Archive for Musicals.Net Musicals.Net |
| Enchanted |
-Delete--delete- |
||
| Mademoiselle Lanoire |
Are you able to record yourself? By getting an idea of what you sound like, we might be able to better make suggestions on what you're doing right and what you should work on. | ||
| Enchanted |
I wish I could! But I'm on a laptop, and it does not have a microphone. | ||
| Orestes Fasting |
Hook a pair of headphones into the microphone jack.
Seriously. The sound quality won't be all that great, but in absence of a microphone it usually works. |
||
| Enchanted |
Headphones? They can... process the sound you make into the device? I thought they were only output... | ||
| Orestes Fasting |
I use mine for voice chat and such when I'm too lazy to dig out my microphone. So, yes.
Unless you've got a really nice sound card, the quality will be iffy without a preamp, but they still work for input--and even with a microphone the quality can be crap. If they don't work, check the volume levels on your computer to make sure the mic input isn't muted. |
||
| Haleyisrad |
I think that if you are 2 notes below "known," then maybe Fantine would be a better part for you. Because if you can sing everything else of Eponine...then Fantine shouldn't be hard for you. Unless you REALLY are dying to be Eponine, then you should get a good voice teacher and they will help you I'm sure. Mine sure did. 
So good luck with auditions! Hopefully this helped a little! |
||
| Orestes Fasting |
Er... Fantine is a bit higher than Eponine, actually, and the OP sounds like she's most comfortable belting. "Come to Me" is a few steps above "On My Own"--the "known" in OMO is a C, and "look, monsieur, where all the children play!" goes to a D. Plus, good luck on "you let your foreman seeeeeeend me away."
Or if instead you're suggesting that Fantine is a lesser role and you can get away with a weaker voice... bollocks. I think Fantine is more important than Eponine, anyway. |
||
| Haleyisrad |
I know that she is higher...but it's not all belting. It is more in a mix. Or head voice. Not mostly belting like Eponine. Because belting "known" is hard...but mixing it isn't. But "You let your foreman send me away" is very high and belty too...I sorta forgot about that. | ||
| beck |
i just finished les mis at my school, our eponine has an amazing range and could get everything no problem..i actually auditioned for eponine, and whoever said that eponine is more "belting" than fantine, your right. eponine doesnt make any trasitions into her head voice..as far as i can remember. where as fantine does. butttt. fantine and eponine actually are very much the same. there were low notes that our eponine couldnt hit, in i dreamed a dream "as they tear your hope apart". and there were high notes that i (fantine) couldnt hit, in a little fall of rain i think..i cant remember what part.. but i know there was something i couldnt hit. but then there are some of cosette's notes that i can hit..its weird. but yeah, what i'm saying is that although fantine is seen as a soprano and eponine as an alto, its almost the opposite.. i forget where i was going with this.. you guys probably got my point..haha | ||
| Fantine |
Right. | ||
| smokeyspotlight |
Actually, Eponine does go into head voice on a few occasions- eg- In my life, theres been no-one like him anywhere, anywhere......, and many times in other interjections and mostly in little fall of rain. You have to have an incredible range to play Eponine, also you need to have a strong voice to power belt every night like she does(!).
I don't think Fantine is a lesser character by any means- but- she only really needs to mix when hitting those notes mentioned. Sorry- thats just my opinion. Fantine is an easier character to sing for. |
||
| smokeyspotlight |
Re: Eponine. Enough said.Basically, I'm not affraid to admit it to you, I am an excellent singer. I can sing through each one of her songs with no mistakes.... EXCEPT.That one line. That ONE line in 'On My Own'. "Happiness that I have never KNOOOOOOOWN." Practice and practice and practice again. I find that by extending your head voice you are strengthening your belt range so do lots of sirening, and lots of vocal excercises with head voice. If you are straining when hitting that note beware, you can damge your vocal chords, then you really won't be able to sing full stop. Take a breath after 'A world thats full of happiness', use your diapham and you should feel your stomach mussels tensing- a sign that your singing from the right area, then go you it!!! By the way- a really great singer will never admit to being incredible unless when they are joking around. They will always feel they could do and learn more. |
||
| PictureThis |
Doesn't the part that goes "All my life, I've only been pretending" go happier than the known?
But you sing up to the pretending in that part, and the known, is just you have to be able to hit it. I was Eponine a few years ago, and I had more trouble with the pretending part. Just keep on practicing it. Play the note on the piano so you can hear what it sounds like. Don't try to get that note at first, though. Work you way up to it. Do lots of chromatic singing things and note by note work your way up to it. |
||
| beck |
ahh yes, i see what your saying. an i personally would have had to sing all of it in my head voice, but our eponine was a crazy girl, she sang everything in her chest voice. it sounded amazing. |
||
| Enchanted |
I tried the headphones on my computer. It directly said to me 'This is not an input device'. XD
Suited for Fantine? I never thought of that possibility, but I'm not saying that I can NEVER hit the 'known' but I am just asking for ways of extending my belt voice faster. I have already extended it. I'm just looking for a faster way to reach just two more notes above. I'm just telling you that I am an experienced singer. I'm not saying I'm the best. I'm not saying I'm perfect. Just experienced. I didn't want you guys to think that I'm an amateur, trying out for a very strong and talented role. Sorry about that. I'm not sure if the 'All my life, I've only been pretending' is higher then "Knoooown" because in the version I've heard, it's not. She takes it a bit lower. I saw it live though. I have the soundtrack, but I don't listen to it as much. I'll give it another listen. Anyways, thanks you guys for the help! Much appreciated! |
||
| Orestes Fasting |
*shakes stick* If you abandon your training, if you choose the quick and easy path, you will become an agent of evil. Is the dark side stronger? No, no. Easier, quicker, more seductive. But if once you start down that dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny.
(In other words, no faster way and no shortcuts. Just keep practicing, 'cause if you push it you could ruin your voice.) |
||
| javertsw |
I'd say if you can't hit it, you can't hit it.
I'm assuming your young, because you are auditioning for a SE... so your voice probaly hasn't fully matured yet. It'd be better to miss out playing Eponine, than getting the part, pushing yourself to belt that C several times and then ruining your voice in the long run. You only get one voice. There will be other opportunities to play great roles. (And I think Fantine is a harder role to sing. 'I dreamed a dream' is harder than 'On My Own', I think [assuming you have the range for both]) |
||
| Kate1197 |
Since you really want the part, I would just take the C in your head voice. I've heard numerous people sing On My Own largely in their head voice, and it can sound quite nice. I suggest trying it out a few times and seeing if it works for you - just remember, no role is worth straining your voice for!
Kate |
||
| smokeyspotlight |
I have to both agree and disagree with that. Of course no song is worth straining your voice over, however, taking the C into head voice? Come on- that is just a blatent cop out, and with it being the climax of the song- with all the emotion and desperation that leads up to it, it would not work in head voice. I don't even like it in mix- which is what lea salonga blatantly does in the 10th anniversary show- its all or nothing for me. And also, C isn't that high and is obtainable with the correct practice, my advice is go to a professional vocal coach and get their advice- just because you can't reach C now, doesn't mean you never will!!! |
||
| javertsw |
But belting is generally not recommended for young people, they say don't try till your at least 18.
Your right, just because she can't do it now, doesn't mean she can never do it. But that doesn't mean she will be able to do it safely and precisely with a couple of months of vocal training. Definately wait for your voice to develop and strengthen first. It really isn't worth it. |
||
| Labrie |
Very interesting debate...but could anybody explain a bit those vocal techniques you are talking about? I know you all are singers and very talentend people but im also interested though my total ignorance �bout the matter...Particulary interested about: Belting and Head voice. I�d like to differenciate when a singer does belting or a head voice....though i wont try at home, dont wanna lose my voice.
Ty 
|
||
| olly |
Umm... Eponine sings 'A Littel Fall of Rain', and Fantine sings 'I Dreamed a Dream'. |
||
| smokeyspotlight |
To Javertsw
-Again, I have to disagree- I have been a mezzo for 6 years now and have been strengthening my belt since I was 14- at stage school. Look at artists such as Francis Ruffelle who played Eponine when she was 18, Lea Salonga who played the role of Kim in Miss Saigon when she was 17, and don't even get me started on a certain ginger orphan etc... At 18- yes your voice still has a long way to go, but that won't stop you from putting in a strong perfromance if you have trained well for it. I think we all have the same message here anyway- Always train your voice first. Head voice, is soprano. It is sharp and is concentrated around the throat and head area. Belt comes from the Diaphram and some may also use stomach and back muscles for support. Head voice is a very 'healthy' way of singing. You can only strengthen your voice when singing in head, it developes lung capacity, and also you can tell if you have any vocal chord damage when singing as it would sound breathy. Belt is for very experienced singers only- and should NEVER hurt. You generally should vocal rest alot when belting as it does tire the voice out, and drink lots of water!!! Head Voice- Christine- Phantom of the Opera Belt voice- Scaramouche- We Will Rock You Mix- Fantine- Les Miserables |
||
| Labrie |
Tx a lot smokey, very instructive answer...just what i was looking for. You are really kind; i will listen to those songs you mention to feel the differences...
|
||
| smokeyspotlight |
Glad I could help!!! - btw- just go to
www.youtube.com -and type those characters and musicals that I mentioned in the search box. You can both see and hear the way head voice and belt differ in the performances- ie- posture, head movements etc...!!!! |
||
| Orestes Fasting |
Not to pick nits or anything, but singing from the throat is never healthy, even in head voice--sopranos sing from the diaphragm and use their stomach and back for support too, it just resonates in the head as opposed to the chest. (And it's quite possible to hurt your voice unknowingly in head voice, just not as easy as with belting.) Though I'm a classical soprano and can't belt without hurting myself, so what do I know. --oh, and all singers need to stay well hydrated. Water is your frieeeeend.
|