[Abiraleft]

Following a little discussion in the Musicians Society thread, I thought it might be a good idea to try and assemble a TSR society for singers. I thought some of the things members might do here is talk about vocal basics, types and techniques, ask for and suggest song recommendations to try to sing, and evaluate or have evaluated their own work if they want.

Basically, this thread will for now serve as an indicator of interest in such a society; if there is enough interest, I will move forward with trying to have the society created.

(Original post by Fingersmith)
Interested

(Original post by christielovesyou)
Interested

So I'll begin with myself: I'm a tenor, and have only been going to vocal lessons for three months! I'm mostly been dabbling in classical and jazzy stuff lately: most recently, I've been learning 'Agnus Dei' by Mozart, 'Nice Work if you can Get It' by Gershwin and Gershwin, and 'When I look In Your Eyes' by Leslie Bricusse. Along with vocal classes, I've also been going to choir classes for the past month, where we're doing 'Seasons of Love' and (the first verse of) 'Amazing Grace'. The last one in particular I'm finding a bit different: I was until last week the only tenor in the choir, and was having to do one part of a three-part harmony; it's my first time doing any kind of a capella, so it took a bit of getting used to.

[christielovesyou]

Wooop, this society makes me very happy

I'm a soprano, been having singing lessons for four years now and plan on training as a professional singer after I leave school this year. I'd either like to be a peripatetic singing teacher, a concert singer or an opera singer (but I doubt any companies would take me on, my voice isn't very operatic). Ummm...I sing with a local branch of NYCoS and am auditioning for the actual national one next year. I sing in several other choirs at school, one of which I've got a solo in at the moment. I'm currently preparing for my Advanced Higher Music exam.

So yeah, that's me

[jsb123]

I'm not really a solo singer, but I've had parts in choirs and small groups. I'm a bass, and I've done various choral pieces. I'm currently taking a bass part in an a capella 'renaissance choir'.

[Abiraleft]

My work on 'When I Look In Your Eyes' is going really well, according to my teacher. There was also some playing around with 'Nice Work If You Can Get It', which made it more interesting.

In the coming weeks, we're going to be working a bit on my head voice, which at the moment sounds a bit strained. I don't particularly like my head voice, so I'm looking forward to making it sound better. There's the end of 'When I Look In Your Eyes' which I do in head voice, and it was flickering on the sharp side during class, so I'm going to have to work on that.

We also started a new song - 'Hallelujah I Love Her So', which I'm finding pretty fun to sing. I've been trawling around on YouTube for versions of it to be inspired by to do something interesting with it; the one I've found most interesting is the one my teacher recommended - the Eva Cassidy one. I love Eva Cassidy interpretations of songs in general.

[Fingersmith]

(Original post by Abiraleft)
We also started a new song - 'Hallelujah I Love Her So', which I'm finding pretty fun to sing. I've been trawling around on YouTube for versions of it to be inspired by to do something interesting with it; the one I've found most interesting is the one my teacher recommended - the Eva Cassidy one. I love Eva Cassidy interpretations of songs in general.

Got to be the Ray Charles version

I should start by saying that I'm very old - I'm a teacher (there are quite a few of us in TSR).
I was a Countertenor in Magdalen College, Oxford in the late 70s (when you could still get in with 2 A levels and a trick voice) where I sang alongside Harry Christophers who runs 'The Sixteen'. We were bullied along by the redoubtable Dr. Bernard Rose. When I became a teacher, I trained as a vocal coach as well as teaching piano, sax and flute. The best time for this was when I lived in london and coached several dancers for West End shows. For a long time I was mostly asked to sing Tenor as they are always in short supply but recently I have been putting my foot down and insisting on singing baritone.

[mikeyd85]

I'd love to be able to sing really well. I'm not even sure what kind of voice I have though. How did you guys all find out if you're a tenor or a soprano or something else?

Also - do you ever fancy going on the x-factor and just destroying the competition for a laugh? This year it really wouldn't be too hard...

[Abiraleft]

(Original post by Fingersmith)
Got to be the Ray Charles version

I should start by saying that I'm very old - I'm a teacher (there are quite a few of us in TSR).
I was a Countertenor in Magdalen College, Oxford in the late 70s (when you could still get in with 2 A levels and a trick voice) where I sang alongside Harry Christophers who runs 'The Sixteen'. We were bullied along by the redoubtable Dr. Bernard Rose. When I became a teacher, I trained as a vocal coach as well as teaching piano, sax and flute. The best time for this was when I lived in london and coached several dancers for West End shows. For a long time I was mostly asked to sing Tenor as they are always in short supply but recently I have been putting my foot down and insisting on singing baritone.

That's really fun to listen to as well, but I just thought Cassidy did more playing around with both the dynamics and the melody, and that made it interesting.

You're even more accomplished than I suspected, then. Do you insist on singing baritone because you're more comfortable with it, or...?

(Original post by mikeyd85)
I'd love to be able to sing really well. I'm not even sure what kind of voice I have though. How did you guys all find out if you're a tenor or a soprano or something else?

I was told it when I went to my first class. I'm guessing you can find out by singing scales or something, but I'm not sure yet what range classifies as what (I'm sure Fingersmith will be able to tell you).

Also - do you ever fancy going on the x-factor and just destroying the competition for a laugh? This year it really wouldn't be too hard...

I sometimes do wonder what would happen if someone who could really sing (or play on instrument, on other shows) decided to do that.

[Fingersmith]

(Original post by Abiraleft)
You're even more accomplished than I suspected, then. Do you insist on singing baritone because you're more comfortable with it, or...?



I was told it when I went to my first class. I'm guessing you can find out by singing scales or something, but I'm not sure yet what range classifies as what (I'm sure Fingersmith will be able to tell you).

I got a bit fed up of singing tenor badly (and often getting sore throats as a result) rather than singing in my comfortable pitch and making a better noise. Having said that, I'm singing tenor for two carol services this year and one of the few solos I've done was 'Olim Lacus Colueram' from Carmina Burana which is a combination of tenor and countertenor.

Ranges are quite vague and often refer more to a quality of voice - my tenor voice is very different from my bass or countertenor, even if I'm singing the same notes.

[Fingersmith]

Started this yesterday but had to leave it.

A bass would usually have a range from c or d below bass clef up to d or e above middle c. The voice would be resonant and fruity. Very much chest resonance.
A baritone (moi) would have from bottom e or f up to top g or a. The voice is lighter and very lyrical. Head and chest.
A tenor would go from c or d in the bass clef up to a or even c above middle c. The tone would be light and thrilling. Clear head voice.
Alto (contralto) would sing from d or e in the bass clef (i have known several girls to sing tenor lines) up to d or e at the top of the treble clef. the tone is rich and full. Chest voice.
Countertenor (cock alto in the trade) f or g below middle c up to d or e at top of treble. This is sung by a male with a changed voice, often a baritone, singing falsetto but one learns to really focus the tone to get that distinctive 'cutting' quality. Most appropriate for early music or C20th when the voice enjoyed a revival.
Mezzo soprano would be from g or a below middle c to f or g at the top of the clef. A full sound using head and chest.
Treble is a pre-pubescent boys voice (although girls are now trained to produce this sound) from g or a below middle c to a or c (Allegri's Missere) above the clef. A clear head voice with ittle vibrato.
Soprano probably wont often sing much lower than an a below but will often go up to the e above top c. Minnie Ripperton hits f# above that in 'Loving You'.

Phew, that's a lot of words (that's why I don't Tweet). There's tons more to say but I wont do it all at once.

[Abiraleft]

(Original post by Fingersmith)
Started this yesterday but had to leave it.

A bass would usually have a range from c or d below bass clef up to d or e above middle c. The voice would be resonant and fruity. Very much chest resonance.
A baritone (moi) would have from bottom e or f up to top g or a. The voice is lighter and very lyrical. Head and chest.
A tenor would go from c or d in the bass clef up to a or even c above middle c. The tone would be light and thrilling. Clear head voice.
Alto (contralto) would sing from d or e in the bass clef (i have known several girls to sing tenor lines) up to d or e at the top of the treble clef. the tone is rich and full. Chest voice.
Countertenor (cock alto in the trade) f or g below middle c up to d or e at top of treble. This is sung by a male with a changed voice, often a baritone, singing falsetto but one learns to really focus the tone to get that distinctive 'cutting' quality. Most appropriate for early music or C20th when the voice enjoyed a revival.
Mezzo soprano would be from g or a below middle c to f or g at the top of the clef. A full sound using head and chest.
Treble is a pre-pubescent boys voice (although girls are now trained to produce this sound) from g or a below middle c to a or c (Allegri's Missere) above the clef. A clear head voice with ittle vibrato.
Soprano probably wont often sing much lower than an a below but will often go up to the e above top c. Minnie Ripperton hits f# above that in 'Loving You'.

Phew, that's a lot of words (that's why I don't Tweet). There's tons more to say but I wont do it all at once.

Very informative post; thanks!

Don't tenors sing in both chest and head voice, though? I do. I think I go up to about a B above middle-C...

[jsb123]

(Original post by Fingersmith)
Started this yesterday but had to leave it.

A bass would usually have a range from c or d below bass clef up to d or e above middle c. The voice would be resonant and fruity. Very much chest resonance.

That sounds about right. Projecting can be a little tricky at the low end, but practise helps.

I've always felt a treble voice to be superior to a soprano. It has an inimitable purity.

[RadioElectric]

Would indie folker singers fit in here?

[Abiraleft]

(Original post by RadioElectric)
Would indie folker singers fit in here?

If you sing, or are interested in vocals, you should be fine in here.

What music in particular do you like to sing? The only thing I've ever called indie rock is Fleet Foxes; have you heard 'Mykonos'? There was a pretty good a capella version of it that I watched on YouTube.

[derangedyoshi]

(Original post by christielovesyou)
Wooop, this society makes me very happy

I'm a soprano, been having singing lessons for four years now and plan on training as a professional singer after I leave school this year. I'd either like to be a peripatetic singing teacher, a concert singer or an opera singer (but I doubt any companies would take me on, my voice isn't very operatic). Ummm...I sing with a local branch of NYCoS and am auditioning for the actual national one next year. I sing in several other choirs at school, one of which I've got a solo in at the moment. I'm currently preparing for my Advanced Higher Music exam.

So yeah, that's me

Woop woop, NYCoS :L I did Training Choir this summer - pretty fun, and some of the music was decent - and I'm auditioning for proper NYCoS next year. They have such a fabulous sound.

So yeah - I'm a tenor, which is pretty fun. I'm in quite a few choirs, and I definitely intend on keeping that up at uni, but I'm not getting any singing lessons atm apart from a once-a-month-ish lesson from the singing teacher at RSNO Junior Chorus who works with the tenors and basses.

[RadioElectric]

(Original post by Abiraleft)
If you sing, or are interested in vocals, you should be fine in here.

What music in particular do you like to sing? The only thing I've ever called indie rock is Fleet Foxes; have you heard 'Mykonos'? There was a pretty good a capella version of it that I watched on YouTube.

Me and a friend of mine do White Winter Hymnal sometimes. I've not played it since it went disastrously wrong the last time we performed it. The original is in E, but he wanted us to move it up to F so he could play a cornet solo. I'd learnt the high notes in sort of a "muscle memory" way, so when we performed it I did it all fine in F except for the high notes which were a semitone flat (it might be that they were too high for me in F anyway).

We were harmonising... those bits sounded pretty bad.

[danadd9]

Can anyone on this board sing overtones like the Tuvans/Mongolians?
Something like:


I'm trying to teach myself, but throat/overtone singing's hard to find instructions on.

[RadioElectric]

(Original post by danadd9)
Can anyone on this board sing overtones like the Tuvans/Mongolians?
Something like:


I'm trying to teach myself, but throat/overtone singing's hard to find instructions on.

That's really interesting. It sounds like he's got a ring-modulator built into his head.

[christielovesyou]

(Original post by derangedyoshi)
Woop woop, NYCoS :L I did Training Choir this summer - pretty fun, and some of the music was decent - and I'm auditioning for proper NYCoS next year. They have such a fabulous sound.

Yay! Might see you there Although I have my doubts about getting in, I think I'll get into TC rather than the main one.

[derangedyoshi]

(Original post by christielovesyou)
Yay! Might see you there Although I have my doubts about getting in, I think I'll get into TC rather than the main one.

You never know - it's not uncommon to get into NYCoS if you're in S6. Just depends how the audition goes I suppose.

[Fingersmith]

(Original post by danadd9)
Can anyone on this board sing overtones like the Tuvans/Mongolians?
Something like:


I'm trying to teach myself, but throat/overtone singing's hard to find instructions on.

Amazing technique! The high harmonics sound like flute and he's obviously controlling them.

Abiraleft, of course you're right, everyone has 'chest voice', 'head voice' etc. they're not very precise terms. Because it's so hard to instruct someone how to position and flex the muscles in the throat, all sorts of metaphorical terms are used. Even the labels of the voices are pretty artificial - it's what you do with it that counts. You could sing the same notes with bass, baritone, tenor or countertenor tone.