(@dogbite)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 6348
 

you have one advantage over so many others...you sing on pitch.
your voice also has a bit of character. I can still hear it and the clip is on Pause right now.
I'd say take advantage of whatever is available; lessons, internet lessons.
I don't say this very often, but you are a diamond in the rough.

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=644552
http://www.soundclick.com/couleerockinvaders


   
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(@tim_madsen)
Prominent Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 724
 

By all means keep at it, nothing wrong with your voice. I'm big on joining a Choir. It's one of the best voice training venues around and it's free. You'd be amazed at how many singers got there start and training in a Choir.

Tim Madsen
Nobody cares how much you know,
until they know how much you care.

"What you keep to yourself you lose, what you give away you keep forever." -Axel Munthe


   
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(@rachel_morgan)
Trusted Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 50
 

Voice lessons - DEFINITELY worth it, in your case!
Like a previous poster said, you have that sound. I think you just need someone to show you how to "switch vocal gears" among other things. I had a similar problem to you starting out, with my range severely limited. I think I had a 4 note-5note range. Found out I wasn't actually lacking the range, but I was trying to belt. I was refusing to go into my "head voice". From your recordings, this is what it reminds me of. A voice instructor can get you past this and help you build on your range.

It's definitely an instrument in and of itself, and an interesting one to master!

Choirs are good, but one thing I found is that, while you get excellent pointers, you really do have to be careful what choir you go with. I actually damaged my voice (luckily, I didn't trust the choral instructor, and I stopped and rested it) due to a choral director placing me on a soprano part that was simply wayyyy out of my range. I requested being switched to mezzo, and stated why, and she refused. I ended up mouthing the words and faking singing it come the actual performance once I got a second opinion on it - she glared at me the whole time.
So while definitely a great way to go, do be careful. I know my current voice teacher directs a choir - complete opposite of my bad experience. Amazingly helpful.

But in short...do seek further instruction! You have something good going on in those pipes - you just need someone to help you polish them, at this point. =)

-Rachel.


   
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(@sunnibear)
Trusted Member
Joined: 14 years ago
Posts: 66
 

so basically i really want to sing! i love music and its my passion but i do think singing is a natural talent..and lessons can only do so much so i was hoping if anyone could just listen to my clip of don't stop believing and honestly let me know if me taking voice lessons is even worth it! i would give anything to sing, i don't want to spend time and money on a lost cause =[. I noticed that i kind of sound like im basically talking...but the thing is i'm so restricted and i can't go any higher or louder because it strains my throat and suonds terrible lol, If anyone can let me know what im doing wrong and has any tips at all that would be great too! thank you everyone and i appreciate all the help!!!!!

-Andrew

http://soundcloud.com/drewhsia

Andrew, I was the WORST singer in the world...after my 1st lesson I was 100% better. Anyboby can be taught to sing barring any physical, mental or hearing disabilities. You sound a heck of a lot better than I do! I think you have great potential!


   
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(@grendle7)
Active Member
Joined: 12 years ago
Posts: 8
 

so basically i really want to sing! i love music and its my passion but i do think singing is a natural talent..and lessons can only do so much so i was hoping if anyone could just listen to my clip of don't stop believing and honestly let me know if me taking voice lessons is even worth it! i would give anything to sing, i don't want to spend time and money on a lost cause =[. I noticed that i kind of sound like im basically talking...but the thing is i'm so restricted and i can't go any higher or louder because it strains my throat and suonds terrible lol, If anyone can let me know what im doing wrong and has any tips at all that would be great too! thank you everyone and i appreciate all the help!!!!!

-Andrew

http://soundcloud.com/drewhsia
You should totally keep at it.

I will disagree with you and say that I believe singing is a craft. I mean, you weren't born knowing how to play guitar.

But, you've got the basics.

And with the high notes, that stuff just takes practice; and I mean practice. Because you're barely starting to work out your vocal muscles, singing high notes is kind of like if you got a scrawny dude like me to bench press 100lbs. I WOULD never be able to do that, without proper working out, nutrition, healthness et cetera.

Same thing with your voice, you're making it instantly try to bench press past its limit, and you know you'll put effort in and stuff...but in the end your pipes just aren't ready for it.

If I was going tone my body, or at least try to be able to bench that much weight, I would take it in baby steps. Same thing with your voice.

You have to patiently increase your range. Trust me, from experience, that wanting to chest that G4 is going something that you just CAN'T be patient for....but you just have to take it slowly. You can also do it quickly, but that's another type thing; to message me about.

In all, since you seem eager and are just dippin' your toes in the water; I'd recommend nasallality. When you start getting "too high" or feel that straining coming on, make your singing resemble that of a really nasal witch. Just really nasal. Make your nose vibrate so much, that sound comes out of your eyes. This will help you with the general placement of belted notes, with stuff like acoustic.

Once singing in that NASTY nasal tone is cake, reduce the nasanality bit by bit, until you sound like a human again. BUT, when you're reducing that nasanality, make sure you keep that sensation of sound being forward

What I mean, by the sound being forward is that you can be heard. When you sing nasally, everything you say/sing is amplified because all the sound is directly spit out of your body, by the placement of your sound. It's also called "singing in the mask." Also remember that a forward tone=good tone.

Try this, sing "Mary Had a Little Lamb," as if you swallowed the sound, sing it as if if the sound comes out of your voice box and is trapped down there. Now sing 100% nasally. The main difference, should be that when it's sung nasally, the sound is projected more, from your body. When it sounds like its been "eaten," it just kind of sounds trapped....

Going back to the "sensation" thing...when you sang "Mary Had..." nasally, you should feel how the sound is more "around" you and "in front" of you. You should remember, to ALWAYS keep that sensation when you sing. You should never, ever, sing at the back of your throat.

Actually, if I were you, I'd ask your vocal teacher to solidify to you, what singing with a forward tone is, and why it's so important.

Honestly, the way I see singing technique is this:

Starting with the most important, onwards:
1. Good posture, it's all about it.
2. Good breathing. If you're posture's crap, your breathing will also be crap.
3. Then comes the singing! It's very controversial here, across singers; since there are SO many out there. but most agree that 3 should be the "forward tone."

Now I know you might be thinking, "but there's this singer who hunches over," and, "there's this singer who breathes like every other note;" every one is different. The person with the hunch sings with that posture, because they're comfortable with it. The other guy maybe isn't aware of his annoying habit.

You just have to find the posture that you're more comfortable with, also the one that gives you the most out of your vocals. Believe it or not, your whole body is part of the instrument too.

Breathing is subjective because, EVERYONE has a different organism. Everyone has different ways of breathing. Everyone has different set of healthy lungs. Most singers have agreed that breathing with the diaphragm is the way to go; a lot of other singers say that this is crap. I'm one of the people who goes for diaphragm singing...because it helps with high notes ;) .

But yeah....sorry for my endless spiel....

In all, you have potentiality; and you should go for it.

I'm new to this website....so, if you have questions or something, you can ask me.

~Peace in the Middle East!


   
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