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marzullo
`Olu`olu
USA
923 Posts |
 Posted - 05/28/2004 : 5:58:24 PM
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hi folks,
my wife is encouraging me to take some voice lessons. you can read whatever you want to into that suggestion. i like the idea in any case. i have no illusions about the quality of my pipes, but i'm all for learning to use them in the best way i can.
can anyone give some general hints on how to start? what to look for in a teacher? i've had one friend who had a bad experience, because her teacher decided to train her in a fairly classical style. i would be happy to sound like willy nelson than luciano pavarotti.
thanks,
keith
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RJS
Ha`aha`a
1635 Posts |
Posted - 05/28/2004 : 6:17:27 PM
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When I was considering the idea, I checked the universities in our area, got some referrals from chorus teachers. Got three names -- and spoke to them. All 3 spoke about learning basics of breathing, tone, control. 2 of them wanting to use canned instructional materials based upon solvege, scales, etc. 1 was willing to work with the kind of material I wanted to sing and help me get better at that. Need I say more.
There are a couple of books on the subject of "natural" singing. If I remember right, onme is called "The soprano Who Sang On Her Head" or something real close. Not a bad book. If you want the info on the others, let me know and I'll go dig through some boxes.
BTW, the result of my lessons -- I didn't want to work as hard as I would need to get my vocal skills where I wanted them to be. I've since resigned myself to being a solo instrumentalist.
Best of luck in your quest. It is worth doing. |
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cpatch
Ahonui
USA
2187 Posts |
Posted - 05/28/2004 : 7:02:18 PM
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There are also some good tape/CD sets that you can use to practice at home or in the car that include a set of vocal exercises as well as an explanation of basic techniques. Canned exercises aren't necessarily bad for vocal training...they strengthen your voice, aid your control, help extend your range, and can be applied to any vocal style.
Keith, I have some stuff you can borrow if you'd like to get a feel for what's on these sets. Let me know. |
Craig
My goal is to be able to play as well as people think I can. |
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catheglass
Lokahi
USA
312 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2004 : 01:36:36 AM
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Aloha Keith:
My solution to the problem was to join a choir - I now sing with Na Leo Nahenahe, the San Francisco Hawaiian Chorus. Never felt that I could sing, even when told that I had a nice voice. I gotta tell ya, this has bolstered my confidence, my ear, and my ability to hear parts in harmony.
More experienced folks have told me that the more you sing, the better your voice will get. This, for me, has been the best place to start - I've learned more, and faster, than I would on my own, or singing with tapes in my car.
Our Director, John Lehrack, is well know around town, and teaches. I'm comfortable with him, and working my way up to private lessons. That's an answer for finding the right teacher, eh? Work with 'em for a while.
Hope you are well, my friend, I still remember the night you played beautiful Bach on my beautiful Po Mahina baritone, in the rain and the dark..... |
cathe |
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cpatch
Ahonui
USA
2187 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2004 : 04:10:14 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by catheglass
I still remember the night you played beautiful Bach on my beautiful Po Mahina baritone, in the rain and the dark.....
"Rain on a G String"? |
Craig
My goal is to be able to play as well as people think I can. |
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marzullo
`Olu`olu
USA
923 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2004 : 8:34:12 PM
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hi cathe! i'm so bummed that most of the great people i met last year, like you, are going to be in maui when i'm on moloka`i... i hope to see some at the blue marlin on sunday.
how's that bari sounding? it was a beautiful uke.
aloha,
keith
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catheglass
Lokahi
USA
312 Posts |
Posted - 05/30/2004 : 02:28:28 AM
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Aloha Keith:
Yeppers, I'm also bummed that I can't see everybody. Sure was a hard choice, but I wanted a chance to work with different teachers this time. If I can keep going, I'm thinking I'll alternate each year.
Blue Marlin? <perk> Would that be the Sunday after the Maui Slack Key festival? Okies, i can be there. . . . . Ummmm. Where is it?
<ahem> what do you mean that WAS a great baritone. It still is! :::ruffling her feathers::: Don't let Dennis hear you say that...
<BEG>
And as for you, Craig :::auntie shaking her head::: that was a really bad joke. <groan> Besides, Bach didn't write "Air on a G String" anyway. :::giggling:::tiptoeing away::: |
cathe |
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marzullo
`Olu`olu
USA
923 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2004 : 7:20:36 PM
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cathe, yup, after the festival! don kaulia (see "maui slack key style" thread) has set up some post-camps Sunday get-together. there'll be a lot of people at george's camp who will know how to get there. it's a restaurant by the acquarium in ma`alaea, which is on the road from lahaina (honoapi`ilani highway, i think) past the pali. you can't miss it.
aloha,
keith
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marzullo
`Olu`olu
USA
923 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2004 : 8:11:47 PM
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hi raymond,
i found the book "soprano on her head", which looks like a good book. i'll hunt around a bit more. craig, maybe i'll try out your tapes just to see what some of the material is like.
i really like cathe's suggestion, i'll hunt around for a singing group.
aloha,
keith
(who is trying not to sound like leo kottke's description of his own singing style - "goose farts on a muggy day") |
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RJS
Ha`aha`a
1635 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2004 : 11:02:14 PM
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| I read a lot, so if you want some more ideas for books, just let me know. |
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