Tips on vocal technique (cover)

An acappella version would be better for assessing technique. From what I can hear, pitch and timing seem to be fine. On the other hand, you seem to be pushing your speaking voice instead of accessing your singing voice. An acappella version would clarify that.
 
An acappella version would be better for assessing technique. From what I can hear, pitch and timing seem to be fine. On the other hand, you seem to be pushing your speaking voice instead of accessing your singing voice. An acappella version would clarify that.
The part "pushing my speaking voice instead of accessing your singing voice" What exactly do you mean with that? Personally I considered either lowering it an octave or going into head voice but neither seemed to sound any better. Could you try clarifying that a bit more?
 
The part "pushing my speaking voice instead of accessing your singing voice" What exactly do you mean with that? Personally I considered either lowering it an octave or going into head voice but neither seemed to sound any better. Could you try clarifying that a bit more?

"Breath support" is the basic singing technique whereby you produce high air pressure, but controlled, low airflow. That's just part of the training, and there are countless online articles and videos about it (often conflicting and dependent on genre).

The higher tones you wish to produce, the more important "breath support" becomes. This is because you need high air pressure in order to generate higher frequency sounds.

The problem is that high pressure normally wants to produce high airflow, a combination that is not good for the soft tissue of your vocal cords. Your vocal cords may reflex open to release the pressure, and you will flip into falsetto. Alternatively, you can learn "breath support" to control and slow down the airflow. How you do that is very genre dependent. Some emphasize diaphragmatic/abdominal control, others vocal cord musculature and cord closure.

If you avoid high pressure altogether, you will find yourself "pushing" for those high notes. It will become particularly apparent when you have runs of notes that vary quickly, or particular vowels (yours seem to be the closed ee and oo vowels), or if you have an aspirant onset (where a word begins with h - what little pressure you are using will escape through the h). Actually, you sometimes use an aspirant onset even with no h -- just a vowel. This is another type of "pushing" that replaces breath support. Some examples...

0:52 civilization - quick run of closed vowel, intensity drops
0:55 "east at least" - timing goes out and there is a wobble because of an unsupported, closed ee vowel
2:25 "hear" - the h steals away the pressure and the following syllables wobble

"Breath support" is basically about having a "reservoir of pressure". If there is not enough support, you will sometimes sound strained or as if you are running out of air.

But always count your blessing. It looks as if you have a good enough ear, and you timing is not going to be an issue. Maybe playing the guitar has helped there.
 
"Breath support" is the basic singing technique whereby you produce high air pressure, but controlled, low airflow. That's just part of the training, and there are countless online articles and videos about it (often conflicting and dependent on genre).

The higher tones you wish to produce, the more important "breath support" becomes. This is because you need high air pressure in order to generate higher frequency sounds.

The problem is that high pressure normally wants to produce high airflow, a combination that is not good for the soft tissue of your vocal cords. Your vocal cords may reflex open to release the pressure, and you will flip into falsetto. Alternatively, you can learn "breath support" to control and slow down the airflow. How you do that is very genre dependent. Some emphasize diaphragmatic/abdominal control, others vocal cord musculature and cord closure.

If you avoid high pressure altogether, you will find yourself "pushing" for those high notes. It will become particularly apparent when you have runs of notes that vary quickly, or particular vowels (yours seem to be the closed ee and oo vowels), or if you have an aspirant onset (where a word begins with h - what little pressure you are using will escape through the h). Actually, you sometimes use an aspirant onset even with no h -- just a vowel. This is another type of "pushing" that replaces breath support. Some examples...

0:52 civilization - quick run of closed vowel, intensity drops
0:55 "east at least" - timing goes out and there is a wobble because of an unsupported, closed ee vowel
2:25 "hear" - the h steals away the pressure and the following syllables wobble

"Breath support" is basically about having a "reservoir of pressure". If there is not enough support, you will sometimes sound strained or as if you are running out of air.

But always count your blessing. It looks as if you have a good enough ear, and you timing is not going to be an issue. Maybe playing the guitar has helped there.

Thanks for the great feedback, I will surely take it to heart and practice the pointers you have given me!
 
It seems to me when you go high you tighten up and lose your diaphram support for the vocals. You need to work on separating raising your pitch from tightening up your entire body.
 
First verse in particular sounded great. Voice is well suited to the song. Would say you’re trying to go too high though, don’t force your voice if it’s better suited to lower tone. Or if you’re intent on pursuing that higher sound, I think what these guys said about breathing is correct. I’ve been working on my singing as a beginner lately and found that at the start, I was singing using my throat, or speaking voice. Imagine you’re singing with a muscle in your belly, and the sound is just passing through your vocal chords on the way out. You’re not actually creating the sound in your throat, it’s just passing through. Relax your throat and shoulders as much as possible so you can open your throat and let the sound out from your belly. That’s how I get imagine it and it helped heaps.
 
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