Karaoke Forums

k...so ma song I subbed (Secret of Life).... I figured I'd start a new thread instead of hijackin' another one....

So... Syberchick..... what do u suggest fer ma stuffy singing?? other than gittin a hanky and BLOWIN ma nose! ! cuz trust me... that ain't gonna work..... I've heard some people talking about an all-natural nasal spray....that essentially just salene water... whattaya think?
Thanks fer sayin' that my tone has improved and yes it was a lot harder to control the pitch when using my diaphram, but I'll keep workin' that muscle and hopefully it'll git better...

I can't tell ya how much more INTERESTED I am in my comments now that they're REAL ones! ! Thanks for your honesty all!

any more tips put 'em here so we all can benefit

ANY SINGERS WITH QUESTIONS... ya might as well put THEM here too... looks like there's a lot of knowledge out there to help us amatures out!

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I know I'm not one of the people qualified to really critique (as Heather, Jazzy, Syber, and perhaps Dying Moose are) but I told ya Crystal, your version of Blue was the best I've heard besides Leann.

I agree with tigger....you sounded great on it...sigh...sorry....
What kind of mic do you use though?.....a regular one....or headphone mic?.....

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it's a piece of junk!!

it is a regular mic... it's plastic ... from Wal-Mart for 16 bucks!! !

I would tell you what brand it is.... but it was on the package... i THINK it was Phillips! ! !! the only thing the MIC says is "universal microphone" it really is poop! ! !

and thanks so much you two... but ohh man! I can hear every single error in "Blue" and trust me.... there's lots! But it was a whole lotta fun!

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I have enjoyed (and saved) everything I have ever heard from you Crystal:) Oh, and the stuffy thing... My sister, who loves to sing.. but, gawd luv her, she sucks, ALWAYS sounds stuffy, but oddly, she only sounds like that when, singing, or eating (lol, which is often:)... I swear, it is like, whenever her mouth is concentrating on something, her nose runs. And, i have never heard the more nasal sound on ya subs, except your most recent one.

ANYWAYS,

I know what you mean. I hear every single tiny error, in all of my songs.. but, I simply don't really care. Lol, I feel the need to broadcast my errors, in hopes that no one else calls me on 'em. We are alike in many ways, but, gawd, I don't want a critique from ANYONE. I would rather brush my teeth with a rotten steak. Lol, it just, simply, wouldn't be helpful for me... (not that I think, i am so perfect, that I can't possible improve..) I just have no desire to do so, I am comfy in my rut, and as a stay at home mother, who has ditched all of her other hobbies (i HATE drawing now.. HATE it), this is my ONLY ONE!. I have fun, doing the crap i do, and generally, as most know of me, i do, say, and sing, whatever the heck i want, regardless of what other people say:)

(I do seem to make a hobby of hijacking threads, and irritating people, but honestly, this one is ALMOST on track!!)

Blab blab blab (waiting for pills to kick in, sleeepppy now...) So, i WILL go away:)

I am going out in the morning, and buying a leather coat I have had my eye on.... ok, i bet it will be gone when I get there. Just my luck.

back to the critique thing.

I don't do it, because, I am such a moron, that no one takes me seriously. I tried, back a year ago, to do the whole critique thing.. but, it doesn't work. and the WORST thing, is that, if YOU as a singer suck, people don't want to take advice from you, anyways (the whole "what do you think YOU are talking about, giving ME advice, when ya suck!") ... people can have not perfect voices and still know what the heck they are talking about.. can't they?




--->Question to put out there,

do you respect/use/contemplate the opinions and critiques that come from people that YOU don't admire as vocalists?

By the way, blah to mics.. do what I do, and don't USE one.

Ok Troublemaker (said in jest), a "real comment" to me is an honest one. I may not have ever had a singing lesson or studied music, but I know what I like and what sounds good to me and your last sub was just that. I was "real" when I commented on your sub, even though I can't describe it better than what I did. I maybe can't critique it the way you'd like, cuz I know absolutely nothing about pitch or tempo or any musical jargon. As you may know, I didn't even know what the heck vibrato was til a few months ago, . I'm glad there are qualified people here that will do just that.

My simple observation is that I loved your voice on it. Pure and simple always works best for me.

I'm not being defensive, just wanna let you know that there are plenty of real comments meaning they come from the heart if not from musical experience.

absolutely!! that's exactly what i meant by "real comment"--honest!

And it makes no difference what kind of musical training you have or what qualifications you have.... i just want an honest opinion.

EVEN IF it was someone who I think can't sing very well.....
i would accept a critique from that person too... with open arms, because I'M not qualified, but i can tell when someone's not on key.... or is off on timing, so I think i can rightfully critique on those aspects... so if I can hear other's errors, I'm sure they can hear mine
so no... it wouldn't bother me in the slightest if someone I thought wasn't a very good singer critiqued me.... infact... I'd be relieved!! Like i said... I LOVE all the real comments I'm getting...

Some of them are VERY sweet like yours, Luly and I feel you WERE telling me the truth. You gave me your opinion and that's absolutely want I wanted so THANK YOU

.... now if someone started saying "OH MY GOD CRYSTAL YOUR VOICE IS OUTSTANDING!! HOLY SMOKES!!" well then I know they'd be fluffin....I don't consider a nice comment to be fluff.... I consider an exaggerative LIE to be fluff! ! do i make sense?

I hope none of u think I'm not satisfied with your comments cuz I'm absolutely THRILLED!!

now gimme some more pointers.... I'm still wanting some ideas to get over this stuffy plugged up sound i have... and Gilly... I'm pretty sure I only sound like that when I'm singin, but I can't say I've heard a recording of myself just talking lately.... hmm... maybe I should just to see... *shrugs*



good greif this post took me FOREVER to post... I just got ma nails done and I type at half the speed now, cuz i keep hittin the wrong keys!! !!

again..... any tips or pointers from anyone would be accepted and appreciated.... even from Allstar!!! !!

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Ok hon, just had to get that point across and I'm glad you appreciate comments that are less than technical, cuz mine will always be just that, !

Now stick your fingers in front of a fan so you don't mess them up AND your keyboard!!

Sorry it took me so long to get back to you! =p

There are a couple of things I would try if I were you. You could try using some Vicks Vapo-Rub under your nose (or using a menthol cough-drop) about 15-20 minutes before you sing, or breathing in some vapor from a vaporizor (I don't really like 'nose spray' because it wears off too quickly and then you're worse than ever!).

If you're not really 'stuffy' but you have a problem with 'nasality' in your singing, there is an exercise you can do to help that as well. Hold your nose and sing! Then you gradually learn to adjust your throat and the way you use your diaphram to reduce the nasal tone. Practice making 'ohhh' and 'ahhh' sounds first, then try singing the alphabet very slowly. Of course, there are certain sounds (like mmm) that will ALWAYS have to go through your nose, but others will get better.

Hope this helps hun!!

the problem is BOTH! !
I'm allergic to everything, so yes my nose is always stuffy, but I also have a problem sounding nasaly too.... I've done that exercise a lot.. I always do.....
problem is... I was concetrating so much on my diaphram... I forgot about the nasality thing!! !!

I'm blonde...takes me a while to get all those things goin' at the same time!! !
practise! practise! practise!!!

I will try your stuffy nose remedies... THANKS Syberchick!! always appreciated!!!!

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Oh Darn!

Topic subject: CRITIQUE ME
You wanted us to critique your song, not you.

I was hoping that I could be able to get in here and really let ya have it! HA HA

Instead I guess I'll just say "HI!"

Oops did I go off topic ??

Hmmm... Should I post a smilie...

Really just teasing Crystal.

PHILL

It is good to see that someone actually wantttsssssssssss to be told they suck jokin girl..

no seriously..when i started recordin and subbing a couple years ago..i did so on a pitiful mic i got outa the trash at a place i volunteered at..with the help of jazzy..billy..tammy...(in my opinion the main three cep pros) i learned how to use that mic to my best advantage..the biggest improvement was to eq the mid tones down..and the highs..cuz the mic made me sound really harsh..now with the mic i have now which a friend gave me i find i have to lower the lows..cuz its too bassy..but what you have to do is play with the settings on ur recorder..until u find what works with your type of voice..

as far as nasally...works for willie..he aint havin no problems payin the water bill..

as for critiques..its not necessary to be a music major to critique a song..actually..unless you are singing classical or pop..alot of the jargon isnt goin to even apply..because with changes in genre..come changes in expression...pronuciation..interpretation...no holdin that chin on the chest when you wanna sound all sultry and sexy and jazzified yanno?

most of those that go out and find the next big star..cant even sing..they know what sounds good and the y know what the public wants to hear..so dont think you cant give an honest critique just cuz you majored in bathrrom smokin rather than music

fortunately i have just enough musical background with high school band and chorus..and church..to help me understand some of it..but for the most part..id much rather prefer you tell me how to be better..in laymans terms..

HAPPY SUNDAY YALL!

"id much rather prefer" ??????????????????????

hahahahahah ..yall would NEVER know i minored in ENGLISH hahahha

BTW Tigger, If you have an 'ear' and can tell when folks are on pitch or not, etc., you are qualified to critique.

It makes perfect sense.

To me, 'fluff' is when they listen to the song and think to themselves... "ehhh... well, that wasn't too terrific", but what they POST is "Wow that was GREAT! Best version I've ever heard!"

In other words, insincerity and dishonesty all in the attempt to either a) spare the person's feelings, or b) get the person to go listen to THEIR subs (because we generally go listen to subs of people who comment on our songs, don't we?)

Some of the other stuff I've heard, such as 'finding something nice to say' is ok, as long as they aren't hiding what they really think. And of course, we also have those here who only post 'for fun' and don't want ranking or critiques at all... so I guess it's ok for the fluffies (I'm not going to say 'fluffers' - reminds me too much of a bad porn flick ) to clump together in a big fluffy ball of fluff and just comfort themselves into oblivion. Their choice, right?

*shakes it off* heheh

Always a pleasure Hey, who ever said singing was easy??

(well ok, I'm sure it's easy for SOME folks... disgusting isn't it? )

Phill heheh

Great post, New Day

I look forward to hearing some of your subs.... (rubbing hands together) J/K!!! I really will listen to your subs though.

! Great subs EVERYONE... Thanks all! This has turned out to be a fabulous thread.... and Phill?? WATCH IT BUDDY! I'm sure there's a few out there that could critique a few things about YOU... like .. what the heck was going on with this site yesterday?? you SLACKIN'? huh??
oh and as fer ma smilies n blinkies.... you know you love 'em!!

hey uh... Kass? I MINORED IN ENGLISH TOO! !... and I used to be a FANTASTIC speller...... now I've forgotten how to spell the simplest words.... Ask Tig.. He's usually on Yahoo Messenger while I'm typing some of ma posts, and I always gotta mmsg him going
TIG! SPELL CHECK!! HOW DO YA SPELL AMEATURE? AMAETUER?? OHH! AMATURE... K GOTCHA!

seriously... that's the word I ask him for yesterday! lmao!!

Used to be real good at grammar, too..... but now I type the way I talk... see? even THIS ain't a complete sentance...sentence?? HA! ! *sigh*

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