whats the difference?

Z

zionster

New member
hi guys, i've been singing for my band for some time and with everyone else improving, i feel the need to get better at singing as well, ie: range, control and tone...

my band is into rock and the dilema i face is this - is it better to choose a teacher whom only teaches rock vocals as compared to a teacher whom is not genre specific? (since i've never recieved formal training before)

also, other then going to a school or instructor, how do we get better at singing?

all suggestions are appreciated! =)
 
I think it's more important to have a good teacher than to have a teacher who specializes in your style.

I also think that a teacher who only teaches one style is probably not a very good teacher :)
 
My daily warm-up starts with "mmm" on a 5 tone scale (1 2 3 4 5 4 3 2 1). I focus on keeping it relaxed, and keeping my larynx steady. Usually I don't do all that well :) So this exercise is mainly just to warm up my vocal cords for exercise #2

Exercise #2 is "me" on an octave, 1 3 5 8 5 3 1, followed by 1 3 5 8 8 8 8 5 3 1 once I've got the right coordination on the top notes. I find it easier to keep my larynx from rising on this exercise, because it jumps so quickly between notes.

After that I run through all the vowel sounds, "me", "may", "meh", "mah", "moh", "mo", "moo", "mooh"., all on the octave scale. This is to train each vowel sound. After that I'm usually ready to do some singing!

Sometimes I start on "mah" .. depends on the day. "mah" is more difficult than "me", so if I have trouble with "mah" then I try "me" first.

What's missing from what I described above is how to do those exercises .. to learn how to do them properly, you really need to take a lesson with a teacher who knows them. If done the way they are supposed to be done, they are very effective in giving you an open and resonant voice.
 
regarding teachers, i guess someone who is familiar with singing rock style would be able to teach you in the unique techniques like screaming or using falsetto, whereas teachers who are not genre specific would be able to guide you in improving in all areas of yr vocals, and perhaps even increase your overall musical sense.

It all depends on whether you need someone to build you up from your basics, or you only need someone who can guide you on yr rock singing, but this would mean that you are very sure you only want to sing rock, and also that you are rather advanced in your singing already. If not, then probably someone who is able to cover many genres would be better for your overall singing improvement.

Aaron
Personal Singing Guide, Tips From A Vocal Coach For All Professional and Karaoke
 
zionster said:
hi guys, i've been singing for my band for some time and with everyone else improving, i feel the need to get better at singing as well, ie: range, control and tone...

my band is into rock and the dilema i face is this - is it better to choose a teacher whom only teaches rock vocals as compared to a teacher whom is not genre specific? (since i've never recieved formal training before)

also, other then going to a school or instructor, how do we get better at singing?

all suggestions are appreciated! =)
Click to expand...

all u need 2 do is sing along with ur cds ... just belt it out as loud as U can ....

sure to improve.
 
zombie: i like the video too though the thing i realise is that doing things from a video u may not know if u are practising correctly cos there really isnt anyone to tell u where u gone wrong... but that aside, i think that was some amazing stuff!


FGL: thanks! i am doing that at the moment, but i guess i need to find some consistency in the singing, sometimes i think i sound good, sometimes i dont, and sometimes the whole sound is a little different all together, i'm working on it though!

singing along with CDs is darn enjoyable to do too!
 
yea...learning from videos risks doing it wrongly and learning bad habits. of course ideally its to get a vocal instructor, but those are ex man. esp one to one lessons. thats y i am considering getting the CD programme. he teaches speech level singing, which was 'invented' by this guru called seth riggs.

the problem with singing to CDs (as in songs) is that we may end up imitating the singer which may not necessarily be using the correct techni ue, even if they've sold millions of albums. and the songs we sing may not train our voices properly, or may be too hard and lead us to push too hard and strain our voices. an analogy....singing to CDs i like playing soccer, vocal training is like going to the gym and strengthening the muscles, or doing drills, that you will use when playing soccer. sure u can improve just by playing soccer all the time, but there's a reason why all the pro's still do drills and go to the gym right? no, i'm not a big soccer fan.

well thats just my opinion.
 
one thing u should hve done. joined our soft vocalist hangout last sat! very useful yet i forgot half the things learn hahah
 
hey zombie, i totally agree with that there, but i think i am a little more inclined on going under an instructor to learn wat i think is suitable for my vocal progression but hey, since we're all students of music, we could always help each other out ya?

lol in fact, i'm sure theres no harm sharing wat we learn in vocal classes with ppl whom learn their craft thru vids ya?

unkown: ARGH!@!! the fact that i missed that one kinda killed me emotionally for that weekend, but i'll look forward to the next one when it comes!
 
remember ...sing along with yr cds, etc ..... the THE BEST way to improve ... and it's the practical form - you can only learn so much from books or teachers ...

Our female vox was a real newbie with not that fantastic ability when she joined our band - Now she's even singing "heavy" tunes like Power of Love etc...
 
I am the total opposite to fgl .. I believe that singing along with your cds is the WORST way. It will not help your voice at all. But it'll make you feel like you can sing, because you're listening to the cd, not your own voice :)

Instead, work on your technique until you sound great (this will be much easier if you have a good teacher). Then sing your favorite songs WITHOUT the cd. Ask your friends what you sound like. Record yourself and listen again the next day (this will help you be critical of yourself).

When people are impressed when you sing without any band behind you, then you know you have a great voice :)
 
zionster said:
hi guys, i've been singing for my band for some time and with everyone else improving, i feel the need to get better at singing as well, ie: range, control and tone...

my band is into rock and the dilema i face is this - is it better to choose a teacher whom only teaches rock vocals as compared to a teacher whom is not genre specific? (since i've never recieved formal training before)

also, other then going to a school or instructor, how do we get better at singing?

all suggestions are appreciated! =)
Click to expand...

My suggestions go as follows:

1 - Get a non-genre-specific vocal teacher first. Understand your voice and how to take care of it. Take it as the "basics" lah. After you learn what it is that happens everytime you sing this or that, you'll know how to bend the rules and be flexible to suit whatever genre you want. You'll learn how to -completely- control your voice, like it's your long lost twin. After that..

2 - Get a rock vocal teacher. Why, because rock vocals has extra bits you won't learn from a normal vocal teacher. Tips such as how to apply certain parts of your voice into the style, compromises of technique that changes the general singing style and tones to make it -sound- rock or give that rock definitive, and lastly, the rock ~charm and attitude~, which I highly suggest learning from an experienced rocker. One of the peeps I would suggest for this is Withered Tree's Sham. He can be quite a drinker tho, don't follow that aspect and you'll be fine :P I'm sure there are others around, but so far he's the best I've heard in FULL rock application which I'm sure will be useful if you were to sing original music, where it's plain and right there for you to jazz it up with the rock style.

3 - With all the knowledge you've gained, -then- sing along with the CDs to learn the vibe and to further experiment and learn how to apply point no.2. In other words all I'm saying is to "reap" the influence of rock into your bones so that your voice comes out rock naturally. Listen carefully to where and how certain parts are sung, and WHY they are sung that way. All these are pretty much the flavour and aroma to the rock voice and would do good in constituting the practice factor, not the vocal training factor. And sing as much as you can till it becomes easy peasy :)
 
Singing

Yea, I do agree with Sage's comments. Go with a non-genre specific vocal coach first. It'll help you with your basics and also gives you a broader knowledge of singing in general. After you've laid hold of the foundations of correct singing posture, habits, pre and post performance blah blah blah, then go for a more specialised coach.

I'll use bass guitar techniques as a metaphor cos I'm a bassist! Think about this, I know of people who started off learning and playing bass with a pick. Not that it's wrong, but then when they are required to play something with their fingers they know nothing about alternate plucking. They're stuck and have no choice but to sort of "relearn" their stuffs. Yea, what I mean is that if you start off straight with a rock vocal coach, it's good short-term for your band but when you are required to tackle songs of other genres down the road it may be tougher for you.

In short, starting with a non-genre specific coach is like laying the bricks to your vocal foundation, and then after that you can add on to your vocal vocab (I like the word play ;))
with other genre-specific coach.

Oh, and please take great care of your voice! The better you treat it, the more it's going to reward you! All the best in your search for a vocal coach!
 
btherl said:
I am the total opposite to fgl .. I believe that singing along with your cds is the WORST way. It will not help your voice at all. But it'll make you feel like you can sing, because you're listening to the cd, not your own voice :)/quote]

It worked for me .. coz I can hear that I was in tune, in tone, in key and in time with the cd .... so when U sound as good as the singer in the cd, its gotta be good somehow....

Of course the whole thing is to LISTEN to yourself and how U blend with the CD.

If U swing out of key, tone and time with the cd .... you gotta try to emulate it. Ahaaaa ....after all is mastered, then U can work on your own technique and style for whatever way U wish to interprate the song
Click to expand...
 
Kakak Saaaaage!!!!!

Yo thread starter, listen to this lady. She knows her stuff k? She made me into the singer that i am now. I couldn't sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star before i met her. Now i'm writing my own songs. And I sound a bit better. (I think.)

Anyway, stick to her and you'll be fine. :)

fgl said:
btherl said:
I am the total opposite to fgl .. I believe that singing along with your cds is the WORST way. It will not help your voice at all. But it'll make you feel like you can sing, because you're listening to the cd, not your own voice :)/quote]

It worked for me .. coz I can hear that I was in tune, in tone, in key and in time with the cd .... so when U sound as good as the singer in the cd, its gotta be good somehow....

Of course the whole thing is to LISTEN to yourself and how U blend with the CD.

If U swing out of key, tone and time with the cd .... you gotta try to emulate it. Ahaaaa ....after all is mastered, then U can work on your own technique and style for whatever way U wish to interprate the song
Click to expand...

Bro, this is one of the reason why in Singapore Idol (and all the other Idol programmes) we have stubborn people saying that they can sing when even tone death people would agree that they suck as hell. Some people just can't realise that their tone is the same or at least close (no need to say flat or sharp ah, they wouldn't know also) to the song they're singing.

No offence but bad advice to a learning singer. That'll be practice for more intermediate singers.
Click to expand...
 
haha ok... the CD suggestion is kinda fun though

anyways i have signed up for vocal trainings at music lab, the music school at paradiz centre, doby ghaut, i'll keep an update on the progress... thanks for the suggestion all!
 
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