What am I doing wrong when I sing?

Question

http://youtube.com/watch?v=emSnuOoypGo

Answer 1

1. Singing through your nose.
2. Trying to sound like a popstar or a boy band. Cut it out! Just sing like you speak. Think how many of the greats don't have classically "beautiful" voices -- Bob Dylan, for instance. Sing with your own voice, don't try to imitate whatever teeny-bopper is hip right now.
3. Singing out of your range. When you feel a strain in your voice, you're singing too high.
4. Copping out. Put your back into it, mate! Sing like you mean it, and not like you're a sad-sack teenager who just really, really wants that girl to go to the prom with him, but like a man.
5. Singing from your throat, instead of your diaphragm. This is harder to learn. Try to find a voice teacher to help you out -- even the choir teacher at your school will probably be willing to give you a few pointers for free.

Answer 2

You lack proper breath support, which is why it feels high and sounds a little strained when you sing. Breath so that when you inhale your belly expands and your shoulders do not move up, and when you exhale, your belly contracts. This will also allow you to sing louder and longer without hurting yourself.

Your vowels are also very spread- open your mouth a little more and create vertical space inside your mouth rather than horizontal space. It doesn't have to be operatic, but it needs to be a little less like the typical pop singer.

There's also some minor pitch problems, but improving the last two things should help this quite a bit. You still need to listen, and maybe try playing notes on a piano or guitar and then singing them in tune.

Answer 3

The voice is there, it just needs some fine tuning.

1.First you're a bit nasaly. Try this exercise:
Open your mouth wide(as if you're yawning) and place your fingers just in front of your ears where your jaw hinge is. When you open your mouth there's a space. Keep your fingers there while you practice singing to remind yourself to keep your sound open. Try and keep that space there.

2. You are a bit off pitch. Try this exercise:
Hopefully you have access to a piano. Get a tape recorder. Now plunk out a note and try to match it. Just keep doing it with different notes. Then you can listen to yourself to see if you were off pitch. Just keep doing this exercise over and over and over until the pitches and tones are drilled into you.

3. You need breath control. Try this exercise:
When you sing place your hands palm down right where your ribs meet. You should feel your diaphragm expanding, if not then you don't have proper breath control.

Try laying on your back and plaing a heavy book on your stomach. Try just breahting at first, lifting the book. When you're on your back your body instinctively breathes from the diaphragm. Get used to the feeling. Try singing while you are like this to practice. Then when you are upright try to emulate that feeling. When your hands over your diaphragm to remind you.

Just continue to practice and practice and you'll get better.

Answer 4

It's in your breathing. Excuse the example.. but I read one time that if it feels like you're taking a dump when you sing, you're doing it right because you use a lot of the same muscles in your diaphram. Take deeper breaths and don't move your shoulders. Also open your mouth wider. I was always told the 3 finger rule, but I can't open my mouth that wide. So put one finger in the hinge of your jaw on each side and feel for that hole up by your cheek. Keep your mouth open so your finger can fit in that hole at all times. You have a nice voice, you just need some technique.

Answer 5

You have a voice somewhere there, but it utterly lacks support and control of air flow (your breath), which is why you sound so unsteady. I'm guessing that you haven't learnt any sort of technique, which is normal if you haven't had lessons before. Sometimes, even some choir singers I know don't know the right technique.

It might not be helpful to try to tell you what to do here. The best thing is to get a voice teacher to hear you and teach you the right technique.

Answer 6

I think you have potential, but you really should try to get lessons.

Many great singers are "natural" talents who needed little or no training. The rest of us studied for years to sing like we do!

Answer 7

Probably you are making the same mistake most young musicians make! To perform music or sing, you have to learn how to LISTEN. Listen to the accompaniment and listen to what you are doing! Tape yourself and listen to the playback very critically.

Answer 8

you don;t have the right pitch. u might want to get some voice lesssons..u do have a really nice voice though.

when u sing you should breath and you should not sing like the singer...use your own voice.

Answer 9

you sing through your throat not your stomach or mind. think about how you want to sing and when you do project your voice. and most important pronounce the words correctly.

Answer 10

Sounds like you have potential but need to expand your range. You aren't monotone, but a little close to it.
Keep on trying, with work you'll be OK.