Ok this maybe sound lika a storm in a teacup but it's importante for younger singers.
Lately I have come across very confusing statements in other forums. I'll quote someof them like:
about raspy singing:
''well, it's the truth. There is no way of creating a 'damaged' sound without damaging the voice. I guess there is a less damaging one.''

and another

''According to my teacher, A person who sings rock/pop cleanly with a good technqiue will last into their 40's. A well trained opera singer should last into their 60's, and if very well trained maybe more. Those singers who add grit with a reltively healthy technique will last to late 30's, maybe 40's if they are lucky. Those with bad technique of any style, will not last very long at all before they develop nodules or other problems. Singing alot (as in being a performer) will give you some vocal damage, no matter your style. Those opera singers with very good technqiues do as little damage as possible, and receive very little trouble throughout their career as a result, and can last into their later years''

I have read many other things that tells you that people like Jaime who still can use his voice after such vocal gymnastics as rasp, grit, screams etc. are only nature freaks and abusers and also that those who follow them will definetly ruin their voice by 40ties. That most heathly methode if used corectly is only pure opera technique AND with out any effects etc.
Jaime isn't there any kind of studies of hard singers who are in their 50ties or 60ties. Jaime please don't think that I throw doubt upon your methode but I feel that those statements usually are very categoric and even aggressive. Is there let's say 10 or 15 singers that we all could find who still in their 40ties, 50ties or 60ties use their voice as good as in 20ties AND ue grits growls etc. Is there scientific researches. We could bring all that information together here... and i know that some will say that try what's best for you and use but it would be nice to know that there is some other older and great part of hard or semihard singers who still do their thing.

Both statement are pure crap!!!! And you can tell those people I said so. The new book I am writing with Tony Harnell is all about these topics. Tony still sounds amazing after 22 years. You do NOT have to singing damaging to get a damaging sound. Opera is NOT the only technique to sing into your 60's. And by the way...This is NOT a lie. I shattered EIGHT wineglasses today, beating my old record of four in a row. How do I feel????? Amazing! I am not a freak of nature. I just had great teachers. In fact, I hgave been so lazy with actually singing, becasue of all of the projects that I am doing, that I guarantee that most of my true RYV students that practice and sing every day, would smoke me in a singing competition. But, when I startr gearing back up, better watch your ass, cause I'm a singing monster!!! ;)

JV

Oh men I'm sure that you're singing giant and monster... Maybe if you have time you can write just few encouragement words to those in VSC

http://singing.eblah.com/cgi-bin/Blah/Blah.pl?b=GenVoiceDiscuss,m=1174425946

or

http://singing.eblah.com/cgi-bin/Blah/Blah.pl?b=GenVoiceDiscuss,m=1174328923

Abe, you beat me to it! I was in the process of searching for those 2 threads on the VCS forum.

Meagan

Freedom is the clue. As long as heart and feelings go for it... cause our mental controls it all... and there's nothing to prove if you listen to yourself and to what your body's telling. No matter how old you are !

If it hurts, then you do it wrong.
If it's difficult to reach, just train and you'll make it.

I recently had another confirmation on my own experience that it's hoo so true... !

Receive my official congratulations Jaime !

Mag

Jaime I am sure you could smoke us in singing.

Doubt that. There are some amazing singers on this board. I'm just a glass breaking fool ;)

JV

You'll have to actually tell me the names of the posts on Eblah because when I copy and paste I go right to the sign in board and cannot find the post you are referring to.

JV

Jaime, here you go.

http://singing.eblah.com/cgi-bin/Blah/Blah.pl?b=GenVoiceDiscuss,m=1174425946
^ This one is “Vocal Tone” & started by RAL.

http://singing.eblah.com/cgi-bin/Blah/Blah.pl?b=GenVoiceDiscuss,m=1174328923
^ This one is “head voice beginner” started by Error404.

Meagan

Hey, abe, I saw the post on VCS. One person that comes to mind that goes against their argument is Patti LaBelle. She does all kinds of crazy stuff with her voice and has been doing it for 4 decades, yet her voice is still in tact. She is currently in her early 60s. If anyone should have any kind of vocal damage (if this stuff is incorrect), it should be her. But obviously, she's fine. She's getting older, but she's still more or less fine.

Ronnie James Dio name comes to mind... and he's over 60 age

All I can really add to this conversation are a couple of singers who I think still have it.

Etta James has become bassier over the years, but she's still an AMAZING singer, and my favorite female R&B singer! (for those of you who wanted to know;)

OF COURSE Stevie Wonder's voice has changed over the years, but I'd be worried if he still sounded like he did starting out in the industry at age 12! But he's still got it, DEFINITELY!

Mike Patton miraculously still has a voice, ut 'm not sure if he uses proper technique. I'm leaning more towards the idea that he was just born with a crazy set of pipes!

Steven Tyler can still hit the high's, but his tonality has changed.

Jaime Vendera's still singing, and he's like...80 or 90 something!

There are many older singers that still have good voices. Rob Halford, Paul Stanley, Sammy Hagar, Dio and Bruce Dickinson are some older hard rock singers that come to mind. Personally, I think that if you take care of yourself in other ways, it helps your voice too. Granted, these guys can't sing like they did when they were 18. But who can? As far as I know, none of these guys have had debilitating alcohol or drug problems. Of course Sammy is a tequila salesman and drinker onstage, but I bet that he rarely touches it when he is not performing.

Andy,

Health is a very importnat issue. But, I have to say, I think you are wrong about Sammy. He loves his alcohol ;) Funny story-Tawn Mastrey from Sirius Satellite Radio tried to get Sammy to let me teach him to shatter glass on the air. I told her he could do it with an amp, but probably not without. Never heard back from them after that comment ;)

JV

Alright, maybe Sam is a big lush. But the fact remains that the man can still sing. Like his voice or not, he has been pretty consistent over the years. On a good night, he can scream like a banshee. I know because I have seen him about 15 times in the last 10 years. I like your story Jaime. Sounds like he wussed out.

I don't think he wussed out. I think it was just a timing issue. Sammy is still amazing although he's a drunkard ;)

Jv