help with getting started with singing?

[Lemonade_Truth]

hi I'm a newbie here

well, when it comes to singing, all i can do is sing in the range of my chest voice, that is, the voice I normally use to speak. if i try to go higher than that, i break into what I can only assume is falsetto/head-voice, very airy, feminine, and definitely not what most singers use.

my question is, how can I sing in a 'proper singing range' and keep my normal voice? most rock/indie/pop-rock/pop-punk singers sing in the range of at least an octave above middle C, whereas I can barely hit middle C if I strain my chest voice. is it a matter of making my chest voice better? or is it strengthening falsetto so that it sounds like a normal voice. or, something altogether different?

I'd really appreciate any help on this, i've been struggling for a year or so to 'sing high', and it's driving me nuts.

thanks

PS, this forum is called 'what do you play?', well I primarily play the piano.

[Reconsiderate]

Hate to sound so corny here, but it's a matter of working with what you've got. If you can't hit that special note that defines an indie/pop singer... well, then you're just not an indie/pop singer. But you're still you.

I'd suggest strengthening your current abilities, and focusing on expressing your own voice in a positive light, rather than aiming to sound like someone else who already exists... and therefore doesn't need to be replicated....

Again, don't mean to sound so corny. It's true, though.

Hope this helps.



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Reconsiderate
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[yourockradio]

Don't sing high, sing in key. You are on the right track. Your singing voice should be the same one you speak with, anything else is falsetto or you are copying somebody else.

Talk the song through. I suppose you are doing covers right now. Talk it through as if it were a sentence, without the music. Feel how your chords react to each phrase of the music and how your natural speech pattern deals with the words, then start doing it in a sing-song pattern, still almost talking. You will see how each part of the melody can be achieved using your real voice. Following this pattern you will be able to relax your vocal chords enough to attain the high notes. The inability to reach your range potential always centers around stress. The more you put yourself down, the more stress you will retain. If you can't do it today, tomorrow is another day. Skip that song and go back to one that you can do perfectly. Try it again tomorrow.

Don't concern yourself with head and chest and all of that dynamics nonsense, just use what comes naturally. You can concentrate on dynamics once you have the range down and are relaxed and "own" the song. Don't let your ego keep you from dropping the key of the composition to a flat or sharp, or even a range up or down to fit your voice, this is done every day. The average listener will never know the difference, unless you sing out of key which will happen if you are singing in a key not suited for your voice.

If you sing in any way that does not relate to your natural speaking voice it usually sounds manufactured. If the tone of your voice is pleasing while you talk naturally, then your singing voice will be the same. If the tone of your speaking voice is annoying, you will never be able to change that. Take up guitar or something. Don't be depressed, the tone of your voice cannot be changed. You can however change guitars.

[Lemonade_Truth]

[yourockradio]

Nope.

I said.. "The tone of your voice is given at birth." Words to that effect. If you sound whiny and irritating when you talk, your singing voice isn't going to be much better. Sit down and watch American Idol try outs for 15 hours straight. Then you will get it, if you live through it. Very disgusting how many people have technique, but their tone is so bad they should never EVER think about singing except as a novelty. Even that I questionable.

Sorry, hate to be the bearer of the truth, but I so often have to carry that cross. Singing high is not your problem, self confidence is the issue. You are so stressed out worrying about sounding like whoever you are trying to copy, you can't find out who you really are. You wouldn't like me as a vocal coach, I hate paddy cake.

Go hire yourself a vocal coach. Reading your way into it is not your bag.

It is a technique called "Voice Level Singing" and every superstar on the planet uses it. But I guess you're different somehow. I only studied the technique for about 20 years, but I guess I am delusional, maybe it was all a dream and I never did that. Hmmmmm.... Who knows?

[Lemonade_Truth]

[Rachael]

Hi there,

I'm a singing teacher, I help people extend their ranges all the time, hope I can help. Here goes. In your low range your vocal chords are shorter and fatter, as you go higher they need to lengthen to reach the higher pitches. Adding a 'whimper' into your voice when you ascend lengthens your vocal chords and prevents you from going into falsetto. Here's what I recommend. Make an 'ng' sound as in the word 'sing', start in the low part of your range and ascend in semi tones adding in this whimpery feeling as you asend. The higher you go the more whimper you should add. Keep your volume reasonably quiet and consistant, try not to get louder as you ascend. Good luck, let me know how you go.
Cheers, Rachael

well, when it comes to singing, all i can do is sing in the range of my chest voice, that is, the voice I normally use to speak. if i try to go higher than that, i break into what I can only assume is falsetto/head-voice, very airy, feminine, and definitely not what most singers use.

my question is, how can I sing in a 'proper singing range' and keep my normal voice? most rock/indie/pop-rock/pop-punk singers sing in the range of at least an octave above middle C, whereas I can barely hit middle C if I strain my chest voice. is it a matter of making my chest voice better? or is it strengthening falsetto so that it sounds like a normal voice. or, something altogether different?

I'd really appreciate any help on this, i've been struggling for a year or so to 'sing high', and it's driving me nuts.

thanks

PS, this forum is called 'what do you play?', well I primarily play the piano.[/quote]

[yourockradio]

That's OK Lemonade, I am easily lit up, part of my character. I am very "straight to the point" and I do not mince words. But I do apologize for being the hammer.

You don't need a vocal coach. What you need is years of practice. Using the technique that I described in very succinct detail without a lot of mumbo jumbo. You can read plenty of books, learn what makes your chords do this and that, find out all of this useless information, and still not be happy with the way you sing or your "range".

Over-complicating it leads to stress, stress leads to frustration, frustration leads to tightened vocal chords, which leads to limited range. Period.

Years of relaxed singing using a relaxed and stress free style will allow you to examine all that your voice is capable of. You are human, you have limitations and you can also lose ability do to certain health factors and just plain aging. Accept it, work with what you have, and tell the damn guitar player to either turn down or you need a better better PA system.

You should be able to whisper into your microphone and still be heard when the band is at full volume. If not, you need a new PA or a more considerate band.

Forget vocal coaches, waste of money. Hire a masseuse. Feels better and you won't be wasting your money and does much the same job.