So... I've Got To Learn To Be A High-tenor.
<div class="IPBDescription">Singing advice?</div> Right, so, our drama teacher is insane, and chose a Sondheim musical for our high school spring performance. Specifically, he chose "A Little Night Music". Its pretty much nothing but innuendo.
So I ended up getting cast as Henrik, who is studying to be a church official, falls in love with his step-mother, who is closer to his age than to his father's, and eventually ends up running away with her in the end.
The problem is, I'm not a high-tenor. I'm closer to a baritone. Now, I'm sure I can falcetto some of it, but that won't cut it the whole song.
So, any advice on how I can get my voice up there, aside from the cliches involving the application of force to my testicals?
So I ended up getting cast as Henrik, who is studying to be a church official, falls in love with his step-mother, who is closer to his age than to his father's, and eventually ends up running away with her in the end.
The problem is, I'm not a high-tenor. I'm closer to a baritone. Now, I'm sure I can falcetto some of it, but that won't cut it the whole song.
So, any advice on how I can get my voice up there, aside from the cliches involving the application of force to my testicals?
Comments
I'm out of ideas.
Also, I'd recommend working on the transition between your chest voice and falsetto. Sing stuff that makes you go back and forth a lot on scales and in jumps, and see if you can get the transition as seemless as possible. Don't strain yourself! A lot of it seems to be in knowing how to really relax things to ease through the transition. Keep your jaw and whole throat area as limp as you can to practice, then slowly add in muscles without restricting anything in your throat unnecessarly.
basicly, pretend there is a dime in your crack, and you cant let it slip out :/
Breathe from your diaghram not your stomach. The difference being that when you breath, your chest should not go up. Your stomach should go out before it goes up.
Secondly, when hitting higher notes raise your soft-pallette. That's the part in the back of your mouth. My old choir teacher told us to do that imagine there's a string attached to the ceiling and the other end's attached to the top-back of your head, but don't drop your jaw. #1 rule is not dropping your jaw b/c that'll muffle the sound.
Umm....what else. As mentioned before, I would practice talking in a high pitch to get a feel for the notes. Just walk around saying stuff in a falsetto voice.
Don't push the notes otherwise it'll sound strained and it will end up hurting your vocal cords.
I would ask your drama teacher to help you with practicing some warm up things to adjust your voice. Or if you have a piano at home, just sing a the scale with an 'oooo' because it's easier than most other things, maybe "aaah" would work.
If all else fails, just sing baritone lol.
haha <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
EDIT: unless you're talking about those American pancakes instead. They go much better with maple syrup. Mmmmm....syrup...
EDIT: unless you're talking about those American pancakes instead. They go much better with maple syrup. Mmmmm....syrup... <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Please enlighten me as to these non american pancakes <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
EDIT: unless you're talking about those American pancakes instead. They go much better with maple syrup. Mmmmm....syrup... <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Please enlighten me as to these non american pancakes <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yes, I too am curious about your foreign breakfast food items.
Pancakes here in england aren`t as stodgy as american ones, that to me look like they can be used as a place mat. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Mmmmm pancakes with sugar and lemon are great...... even better with raisins in. <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Pancakes here in england aren`t as stodgy as american ones, that to me look like they can be used as a place mat. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Mmmmm pancakes with sugar and lemon are great...... even better with raisins in. <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
What are they made out of?
Also, when you sing, the audience should always be able to see your teeth, it brightens the sound and brings it forward in your mouth. Also, keep it a little on the nasal side. Try leaning your forehead against a wall and leaning your weight on it (as in take a step back from the wall you should look like this /| while you sing. Bringing the sound forward is important. If you sing in the back of your throat, it darkens the sound, and can make you go flat, especially if you're not confident in your pitching.
That's akin to the soft pallette that Ambassador is talking about. Give yourself heaps of space (open your mouth - almost like you're yawning).
One of my singing teachers always said "Singing is 5% talent, 5% work and 90% mental".
I know it sounds weird, but you have to think as if you are coming down to the note, instead of going up to reach it. If you have a piano or keyboard available, it's easy to check out what I mean. Play a note, and sing it. Then play a lower note and sing that. Your voice neatly drops into place, and doesn't stress your voice at all, it feels more like an adjustment than an actual change. Now try going up. Visualise moving up higher, and your voice will sound more strained, and you are more likely to be flat. Try thinking about the note as if you are moving down to it, and you're less likely to strain, and it will feel easier. Believe me, it takes a bit of practice, but it works.
Also, while real castration works, the "squeezing the dime" method is almost entirely a mental thing. Squeezing your testicles won't immediately change the structure of your vocal chords, but it will make you feel like it has, because you've learnt to associate it to that.
The idea about the scales is absolutely right. You can train your voice into being a counter-tenor if you work hard and long enough (counter-tenor sings approx a female soprano's range, with slight differences that don't really concern us). The more you practice, the easier it will be.
Don't sing what you physically can't sing, you'll damage yourself.
Pancakes here in england aren`t as stodgy as american ones, that to me look like they can be used as a place mat. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Mmmmm pancakes with sugar and lemon are great...... even better with raisins in. <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
What are they made out of? <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
flour, eggs, water, milk. Really simple.
<a href='http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/basilpancakswithsuga_66226.shtml' target='_blank'>http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database...uga_66226.shtml</a>
Pancakes in the UK are pretty thin. But yes, they go great with lemon and sugar.
Pancakes here in england aren`t as stodgy as american ones, that to me look like they can be used as a place mat. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Mmmmm pancakes with sugar and lemon are great...... even better with raisins in. <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
What are they made out of? <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
flour, eggs, water, milk. Really simple.
<a href='http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/basilpancakswithsuga_66226.shtml' target='_blank'>http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database...uga_66226.shtml</a>
Pancakes in the UK are pretty thin. But yes, they go great with lemon and sugar. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yep. They're generally plate-sized but really thin.
You put your lemon and sugar on (and maybe honey... mmm...), then roll it up into a thin strip and eat it. Make sure you eat it from the ends inwards, that way you get all the sugary lemony goodness in the last bite <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Also they're generally eaten as a desert rather than brekfast food.
Definatly visualize placing the notes - not reaching for them. Many people have huge cracks in their range when switching from head voice to falsetto - try starting falsetto earlier (lower) in the range.
If all else fails, I got a pair of tin snips you could borrow (just kidding)
Utter pagen lies.
You never want to breath like that (I call it the action movie breaths in my teachings). I don't care if you are a chic...you still breath from the "tummy". Your diaphram expands downward, so your tummy should expand, due to your organs being pushed down.
Now, I am not a voice teacher, but a concert musician (tuba private lesson teacher, to be exact).
Now, some of this stuff would cost you 15$/per 30 minutes if you took lessons from me, but I will share anyway. Musicians, take note...this is good stuff.
Now, in order to be able to play and sing well, you need a good air support. I always tell my students that music is like a building, you have your building (the actual music), your curtains, bricks, cotches, blinds (musical ornimentations such as accents, cresendos, decresendos, staccatos, etc), and so on. However, you cannot have a good building without good foundation. The same can be said about music. Air is the foundation of music. You cannot become a great performer without great air. Trust me, I know. I have to blow through more tubing then anyone (I <3 the tuba).
Here are two exercises you can to to increase your air supply.
-----
1. Column of air.
The "column of air" exercise is to help you increase the amount of air to bring in and out. When doing this exersize, you want to breath with your stomach, and not do any "action movie" chest breathing. You also do not want any embouchure. You want to be as relaxed as possible.
Now, extend your arm out, and your hand flat infront of you. Make your arm prominant, because you want to play in that way. You never want to play as if you are conveying the question "am I playing?" You always want to play with this stuck up attitude, saying "Yea, I'm playing....deal with it." The same thing goes with your air. Always play with sort of an attitudal air, as I like to say.
Now, you will breath in for four counts, and breath out. When breathing, you will move your hand towards you, and while you breath out, move your hand away. The hand is to help you visualize a column of air that you are pushing and pulling into your lungs. However, I want you to imagine this column with a diameter of a Folders coffee can. Yea, a lot of air is what you want going in and out of your body.
Do 8 sets of this with 4 beats in and 4 beats out. Later on, change it up, doing 2 in 4 out, and so on.
When doing this, you want to be sorta dizzy, because that proves you are doing this correctly. However, you dont want to try and kill yourself.
(Oh, air is also the natural high, just to point out. <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo--> And its free.)
2. Dot on Hand (Instrumentalists only)
Next, I want you to to put your hand an inch and a half infront of your mouth. Form and embouchure, and what you will do is breath in for 2 counts, and blow out for four. You want to channel your air to hit one spot on your hand, and blow so that it could almost move your hand. This is to help you channel your air in one spot, as if blowin down the lead pipe. It takes some work, but it will pay off in the end.
-----
Also, when you do anything musical, you always want to be as relaxed as possible. Stress can take away from the quality of sound.
Well, got some questions or want some 1 on 1 help, hit me up. Hope this helps....gots to rush to class.
This is why we need a music forum <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->
lol and there was me trying to keep this thread on topic by creating another about pancakes, you would think an admin would know better <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Or is singing and pancakes inexplicably linked at some deeper and spiritual level? <!--emo&:0--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wow.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wow.gif' /><!--endemo-->
This thread is becoming extremely informative.
Oh and, lol @ Action Movie breaths. (It feels really fitting somehow.)
Go figure.
You never want to breath like that (I call it the action movie breaths in my teachings). I don't care if you are a chic...you still breath from the "tummy". Your diaphram expands downward, so your tummy should expand, due to your organs being pushed down.
<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Correct. By maintaining your posture and controlling your chest/shoulders/head you will achieve a much more uniform sound than if you tried to breath by expanding your chest.
//Horn player.
I also refer to them as "Baywatch Breaths," too.
I'm surprized there are no comments on the "natural high"
I was a high tenor in choir <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
practice your scales, practice practice practice everything
also breath from your diaphram and project
Pancakes here in england aren`t as stodgy as american ones, that to me look like they can be used as a place mat. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Mmmmm pancakes with sugar and lemon are great...... even better with raisins in. <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
What are they made out of? <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
flour, eggs, water, milk. Really simple.
<a href='http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/basilpancakswithsuga_66226.shtml' target='_blank'>http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database...uga_66226.shtml</a>
Pancakes in the UK are pretty thin. But yes, they go great with lemon and sugar. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yep. They're generally plate-sized but really thin.
You put your lemon and sugar on (and maybe honey... mmm...), then roll it up into a thin strip and eat it. Make sure you eat it from the ends inwards, that way you get all the sugary lemony goodness in the last bite <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Also they're generally eaten as a desert rather than brekfast food. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
mmmmm honey.....