maya
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Post by maya on Jun 26, 2014 15:44:38 GMT -5
Cassie.... now I'm going to try and see if I learned something from the various your vocal lessons you had shared with us...  This is from Chicago.... did Adam start with head voice In the Lap of the Gods and combine it with chest voice? No falsetto at all was used, right? How about in Killer Queen .... all chest voice? Thank you. |
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Post by bridgeymah on Jun 26, 2014 16:25:43 GMT -5
Cassie.... now I'm going to try and see if I learned something from the various your vocal lessons you had shared with us... This is from Chicago.... did Adam start with head voice In the Lap of the Gods and combine it with chest voice? No falsetto at all was used, right? How about in Killer Queen .... all chest voice? Thank you. Not to mention he basically does sit ups while singing and sings this damn song lying down (more so at Winnipeg I think)... |
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Post by cassie on Jun 26, 2014 17:21:25 GMT -5
Cassie.... now I'm going to try and see if I learned something from the various your vocal lessons you had shared with us... This is from Chicago.... did Adam start with head voice In the Lap of the Gods and combine it with chest voice? No falsetto at all was used, right? How about in Killer Queen .... all chest voice? Thank you. You have paid attention in class! You get an "A." "It's so" is actually sung in a very light chest voice to match the head voice of "easy" perfectly. Back down to light, light chest voice for "but I can't do it. It's so", then flip to the matching head voice for "risky." In the next phrase, he sings "funny" and "money" with full voice (mixed head and chest) on notes just one step lower than the notes he floated in head voice earlier. He could have floated those, too, but chose not to. Beautiful. Love the tone of the matching chest and head voice. So pure. Yes, Killer Queen is sung in chest voice with some head resonance/ring added. But most of it is not with a twang or belt sound added to it, which would make it more hard rock and roll, and powerful. He keeps it light and very flexible for the many quick jumps in the melody. Really, his technique is masterful! And yes, bridgey, on his frickin' BACK. Damned impressive. |
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Post by vaiouser on Jun 26, 2014 19:17:45 GMT -5
Another case in point, cassie.... Killer Queen .... starts at 1:10... Adam tilted his head backward (1:25) and started singing.... I thought this would alter his voice since by stretching your neck, your vocal cords will also be stretched, narrowing the opening but it seemed like there was no change in his tone.... or at least affect your breathing Also as you noted, he was on his back ... twice (2:09 and 2:20), continue singing and doesn't seem to alter his voice either. Is it not supposed to? From stretching your neck back to laying flat on your back without altering the tone of your voice? Not familiar with voice change when changing body position... :D since I've never seen anybody do that except Freddie when he sang BR upside down ... |
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Post by cassie on Jun 26, 2014 20:21:06 GMT -5
Oooo, I hadn't seen THIS one before. What he does on Killer Queen shows amazing technique! When you change body position while singing it is difficult not to change the sound of your voice because where/how you focus your sound in your body requires different muscle control depending on your posture and body position. Also, more importantly, maintaining good breath support is much more difficult in some positions than others. On your back is one of the most challenging, because gravity naturally makes your diaphragm tend to collapse.
Our BB not only sings while lying on his back but also while doing sit-ups. I can't even maintain a note while doing sit-ups! Crazy!
Remember a concert a couple of years ago when Adam sang while lying on his stomach on stage? I thought that was ridiculously tough. I mentioned it to Angelina and she sloughed it off. "That's what we do. In opera we have to sing in all kinds of positions. Tenors are notorious for singing arias while dying!" She wasn't particularly impressed because she thinks of Adam as being in that rarified atmosphere of great operatic singers. Difficult or impossible for lesser mortals, but, for the classically trained, dedicated professional opera singers, "that's what we do." And Adam is in that club in her mind. At the top of the pack in that club.
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Post by glamtealady on Jun 27, 2014 8:49:41 GMT -5
Thanks Cassie and everyone this is really great as I love Adam's voice but have no music training. I hope Cassie you and Angelina can do a show about the concerts once it is over. I think Angelina is going to a few.
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Post by cassie on Jul 2, 2014 20:57:51 GMT -5
I am bringing this question and response over from the news thread for safe keeping. Feel free to comment and add your ideas.
cassie, I have wondered about this. As I have said, I have no knowledge of the technique of singing. As an example, if he sang his full show full out, as he seems to me to be doing, does it only take 24 hours for his voice to refresh/heal/recover? Las Vegas, for instance is back to back shows. Is there some inherent protection in the years of training, because I don't think he would do anything to knowingly endanger his voice. Since you know about singing, I thought maybe you would know what kinds of things he has to do to maintain his voice, like vocal rest, and if those things are enough to maintain his voice.
I will try to give you a basic answer but really, there are many variables.
The vocal cords or vocal folds are two small bands of muscle in your throat shaped like a V. When you are breathing normally, those bands are open, allowing air to freely pass through. Conversely, when you go to lift something heavy or are suffering from constipation and are trying to eliminate excrement, the bands are firmly pressed together preventing any air from escaping. When you talk, sing or hum, the bands come together and momentarily separate slightly, vibrating to produce the tone.
You can damage these small pieces of tissue by forcing too much air thru them explosively (to shout, sing high, sing loud), by tensing them too much for too long (to make your voice sound raspy and gritty) or by overusing them (talking/singing too long without rest). The damage may be in the form of swollen tissue, irritation, slight bleeding, or excessive mucus production. This damage, in turn, causes the cords to vibrate differently and often less effectively, leading to more strain and more resulting damage. Repeatedly irritating, straining and damaging the cords can lead to scarring, nodules, or polyps and can sometimes be permanent. Think of a flag that flaps in the wind. Gentle flapping is no problem. But in high winds, or flapping against some type of resistance, over time you can fray or even shred the material.
When one studies voice production and singing, one learns how to properly use the voice. How to sing loud by maximizing the body's resonance and breath support rather than brute force. How to change how the sound is produced in order to sing low or high. How to sustain a note or phrase evenly and with power or finesse by proper breathing rather than constricting the cords. Even how to add grit with control of the throat muscles, not the cords. The techniques learned are not "natural". A person cannot learn them just by singing a lot or listening to/watching others sing. It takes a VERY GOOD coach/teacher and a lot of practice, trial and error, and refinement.
What are the challenges for Adam singing as he does in the Queen concerts?
1. Range. These are not typical 5 note or 1 octave pop tunes. They call for a voice that can reach down low and up into the stratosphere.
2. Power. These are big, bold songs. The singer needs to produce a lot of sound.
3. Endurance. It is not just a song or two. Adam is singing for maybe up to 90 minutes during a 2.5 hour time span. He is singing big song after big song.
4. Focus. Adam is not just standing in one place, singing into a mic on a stand. He is moving, dancing, walking, doing sit-ups, interacting with the band members, interacting with the audience. All this pulls his focus away from voice production and vocal technique. (Fortunately, Adam has such a depth of experience and training, that much of the technique becomes subconscious, allowing him to shift focus where needed.)
5. Frequency. Shows two nights in a row, or with only one day's rest in between. For over a month. And not just the shows, but also the sound checks.
6. Touring. To keep the voice healthy, one needs to breathe clean, moist, unpolluted air. Not always easy while flying, sleeping in hotels, breathing in the air at concerts, etc. One also needs plenty of rest, vocally and physically. And plenty of hydration and healthy food. Very limited amounts of alcohol which can dry out the cords.
How much rest between gigs does he need? Depends on all kinds of factors. How much is he straining his voice? Again, depends. Generally, Adam takes very good care of his voice (note how much he drinks water in between songs, and sometimes even during songs). He has excellent technique. Can he become so emotionally charged that he pushes himself too far while singing? Can he ignore his better judgment and party too much after a gig? Can he suffer from insomnia? Yes, of course. How much discipline and control is he exerting during this heady, "once in a lifetime" experience? Hopefully enough. So far, so good.
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Post by vaiouser on Jul 2, 2014 21:57:14 GMT -5
cassie... thanks for the info. I remember in Idol when Adam was interviewed he mentioned about his "humidifier"....that that is something he cannot forget to bring along during the tour. What is the benefit of having a humidifier (I assume it is used at night)? Is this a common practice for vocalists? I can't remember anybody else mentioning a humidifier from the the Idol  who was touring with him. |
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Post by cassie on Jul 2, 2014 22:11:26 GMT -5
Keeping the vocal cords and throat moist is very important for vocal health. If you think about it, if your lips are dry they tend to crack and swell. Same with your cords. If your sinuses dry out they can get irritated and swollen too, affecting the resonance in your tone. Humidifier is definitely a good idea when traveling.
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Post by cassie on Jul 3, 2014 11:58:52 GMT -5
Adam Lambert as an Interpretive Singer
When people talk about Adam as a singer, they often focus on his power and his range. Those are features that are obvious and remarkable. With that power and range plus his sultry good looks, his tight pants, his graceful and sexy moves, and his playful attitude on stage, many casual observers do not notice that Adam is a marvelous interpretive singer. They may think that their strong emotional responses to some songs are just the result of all the other wonderful things Adam displays on stage. Conveying a powerful emotional message in a song is actually a studied skill like all the others. Foremost, the singer must have excellent technical skills. Angelina Kalahari, respected opera singer and vocal coach wrote: It is rather a paradox that in order to sing beautifully, expressively, dynamically and naturally, singers continue to have to work on techniques as well as those more elusive elements that transform their voices into the perfect communication tool.The singer must be capable of shaping the sound as he envisions it in his mind without being limited by what he can actually produce reliably. He must have the breath support to shape the musical and lyrical phrases and to hit and sustain the intended notes. He must have the control and flexibility to sing a specific note intimately and gently or powerfully. He must be able to produce the same sound across the span of a phrase, regardless of whether it goes into his upper range or dips into his lower range. He must articulate his words clearly or the audience will not know what he is singing about. He must be able to add crescendo or decrescendo (becoming louder or softer) across a phrase or sustained note. He must be able to sing a note with the right amount and style of vibrato, or with a straight tone. His technique must be internalized to the point that he can do all this while performing live, moving, and interacting with his audience. He cannot be effective interpreting a song and conveying that interpretation to the listeners if he is simultaneously focused inward on how to sing that note. Adam has that technical mastery. So, how does he use it to stir such strong emotions in us? I think he probably spends time analyzing the song first. He talks a lot about approaching the Queen songs by asking “What was Freddie’s INTENT? What was he trying to convey?” I think Adam does this with every song he performs. Is the song focused on reflection, sadness, joy, fun, camp, tenderness, boisterousness? How do we know? From the words chosen? The sound of the rhyme and meter? The beat? The rise and fall of the melody line? The accompaniment? The harmony? The tempo? What is the story line of the song? It should have a beginning, a “plot” development, a climax, and a denouement. How can that story be told? What needs to be emphasized lyrically or melodically? What needs to be delivered delicately? What should come as a surprise? What should come as comfortably familiar? What is canon and what can be played with, embellished and twisted? Armed with the technological base and confident in the intended message and song design, there are specific “tricks” a singer can use to create the emotional landscape. • Stretching out a note or phrase slightly beyond the beat or what was written • Connecting two phrases together unexpectedly (singing thru the period) • Delaying the beginning of a note or phrase unexpectedly • Breaking up a phrase to emphasize certain words • Punching certain words with extra power or by spitting out the articulation • Softening the voice on a note or phrase • Adding power gradually throughout a phrase • Backing off the power at a poignant point in a phrase • Singing a certain note or phrase in head voice or chest voice depending on the emotion • Bending a note (in a bluesy way) • Adding a run or riff • Deleting a run, riff, word or phrase • Inviting the audience to sing along • Stopping the entire song in dead quiet for a few (or more than a few) seconds If the singer is performing live for an audience, there are also things he does visually with his body, his face, his eyes, his gestures and his moves. He can tell a story with posture alone. But, the visual interpretation is a whole other discussion. Does Adam do all these things consciously with every song? It is on my list of questions for Angelina to ask him if she ever gets the opportunity to interview him about his voice. She has commented several times that he is a “thinking singer.” At his foundation, most things are intentional. I believe that, but I also believe that once that “work” is done to figure out his approach to a song, he sets it aside so he can be totally “in the moment” and make the magic happen as it will on that particular night, in that particular place. What we hear is an immediate and intense emotional flood that touches our souls. |
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