I like to sing, whenever I remind myself to. If I do a proper warm-up, then sing some sort of aria, my throat feels very nice and I'm more at-ease, and I look better in the mirror for some reason!!
There are many benefits to singing. I remember reading about a centenarian, who lived to be 115, and he basically said: "A good pipe and regular singing have kept me alive and happy for many years." So, lately, I've been trying to sing, and sometimes, it can take me out of a foul-mood..
Anyway, my first singing teacher told me to, when I reached for a difficult, high-note, to put all the tension in my groin.. This is not the proper way! I learned many such bad habits in high-school, because we were always forced to be very smiley and enthusiastic when we sang, which led to the bad habit of always raising my eyebrows while singing, and it took me a long time to learn to sing with my brow totally relaxed. Makes you look "intense."
When I was 12, I got cast as Simba in the lion king. It was kind of cool... All these cute girls were suddenly talking to me, though I did run into the occasional jerk who would call me "gay." It happens.
I used to always hold my neck way tilted to the side, so I could hit high-notes, and the lads in my choir would always mock me, all holding their heads to the right when they sang and wished to tease me. It was all good-hearted though...and I eventually learned proper technique.
I've always thought the most charming trait a female could possess was a good-voice. My first girlfriend wasn't a very good singer, and when I started a "showmance" with a buxom alto in this opera we were both in, I neglected the poor, original, girl. Big mistake, for the alto, despite having a pretty voice, was kind of a bitch, and I ended up losing my beloved first girlfriend!
Anyhow, you can get such a rush after a big performance. I sang for the opening of a big, fancy, new, music-hall in my town, singing "humming chorus" from Madama Butterfly with a choir, for a huge crowd, and the euphoria I felt chilling outside after the show was far better than any stupid drug. So, maybe try singing, if you're struggling with some sort of addiction.
Now, I just sing by myself, just going for the good "worked out" feeling it gives my vocal cords.
Also, I always enjoyed listening to my father sing, he's a vietnam vet, and kind of angry, so it's always kind of pleasant to hear him sing 60's songs. Singing is like putting your whole soul out-there, it's probably the hardest thing you can do. I've had such vivid dreams about singers I've known over the years... It's tied to something very primal within your soul...
I had some fun the other day, telling my shy mother to sing "Scarborough Fair," and harmonizing a bassline with her melody. She got too flustered to carry on, but she's been so much more friendly with me since that little bit of singing...
Once, I had to sing some songs for a wedding, playing guitar, with my friend, who was playing bass. I was quite annoyed when the dude wouldn't even sing some harmonies... He didn't even laugh or play shy... He just said "No." "No." Leaving all the heavy lifting to poor old me
So, I realize some dudes just aren't into the whole singing thing... But please, good sir, sing a bit when your alone, I reckon it will cheer you up!!
So... Anyone have funny stories from choir/showchoir??? Anyone struggling? Shy?? No? Yes? Maybe?
This blog is interesting, very much a collection of thoughts rather than a specific point.
Me...I'm always singing, but unlike you I don't really know what I'm doing. I can sometimes make notes that sound good, but other times it's pretty off and I don't really have consistency or smoothness in the sound. Maybe I'll record myself singing something just for the hell of it.
Any particular singers for you that you especially enjoy, or styles of music?
Once, I had to sing some songs for a wedding, playing guitar, with my friend, who was playing bass. I was quite annoyed when the dude wouldn't even sing some harmonies... He didn't even laugh or play shy... He just said "No." "No." Leaving all the heavy lifting to poor old me
I can't really fault him. Probably just wasn't good at singing, and especially being next to someone that knows what they are doing didn't want to look bad. Pretty typical and reasonable that people don't want to perform publicly in things they aren't good at.
Singers I like? Well operatic I'd say pavarotti, pop I'd say Jim Morrison!! As far as styles of music im into that starcrafty type of sound... paramore or the new asl theme: beast in black- blind and frozen!!
And yes i realize i did come off as a jerk with my bass player friend... just was odd how ambivalant he was to the whole thing
On October 07 2017 08:28 james1024 wrote: ^ glad to hear your thoughts, man.
Singers I like? Well operatic I'd say pavarotti, pop I'd say Jim Morrison!! As far as styles of music im into that starcrafty type of sound... paramore or the new asl theme: beast in black- blind and frozen!!
And yes i realize i did come off as a jerk with my bass player friend... just was odd how ambivalant he was to the whole thing
Haha, I think that's the first time I've ever heard Jim Morrison classified as "pop" :D
Yea, it's hard not to like Pavarotti, the last great (male) opera singer we had. I'm not really sure what happened, there used to be tons of incredible singers in the first half of the 1900s, and then it started to dwindle. Where are the Corelli's, Pavarotti's, Bjorlings, and Caruso's of the world now? Confusing to me.
As much as I love Pavarotti, I have to admit I'm biased to the old school sound with singer's formant dominance. There's just something about it magic for my ears. Although perhaps not the best singer of all time, I have to say my favorite voice of all time goes to Lanza, the characteristics of his voice just hit me in a way no other singer can.
E.g.:
A voice that just touches my soul in a way no other voice has.
As far as me, my favorite opera Singer would be this Man:
I find it a privilege that we have at least some of his recordings, and he has a very interesting life story about his career as well; I have gone back to singing after a long break where i wasn' t, and now its part of my day, and makes my day better, makes me feel lighter, its fun and meaningful; People who are shy to sing, i would advise to start maybe by whistling or humming, but do it around someone as well! like everything else in life the more you do it the easier to do it it gets; find out whats your voice range;
On October 08 2017 08:34 pebble444 wrote: As far as me, my favorite opera Singer would be this Man: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t936rzOt3Zc I find it a privilege that we have at least some of his recordings, and he has a very interesting life story about his career as well; I have gone back to singing after a long break where i wasn' t, and now its part of my day, and makes my day better, makes me feel lighter, its fun and meaningful; People who are shy to sing, i would advise to start maybe by whistling or humming, but do it around someone as well! like everything else in life the more you do it the easier to do it it gets; find out whats your voice range;
Caruso is certainly a legend. You can't exactly hear it...but you can almost feel the incredible squillo he had, and definitely much of the emotion. It's too bad nobody alive really knows how he sounded. I can appreciate his singing, but it just doesn't have quite the same impact for me given the overwhelming old time recording style.
What I wouldn't give for a time machine to hear the man in person.
I like your blog! I have always enjoyed singing to myself in the car or making birthday voicemails for my friends where I sing the birthday song in the heavy 90's grunge and hell I can rooooar. I've always wanted to be on stage but when I was young I had a terrible stutter. But everyone with a stutter knows that you can still sing perfectly well and in time despite your stutter. It doesn't make sense. But somehow it does. I have never done a theatre production or sang in front of people for entertainment (besides using my growling at a frat party to incite riots) but I respect that people go on stage and really become vulnerable to so many people. Have you found a style that you really like?
^^So, I finally got a moment, and took the time to listen to all the audio recordings you all were kind enough to share. It was... Interesting, you really have to slow down to listen to this kind of stuff.
As far as me, my favorite opera Singer would be this ManCaruso)
Yes, I chipped my teeth on a cd of his my teacher gave me. Would have to agree with you, probably the greatest singer ever... I was watching a documentary of an old lady singer and she said "Caruso told one girl 'Oh, you are like a big juicy steak,' and then turned to me and said 'you are like a little piece of cake... (darling),'" Sounds like a red-blooded gent!
Yea, it's hard not to like Pavarotti, the last great (male) opera singer we had. I'm not really sure what happened, there used to be tons of incredible singers in the first half of the 1900s, and then it started to dwindle. Where are the Corelli's, Pavarotti's, Bjorlings, and Caruso's of the world now? Confusing to me.
Hmm, my guess it would be an aging market. In all the music books I read they said symphonic/opera is becoming less popular... But, on the bright side, I wouldn't be surprised if a new generation of tenors reinvigorates the market for this kind of music!! I think "classical" music needs to lower ticket prices to attract young people, girls really REALLY like to get dressed to the 9's for the operahouse... I saw a distant worlds concert, and there were some opulently-dressed young lasses with their dates. But, with tickets costing $100 a pop... It's expensive stuff. Nothing like a night at the opera, though ^^... Although, I have to admit, it can get a little... long?... With run-in-the-mill singers... I'm sure watching Pavarotti as Pagliacci(although it was a bit to hard for his lyric-tenor voice) would have me enthusiastic the whole show!
BTW, what's "formant dominance?" Darkening the tone? Or I think it's rounding the vowels??? Been awhile since i've thought about this stuffㅠㅠ.
As promised here's a little clip I made of me trying to sing:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdRxVlnifq8
I like your voice, L_Master! It's like hearing the voice of starcraft players! You have a very good sense of musicality...
I have never done a theatre production or sang in front of people for entertainment (besides using my growling at a frat party to incite riots) but I respect that people go on stage and really become vulnerable to so many people. Have you found a style that you really like?
Sure, 95% of people don't like singing in public because they're shy! So, that was cool to hear!
As for me, I had a teacher that really opened up my high-range, but I've kind of settled on being a baritone, it's just easier! With pop I like to sing folksy, like a young jerry garcia, with opera, I like to sing like a medium-toned baritone, like Gerard Souzay! Would love to get back on the horse!
This has been a fun hour... I was gonna write a new post... but this post was still on the frontpage... so... I enjoyed hearing your fellow's experiences with singing! Especially the lad who said it made his day lighter and happier, that was so cool! Any other fun singing/choir/music stories?!?! Yes? No? Maybe? Cheers
Formant dominance. Think Pavarotti/Corelli versus someone like Caruso/Bjorling.
Guys like Pav/Corelli, especially above the passagio have more of a ringing buzz. It's like a bright core with a dark shell around it. Old school is more of a focused, laser beam sound. It has a dark core with a bright shell around it.
Spectrally, if you take say A4 from Pav/Corelli you will see the dominant peak in the spectrum occurs around 1400Hz, which corresponds with the second formant. In an A4 from Bjorling you will notice the dominant peak occurring around 3000-3500Hz. Basically both tenors are "tuning" their vocal tracts to emphasize different formants/frequencies to create their squillo, ring, and power.
If this still isn't clear, just listen to this clip. It will really allow you to hear the difference. What the clip does is play the complete note, then it removes all frequencies below the dominant one, so that all you're hearing is the character of the squillo:
EPT
Cheers
