After posting the earlier video of Old Man and hearing the recommendations from Jim in the weekly wrap-up, I decided to work on those exercises he demonstrated. I thought I would experiment with this song in the original key which is a half-step up from my original post and see if I could incorporate the lessons into this song. Any and all suggestions or thoughts would be much appreciated to help move this along.

I did not do a video for this but here is a link to my SoundCloud site with the song,

soundcloud.com/budster/oldman06wav

Thanks, Bud

Well buddy that's great

You are definitely a man who is using the technology in such a wonderful way.

Learning vocals on the Internet and you have a sound cloud site you are posting both audio and video material. I love it. This is why right now is a good time to be alive and using such a great resource to advance ourselves in something extremely positive.

I like the point that you are challenging yourself by bringing the song up another half step.

I guess my 1st question to you would be how does it feel when you're singing in this new key? To be a little more specific what's the difference in shifting to the high notes in this key versus the previous key you sang it in?

Also, if you go back to the 1/2 step lower key now and sing it again doe's it feel any easier then before in that key? Or about the same?

Do you like this new key (for you) better because the air pressures matchup in a different way between your registers then the previous key?

Or do you find it more difficult?

What I'm looking for is your observations by doing this.

I know I'm asking questions instead of giving advice here. The reason why is because these would be the type of questions I'd be asking you in my studio after listening.

There is no right answer just observations and of course these observations can teach you and all of us something..

I don't want to put words into your mouth I'd like to hear your response to these questions. When you get the time.

I will continue sharing my observations with you from there.

Take your time don't feel you have to immediately answer this give it a shot in your own timeframe and then get back to me…..

Keep singing,
TV Jim

TVJim wrote:


Hi Jim, Yes I agree, their is so much our their to further or music loving experiences. In answer to your insightful questions, The reason I changed the key up a half step was that it was easier for me (less strain) to move from my chest voice to my transition voice during the high notes in the chorus. Using your exercised helped me maintain the correct tone and depth without the strain.

Singing in the half step lower key was also easier after the exercises but still a little strain their, with time I think I could eliminate the strain at this key as well.

I do prefer the higher key because I think it presents the song better and it really helps me to change registers and not strain so much.

This has been a great exercise for me and thanks so much for all the insights as it was really helpful, Bud

Hey buddy I meant to get back to you on this a little sooner but the holidays are hectic...

I love your response and I hope everybody reads it?

This is exactly why I was asking the questions.... It is interesting to mention the fact that sometimes raising the pitch instead of lowering it can put you in a better place for singing a particular melody line.

Some of the reasons being

1) The tension of the voice matching up a little easier from your transition of mix voice to head voice or even chest voice to mix voice....

2) The actual tension in your voice throughout your whole range by the melody line being a halfstep or more sometimes creates better vocal resonance in the voice.

3) And it is true that sometimes just vocalizing a halfstep or even a whole step higher for a while and then going back to the original key can have positive results..

Of course the topic of vocal resonance does not just occur by raising pitch from one key to another. There are other elements of vocal resonance which also adds to the quality of your vocal tone.

There are actually 3 places where the air resonates in hollow cavities which effects vocal resonance..

1) the nasal cavity basically your nose cavity

2) the oral cavity-your mouth cavity

3) the pharyngeal cavity-the back of your throat

Those are the places where air can resonate/vibrate.

So what I'm saying here is we are always faced with the challenge of finding the proper place/key to sing the song... this place is where the air pressure underneath the vocal chords produces the best and easiest production of sound.

Hence deciding if we should raise lower or keep the song at the same key is of utmost importance.

By doing that we maintain the best quality of tone and ease of vocal production, also by understanding how our resonators are involved in this process adds to the vocal quality.

keep singing,
TVJim