Thread: Would like an opinion on my "performance" - Caro Mio Ben

Thank you for your kindness.

I personally disliked my longer hair... it looked so messy and was extremely annoying, because it would get greasy very quickly.

The most important thing to do when you are learning to sing or play an instrument is to act on what the teacher says. Even things that seem silly little things that you think you are doing well, if the teacher says "you need to work on that" a good well qualified teacher knows more than you do, and they may know that the silly little thing is actually a building block that will allow you to do something later on.

I understand. Might I ask where the part "The most important thing to do when you are learning to sing or play an instrument is to act on what the teacher says." comes from? Unless I misunderstand, I didn't say I thought my teacher was wrong about anything.

Thanks for your feedback.

Those 2 videos in the concert hall are so lovely You have definetely a great potential and a stunning voice texture! The only thing which my not professional ear hears is high notes. They are a bit constrained (mine are too actually lol) and you're trying to help yourself doing some motions. I'm usually recommended in such cases to breathe out and to send the sound and your power down, to the abdomen or even lower. To imagine something really heavy is wrapped around your body. Here is ment appoggio of course but it's just a way to catch it that I use.

Thank you, Snow, and likewise!

My high notes sound strained indeed, although I don't remember experience a fatigue vocally. For one reason or another, I can't get the "ring" on the vowels 'e' and 'o'. In most cases I overdo the open throat/pulling of the soft palate and the other time I have it too low. Getting the right spot is quite hard.

As for the breathing, I'm currently working on Appoggio as well. Great technique and extremely tiring for the muscles.

It's a common thing for us, beginners. I have the same problems - i sing differently and often change this magic vocal spot lol I hope that it'll come with years of training and hard work. So we shouldn't worry about that

Hello alain,

The last video,s where a lot better,but you are singing with the piano,and that is also better for your voice.
Try to make a good articulation and,take your time on each note,don,t worry the pianist must follow you ,you are the boss!
If you want more tips write me,and by mail you can speak dutch to me,i live for longtime in france.
My lessons in the past was from, in that time old teachers.

Greetings,Andre.

Originally Posted by andre

Hello alain,

The last video,s where a lot better,but you are singing with the piano,and that is also better for your voice.
Try to make a good articulation and,take your time on each note,don,t worry the pianist must follow you ,you are the boss!
If you want more tips write me,and by mail you can speak dutch to me,i live for longtime in france.
My lessons in the past was from, in that time old teachers.

Greetings,Andre.

Hey there Andre and thanks for your reply.

Do you mean that singing piano (as in, the 'p' in a score) is better for the voice because it's softer, or actually singing along to the piano (instrument)?

Thanks and I'll write you by email to ask some questions, if you could private message me your address.

Originally Posted by AlainB

Hey there Andre and thanks for your reply.

Do you mean that singing piano (as in, the 'p' in a score) is better for the voice because it's softer, or actually singing along to the piano (instrument)?

Thanks and I'll write you by email to ask some questions, if you could private message me your address.

Hello Alain,

I mean that you singing with de piano!
And i give you my mail adres in your Private postbox!

hear from you,Greetings André.

Alain - hi from another 'would-be' bass !

Wonder if you're a little like me - we both have quite a low range, & maybe think the bottom end of it is where we're best.
I was quite surprised to be told by singing teachers that they much preferred working with my higher register; listening to your vids. I felt rather the same. The concert music stretched you more, and although like me you tend to 'close off' at the top a bit, the overall sound seemed much richer & warmer than the first piece I heard you sing.
Well worth persevering though - maybe we should try a 'duet for enthusiastic amateurs' !

Hey cj!

Thank you for your reply, and my apologies for the rather slow reply to you.. for some reason I hadn't noticed a new reply to this thread at all. :S

I'm certainly inclined to agree with you; my teacher thought the very same. Although I feel rather... shy, when it comes down to singing in the higher range, I suppose we eventually have to train it, for it'll be certainly needed for the more difficult operas/arias (think of Verdi's Il Grand Inquisitor)

I'd love to hear your voice and I certainly wouldn't mind a duet either! The only thing that I wonder about, how? Haha. =P

###

Also, I decided to record myself singing Gia il sole dal Gange, since I had to practice that for the upcoming lesson. There are a few mistakes, and I haven't warmed up my voice at all, but since I wanted to record it anyway and before 10 PM (yeah, I'm stubborn, haha), I just did so.

There were a few occasions where I "shoot out" on the higher notes; they should've been sung more piano-like. So it sometimes makes it seem monotone. Oh well.

Oh, and please don't mind the horrible beard and hair - I haven't done anything to make it nicer today. Was rather in a lazy mood. xD



And here I'm "demonstrating" my comfortable vocal range, from Eb2 (although my extreme low) to C4.

Good for you - can't struggle through those operatic trills etc.; prefer a nice Isis & Osiris, or a less flowery oratorio piece.
Alain, I think you've got a nicer voice than I/we have so far heard, but it means relaxing and trusting it a bit more...also I wonder if you shouldn't realise your limitations and 'work up' to some of the arias you're now trying ?!
We have a good bit in common - much of this is advice I've received !
Sadly, one thing we don't share is an ability to record a performance and publish it. I struggle to write a message on these boards, never mind anything more advanced, so unless you'd care to join me on a cruise ship where I usually clear the bar with karaoke of an evening, you'll just have to take as read that I have some interest in singing...and even some idea of what it should sound like !

Thanks for the reply and the compliment.

I'm not entirely sure what you mean by "working up" to some of the arias? Do you mean perfecting, abandoning them, or something of that nature?

And indeed, I still feel shy in terms of my higher register, and I'm trying to trust my voice a bit more, although it's a rather slow process. Or that's what I feel anyway. I also tend to push too much whenever I go higher up my range.. apparently an issue that many singers face. Hopefully I'll be able to adjust it without having to readjust myself all too much.

Thought I'd attempt one of my favourite arias, namely Colpito qui m'avete, but an octave lower. I suppose the explanations at the start could be a bit boring, so the singing starts at 2:28.

I feel that my higher notes are slightly less "forced" and gooey.

EDIT: the video is recorded sideways for one reason or another, but it should be changed soon.

Also, the beginning is a bit more poorly sung than the rest of the video, because I had a few moments of letting my support go away. Pronunciation is sometimes too quick for me to express as well.

My God, looking back at this previous video of Colpito qui m'avete, I feel rather ashamed... didn't sound as bad on the day I uploaded it.

Well, decided to record myself singing my #1 favourite aria, although it's meant for tenors... still, why not?
Made a few pitching mistakes such as from 2:24 to 2:30, but I'm satisfied with it thus far. Or so I think...

I also have this certain nemesis... which would be singing higher on the vowel 'o' and italian 'u' – it sounds way too whiny/dark/woofey/goofy. Hopefully it'll go away in time.

Improvement, aye?