Criticize my singing please

Hey,

My dream is to become a professional singer. I was wondering if there are any pro singers here or just "proper" singers who could listen to some acapella covers I did today and comment and criticize them.

Thanks.

Heather Headley - I Wish

http://www.box.net/shared/dpic6nxx2g

Mariah Carey - Whenever You Call

http://www.box.net/shared/xgma2064b2

Mariah Carey - Through The Rain

http://www.box.net/shared/norkocf93t

Linda Andrews - Disconnected

http://www.box.net/shared/svijn4lzxc

Avalon - Can't Live A Day

http://www.box.net/shared/lzd62gab1b

Hillsong - I Will Never Be

http://www.box.net/shared/i18kif78ix

Kristy Starling - Something More Acapella

http://www.box.net/shared/j5muokc2yx

Jordin Sparks - One Step At A Time

http://www.box.net/shared/o1svg8okpq

Jordin Sparks - The Cure

http://www.box.net/shared/smgyrq0e0r

Utada Hikaru - Deep River

http://www.box.net/shared/r3fh9tpldg

Ayumi Hamasaki - Dearest

http://www.box.net/shared/0qa2zrbmoz

I listened to half of one step at a time.

Your voice sounded ok..nothing intrinsicly wrong with it.Sounded ok to move forward with practice.. Sounds like you are about 6-9 months aways from being able to sing in a small band. You would have to practice for 3-4 hours a day with an instructional cd., then move up to a churches choir, or voice lessons. One good thing was you are using your natural voice.

I think you need to work on your range. Also on a variety of styles.

Your voice needs to be smoothed out a little and that will come with practice.

Once you start to improve its important to start singing out in front of audiences..try karaoke bars. After 50-100 karaoke performances..look for a band... Learn 4-5 of the most common cover songs.

After getting karaoke perforamances done, proably need to start looking for a powered mixer, Soundcraft Gigrac, Yamaha EX, Mackie 808 and a couple of 12 inch pa speakers and begin to look for a lexicon mx,mpx reverb unit, or yamaha spx reverb. Reverb is everything for vocals. Helps if you can play an instrument..harmonica, keys, slide guitar in open tunings, are all easy..you need to be able to add a riff or two rather than just only sing....keys are the most practical.

Learn midi and cakewalk-cubase and use it on a keyboard if nothing else..that would allow you to do key,drum,bass parts in a band with a computer and sequencing software..a powerful and useful skill...would help to get you in a band.faster than learning guitar or harmonica.(or be able to start a band or play solo).you can also get midi files of popular cover songs..A cheap Yamaha PSR keyboard would work to start out on computer sequencing

A lot of vocal practice is based around piano- to establish keys and notes to sing in.

I would look aroung for Karen Lanes Instructional CD's.would help you expand your range and develop and sweeten up your highs...you might be able to download one entire cd for $15 ..or try a few 99 cent single tracks at amazon

http://www.singsing.co.uk/Intro.html

Thanks a lot for the critiques and advice! I will check out that site.

I also listened to parts of the other songs also.

After some organized and directed practice, if you decide to hang out at a church, there are some advantages.

Churches have a piano, they have a PA system, they have a soundman to run the pa, there are lots of people to practice with, they have an accomplished pianist, they may have a band complete with gear, they have voice coaches and instructors. The larger the church the better. Expect pretty high quality pianos and pa gear and musicians.In a large city, a big church with 1000-5000 members probably has a $50,000 piano! But a small church might be right for you. They usually pay their pianist a salary. Dont be discouraged because people are better than you! Keep practicing and improving. Remember, you are just there to improve musically.

Churches and academic places will do some vocal practice with solfage..do-re-me-fa-so..in various keys and notes. They will find a starting point for you..so just because they are good..dont think they wont let you hang out..they will..your just not going to sing lead immediatly. Voice Lesson to Go by Ariella Vacarello is a good solfage instructional cd for getting ready for a church or college music dept. Churches are free, colleges cost money.

It sounds like you could concievably do Kenyan-Tanzanian Folk, World music with some work. You need to get some power in your voice, and move from just above the spoken word level to full voice singing. Again, start with the instructional cd's., and seriously consider cakewalk/cubase and a Yamaha PSR.

Yes, I'm trying to work on singing with more power. I think I've made some progress in the past few days.. Do you think it's any better in this? (I sang it just yesterday.) http://www.box.net/shared/dhhfjvh7vb I think I could have sung this a little louder than I did, but I was pretty tired when I recorded this. Also I messed up by raising the pitch of the second verse.

Thanks for again for the advice.

you have a good vocal quality for soul/r&b.

do you have any recordings with music in it?

Thanks! This is the most recent recording of mine with music in it. It might be from a few weeks or a month ago.

Beatles - Yesterday

http://www.box.net/shared/1si267loxx

not bad. i noticed you lowered the key of the song too.

just wondering, do you have more trouble with higher notes?

what's your overall range?

Thanks. Yeah, the song was originally out of my range, I think. Either that or it just wasn't in the comfortable zone of my range. I don't know what my range is by note, but when I was in choir for a little while I was in the tenor section. I don't think my range goes very high and I think I do have some trouble with the higher notes in my range, but I'm hoping to increase it some and improve with some practice.

I understand. Beatles songs are very hard for most male voices to sing. I don't recommend singing them in their original keys. I sing in baritone range and also have trouble with high notes. I think the best improvement to a male singer's voice (I think applies to both you and I) is to increase the range and have some projection/power for those notes as well. So if you want to improve to the voice then you have focus more on the technical aspects of singing.

Yup, I agree. Right now I'm doing vocal exercises/warm ups along with singing almost every day. I think that should help me improve with increasing my range and its power.

I sang another song today. Comments and critiques appreciated.

http://www.box.net/shared/5p5p3xaj7p

Sang more songs today. Comments and critiques plz?

David Archuleta - Crush

http://outboundlink.us/anxo/dr_ta_1/goto.php?DR_id=1072&linkout=http%3A//www.box.net/shared/q8b9srimnp

David Archuleta - Something Bout Love (Didn't lower the pitch on the instrumental enough for this.)

http://outboundlink.us/anxo/dr_ta_1/goto.php?DR_id=1072&linkout=http%3A//www.box.net/shared/q5td07ev43

Charice - All That I Need To Survive

http://outboundlink.us/anxo/dr_ta_1/goto.php?DR_id=1072&linkout=http%3A//www.box.net/shared/2036tmgojz

Ayumi Hamasaki - Heaven

http://outboundlink.us/anxo/dr_ta_1/goto.php?DR_id=1072&linkout=http%3A//www.box.net/shared/reqpblt7hi

Sang some more songs today. Crits and comments?

David Archuleta - To Be With You

http://www.box.net/shared/387y3agsv5

Crystal Kay - Motherland

http://www.box.net/shared/sb1gh669zz

Hey, My dream is to become a professional singer. I was wondering if there are any pro singers here or just "proper" singers who could listen to some acapella covers I did today and comment and criticize them. Thanks.

Proper singer here:wave:

You can sing notes on key and follow the melodies well...

Your control, vibrato and support aren't where they need to be.

Exude more confidence in your voice, and it will be much more pronounced.

This is where the control begins to develop.

I feel your voice isn't in the correct sweet spot:

(come with your heart and leave the rest to...)

I really liked the way this sounds.

I'd like to hear more challenging material from you, the keys in which you

sung these tracks make it appear you are playing it safe.

Good luck, you have potential.

Proper singer here:wave: You can sing notes on key and follow the melodies well... Your control, vibrato and support aren't where they need to be. Exude more confidence in your voice, and it will be much more pronounced. This is where the control begins to develop. I feel your voice isn't in the correct sweet spot: (come with your heart and leave the rest to...) I really liked the way this sounds. I'd like to hear more challenging material from you, the keys in which you sung these tracks make it appear you are playing it safe. Good luck, you have potential.

Thanks for the crits and comments!

By sweet spot do you mean like the range in which my voice is most comfortable or good?

By the challenging issue, do you mean I should try to transpose the songs so they challenge my range more?

Also which songs did you listen to btw?

Sang Ellie Goulding - Starry Eyed today.

http://www.box.net/shared/278hjelksr

only suggestion...sing with more power..more power=deeper breaths. 5-10 min warm up just loud loud humming..sustain the notes you hum as long as you can..

hmmm, thanks! I will try that out.

Your credentials (if any) please?

I can appreciate the fact you don't like someone's singing.

Your shitstain of a post is hardly constructive

so really... why not just GTFO of here with that attitude.

Or have some damn respect towards others

and (attempt) to construct a sentence that actually contains

content:idea:

I think your voice is pretty damn relaxing and nice! I just think that you fall into the trap of being super breathy.. Even if the breathiness is just for effect, just TRY singing with "confidence" once.. Y'know, really put emphasis on your words, put volume/weight into it. It'll sound much stronger and nicer.

CountRobula: Thanks! I will try to experiment with singing in a less breathy way with your directions. I even read somewhere that singing too breathily is bad for your vocal chords.

DukeofBoom: I have to say that I disagree with you. Just because a female originally sang a song doesn't not mean that males can't sing it. Plenty of artists cover songs that were originally sung by someone of the opposite sex. You may not like my singing or what I sing, but I like to sing music that I enjoy. If that displeases some people, then so be it.

Hey, you're right about that, man. Breathiness/whispering is actually more of a strain for your chords than shouting or screaming is. I've also read that in places, and I'm 100% certain that your voice would sound better and still sound soft and warm and mellow without that harmful technique.. So I hope this change isn't going to bother you.. Trust me, I think you'll sound better and things WILL improve.

Well, I sang some today and I tried to apply what you said (confidence/emphasizing words/not breathy/increase the volume and weight..) and I think I do sound better than before or at least I'm liking what I'm hearing. Only thing is I think I might have strained myself by trying to sing too loud since right now I can't sing higher notes like I could just a moment ago. I hope this is just temporary and that I didn't permanently damage my voice or something.

Any here are the songs I recorded today. They're both non-english songs.

CSJH - Renew

http://www.box.net/shared/n71kb4ot7q

Yuna Ito - Gate

http://www.box.net/shared/pyqg5lrncl

How is it? Any improvement? Do I have more power in my singing?

I seriously doubt you could damage your voice ESPECIALLY in one sitting unless you're screaming like you're going to pop a blood vessel, like you're really TRYING to ruin your vocal chords.

But yes, I heard a difference, and it sounds much better to me. Keep doing it, just don't strain, you SHOULD get all your high notes back with some time.