Thank you so much for all these tips, I'll listen to them again and again. And so well said that we should only compare with ourselves. Wish I had recorded my very first tries in clarinet playing and singing to get aware of the development. 😅
Yep, the compare game can be super tricky. I've used it to be inspired by my vocal models, and it's also been a road to anxiety. It's good just to take pauses and notice what you can do now that you couldn't do before. Little times for assessment and celebration are important; I forget this for myself a lot.
This is an absolutely excellent video. Some of us really need a scientific explanation to be able to execute the concepts related to singing. Thank you!!!
Love your explanations ❤ Would you please make a video about vibrato? You are kind of gifted in terms of explaining stuff. I hope to benefit from a vibrato video from you.😊
Thanks for the comment, and I'm so glad these are helpful. I did make a series of videos about vibrato last summer -- if these leave you with additional questions, just ask me. I can make a video with more answers as far as I understand it. Here's the playlist: ruclips.net/p/PL7249yStyGODT600auaUtchWAXC4rTfTL
@@birgithade5022 So glad -- hope they were helpful -- if they bring up more questions for you, feel free to ask -- It helps me to know what will help you
Something incredibly useful I stumbled upon. Vowel modifications. Here are a couple of examples. If you are singing "Free Falling" by Tom Petty and having trouble with the chorus, try this. Instead of singing, "Free", sing "Fr-ih" like "sit". You will find it is much easier to "grab" on to and more stable. And the listener won't be able to really tell. Similarly, for "Take on me" try singing "I'll b-ih gone" over the that tricky part in the chorus. You will find you waiver less and can hit it with more power. The other thing you can do is siren on "ih" and I found that is easier to stay connected all the way up to the top of your range.
I would love to watch some tips to learn how to develop head voice and reinforced falsetto (Bee Gees kinda stuff) chord aduction (closure). That'd really help us, the cursed baritones😂. Thanks in advance
Speaking from my experience over the last year as a fellow baritone taking voice lessons for the first time, the only thing I can say is that (a) your cricothyroid (head-voice) muscles are pretty likely to be extremely underused and weak (because form follows function!), and (b) like any other muscle, developing and strengthening them only happens with increased use, particularly use outside your normal "comfort zone" (akin to trying to lift more weight than you normally do). Try sirening up and down, at least once a day. Try to vocalize the highest pitch you possibly can, at least once a week. Try talking to yourself for a few minutes in a Mickey Mouse voice every week. Try picking a song (maybe a countertenor piece) and try to sing as much of it as you can in head voice/M2, without worrying very much about how it sounds in terms of quality. The point is, you need to develop and work out your CTs. They're not gonna get stronger and better conditioned otherwise!
thanks for this request -- There are lots of things that can happen that impede Mode 2, so I'll get to work on video on this in the near future. appreciate the feedback
@@joshdaniels2363 the exercise suggestions can all be helpful here -- I'll do a video about this to talk about other things that can inhibit mode 2 even when CT is strong and functioning well for you
I am a rock singer. This is how I conceptualize mixed voice stuff. So I have two mechanisms for singing the high stuff. One is my chest voice. I call that "the big voice" That one seems like it tops out around C#5 even though I am not consistent with that. I really only use it to G4. My other one is what I call "the little voice" This one is can link to falsetto easily and I can use it is as high as my falsetto will go. However it can also sound very chesty up to G4 or #G4 where I thins out a lot. I can always link this voice to falsetto. I would love to make this voice beefier in the higher registers. The commonality between both voices is that if I open my nose port and tilt my larynx as I ascend I get better chord closure and ease of singing. I can link these voices pretty well from like E4 to G4, but after that, they are distinct and not linkable. Is this basically the difference between "overdrive" (big voice) and "edge" (little voice) in CVT language?
Thanks for the comment and question -- it's funny because I was listening to a lecture today about registration, and one of the early classifiers called things the batural or big voice and the other one little or false voice (where we get falsetto from.) I'd have to hear the sounds you're making to tell you what exactly is going on. It sounds like you're wanting to reinforce or find more amplification/twang in your mode 2/head voice though, and there are ways to shape the tract and move your air that can do that. I've got this topic on the list to make a vid about. You might be experiencing some helpful efficiency by singing through your nose that goes away when you switch to mouth resonance, and the continuum of the two coordinations/registers is very important -- seeing them as a constantly shifting and malleable event rather than different planets. I've saved your comment in my calendar with some similar questions, so I'll make a video that addresses some of these things
@@dancallawaystudio thanks for the answer! Yeah, I definitely try to keep the nose resonance going when I go higher in my range. Sometimes, that transition between nose and mouth resonance is tricky, and sometimes it works perfectly. Such is life I suppose. I would definitely appreciate a video on mastering that transition! Tired of being the king of G4, when I know I have the potential to go beyond that consistently, lmao!
And I should also mention that I do most of my singing in that M2 coordination. It is much easier and sustainable and works perfectly for me up until #G4.
@@donrogg The king of G4 -- could be a band name :) Yep -- the good thing is that you're sensing what happens when you adjust things in the tract, so that's always helpful info. But yeah, you want access to all kinds of options -- sometimes a little vibration through the nose is what we want, and often it's not the kind of communication we'd choose if we could. Having choices and access is what we all want with our singing, I know. I'm in that club with you
Thanks so much for your amazing informative videos Dan, hello from Scotland! Was wondering if you have exercises that can help strengthen the voice in terms of consistency when singing (in regard to tone/placement/pitch accuracy). Building it up from a technique point of view to then find the freedom of singing things with the guarantee of consistently being able to hit it. Thanks in advance 🙏🏾
Hey there -- thanks so much for your comment and question -- I don't have anything put together right now on that particular topic, but I've saved your question in my calendar, and I can make a vid about this -- thanks for joining me here -- and tell Scotland I said hello.
Great video. Something I struggle with is that when I enter my “break” around f#4 and g4 I have a habit of clenching the jaw and mouth in general to get chord closure.
Super common thing to do. I still have to watch out for this, so we are in a large club. When there's a transitional zone in the voice, the brain and body want to find ways to stabilize it. The body logic it usually offers is muscle engagement in the area it wants to protect from instability. In the exercise video I'll make, I'll try to include some ways to soften these engagements so you can find out what the vocal results are for you.
What a generous sharing of your fine knowledge. P.
@@merlisist thanks for this kind comment -- hope this was helpful for you
Thank you so much for all these tips, I'll listen to them again and again. And so well said that we should only compare with ourselves. Wish I had recorded my very first tries in clarinet playing and singing to get aware of the development. 😅
Yep, the compare game can be super tricky. I've used it to be inspired by my vocal models, and it's also been a road to anxiety. It's good just to take pauses and notice what you can do now that you couldn't do before. Little times for assessment and celebration are important; I forget this for myself a lot.
This is an absolutely excellent video. Some of us really need a scientific explanation to be able to execute the concepts related to singing. Thank you!!!
@@KarenKelly1111 I'm so grateful this was helpful to you -- thanks for taking the time to comment
Another video that is so compassionately and lovingly helpful! Your students are so fortunate to have your guidance. Thank you!
You're very welcome, and thanks for you kind comment. Glad you're here.
Thanks a lot Dan. Really amazing stuff. Greetings from Spain.
thanks for the kind comment -- espero que este video te ayudó
Love your explanations ❤ Would you please make a video about vibrato? You are kind of gifted in terms of explaining stuff. I hope to benefit from a vibrato video from you.😊
Thanks for the comment, and I'm so glad these are helpful. I did make a series of videos about vibrato last summer -- if these leave you with additional questions, just ask me. I can make a video with more answers as far as I understand it. Here's the playlist: ruclips.net/p/PL7249yStyGODT600auaUtchWAXC4rTfTL
@@dancallawaystudio Thanks a lot. I watched every single video. Working on it. It's really cool that you are intersted in our questions 🥰
@@birgithade5022 So glad -- hope they were helpful -- if they bring up more questions for you, feel free to ask -- It helps me to know what will help you
You are an amazing teacher. This resonates with me so heavily!
Thanks so much -- I'm so glad this was helpful to you. Thanks for the kind comment
Something incredibly useful I stumbled upon. Vowel modifications.
Here are a couple of examples. If you are singing "Free Falling" by Tom Petty and having trouble with the chorus, try this. Instead of singing, "Free", sing "Fr-ih" like "sit". You will find it is much easier to "grab" on to and more stable. And the listener won't be able to really tell.
Similarly, for "Take on me" try singing "I'll b-ih gone" over the that tricky part in the chorus. You will find you waiver less and can hit it with more power.
The other thing you can do is siren on "ih" and I found that is easier to stay connected all the way up to the top of your range.
yep ih is pretty magic for that
I would love to watch some tips to learn how to develop head voice and reinforced falsetto (Bee Gees kinda stuff) chord aduction (closure). That'd really help us, the cursed baritones😂. Thanks in advance
Speaking from my experience over the last year as a fellow baritone taking voice lessons for the first time, the only thing I can say is that (a) your cricothyroid (head-voice) muscles are pretty likely to be extremely underused and weak (because form follows function!), and (b) like any other muscle, developing and strengthening them only happens with increased use, particularly use outside your normal "comfort zone" (akin to trying to lift more weight than you normally do).
Try sirening up and down, at least once a day.
Try to vocalize the highest pitch you possibly can, at least once a week.
Try talking to yourself for a few minutes in a Mickey Mouse voice every week.
Try picking a song (maybe a countertenor piece) and try to sing as much of it as you can in head voice/M2, without worrying very much about how it sounds in terms of quality.
The point is, you need to develop and work out your CTs. They're not gonna get stronger and better conditioned otherwise!
thanks for this request -- There are lots of things that can happen that impede Mode 2, so I'll get to work on video on this in the near future. appreciate the feedback
@@joshdaniels2363 the exercise suggestions can all be helpful here -- I'll do a video about this to talk about other things that can inhibit mode 2 even when CT is strong and functioning well for you
Thanks a lot. Looking forward to watching it!!!!
@@joshdaniels2363great tips. Much appreciated
this is great. i really appreciate how you break everything down
@@savannahbrown4992 I'm so glad this was helpful to you
That belted high C was everything 😆
why thanks :) i have a 5 year old at home who's helped me nail that resonance pattern
@@dancallawaystudio I'm gagging 😆 but I really appreciated this video for real 🙏🏻
@@wsudance85 so glad it was helpful -- thanks for letting me know
Thank you so much !
You're very welcome -- I hope this was helpful
I am a rock singer. This is how I conceptualize mixed voice stuff.
So I have two mechanisms for singing the high stuff. One is my chest voice. I call that "the big voice" That one seems like it tops out around C#5 even though I am not consistent with that. I really only use it to G4.
My other one is what I call "the little voice" This one is can link to falsetto easily and I can use it is as high as my falsetto will go. However it can also sound very chesty up to G4 or #G4 where I thins out a lot. I can always link this voice to falsetto. I would love to make this voice beefier in the higher registers.
The commonality between both voices is that if I open my nose port and tilt my larynx as I ascend I get better chord closure and ease of singing. I can link these voices pretty well from like E4 to G4, but after that, they are distinct and not linkable.
Is this basically the difference between "overdrive" (big voice) and "edge" (little voice) in CVT language?
Thanks for the comment and question -- it's funny because I was listening to a lecture today about registration, and one of the early classifiers called things the batural or big voice and the other one little or false voice (where we get falsetto from.) I'd have to hear the sounds you're making to tell you what exactly is going on. It sounds like you're wanting to reinforce or find more amplification/twang in your mode 2/head voice though, and there are ways to shape the tract and move your air that can do that. I've got this topic on the list to make a vid about. You might be experiencing some helpful efficiency by singing through your nose that goes away when you switch to mouth resonance, and the continuum of the two coordinations/registers is very important -- seeing them as a constantly shifting and malleable event rather than different planets. I've saved your comment in my calendar with some similar questions, so I'll make a video that addresses some of these things
and this video may have some answers for you in case you haven't seen it yet ruclips.net/video/FJzehL0qeeA/видео.html
@@dancallawaystudio thanks for the answer!
Yeah, I definitely try to keep the nose resonance going when I go higher in my range. Sometimes, that transition between nose and mouth resonance is tricky, and sometimes it works perfectly. Such is life I suppose.
I would definitely appreciate a video on mastering that transition!
Tired of being the king of G4, when I know I have the potential to go beyond that consistently, lmao!
And I should also mention that I do most of my singing in that M2 coordination. It is much easier and sustainable and works perfectly for me up until #G4.
@@donrogg The king of G4 -- could be a band name :) Yep -- the good thing is that you're sensing what happens when you adjust things in the tract, so that's always helpful info. But yeah, you want access to all kinds of options -- sometimes a little vibration through the nose is what we want, and often it's not the kind of communication we'd choose if we could. Having choices and access is what we all want with our singing, I know. I'm in that club with you
Thank you
You've very welcome
Thanks so much for your amazing informative videos Dan, hello from Scotland! Was wondering if you have exercises that can help strengthen the voice in terms of consistency when singing (in regard to tone/placement/pitch accuracy). Building it up from a technique point of view to then find the freedom of singing things with the guarantee of consistently being able to hit it. Thanks in advance 🙏🏾
Hey there -- thanks so much for your comment and question -- I don't have anything put together right now on that particular topic, but I've saved your question in my calendar, and I can make a vid about this -- thanks for joining me here -- and tell Scotland I said hello.
Great video. Something I struggle with is that when I enter my “break” around f#4 and g4 I have a habit of clenching the jaw and mouth in general to get chord closure.
Super common thing to do. I still have to watch out for this, so we are in a large club. When there's a transitional zone in the voice, the brain and body want to find ways to stabilize it. The body logic it usually offers is muscle engagement in the area it wants to protect from instability. In the exercise video I'll make, I'll try to include some ways to soften these engagements so you can find out what the vocal results are for you.