Never Thought I'd Ask This...(Audition Questions) w/voice clips — Page 2

Hmm..well...I'm not very good at playing piano and singing at the same time. Unless I'm doing just simple chord progressions, but Shadowland has some..rythmic stuff going underneath.

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dd- I was doing that thing with the nasal cavity at first and I thought, "Holy cow, that sounds way to nasally." That got me to record this clip using pure chest voice, whereas otherwise, I had the sort of mix you're talking about. My range was also determined by my teacher. Not that I don't WANT to sound like Idina, but I'm not trying to be like her either.

Steph- Tension is one of the biggest thing I have a problem with. Especially my jaw, I feel it tightening up when I've been singing for a while, but I'm trying to fix that.

Thanks for the advice everyone, it really does help. And can we not say scream? I honestly can't scream. I can yell, I can squawk, but I can't scream. DDT, I think what you meant was that I was yelling, so it sort of produced that forced sound.

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Updated On: 5/22/05 at 06:18 PM

Hey! That was very gutsy to put yourself out here. I would have to agree w/ everything that DD said. Toally. When your 14, you need to start small, you have not had a great deal of training and therefore, need to work your way up to songs like Defying Gravity. Anothersuggestion would be something more age appropriate too. Not to say that DG isn't age appropriate, but b/c your 14 you might want to choose something younger: As TERRIBLE as this is to hear you should start w/ the very very basic songs Musical Theater standards for younger girls: sheet music stores sell books with titles like, "musical theater songs for young female singers." start there and work your way up. I don't know if this was helpful at all, but I hope so! Have fun!

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I know about tension cuz I have it BAD when I do belting...that's why i'm on like parole for belting :)

One more thing..as someone else said try not to be influence by other sounds, and try not to correct/listen to your sound. When you listen to the sound and try to make it stylistic or sound like how you want it to sound you will do things in your throat and face and that whole area that can damage your voice. It's ok to do it sometime (say, roles, character voices and stuff) but if you do it everyday for everything it's gonna mess you up.

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Okay...better breathing. Check.

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As far as my comment about never singing a capella, rehearsing with no piano is fine for technique work....unless you have a tape of your voice teacher or a legit piano player who taped the song for you, that would be the best.......however, don't ever perform live a capella.....unless you are doing it as an artistic choice.....but at an audition you MUST be accompanied by piano.

Hmm..would it be better to sing "The Life of the Party"? Rather than Shadowlands? I'll try and rerecord things, so you have a better idea of where I am now?

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Regarding not singing a capella/playing the piano while you sing etc...


You said that your not good at doing both at the same time (yet). You obviously know how to record! So record the piano selections and practice your songs with that. Practice makes permenant, so if you practics a capella and are off (and don't know it) it could mess you up in the long run.


I'd say listen to what your voice teacher says. She knows you and your voice more than anyone here does.

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Also, if you think your voice teacher is making you sing songs that don't fit your range (different from what you WANT your range to be) and is hurting your voice, you might want to shop around so to speak and look for a new one.

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Okay. Another Shadowland. It's not much better, but it's slightly better. Some parts hurt my ears. Ignore the gasping breaths please.



Life of the Party - Okay, first time record. I think I'll just use head voice on the "knees" part, because it sounds so forced. I just can't get that mixed sound you guys are talking about. Everything either sounds like pure head voice or pure chest voice.


https://s42.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2ZR4OJ8GZ48N53ANO9Y5PTEPFR [Shadowland]
https://s42.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=280P1YQCVE2XR1JJUJY6OQK5XF [Life]

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Life of the Party is better than the others...and perfect for showing yourself if you want Amneris. But when you get up there higher in your chest voice...just make sure you breath more and it sounds like you have a lot of tension in your jaw...movement and release will get rid of the tension, and while you're singing (not for the audition, but before) massage the muscles right behind your jaw to get rid of that tension.