THE VOICE CONNECTION
SOUND OFF

Welcome to The Voice Connection Sound Off; a forum for users of books like Raise Your Voice, Melody to Madness, The Ultimate Breathing Workout, and Unleash Your Creative Mindset, as well as a place for Vendera Vocal Academy members to interact.

This message board was created so that singers could come together and "sound off" to help support each other during vocal development and the creative process of unleashing the creative spark that occurs when writing and producing music. Currently, myself and vocal coaches Ben Valen, Ray West, and Ryan Wall are here to respond periodicially to your questions, with new vocal coaches coming soon. But, feel free to help each other too:)

This board is here for you to ask questions about my and my fellow coach's books, videos, and MP3 programs, as well as offer others help with our vocal techniques. You may also post videos of yourself and your band to share your music and ask for critiques.

Please refrain from negative comments, profanities, spamming, and inappropriate criticisms of vocal methodologies, vocal coaches, and singers. All negative posts will be deleted and subject to banning without question. I will not respond to negative posts, because, as Mark Twain once said, “Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience.” With that said, positive criticism is welcome because that is how you'll grow as a singer during the training process.


The Voice Connection - Sound Off
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Re: Practical application

The practical application is that it strengthens the muscles involved and develops the co-ordination and technique.

It's like playing tennis. You need to learn how to swing first before you play. When you play actual tennis, your swing won't be as good as it was when you were focusing only on the swing, as there are other aspects to focus on, and you forget a little about getting the swing perfectly right.

Re: Practical application

I have a similar modal range limitation. G4 is the highest pitch I can belt in full "chest" voice (M1) and even though I've been stretching my falsetto (M2) range both higher and lower (currently G3-C6 on a really good day) I still can't belt or otherwise produce an A4 at higher than medium volume in "reinforced falsetto" mode. When I try to push the messa di voce/transcending tone louder on my A's and B's I invariably start cracking and yodeling. I'm hoping the muscles in my larynx will eventually strengthen enough to maintain consistency of tone at high volume throughout my passagio (1st break around F4, 2nd around B4). C5 up to G5 I can sustain at full volume without strain; higher notes I only hold in exercises until I feel the strain, which is almost instantaneous at B5/C6. Still, there is a sort of dead zone for me from G#4-B4 where I currently cannot sing forte.

Re: Practical application

As for practice songs, it can be easier sometimes to cover a female vocalist by singing down an octave. There are a few male artists who stay below G4, but the A4/B4 high notes are so common, and apparently from tenors singing those notes in M1 (chest). Try these as my own humble suggestions:

"Lost", "Stand My Ground" by Within Temptation (Sharon den Adel)
"I'm The Only One" by Melissa Etheridge
"Plush", "Trippin' On a Hole In a Paper Heart" by Stone Temple Pilots (Scott Weiland)
"Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town", "Release" by Pearl Jam (Eddie Veder)
"While Your Lips" by Nightwish (Marco Hietala)
"Nemo" by Nightwish (Tarja Turunen)


Lots of melodic female metal singers from Europe to check out, if you like the symphonic power metal genre.