vocal techniques

[allends]

Jul 17, 2008, 7:25am, hummingbird wrote:Both whispering & shouting are bad for the voice (that includes talking over music or other noise). Whispering because you are not fully engaged & that tires the voice. Shouting because you are exerting pressure. Talking on the phone (or over the internet) should also be limited (10-15mins). Thank you so much for clarifying the point regarding whispering. I first heard this advice back in the '70s and at the time I just couldn't understand the issue. Years later I experienced some permanent damage to my singing voice as a result of a recurring illness. Today, my vocal apparatus is still sensitive and I can feel the strain from whispering. So Hummin'bird, I can vouch for your advice! My personal advice to forum members is: Listen to the pros! Unfortunately, Al

[hummingbird]

Jul 17, 2008, 7:56am, allends wrote:Years later I experienced some permanent damage to my singing voice as a result of a recurring illness. Today, my vocal apparatus is still sensitive and I can feel the strain from whispering. Sorry to hear that, Al.

[stephen]

Jul 16, 2008, 6:04pm, hummingbird wrote:Quote:-you may already do this but really listen to the artists whose voices you admire and try to emulate. a huge caveat is that of course there are lots of artists who have vocal nodes and horrible technique so be careful with that one.I disagree with this. Anytime you try to imitate someone else you are manipulating your voice and this is not healthy. it is better to work consistently with what you have and trust it will develop if you are doing healthy things with it.Well said can't add to this...

[allends]

Jul 16, 2008, 6:04pm, hummingbird wrote:I disagree with this. Anytime you try to imitate someone else you are manipulating your voice and this is not healthy. it is better to work consistently with what you have and trust it will develop if you are doing healthy things with it.Bird,Your wonderful advice is golden! I would add - just for humor - that imitating James Taylor was my specialty in the 1970s. Ol' JT is on record for his advocacy of strain-free singing so I could have picked worse, I s'pose. Thanks Again,Al

[davekershaw]

Jul 16, 2008, 6:57pm, mojobone wrote:Remember that singing should never hurt.Yeah, but - fortunately - no-one told John Lennon that when he recorded "Twist and Shout".

[ernstinen]

Jul 17, 2008, 9:13am, davekershaw wrote:Yeah, but - fortunately - no-one told John Lennon that when he recorded "Twist and Shout". Probably the greatest rock vocal of all time!And listen to some of the songs from Lennon's first solo album like "Well Well Well." Yow! Ern

[mewman]

In the end, you still get singers like Avril Lavigne pronouncing words like "you" Yeahooo". All this talk of technique takes a quick backseat to creativity and raw experience. I realize that there is much to be learned from technical coaches, but there are just too many great singers out there who have broken all the rules and left there mark. I think your style of music will dictate alot of your approach.Mewman

[davekershaw]

Jul 17, 2008, 9:31am, ernstinen wrote:And listen to some of the songs from Lennon's first solo album like "Well Well Well." Yow! Oh Yes Ern, and "Mother".Some raw emotion coming out there!Great album, packed with Great (in the true sense) tracks.

[davekershaw]

Jul 17, 2008, 9:38am, mewman wrote:there are just too many great singers out there who have broken all the rules and left there mark. MewmanLook no further than Rod Stewart!

[mojobone]

Yes,whispering is a form of overblowing; you're using more air without fully engaging the chords. There's a vocal coach (don't remember the name, just now) that teaches this to rock singers, his technique involves overblowing just enough and only on certain phrases to achieve the desired sound. It's an advanced technique, not recommended for beginners. Any overblowing at all will tire the voice, too much will damage the chords, and/or produce nodes, and that ain't no fun.