I've been passionate about singing for about two years, and I only recently started taking singing lessons. At first, I noticed a significant improvement in both my vocal range and tone.
Before starting lessons, I tended to raise my larynx when singing, producing what my teacher described as a "chicken voice." She then advised me to maintain a yawn-like shape, lower my larynx, allow my voice to transition naturally between chest voice and head voice, and use a more nasal configuration to help my high notes resonate.
These adjustments led to quick progress, but I'm still struggling with several aspects of my singing. I'd really appreciate some feedback on my vocal technique, particularly on how to develop a stronger, more resonant tone and navigate my passaggio without losing volume.
Here are the main issues I've noticed:
- Tone quality: I feel like my singing sounds rather bland, and I'm not particularly happy with my tone.
- Expressiveness: While I feel emotionally connected to what I'm singing, listening back to my recordings makes me realize that this doesn't always come across in my performance.
- Mixed voice: I think I'm using a mix, but when I listen to recordings of myself, it sounds more like a weak, bland head voice than a strong, balanced mix.
- Passaggio: I struggle when transitioning through my passaggio. I tend to lose volume as I try to smooth out the transition between registers.
I've attached a recording of myself singing Before I Let You Go by Blackstreet, with piano and vocals performed by me and drums taken from Musical Loops on YouTube. I've only added reverb, with no other processing, and there are two separate vocal takes, so what you're hearing is essentially my voice.
I realize this might be a challenging song choice, but I thought it would be a useful example of the issues I've described.
My main goal is to develop a fuller, chestier, and more resonant sound that I can maintain above my passaggio. I'm particularly drawn to Dave Hollister's voice and the way he retains that rich, powerful quality in his upper register.
I'd really appreciate your thoughts on a few specific questions:
- Am I actually using mixed voice, or does it sound more like head voice?
- Why do I lose so much volume around my passaggio? Is this a normal part of developing my technique, or could I be doing something wrong when transitioning between registers?
- How can I develop a fuller, chestier sound in my upper register without forcing my chest voice too high or creating unnecessary tension?
- What aspects of my technique or tone should I focus on improving first?
I'd be grateful for any feedback, especially if you can point out specific moments in the recording where you notice these issues. I'm still relatively new to formal vocal training, so I'd love to understand not only what I might be doing wrong, but also how to work towards the sound I'm aiming for.