singing higher than the original singer

[ellax]

hi, i'm new here, and currently training for a song for some performance..

but im facing a problem, i had always been scolded by my music instructor for singing too high for my song. Sometimes even have occasion they tell me i had been singing almost one octave higher.

The current song that im practicing, my instructor insisted that the singer for the song is low and i'm singing too high than the original singer, and had been scolded as no matter how hard i try, they feel i'm still singing too high. Or if i change my key, they will say i'm off..

I have a natural high voice for a male, thus i keep having problem trying to bring my voice low.

Any way to work on problems like this?

 

[soft]

singing high or low doesnt matter as long as you sing in key/pitch.

if the song is in C key and you are singing in D key, you are singing way too high. it is a mistake, not a problem. :wink:

maybe you like to record something and let us listen?

 

[ellax]

i will try to record down asap, but currently i do not have a decent recording device to help me record.

but for singing on pitch, i am, but, they are complaining too high despite on pitch.

the instructor's explaination is: no feeling, the song will become boring if i'm singing the whole song high, will easily go flat and will not have resonance.

the instructor uses the original singer as ref, and tell me that he only uses mid range but i'm higher.

i tried to go follow their way of going lower, instead, i went off tune.

Currently suffering over this, as the song is supposedly one of my best song, but currently being confused.

the song is Wada Kouji's "Butterfly". You guys may recognise the song as the very first opening song for the first season of digimon.

 

[windogate]

There's a difference between C key and D key,
but theres also a difference between a thick D key and a thin D key.

Maybe your intructors dont know that? :lol:

 

[ellax]

what do you mean by that?

 

[btherl]

I think we need to know a bit more about your vocal range, and the style of singing you use. A recording would be perfect (maybe someone you know has the equipment to record?). Even a non-decent recording is better than nothing

Anyway.. how come your instructor does not tell you how to sing lower?

 

[ellax]

they did use accapello to teach me..

when i follow, i realise im off..

 

[ellax]

sorry for the late reply.. was doing some personal stuff..

anyway.. here is a record i did for the song..

currently undergo a seriously low moral as i'm getting more n more negetive remarks..

i dun even noe if i sang well or not..

if u guys listen to the recording and find it bad.. my apology..

http://download.yousendit.com/863DCF2126C08B67

i will be very grateful if anyone can tell me where i've gone wrong and and ways i can do to change it..

 

[daryl]

sounds fine to me. you dont seem to be singing very high.

 

[sage]

you sound fine dude and yeah i have to agree that isn't high..
and your pitching's okay, i've heard much much worse
who are these blokes feeding you all those pessimism?

 

[ellax]

they claim no feeling..

no consistency.. especially my high notes..

well.. i guess that's the problem also.. I also dunno.. kinda confuse already..

 

[btherl]

Hi, I had a listen to your recording.

Good points:
- You know the song well
- Your pitch is good overall, though often slightly off. As sage said, I've heard much worse
- Nice style.

Bad points:
- Your voice sounds like you are holding back. It doesn't sound "free". Are you trying to sound like a particular singer? Or a particular style?
- In your "eeee" at 0:53 seconds you suddenly get louder.. it doesn't sound so natural. This is the kind of thing they probably mean by "no feeling".
- Your high notes after that (around 1:00) sound strained. They probably feel strained too?
- high 'ee' at 1:06 is flat
- The phrase from 2:02 to 2:07 doesn't sound like your heart is in it. Let loose! Move around! Close your eyes and forget about anyone who might be listening. Singing needs your whole body involved, otherwise people will not be inspired by your passion.
The part immediately following that phrase sounds much better.

Take everything I say with a grain of salt, because I am only a student of singing, not a teacher

I don't notice a problem with your voice being too high, only that you are straining when hitting the higher notes

 

[ellax]

the holding back part is actually due to fearing of going high especially starting part.. i guess i was over cautious of going high especially was forced-trained like this for more than a yr..

one of the singer actually pointed out the straining part of high notes to me.. especially during rehearsal when i'm on stage with my nervousness and stress the problem is more worst..

i tried to lossen myself and try another version.. can u guys help me check if there's any improvement and any thing i still need to work on? sorry to bother u guys about it because i seriously have lots of doubts of myself that i kinda have difficulty looking into my problems myself now..

thanks a million

http://download.yousendit.com/4287DD310958EC6B

 

[btherl]

Hi ellax!

I only have quick comments since I'm short of time. It sounds a lot better this time! Your chorus starting at 0:56 sounds much more relaxed and free.

I have a few suggestions for the opening verse.. they are quite subjective, so I suggest you try them out and then choose yourself which version you prefer.

- At the very start at 0:20 (the end of the first phrase), your final note is very soft. I think it'll sound better if you give that note more punch. Then you can either drop the volume quickly or slide down to give it an "ending" feeling. Same thing for the soft note at 0:23.
-The 0:24 to 0:27 is quite soft.
- For the verse overall, I think it'll have more "feeling" if you add the kind of punch you have in the chorus. Like on the "ee .. .. ee" at 1:03-1:04. Try using more emphasis than you think is reasonable, take a recording and see how it sounds You may like it, you may not.

- Also, I notice a bit of strain at 1:06 still. That high note is a tough one


When I'm singing, I often find the verses are more difficult than the chorus, because it's not so clear what dynamics to use. One thing I noticed (especially in Coldplay's songs) is that he uses a LOT of dynamics in the verses. He has a huge punch on the start of the notes and drops in volume (often in pitch too) very fast. It feels extreme when I copy it, but it actually sounds quite nice.

Hope that helps in some way! I think you are quite a good singer

 

[sage]

just keep singing... just keep singing.. doodly doo.. :wink:

 

[xgamesterz]

i think you sound ok, but you stress too much on the ending notes of words like n~ATeh. some have too much swagger, slurring. then in the chorus part some parts in phrases like "Kitto toberu sa on my love " and "Mugendai no yume no ato no nanimo nai yo no naka ja " was unstable and in some you cut off too early like no-oh and say-eh

but its nice never heard anyone else doing a cover on butterfly, much less a singaporean (are you? you sounded natural) jia you!

 

[ys]

I think what your instructor or whoever means is that there is a problem with the dynamics.

Like, if you sing the verse an octave higher because it is too low for you, then sing the chorus in the same pitch as the song, it's going to be quite monotonous, you know what I mean?
I don't know if you're doing that, I'm just assuming, I can't access your yousendit link.

Maybe try and get your teacher to help you on your lower range?