My Voice, Auto-Tuned

[suzdoyle]

Hey Janet;In her book "Voice Power," Joan Kenley cites a study showing that a performer's impact is 55% face (appearance/ enthusiasm), 38% voice quality and 7% words. In other words, PRESENTATION is more crucial to connecting with an audience than vocal quality and the words.I used to accompany voice students quite often years ago. One thing that helped students feel more comfortable singing was to place themselves in the "scene" and story of the song, and have the song be more about the story than the singer.Below is a song interpretation worksheet put together by vocalist/ voice teacher Vicki Righettini that helped her voice students work on this.Also, when I do songwriting workshops with kids, I invite them to sing a story from one point of view; then to do it from the opposite point of view. Changing the character (who is telling the song's story) helps them "get" that each song is really like a mini play and musical, and that when the point of view changes, so do many other aspects of the song. So each song you sing is like a story you are telling, each with a unique character, setting and message to convey -- and each with a different aspect of what your voice can express.Just thought I'd share some of these ideas that have helped me on my particular journey to rediscovering my voice.Happy singing! ,Suz*****************SONG INTERPRETATION WORKSHEETby Vicki Righettini, 1988Name of songComposer/ arrangerStyle (jazz, rock, classical, country etc.)WHAT is the song about? Does it tell a story? If so, rephrase the plot in your own words. What kind of action is taking place? What is happening?WHO (what character) is singing the song? Is it someone like you or very different from you? In what ways? Are you (the character) singing about yourself or someone else, or both? What is/ are the character(s) of the song like? Describe in as much detail as possible.WHEN is the action taking place? Right now, in the future, or a long time ago? Morning or evening? Broad daylight or the dead of night? Describe.WHERE is the action taking place? Indoors or out? In a vaulted cathedral or a one-room shack? Picture the "set" as vividly as you can and describe in detail. What colors do you see? What is the weather or temperature like? What aromas do you smell? A field of flowers or the smokiness of a nightclub? Let your imagination run wild!Now, imagine your character (WHO) living in the time (WHEN) and place (WHERE) you have created. How does this setting affect the action (WHAT)?HOW is your character feeling the situation? How would you communicate those emotions vocally?You now have the tools to get your song across to your audience. By activating your imagination, you have explored the WHAT, WHO, WHEN, and WHERE of your song. In doing this, you arrived at the emotional content (HOW). Now you can use everything you know about technique (breathing, diction, projection, etc.) bring out those emotions and (hopefully) have more fun in the bargain.Remember: The purpose of any musical tecnique, instrumental or vocal, is to serve the expression of the music.The challenge of performing is using your interpretive skills so that, by the end of your performance, the audience understands the song as well as you do.*************

[jchitty]

Hey, Suz...I like yours and Mark's suggestion that singing is just getting into character and acting for the most part. Thanks for posting the song interpretation worksheet....that's something that I think will help me. There are some excellent suggestions there. I'm also gonna look into purchasing the book you listed, "Voice Power" by Joan Kenley. That's what I love about this forum....folks here are so helpful. I can't tell you how many times my songs were made better by critiques, etc....so now, you're helping me with my vocals.

[suzdoyle]

Yahoo, Janet!It is fun being on these Taxi Forums -- I love the vast expanse of knowledge and ideas (not to mention the wacky jokes and creativity) here . . . Here's another idea: In the book "Using Your Brain . . . for a Change," the authors describe some user friendly ways to change behavior based on Neuro-Linguistic Programming techniques. I found the regular books on this waaaaayyyyyyy too intense and detailed for my needs, but in this book, they offer a very effective way to deal with things that feel too big (e.g. stage fright, or fear of fully using one's voice).1. Focus on what the fear (or hesitation) feels like. Most likely it will be very large, vivid, bright, loud, etc.2. Make that smaller (draw a circle around it, imagine it being a movie that is slowly fading to black and white or being played backwards; or put it in a bubble and let it float away).3. Then imagine what your voice looks or feels like (it may seem small or far away). Make it bigger. Add color. Brighten it up. Put Arnold Schwarzennegger muscles on it. Whatever your imagination can come up with to make it more powerful.Then try singing. This may sounds wackydoodle, but somehow it works. It makes sense that if our brains can amplify fears and make them feel vivid and intensified, then we can use those same brains to change that.Just a thought . . . SuzQueen & CEO of "Hmmmm, I wonder if that might work?", Inc.

[jchitty]

Thanks once again, Suz. I will probably go to my local library first, and I'll see if they have both the books you mentioned....we have a very extensive library here...or I'll just look for the books at Amazon.com if the library doesn't have them. LOL, I like 'the put Arnold Schwarzennegger muscles on it' part of the list you posted....I just gotta blow it out.

[ernstinen]

Aug 25, 2008, 10:43am, aubreyz wrote:Hmmm... just a quick clarification, sibilance is usually most obnoxious in the 5 to 7k range. 10k and up is mostly "air". If you reduce 12k, that will darken the overall vocal which is not the desired goal.There are two options... either "draw in" volume rides manually to reduce the ssss's or use a good de-esser. Although it only works in Pro Tools, Steve Massey (google it) has released one that IMHO is as good as it gets. It's cheap and has an unlimited time demo version (which won't keep settings but doesn't add pops or beeps).I've heard Massey's plug-ins, and they are great! I don't have a clue why he does them for free, or cheap!As to sibilance, I'd estimate it to be about in the 8k range. But I agree that 12k is WAY too high, and I LOVE putting highs on vocals from about 12k to 22k. That's the AIR that Aub talks about. I know, I know, that some say that people can't hear beyond 20k, but I highly disagree! I've worked with Massenburg EQs that go up to 24k, and 'I' can hear the difference! Maybe I have the ears of a dog, but I DEFINITELY can hear the "air up there!" Ern

[jchitty]

Aug 30, 2008, 3:39am, feaker wrote:chitsHere is my two cents.Your voice on the lower notes has much appeal. Not sure what happens on the high notes, but the character lessens. Maybe "does not project" might be better put. Still very good, but if you are looking for perfection, look there. Might be that confidence thing everyone is talking about.Very impressive. You have come a long way.PaulThanks, Paul. I know I have some range issues when I hit those high notes, and I tend to hold back, but I'll work on that.

[jchitty]

Hey, Cam....if I ever do learn to engineer my own demoes, I would use my voice mainly for my country songs...I agree that for R&B type tunes (Beyonce) my voice just wouldn't fit there. I also agree about making PRO demoes for certain songs as well....there are just times when a studio production is best. Thanks for your thoughts.....they are appreciated.