Curious Thing/Maybe Fatigue?

So I was practicing singing a song today. I sang it maybe around 6 or 7 times today. Well, the 4th or 5th time I sang it I noticed that my voice and singing sounded more powerful and better than before. To my surprise it sounded like my vibrato sounded better and it seemed like I had better control and support than usual.

Then I sang the song 2 or 3 more times after. I noticed that the good vibrato and that sense of power in my voice were gone! My voice didn't sound as good as it did that one time. I tried singing 2 or 3 more times again, and each time I sang with the same technique as I did with that one time, and yet I didn't sound as good as that time.

So my question is, is it because my vocal chords are fatiqued from sing that one time? Since the voice/vocal chords are a muscle, is this just because my vocal chords aren't strong enough and don't have enough stamina yet? And as long as I keep practicing often, will I be able to sing better, like I did that one time today, for longer periods of time if I keep on exercising my vocal chords? Has anything like this happened to anyone else?

Prob fatigue. Did you warmup? My guess is by the 4th time you sang it, your voice was nice and warmed up. Happens to me as well, by the 3rd or 4th song of a set, my voice is where it needs to be...even if I warmup beforehand. Just keep at it, and your stamina will increase.

Well, for warm up I did 4 sets of lip bubble exercises and some other exercises like "no no no no nos," "yeah yeah yeahs," and "mum mum mums" across the scales before I started practicing that song. Yeah, I'm hoping it's just a sign of fatigue and that I just have to practice more. Thanks!

Duke cmon, you know that's not true, don't be mean. It's all bout the technique, and if you fatigue quickly that's obviously because you weren't doing something right. Now there's a few possibilities here. When you sung the song and you thought it sounded the best, did it feel the same like singing the other times? Or was it harder, or easier maybe? My best guess is - you got warmed up, and you felt a little more power and pushed it with improper technique and strained your voice a bit. If, on the other hand, you were completely relaxed and did nothing wrong with that couple of takes... no idea. I don't think voice just goes poof after half a dozen songs, how would anyone finish a concert if it did. Bottom line is, I think it's probably your technique, it should get better with practice.

Well, the reasons I think it might be fatigue of my vocal chords are:

1. One time there was a really young girl on American Idol. She did a poor job of singing a song, and afterward one of the judges said something like this, "Your singing is too inconsistent. Your voice is like a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it gets." So I'm thinking, maybe I just haven't been using good technique all this time until that time today, and that's why my voice is really weak right now and got fatigued so fast.

2. Also, something I didn't tell you in the first post was that right before I sang that one time that it was better than the rest, I did a vocal exercise to help project my voice, which I didn't do the times I sang the song before. So I was thinking this could be what helped me sing better and with more power that time.

When I sang the song that one time and it sounded best, it felt different from the other times, and easier. Like I had more power and control over what I wanted to do.

lol at another of Dukeofpoop's "quality" posts.

What kind of song are we talking about? Is it in your high or mid range? Is it hard to sing? What key? You should be able to practice for a couple of hours at a time with no affect - not screaming or straining though. After you're done your voice should be stronger unless you wear it out. The songs have to be within your range. Much more info required.....

The song was Westlife - You Raise Me Up. It starts out around mid range I think and then as it progresses, it gets higher and higher into my high range. I picked this song to practice since I thought it would be easier to sing due to its non-complex melody, but I actually think it's a pretty demanding song to sing, since it requires a lot of power in the notes, particularly in the second half. I'm wondering if the second half of it goes out of my comfortable range...

I'm not sure what key it's in, so I just uploaded my last recording of it:

http://www.box.net/shared/ln2as0mqdk

I see you're making things up as always. You've NEVER said anything to me about tensing my throat. And I DO breathe from my diaphragm. I'd prefer if pathological liars like you would refrain from posting in my thread, thanks.

Oh, I see. So you must know everything about the way I'm singing including what my problems are, Mr. Singing Expert.

I just wish you'd go away and stop bothering me. I mean, I know you hate me and all, but do you HAVE to try to make me feel miserable with your posts. Can't you just ignore that I exist and ignore my posts? Why do you insist on being so annoying and such an asshole? I've already told you that I don't want you talking to me or posting in my threads. Can't you act like an adult about this and be civil about this? What do you want from me? Why are you always harassing me?

My guess is probably because you're not always maintaining a good posture for singing? That's probably the most likely scenario. Are you paying attention to your posture? And are you keeping it consistent?

Also another thing that I've experienced is that I simply CANNOT sing well when I'm hungry. lol

My guess is probably because you're not always maintaining a good posture for singing? That's probably the most likely scenario. Are you paying attention to your posture? And are you keeping it consistent? Also another thing that I've experienced is that I simply CANNOT sing well when I'm hungry. lol

Well, I don't think it was cause I was hungry, cause I ate not long before I started practicing, heh.

Well, about posture, I don't really know what the right posture for singing is. Some singers say to stand up straight with relaxed shoulders as if you're lying on the ground, while other singers say something different like put one foot in front of the other, etc. I do try to stand up straight, but yeah, I guess I could pay more attention to my posture.

I'll try testing with that in mind soon. Thanks!

Posturing while singing seems to be VERY important. If I work on maintaining a healthy posture in general throughout the day, I noticed that my singing does get better and I can "feel" the abdominal and lower back muscles stretch and flex as I sing.

I've learned that a good posture for singing is to have your head/neck aligned straight with the spine and have your torso tilt slightly forward relative to your hips.

Hmm, interesting. I had no idea that maintaining a healthy posture just in general could make a difference while singing.

I'll try following your suggestion. Thanks a lot, davie!

I notice the same behavior. When I record only the first six or so takes are good. My voice changes in subtle ways with every successive take.

It is as if the more I try, the further away from my goal I get.

I tried having a piece of sugar candy to get some energy before recording, it made me jumpy and worse sounding.

I exercise to increase stamina but the best recordings are the ones made early in the recording session.

I'm no expert, but I can always tell if I'm singing with or without strain. If I sing with strain, I'll feel it in my throat within seconds. If I sing without or apparently without, I can sing longer.

Why should it be more complicated?

Make sure you don't strain. Make sure you don't strain.

Make sure you don't strain. Make sure you don't strain.

When you've made sure of this, you may worry again if the problem persists.

I'm no expert, but I can always tell if I'm singing with or without strain. If I sing with strain, I'll feel it in my throat within seconds. If I sing without or apparently without, I can sing longer. Why should it be more complicated? Make sure you don't strain. Make sure you don't strain. Make sure you don't strain. Make sure you don't strain. When you've made sure of this, you may worry again if the problem persists.

Can you describe the feeling you get in your throat if you're straining, so that I can know if I'm doing it or not? Or is it just, if you're singing without strain you won't feel anything in your throat, and if you are singing with strain, then you'll feel something?

I guess this is one more thing I can work on or pay special attention to..

It's hard to describe, but I could put it like this:

If I strain, I really, really don't want to hold the note, because I know that within a few seconds I get a lactic acid-ish feeling in my larynx or somewhere around there.

The lactic acid-ish feeling is not necessary for me to know if things will go bad - if you feel like you can hold the note forever with a sensation of not 'using' any resources, not draining energy, then you're probably doing it about right.

What boom means with diaphragm is I think less about breathing but more about controlling your exhalations. I suck at this myself, I know that sometimes when I go from high to low, I have to lose all my air and then just inhale a little bit because I can't sustain low notes when my lungs are moderately filled (the air would gush out and raise the pitch from where it should be).

Makes sense?

Section 1 - below your range and very pitchy. You need to practice your lower range with warm ups and scales (for this song at least). Chorus is better because it steps up several notes and you move into a more comfortable and experienced range.

Section 2 - After the musical interlude - modulates- steps right into your comfort zone on the chorus - much better. Are you using a compressor, dynamic mic? The volume is jumping all over the place. Work on the sustained notes - they need to be solid and non waivering. They are close ot your weak lower range.

I never hear you breathing - why is that?

Section 3 - Chorus again modulates - nice - getting some very nice phrasing here. Almost perfect except the last few "more" 's This is your best range.

Question - can you hear the music in your cans?

So we found three key where you have varying strength. I think it's a very wide range so you need to work on it - will take time but no strain as far as I can hear. This is a song you should only sing once you are fully warmed up - maybe towards the end of your gig. And only sing it once until you get the strength it takes to sing it without and stress or strain or pitch issue.

Thanks a lot for the critiques and advice!

What do you mean by "modulates"? Does that mean changing pitch into a new octave?

I'm using a Samson Q1U usb dynamic microphone.

You might not be able to hear my breathing cause I'm trying to inhale only through my nose, which I read somewhere is good to way to breathe while singing.

By "cans" do you mean speakers? If so, yes, I can hear the music alright from them. They may be a little soft though.

It's not acidic in that sense. Do you know what a sore muscle is? If you flex your wrists for 2 minutes you will feel a burn in your forearms - that's what I meant when I said lactic acid, for obvious reasons unless you haven't taken biology courses.

Modulation means changing, and in this context it means unwanted changes to pitch, often up and down over time rather than a constant error.

So basically if my throat or larynx feels sore then that means that I'm straining?

If I am straining, are there any ways I can work on singing without strain aside from trying to relax my throat more?

Duke I'm thinking it's time for you to be less of an ass and more of a friendly human being. Remember that the world is in desperately short supply of those.

Learning how to not strain is in my head the most basic thing about singing and it's not a problem solved by thinking something or visualizing a cow in your pelvis.

Vocal coach

Wow. You're unbelievable.

It's like you have no sense of honor or decency whatsoever in you.

The mic is meh - can you afford a condensor/phantom powered interface/preamp? Would be 100% improvement in clarity and tone.

I breath in through my mouth most of the time. Try that and see if you can get a bigger volume of air. It should be like deep breathing in and controlled breathing/singing out.

Modulation - what I'm talking about is the key changes that take place throughout the song.

Yeah, I've been thinking about getting a better mic recently. Do you know of any good ones that I should get?

Ok! I'll try breathing in with my mouth.