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Post by dawkins on Sept 20, 2014 17:35:15 GMT
I thought I would update this thread.
I have maintained my singing practice and do about 30 minutes of singing drills each day before I move onto songs. Compared to how I was when I started I have improved so much and whilst singing is a subjective topic I feel that this investment in vocal tuition and the practice has been very very beneficial.
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leoroberts
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Post by leoroberts on Sept 20, 2014 17:36:40 GMT
Good on yer, dawkins. Might just be time to show off a bit in the Plucky Duck...  |
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007
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Post by 007 on Sept 20, 2014 18:44:55 GMT
Thanks Dawkins v interesting thread keep us posted
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Post by creamburmese on Sept 20, 2014 19:18:48 GMT
Really enjoying this thread. I'm never likely to sing in front of people as a performance (and this sentiment will no doubt be appreciated by any potential audience!), but I do wish I was more confident and LOUDER when leading songs at guitar jams. I just started theory lessons today and the coach is a classically trained singer with a lovely voice, so I have the impression that we will be required to sing intervals and the like as the weeks go by. I'm tempted to think that this will be a punishment that he will inflict on himself more than on me, but maybe I will learn something about singing in the meantime! I wouldn't mind singing exercises in the shower... BTW having lived over here for a fair number of years I'm told I now have an American accent.... at least as far as Brits are concerned. However to Americans I still sound British - I just can't win! All I can say is that if British people sound as bad singing in an American accent as Americans do when faking a British one, then you'd better stick with British English  Bear in mind that over here, people really really like the British accents (unless it's the public school one - which they think is put on for show) although they usually can't distinguish between Australian and British...... duh. |
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Post by dawkins on Sept 20, 2014 19:40:54 GMT
That's interesting that that the Americans like the British voice. I guess it stands to reason in much the same way as the American lyrics always sound great to us Brits because they have words like Boulevard, Highway, countyline and cool sounding places like New Jersey, Nebraska and so on.
In terms of vocals though my research has led me to believe that there are various approaches to arriving at the same conclusion. the method I have followed is generally known as 'Speech level singing' because it emphasises the vowels in training and of course the vowels help shape and develop the vocal folds — that's a very simplistic way of looking at it. At the moment I am looking at trying to improve my power (although it's not bad as it is). There is a guy in the states who is renowned for teaching this and I might have a go because I want to eventually tackle some vocally challenging songs: Pete Cetera's 'It's Hard to Say I'm Sorry' which is in D for example. I know I can change the key but it lacks tension, for me at least, if I change the key too much.
I'm hopefully going to get out performing sooner rather than later and I have been practicing hard. I'm not a person who lacks confidence but I have lacked a bit of confidence purely because playing and singing acoustic music feels very 'naked' for want of a better word. I have a friend who does a superb Simon and Garfunkel show and he is helping me out. all being well I will get there.
But again, if anyone is interested in how I approached my singing I'm only a PM away.
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Post by thejamsinger on Sept 25, 2014 11:38:14 GMT
Great thread Dawkins. Very interesting to hear other people's stories regarding singing. Never had any singing lessons myself but reading this thread I'm now considering it. My wife has moaned at me for years about my singing. When I get asked to bring my guitar and sing at parties you want to see her face when I get complimented on my singing. It's a picture. Luckily its never bothered me about getting up and singing. The biggest problem I have is remembering the words of songs.
Scorpidog if my wife ever left me I definately wouldn't get married again if she didn't like my singing, lol.
Good luck with the singing sounds as if your really enjoying it.
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mandovark
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Post by mandovark on Sept 25, 2014 17:04:59 GMT
Really interesting thread. I've never had formal singing lessons, but I've done a lot of choral singing over the years and had some advice on technique from choir-leaders. Even a bit of good teaching can make a big difference to your technical ability.
Dawkins mentioned phrasing, and for me this is one of the most important things to learn. Maybe I'm just getting old, but I find myself getting more and more frustrated when I'm listening to a song and I can only make out every third or fourth word. I find it especially annoying in folk music, where the storytelling in the songs is so important. On the flip side, a few years ago I took my dad to see Show of Hands. One of the first things he commented on afterwards was how good Steve Knightley's diction was - he'd been able to follow every word despite not knowing the songs before.
Like anything in music, though, there's always a lot more to learn. This was brought home to me once when I sang in public with a friend who happens to be a classically-trained soprano who is good enough to have had a semi-professional career. She was holding back a lot - believe me, if she hadn't been then no-one would have heard me at all - but what surprised me was how clumsy it made me feel. Hearing the way she moved seamlessly between registers made me aware of flaws and rough edges in my own singing that I would probably never have noticed otherwise.
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Post by dawkins on Sept 26, 2014 10:24:13 GMT
I agree there is too much to learn and sometimes I get overwhelmed with what I could potentially do versus what I need to do. Still, if you chip away at it gradual improvement occurs and there is only so much you can do.
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Post by andyhowell on Sept 30, 2014 7:23:20 GMT
This is interesting as I was thinking of having a few lessons as I currently sing like a cross between a drunk Bob Dylan and a drugged Leonard Cohen Yeah, but that's how those two are supposed to sound and it hasn't done them any harm :-) |
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Post by dawkins on Sept 30, 2014 10:53:39 GMT
Yeah sounds like a good style to me as well. :-)
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Post by dawkins on Oct 6, 2014 12:27:18 GMT
And in my quest to improve my singing I have just signed up for another package which is internet based and consists of a comprehensive training interface and Skype Lessons. The Product is called 'The Four Pillars of Singing' and is the methodology of an American guy called Robert Lunte.
At first glance this training/education package appears to be targetted at those who want to belt out rock vocals, indeed Robert presents himself as an out and out uber confident - dare I say typically yank rock man. But I have already had my first Skype lesson and was totally blown away by his kindness, knowledge and ability to not only put across abstract concepts but to make immediate improvements to my vocal ability regardless of what genre of singing you enjoy. He has an unmatched reputation for dedication to his students and has already demonstrated that to me on several occasions.
I will need some time to work on his methodology but I will report back on my findings.
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Post by herb on Nov 4, 2014 12:56:00 GMT
Hi Dawkins,
Just got through this thread which is so enlightening to all of us with this commom interest of music and performance.
Great to hear of your progress which is giving you so much reward, and entertaining the rest of us.
Of course the Pavarotties of this world need do nothing but sing and stand there; while others not so vocally gifted sometimes
create a performance by what I like to call a stage presence. Something not so easily achieved I imagine while holding a guitar.
However there is a classical guitar player that does the international rounds (whose name escapes me - Parvel or similar?) who contorts
his mouth and facial expressions whilst playing in what sems to be intended to amuse. Whether that's the secret of his personal success I don't know but it seems clear there are those that can enhance a song or melody by something in addition.
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That is not to say I undervalue what you are setting out to achieve. I look forward to hearing more about you journey.
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Post by dawkins on Nov 4, 2014 20:39:17 GMT
I'm totally with you on the stage prescence idea. In fact I have this conversation frequently with a friend who is a good singer, and who has stage prescence to boot. Most of the acoustic musicians I admire are not great singers in the strictest sense of the word but they nonetheless put a cross a great all round performance.
Hopefully, one day I will post something here so that people can hear my progress from non singer to singer but in the meantime I'm rehearsing hard to try and get out playing.
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Bear in mind that over here, people really really like the British accents (unless it's the public school one - which they think is put on for show) although they usually can't distinguish between Australian and British...... duh. 
Jo whoever he is.
