Singing live to the soundtrack of 2 films

Ardeus

New member
I am going to do a show at a theatre where I will be singing live while 2 films are played in the background.

The two films are very dark. The first is 24 minutes long and it has 6 piano and voice songs the revolve around the subject of suicide.

The 2nd is a 70 minutes piece based on a song sequence with 15 parts. I recorded it 20 years ago and I just remixed it digitally and improved the sound quality. It follows the final minutes of a man, while he remembers his life. Heavy stuff.

So, the films are playing, I'm singing... but what do I do with myself? Especially in the parts where I'm not singing. Do I get into character and make a fool of myself or do I play it safe and don't move much?

I have been practising at home with my stereo cranked up and I notice that I struggle to hear myself and end up singing louder than I should (and often out of tune). I should be singing softly and very close to the mic most of the time but I can't hear myself.

Any ideas?

1st film: https://youtu.be/EQe7qVexzoE

2nd film:
Trailer: https://youtu.be/XgCdifgFNsk
Full film: https://youtu.be/inVEwV9D4Po
 
So, the films are playing, I'm singing... but what do I do with myself? Especially in the parts where I'm not singing. Do I get into character and make a fool of myself or do I play it safe and don't move much?

Set yourself off to the side. When you're not singing, let the audience watch the movie.
 
I was rehearsing today and I got hickups.

That wouldn't cause me any worries if it wasn't for the fact that it happened for the 3rd time... and it always started during the first lines of the 6th song of the 2nd film.

I have to growl a lot on this song and it was killing my thoat so I decided to check some videos on youtube where people explain how they sing heavy metal songs.

I think I got the hang of it enough to fet me through this song without hurting my vocal chords but I got hickups as a side effect :)

I have been rehearsing less than 1 hour after dinner, so maybe it has to do with that too. I'm going to test again tomorrow without a full stomach and see ifmit solves the hickups.
 
So, I think a few days ago, I "was" getting to feel comfortable with both pieces. The first one ("Suicide Suite") was relatively easy and I was getting close to feel good about the 2nd ("Morto Vivo").

Of course I wanted to improve and I went to youtube to see if I could learn a thing or two about singing.

Breathing exercises proved useful, I noticed that my pitch improved and I could remain more stable and not struggle so much to get through long sentences.

Warming up proved to be a big problem.

While I was doing warm up exercises I noticed that I could sing more easily and that singing felt different. I also felt more at ease with high notes.

After the warm up I went on to sing "Suicide Suite". I noticed something wasn't right from the 1st line. I use a good variety of tones and vibratos and I couldn't control any of it.

I think it's possible that it's because I'm not used to warm ups, but I think it's better to skip this warming up thing completely.

Without any warm ups, I get through the 1st piece without any problem and when I finish the 2nd piece, my throat feels a little sore, but I'm able to do it again the next day.
 
Sounds like whatever warm-ups you were using didn't work for you. That's where an in-person vocal coach can help better than a canned 'good for everyone' video.
 
I have been trying to avoid that extra cost at this stage.

I will rehearse the whole thing a few more times and depending on how I feel, I will decide if I get a vocal coach.

If people like the show, I will try to continue performing it through the country and in that case I will for sure get some advice from a vocal coach as you suggest.
 
I got my first singing lesson today.

Apparently I'm doing it all wrong.

My main concern was pitch, but she said that was ok.

I'm too "breathy", I move my head and neck too much, I make too many facial expressions.

Although all that is true, I'm not sure I want to change it.

On top of that, I have only one month before the show and I can't risk messing too much with the way I sing.

I was beginning to feel confortable with the way I sang, used my face and body and I am not sure it's a good idea to try to make drastic changes at this point. I don't think I could adapt in time. Even if I could, I think I would like the results.
 
I was watching the local news last night at 10 (something I rarely do) and this lady reporter was on who was moving her head and neck a lot, and making strange facial expressions. Really distracting and sounded weird too. Maybe trying to do a little less movement would help?
 
I have been avoiding pointing a camera at myself during a rehearsal... but I will have to do it to see if I'm overdoing it.

Do you think she's overdoing it? :) I don't. In fact I have the feeling she's restraining herself.

 
I performed it live and made a video out of it. I'm ok about it, considering it's my first experience with a live performance.

 
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