Singing Clips

Trad Irish Music
1

I’ve recently, through the miracle of recording software and free time, discovered that I’m not a base: I have a base range, but I found that I sound about three times better in the tenor range.

Without further ado, here’s a couple of clips of me singing. The first is an Australian tune called The Catapla and the second is a Scots tune called MacPherson’s Rant.

http://www.box.net/shared/8lhktk4ty3

http://www.box.net/shared/64fcvydlls

Constructive criticism is welcome; I’ve been a singer for a while but I’m not used to singing quite that high.

2

Man, going from bass to tenor is a big jump!
Did you make a stop at baritone first?
I’ll have to check out the samples when I get home…

3

I actually should have posted this in the clips and snips forum I think. And I think I meant baritone when I said base earlier; my lowest note is the D two octaves below middle C.

4

Sounds very good! It does sound a bit like your throat is tensing up on you on the higher notes (happens to me too), but a little focus on relaxing the throat and opening the back of the mouth will help with that, as will focusing the tone in the head.

Nicely done!

Redwolf

5

Thanks! I’ll have to work on that tensing issue.

6

It’s my besetting sin with high notes…I’m an alto, and get tenser the higher the notes go.

Here are a couple of tricks.

To relax the throat:

Take a bottle of drinking water (or just pretend to hold one) and pretend to drink from it…lift it to your mouth and open your mouth and throat as if you were actually about to take a drink of the water. Then lower the bottle and return your mouth and throat to their usual position. Do that several times, until you can consciously feel how your throat relaxes and the back of your mouth arches as if to receive the water. That’s the feeling you want to have when you reach for the high notes.

To focus the tone:

When you’re singing, visualize yourself pushing the tone out through the “third eye” (the area of your forehead just above and between the eyes). Also think in terms of most of the air coming out your nose (it won’t actually, but if you focus on the idea, it will help you get the tone in just the right place).

Redwolf

7

Welcome to tenor! Me too-(but I’m female and don’t sound nearly so good)

Redwolf I like your vocal coaching ideas- I’ll try them too.