Belt it out!- Page 2

[Amneris]

Posted: 12/23/05 at 7:17pm

"Always True To You Darling In My Fashion"

and I'm guilty of "Once Upon A Time" from Crooklyn the musical

also "The Wizard & I"

"I Know The Truth" and I even like to pretend i'm "toni colletting" things up and do "maybe this time"

Posted: 12/23/05 at 7:19pm

I don't mean this to sound critical, I only want to help.

I don't understand all of you saying that belting kills your voice. In the old, "Annie" and Ethel Merman days, belting would have hurt because it was just glorified yelling. However, no real broadway talents belt anymore. What they do is mix. This just mixing low and high voices in a smooth, loud way. Much Like Idina or Sherie. I have never belted in my life, I doubt I would even know how. I mix, which is what you all should be doing. If you are actually belting, you are yelling, which can damage a voice. Soooooo... Just saying. Learn to take it down a notch, singing purely, then work up the volume, and then you will have it.

Sorry if I sound pompous, I just know that there are a lot of talented singers on these boards and I don't want them hurting themselves.

Also, you can belt and be a soprano. I certainly do both and one does not affect the other except to make it stronger.

oooo,

I like "Three Bedroom House,"
"Meadowlark"
and "And I am Telling You"

[kelly0ann]

Posted: 12/23/05 at 7:29pm

Alright NY...I don't know about the rest of these people but I wasn't talking about actual belting, though there is a correct way to belt that will not damage your chords. I was mainly using it as a figure of speech, you know, when you just bust out in song, you "belt". And I think the feel we were also trying to go for was when you are home alone and you just let it out, just for fun, to get out stress, whatever. Thank you for that little lesson of yours, but I think we're ok.

Merry Christmas!
Updated On: 12/23/05 at 07:29 PM

[gumbo2]

Posted: 12/23/05 at 7:30pm

Yes, belting improperly can seriously damage your voice, but there IS a way to belt properly and not strain the chords. You just need to know how to do it is all. I'm not really an expert on female voices but it definitely doesn't sound like a mix to me when Idina sings. I'm just saying, you CAN belt and not kill yourself, but I agree that yes, most people don't do this and that is BAD.

[elphatine]

Posted: 12/23/05 at 7:44pm

Goodness gracious, I have a lot. I do "Get Over It" from the Rent NYTW a lot... "Here I Am" from DRS... "I Love You Song" from 25APCSB... "All For Laura," WiW... that's all I can think of now.

Oh, and whoever said This Place is Mine... you're the best. As is that song.

Posted: 12/23/05 at 7:44pm

Thanks gumbo2
I was just trying to save some future performers from damaging thier voices when they're just hanging around the house singing. I like to do that too. I love an empty house. Especially when the neighbors aren't home either. But I also like NOT being hoarse later.

As for Idina. I am never quite sure what you'd call that. It isn't really the original belt because it is too high. And Lea Salonga and such. I don't know what you call that. I like it though, when they do it. I just can't listen to too much of it or I go crazy and have to put on a good Alto voice. Like Joanna Gleason.

So much for helping the youth. The next generation. Talk to Charlotte Church and ask her how her voice is after ruining it.

[LostLeander]

Posted: 12/23/05 at 7:47pm

I only do it when I'm alone, and I'm POSITIVE no one else is in the house.

Generally, it's "Lost in the Wilderness"... just to see where I am, range wise. Then if that sounds good... I'm really into belting Judy Garland songs... in her octave... Hahaha.

Um... the most played song on my I Tunes is "Sheila Franklin / I Believe in Love" from the HAIR Concert... it's just so short, and so fun to belt! Counter Tenor / Falsetto Belters Unite!

When I'm not alone, I ALWAYS hum, for the oddest reason, "Blah Blah Me" from Audra's 7 Deadly Sins Concert...

I have no clue why.

[MarkCohen]

Posted: 12/23/05 at 8:38pm

I'm a 16 year old, baritone, white kid....

But I love to belt King of the World from SFANW.

Is it safe to say that if it doesn't hurt at the time or later, that it is safe? Or can you damage your chords without feeling anything?

Posted: 12/23/05 at 8:51pm

I have had my vocal coaches tell me that if you feel like you are straining, pushing, then you can hurt your voice. If it feels easy and free, you are good. Of course pushing a little isn't bad, it's necessary. But if it feels really hard, like you are really straining, then reevaluate.

And great song. Guilty Pleasure.

[soapguy17]

Posted: 12/23/05 at 9:01pm

Right now I'm really afraid of belting But, when I'm sure I'm alone, "Make Them Hear You" from ragtime and "Under The Sea" from The Little Mermiad are choice songs. Recently I've found myself singing "Will I" from Rent. and holding NightMAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAARRRRRRREEE!! Out for ages.

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 12/23/05 at 10:41pm

hair
going down

and for a while at work (six flags great adventure- home to the tallest fastestes, brokenest roller coaster on earth) i used to belt the hell out of "those were the good old days" from damn yankees in a very large at the time empty section of the superman ride exit, it also gave me a fell scale stage to actually work on the choreography for my production of chicago

Posted: 12/23/05 at 11:03pm

I'm a mixer and if Sherie and Idina are mixing when they sing, they're masters at it. Idina screams-- and I mean SCREAMS!-- a lot when she sings; watch the performance of Defying Gravity from the Tony's or Lettermen, and see what I mean. Not so much on recordings, but every live peformance I've seen of hers, it's a lot of yelling. Sherie just sounds like she's belting and she pushes things out with a lot of nasal resonance. Audra is a mixer-- she's the champion. Jessica Molaskey is a great mixer. Linda Eder mixes too. But really, I think Sherie and Idina are good, half-way old fashioned belters.

[Magicupoursleeves]

Posted: 12/23/05 at 11:09pm

The Wizard and I, I Feel Pretty (not really belt, but fun to sing), Defying Gravity, Take me or leave me

[lamentingenvelope]

Posted: 12/23/05 at 11:13pm

"When You Got it, Flaunt It" and "I'm Still Here" are my current favs.

[LilDiva05]

Posted: 12/23/05 at 11:49pm

Take Me or Leave Me

every single time. lmao.

[Footlooser]

Posted: 12/24/05 at 12:43am

latley I've been belting out "Lily's Eyes" from Secret Garden and "Corner of The Sky" from Pippin

[lastikgirl]

Posted: 12/25/05 at 7:08pm

oh wow, this is fun! i just finished reading everyone else's posts.

i really don't care if my family is around; so they're sick of my singing. i sing in the bathroom a lot. "the wizard and i" is my current favorite. the others are not really from theatre: "i don't wanna miss a thing" (aerosmith) and "(i wanna) run to you" LOL. i think i like singing "wanna" over and over again. it defies the grammar geek in me.