Karaoke Forums

It's a tradegy for me to see their days are over, and I'm glad I never bet they sang a set, still I'm gonna miss them.


(The chorus had that ABBA quality.)

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Hey Steven,


Nice to meet ya! I believe we met a while back when I was Witchfairy30...

Hmmm for some reason I kind of remember you bearing a strong resemblance to Norman Bates....  :shock:

Dani

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[b][color=#BF0000][color=#BF0000]http://www.procollabs.com[/color][/color][/b]

What, no DEVO?!?!?!  :fright:

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[shadow=white][scroll]Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass.....It's about learning to dance in the rain[/scroll][/shadow]

I can't listen to "whip it" anymore.  I get too emotional and start seeing colors and shapes that don't exist..  Their songs just "touch me" in that special emotional place if you know what I mean.  I'm a very sensitive type of person !

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Hello Raven,  I have listened to you and you are a pro-sounding vocalist. Exceptionally talented.  We share a slightly different taste in music style, but you are a brilliant singer/musician.. I'm stuck back in classic rock/ballad period of the late 60's and 1970's for some reason, however I surface for air on ocassion to hear amazing song comps IE..  I like Seal, and Liked the Crash Test Dummies MMMM loved the baritone somewhat renaissance sounding composition and the chorus concept.  I do recall the Witchfairy SN btw, and,  Yes,  some know me in the forums. I've posted a few times since joining !  For some reason, what I like is pretty much "adult contemporary" stuff that many would traditionally refer to as "old fashioned pretty ballad" (or boring).. (for lack of a better explanation).. Carly Simon, Linda Ronstadt, Janice Ian, Carly Simon (although I preferred her as a composer to a singer), something about her voice timbre just didn't "Float my boat" I suppose.. Tough to describe... I liked James Taylor, Jimmy Buffet, Harry Chapin, Gordon LIghtfoot male ballad singers, however Jim Croce was too commercial sounding for my tastes.. (I suppose I'm musically stubborn)

IOW,  I'm a fan of elevator and dentist office Muzak.  Love it.. New age too..

Nice to meet you

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

This thread is also mixing a healthy dose of facetiousness with some real areas .  While I don't have a suitable ability to sing, I was born into a family or artistic folks, and started in music in certain aspects at 3, toured for 9 years as a multiinstrumentalist.. Now I'm giving myself permission to learn to sing no matter how much of an abomination the result is.

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Yeah, I see that you have posted a few ummm thousand times  :yes:

I love ballads too, although many seem to get bored when I post them, so I kind of like to mix it up a bit by posting a variety of genres.  I never heard you sing, but I believe I may have seen you once or twice leave a comment for someone, hence the Norman Bates association  :shock:

Ya know, if you are serious about getting into singing, I'd be more then happy to help you out if I can...

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[b][color=#BF0000][color=#BF0000]http://www.procollabs.com[/color][/color][/b]

I appreciate it,  Yes I'm very serious however I've become so embarrassed over the years when hearing the contrast between what I think I'm singing such as Tesla, Scorpions, Boston etc, and hearing what I actually sound like singing such groups when playing back the recording.  What I believe I will need to do is sit down with a pop vocal instructor locally and have my feet planted grounding myself in actual vocal register as opposed to where I want to be..  Ever notice how many males (who can't really sing classic rock style) tend to raise their voice into a range where they believe they are covering the tenor rock range however they just end up singing from weak characterless head-voice ?   That's me..  BUT,  I wasn't able to tell the difference until I heard myself sing, and was told over and over again, sing more in your talking voice range.. You sould like Alvin and the Chipmonks trying to sing Boston ..   Basically,  for somebody who's spent his life in music, I haven't a clue what I can/can't sing like, this is extremely difficult for me.. I have not been able to self-teach, and I've become quite inhibited as a result.   So, thanks for the offer, but I think this is one of those things that's going to involve a lot include posture, breath control, mouth and face positioning, and if it turns out to be as much fun as playing French Horn... I'll throw in the towel ..  I don't know if ALL really can sing as they'd wish to..

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

In music and acting (more-so than the visual arts) I've found it extremely difficult to perceive ourselves with objectivity.  Not sure why.  But it's VERY VERY tough to hear and view ourselves in order to attempt to establish ourselves.  I never really knew this until I started aging and getting rusty on instrumentals (due to lack of practice) and my WHOLE life informally attempting to ocassionaly sing.. How ANY can actually hear themselves with objectivity amazes me.  I think I've also gotten psyched out because of this aspect..  My attempts thus-far have been frustrating, and it seems brutally tough.  I'm aware of my concept of "singer", and I can't touch that.

(I think there's a larger psychological component involved in singing.. sort've like "Baring your insides" ???)

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Hey Steven,

You shouldn't be so hard on yourself really...However, I do understand, and of course, we are our own worst critics!! I'd love to hear you sing, do you have any recordings of yourself? Trust me, I would never judge you, I promise...If I had an idea of your range etc, maybe I could direct you to a genre or style that I think would be suitable for your voice.  

I am not a professional singer by FAR, but I do have an ear for music & If I could be of help to you, let me know....

Dani

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[b][color=#BF0000][color=#BF0000]http://www.procollabs.com[/color][/color][/b]

I have LOADS of analog attempts (tape). I'm attempting to sing "Music of the Night" from Phantom now ,  I do a dynamite rendition of Kermit the frog filling in for Michael Crawford !.. (still haven't gotten into the computer digital MIDI realm). I CONSTANTLY tape myself.  I'm trying to get out've head (nasaly sound), chronic sinus and respiratory probs that don't help but I need to work around that, I won't sing if it means sounding like "Green Day" or "Elvis Costello"..  

I look at it this way Dani.  Whether people divulge it or not about a performer, (or too the performer) people/audiences for the most part are very real, and quite critical. Behind the scenes people pull no punches, they talk about what they find to be real. For this reason, I'd rather be real with myself and others about what I can, and similarly can't do, and make sure I have a concept of my place (while still adding sardonic humor to it). I'm being real about something I'd LIKE to do, but something I can't currently do (at least in a genre I appreciate), classical I'd likely have a voice for, but I don't enjoy that. There's loads of talent here, however in live music settings I've had my microphone removed from me NUMEROUS times in band settings, and actual friend have told me "It doesn't work".. There've been indications I need A LOT of help, or perhaps this just isn't going to work for me. But I seriously AM embarrassed about my inability to sing. Yet it doesn't stop me behind closed doors..  I settled for backing up vocalists in cocktail piano settings, or band settings.. Figured I had little choice but to let those that do something well do their thing, while I find and stick to my place as a team player since nothing about me ever leaned towards "Front man" in music atmosphere.  In essence I've accepted my place as accompanist to vocalists and other front entertainers, and found some comfort in knowing my niche in the music realm at least exists someplace..

I'm STARTING to hear signs of being able to break out've headvoice, and just THAT alone makes me happy.. It's not easy, I never knew about mouth positioning.. In general I'm a rigid person, and it shows..  WHEN I feel something isn't horrid and it's nothing to be ashamed of,  I'll certainly share it but even just breathing easily, or taking deep relaxed breaths is an effort (do to everyday tension and real life stresses), and my singing heavily shows this.. Perhaps my biggest problem is I really need to be in a relaxed state and willing to open up to sing.. (as opposed to holding back),  I'm finding breaking out've head voice, and overcoming my obstacles to be tough and I get somewhat dizzy now singing... Anyway,  I'll share when I feel more comfortable.. When it comes to the REAL me, or what's inside, I am (unbeknownst to many here) actually VERY shy/ reticent.

One thing I am now doing is accepting I have a challenge in front of me but not giving up.  Unlike in the past I sing for about 1/2 every day, for all I know it just MIGHT be a matter of physical conditioning and building some strength.

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Hmmmm, you shy and reticent really? I would never have thought that for a second.  I believe, from what you have shared with me thus far, that you are quite opposite!

Well, I don't know you, but you know your limits and your abilities, so I'll have to just absorb everything you're telling me and like you said, when you're ready to share your recordings, you will.  Ya know something? I'll bet they're not as bad as you perceive them to be...

Mr. Kaplan, I think it's time for you to get yourself some new recording equipment and begin your new journey! Hec, you'll be surprised what a condenser mic & a program like Cool Edit Pro could do for ya! It makes recording easy and fun...Once you get started, you're going to be addicted! Give it a shot, you have nothing to lose...

Geez, why does this sound like a therapy session? sowee, I have a tendency of doing that!

Dani

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Not quite diametrically opposed.  I'm honest, but I'm not TOTALLY open to exposing certain parts of myself that I find undesireable, similarly when it comes to personal aspects of myself, or opening up regarding certain "real" things there's a VERY different person than the chatroom clown act, or my playful side.  Discussing things intellectually, and interacting in a friendly way to me is easier than exposing myself really attempting to do something such as singing, pouring myself into it, and bombing. To me that's very embarrasing. In the karaoke realm things are different, people apparently don't have to be "good" to perform.  This is NOTHING I was exposed to, and I'm not catching on too quickly.  I've never sung in front of anyone solo.. Even in Karaoke,  always been private practice areas.  I never had the option to perform unless what I was performing was polished, and I learned to accept that as how things should be.

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

You know what a better term is..  Perhaps not shy, but inhibited (assuming there's a difference).  Quite self-conscious

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Hey Steven,


I understand, well maybe when you start singing again, and start feeling good about it, you'll feel better about yourself, and it will shine through your performances!

Are you even willing to give it a try? There are many that can and will be willing to help you, me included

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[b][color=#BF0000][color=#BF0000]http://www.procollabs.com[/color][/color][/b]

Yes I am,  I'm working presently towards it !   Doing the work I need to do given what others have shared with me about getting out've "head voice". What I need to currently know now (and operakitty has helped with this) is how to get out've the nasaly dark sounding weak range,  singing with a brighter timbre. Naturally when I talk I tend to sound congested much of the time because I am.. So somehow I need to learn a few trick to break thru upper respiratory stuff.. I think THAT'S what's been hanging me up most my life.. I've got a weak, head-voicey, congested very clean quality, that doesn't have a singer quality to it.. and that just doesn't make it in music IMHO (at least as I aesthetically like to hear).. I never knew singers that worked in this area of singing technique, that cared to share technique.. ALL I knew when asked how they sang as they did, they'd respond respond with answers such as,  "I dunno, I just do it, I don't know how".. Needless to say such responses made me feel that I was "lesser" since I couldn't "Just do it", in fact I couldn't even HEAR that I couldn't do it..until I listened to myself on tape and hearing the contrast between how I thought I sounded and how I DID sound made me feel even LESS confident, and like lesser of a musician.  That was when I was younger, and I've carried that around for ages.. Just figuring either a person has the knack to be a singer, or they don't.. Seems I grew up in a time where few with talent admitted to, or even had to work hard it what they did.. Seemed most were naturals in their respective areas

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Hmmm, sounds like you have everything pretty much sorted, like I said, you'll know when you are ready to start recording again!

One small piece of advice though okay?  Try not to think so hard about it the next time you sit down to sing...Just relax your mind and let the music kinda take you away.  I know it must sound silly, but if you just relax your mind, you'll relax your vocal chords as well, and that will make quite the difference in the tone of your voice.

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[b][color=#BF0000][color=#BF0000]http://www.procollabs.com[/color][/color][/b]

I just tried that, doesn't work for me at all Dani,  I wish it did !   This needs to unfortuneately (I think) be somewhat contrived on my part.. At least for rock style. It sounds very lazy, soft, congested, but yeah, it's in tune

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

How do some of these singers do it ?  Take Bon Jovi, he has a pleasant softer talking voice as do many of these vocalists, but when they sing their vocal style and timbre appears totally non-related to their speaking voice characteristics ?  When I begin projecting OUT OF my talking voice quality, and I'm somehow able to bellow (perhaps in the baritone range) and PROJECT it doesn't sound that bad.. But projecting for a non-singer isn't easy.. and I get dizzy...  I need to learn how to breath properly I think.  I'll likely be able to pass, and do this, BUT It's going to involve modification of currently tendencies I think... I think this is going to involve some type of tweaking I just never considered as of yet

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

It's all about focusing Mr. Kaplan, I'm telling you, it makes a huge difference if you're relaxed when you sing! If you think too much about perfect pitch, tune & vibratto, you'll tense up which is not good for your vocal chords, just relax and let it flow....Like butta!!  :D

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