MAGICALBECK: SINGING TECHNIQUES (RESONANCE, VIBRATO, BREATH CONTROL, BEL CANTO, PORTAMENTO..

) DRAMATIC TENOR
8 JANUARY 2011 Tuesday, January 4, 2011 - 19:01 magicalbeck: OK here's a little something I put together on resonance before: ******** One definition of resonance that I found: {Resonance is the amplification and enrichment of tones produced by the voice. When we talk about resonance, were talking about singing with fullness. Sound judges often use the terms rich, full, round, and resonant, indicating that the tones produced by the contestant had (or did not have) body and fullness.} ok back to me. Here's a quick explanation of how the voice actually works - or any instrument. There is the MOTOR (lungs, respiratory muscles, diaphragm) the VIBRATOR - vocal cords they must have the breath to vibrate them...do nothing on their own. then there is the RESONATOR - the mouth, nasal passage, head. Dave has a classic "singer's head" and that mouth - the arch of the teeth - perfect for a great singer! Every instrument has these three things - say for example, a French horn. The motor is the breath, the vibrator is the lips and the resonator is the horn part that curves around and opens big at the end. For a reed instrument (like flute or oboe) the motor is the breath, again, but the vibrator is the reed, which is activated into vibration by the breath, and muscles involved, and the resonator is the long part of the instrument that is hollow inside. A person's resonance depends greatly on many factors and no two are exactly alike. For singing there is a fourth element - the ARTICULATOR, which is the tongue. No other instrument has this extra benefit. But the biggest reason for a full, ringing, resonant voice is simply the shape of the head, throat, nasal passage....in other words, God-given talent. Second most important (and of course David has this in spades) is a FREEDOM in the voice...very relaxed throat, very open. I found this and I agree: "The amount of resonance in the voice is determined by our ability to keep the pharyngeal, mouth and head cavities open and relaxed while we sing. The result is what we often hear referred to as an 'open, freely produced tone.' David's voice is one of the most free voices I have ever heard. Another thing I want to point out about resonance is that more than one note is heard by the human ear, while a gifted singer is singing ONLY ONE NOTE. Called overtones. We may not be able to consciously hear the spectrum of notes (almost like colors in a prism), but it is there and it

is what makes certain notes sound sooooooo full. My ear can usually detect them.... but whether you can or not, it gives the incredible sound and beauty that DC has. You are hearing them on some level I assure you. Overtones. Prism. RING! In Therapy, listen to the "e" vowels, starting at 1:16 or so. Every time he sings "me" or "sleeve" the resonance is sooooooo beautiful...the overtones, or that prism I was describing. It's SO centered in the pitch, the vibrato so perfect, that the other notes besides the main note are ringing. It's even more pronounced toward the end at 3:03 or so, when the "e" vowels are sung more intensely. And 3:09....then the ending..breathtaking. ======== magicalbeck: DRAMATIC TENOR Friday, October 15, 2010 - 18:51 magicalbeck: WHY DAVID`S VOICE IS A ONE IN A MILLION VOICES Hi abethfordc! Well it may be in the ears of the beholder, to a degree, in theory, and when it comes down to it, in practice. But among those in the music world and vocal world, there ARE definitely voices that are waaaaaaay more stunningly beautiful than others. In this sense, it is an objective fact rather than merely subjective. (sorta universally beautiful.. you do see this in opera but I concede that even there, debate can certainly exist as to "most" beautiful!) For ex: I am not that easily swayed. I do not say this EVER, except about David Cook...that he has a one in a Billion Voice. I have never said this about anyone else. I might like their artistry, their writing, the way they sing with heart, their tone, etc etc. But I wouldn't call them one in a Billion...except perhaps 40s tenor Jussi Bjorling, dramatic soprano Joan Sutherland (who just passed away), and a few other classical singers. Streisand as a musical and general talent was probably one in a Billion in her long prime. Sinatra, too in his interpretive skills, etc. But - the actual VOICE. I have never ever said this abut any other rock/popular singer, and it is a professional opinion. Other voice professionals would say the same thing; some things in this area are indeed quantifiable. They may not say One in a Billion, like me, but they would concur that it is a most resonant and free and unusually beautiful Voice. I prefer to think that all of you, who "get" The Voice, are sensitive and have "a good ear for music". Robert - good question. His repertoire is replete with "vocal perfection" but these two come to mind right off the bat. Music of the Night, studio version. Sheer perfection. Billie Jean - studio version. Astonishing. Wild, unrestrained vocal brilliance. I will think of more - there are so many... Permanent.. and some of the rock ones and AH and even the Axium songs. But those two are just CRAZY PERFECTION!!!! I will also find some of the live ones that are "vocal perfection" for you, Robert! Glad you're enjoying! Again, about vibrato: That voice teacher linked above makes some good points; I have seen his vids before. But his OWN vibrato is very tight and unhealthy. It is not free. so he is one of those people who can talk about it correctly (for the most part), but cannot execute it!!! I don't think it is just exaggeration on his part. I don't think he sings beautifully at all. This concerns me. Vibrato occurs naturally but some people do have a "straight tone" until they relax and support with

their breath properly. It CAN be taught!! It either comes naturally or if not, should be taught. And of course, for effect, one can do different things with the voice. straight tone. slow vibrato. fast. But for me, my vibrato has always been pretty free and I can't really do it any other way. It was never much of an issue. With David, it is obviously PERFECT. About Casey, I really like him as an artist and singer, and I think he was treated horribly by Kara on this point. Not ever did Simon say this stuff, even. He has a great natural tone, and pitch accuracy, and his vibrato was under control when he sang You'll Think of Me" and "Don't", "It's All Over Now," "Power of Love", etc etc. It's not a problem on pre-Idol stuff... a little but not major. I have been through this before. Pardon my redundancy. He has a "tremolo" (fast vibrato). So does Daughtry. I'd prefer that over a "wobble" (too slow vibrato). As to Casey, it was caused most likely by (a)nerves, or (b)improper breath support. He was always playing complicated guitar patterns, not just rhythm (ie: chords), but more lead runs, etc. It's easy to not support correctly when you are concentrating on something else. He has to learn to do both, and maintain support. Very hard! (I had a hard time with that sometimes as a pianist therefore stuck to chords while singing even though I can play more complex runs, etc). Anyway, in his earlier work, he has less of this tremolo... so I have no doubt that it will improve. Needs a good vocal coach. I think nerves were a lot of the problem. And after Kara shamed him in such a cruel way, before millions, it got worse. I would expect that same result if I treated a student in such a manner. !!! With Daughtry it can't be nerves - it's on all of his recordings.. and I don't think he is nervous at this point!! it's more of a technique issue. His vocal folds aren't coming all the way together to vibrate properly. Or his tongue isn't down all the way. If you see David's tongue when he sings, it is always down. See The Truth acoustic version (w the bad audio at the radio station in KC) -it's on the tubey site. His tongue is in picture perrrrrfect position!!! There's NOBODY out there like David Roland Cook! PS - Kelly C has such naturally beautiful, free vibrato too. Remember DC said she was his favorite Idol. ~ Saturday, October 2, 2010 - 22:00 magicalbeck: DRAMATIC/ SPINTO TENOR oh btw.....lovinlife - I've used that same definition - recently on another board in fact!!! It's good. Dramatic tenor: 'Also "tenore di forza" or "robusto" a rich,dark, emotive, ringing and very powerful, clarion heroic tenor.' some would argue that he is a spinto tenor: 'This voice has the brightness and height of a lyric tenor, but with a heavier vocal weight enabling the voice to be "pushed" to dramatic climaxes with less strain than the lighter-voice counterparts. (They are also known as "lyric-dramatic" tenors.)' I say dramatic because the color is darker than bright.. but either way, he IS able to push the Voice to dramatic climaxes... he does it all the time in a way that is very unusual. The main reason I love to talk about the sheer magnitude of the Voice is that he IS just so GIFTED, and that it is so unusually amazing... just breathtaking... like seeing a sunset that you've never seen before... or a crazy huge mountain unlike any other... or the wild Pacific when the waves are crashing in a way you've never witnessed.. it's a natural wonder. A gift that could only come from God. Hell, it's The Eighth Wonder of the World!!!!!!!

~ magicalbeck: DRAMATIC TENOR Greetings everybody. I am that beckylink on youtube, who talks about his dark timbre (tone) from a vocal coach and singer's perspective....I've actually been posting on David's incredible vocal prowess from the very beginning of his Idol journey. I don't know if some of those videos on youtube are even still there. You can find comments from me all over the place including a review on amazon for DCTR, the day it was released, or one day later. I had only listened a few times at that point but the gist of it is still true although certain preferences for me changed. I think that review is under Rebecca Jane Austen (my favorite novelist), or beckylink. I post under simply "Rebecca" or magicalbeck usually now. I appreciate that some of you have enjoyed my musical musings, and that some couldn't care less! I can understand that! But I can't help but find it all very fascinating....dramatic tenors/spinto tenors. Mostly because you just don't hear them every day. At least I don't. And you certainly don't hear a singer like DC, EVER. So for me, it is worth the analysis, great scrutiny, exclamation and astonishment at its sheer Beauty and Power. I have been coming to this site since the beginning as well, but I find it a bit difficult to get around on. Especially this part. I'm not overly techno-savvy!!! (understatement) And not always patient enough to learn. I do post here, under certain topics or videos, etc, where there is a clear place for "comments". Mostly on the homepage!! Lazy. For someone who mentioned this - I did get to see him at the Arbonne private gig! he was in such superior voice that night. The BEST I ever heard him, as far as just pure vocal CRAZINESS and PERFECTION are concerned. He was holding notes like I couldn't believe. Firing golden bullets, shooting piercing arrows, called NOTES!!!!! WoW!!! PS - David is definitely not a lyric tenor. Someone put that definition up here... I can see where one might think he fits that, but their voices are brighter in color, and they can do faster runs, etc. The voice doesn't have the same weight as a dramatic or spinto, so they can move them around fast. A good example is Myles Kennedy, of Alter Bridge. An AMAZING lyric tenor. Also Steve Perry of Journey is probably a lyric...almost crossing over to spinto with the heavier weight, but the color is very bright and lyrical, compared to DC. Lyric tenors can be absolutely astonishing... believe me. Jussi Bjorling of the 1940s and 50s was perhaps the greatest tenor ever, for opera, IMO, and he was a lyric. David's voice is of a darker color and huge weight. To me, he is not just one in a million - he is one in a BILLION. Sunday, October 3, 2010 - 19:40 ======== magicalbeck: VIBRATO Saturday, October 2, 2010 - 05:11 magicalbeck: DAVID`S VIBRATO, RESONANCE, NATURAL TALENT Wow so much to answer to! MANY MANY thanks to everybody for the very warm welcome! I am truly overwhelmed! RL is not easy for me these days...I need this more than I can say here. davidrocksmysoul: I agree, it is riddle for certain. Also half faith blessing - one of my favorite lyrics. Brilliant. Nice to meet ya! annie - I agree about the headshots. Too metro. clinical. devilish grin would be much better!!

Thank you satroniamay- I am glad the Archie/Cookie comparison made sense to you! BICKY!!! my Friend You are so kind. I am humbled by your words. The horrible behavior of Kara (RIP b**ch!) toward Casey was sooooo unnecessary. He does have a "tremelo" (vibrato a little too fast) but that is preferable to a "wobble" (vibrato too slow) any day!!! Daughtry is pretty darn successful, with a tremolo. It IS a vocal technical issue, but some people do have just a faster vibrato than others. Kara's comment was ridiculous and just plain mean. Casey's vibrato always brought the note right to the center. He was never pitchy, Dawg. But I digress!!! (It is due to breathing issues usually, and can be simply nerves.) NEMO - I agree, it is really fun around here! I am so pleased to meet all of you. It's quite a lively place! Pan - I love you, Girl. You are truly special. I am the better for knowing you, even a little. follia - hehe - pretty funny how quickly the vocal discussion turned to his thick gorgeous neck!!! LOL Thanks for welcoming me too! Cathryn, RomeDC: thank you so very much for the kindness!!! "delicious candy"??? I LOVED that, Rome!! I will keep coming around. partlycloudy - I have seen you before somewhere! maybe it was here... maybe somewhere else.. I will try to make things not overly technical. David's Voice is about emotion anyway. and Beauty and Power. It's Archie that is more technical, as I said earlier. David just gets out there and does things from his gut, his heart, and from that massive TALENT. INSTINCT. and that massive skull !!! which, btw, is one reason his voice is so big and resonant!!! (You should thank God for that huge cranium every DAY, David Roland Cook!!!! ROFL) But seriously, David is so instinctive with his gift. Never studied formally until AI. He IS The Natural!!! Just 100% pure, raw, unadulterated TALENT. He wings it a lot vocally - on AI I saw that. It's easy for him. His auditions were CRAZY good, and I got the feeling he was winging it - no problem. Someone asked earlier who else has a dark voice... off hand - Eddie Vedder. Scott Stapp of Creed. Jim Morrison of the Doors. Bo Bice. But of course they are all baritones. (medium-lower voices.) I'll try to think of a dark voiced tenor.. There aren't tons of them that's for sure. some in opera but they don't make the best examples for comparison. Placido Domingo is a dramatic tenor - of the" three tenors". There are baritones that are not as dark as the aforementioned ones. That's because they are lyric baritones. Josh Groban. Sinatra. I will think of more examples. Lyric baritone is a lovely, lovely voice for a man to have. ~ Monday, October 4, 2010 - 15:21 magicalbeck: VIBRATO Wow - a lot to go through here! Will have to answer more carefully later! Nice to see all the activity! Greetings to everybody!! kitkat: some interesting theories and I'll get back to them. One quick thing: Sympathetic resonance is a harmonic phenomenon wherein a formerly passive string or vibratory body responds to external vibrations to which it has a harmonic likeness. the only problem I see with this is that David's vocal cords (or anybody's) are not able to just resonate passively (ie: sitting there while not singing)...they have to be activated by his own breath pressure, by singing. So this doesn't seem to apply here unless I am not thinking this through correctly. Here is a good article about vibrato, and tremolo vs wobble: (the two "incorrect" types of vibrato)

http://www.voiceteacher.com/vibrato.html However, that bel canto teacher of the stars, Ron Anderson, in LA that I mentioned, believes that you can do either for effect, and that they are not necessarily a "problem" if used in that way. But I believe if they are always present (wobble: too wide, tremolo: too fast), they ARE a problem. I didn't find Casey's to be nearly as bad as Kara said, though. That was plain mean and a way of making herself look better after drooling over him.. (that whole thing was a debacle and I am sure he didn't appreciate it, but he took it like a gentleman.) He, and others, can correct this. He was always playing at the same time, and not just rhythm guitar but lead, so he wasn't able to concentrate on his voice 100% perhaps. Anyway, David's Voice has the most TEXTBOOK, PERFECT vibrato I have ever heard. Extremely healthy. Just AMAZING!!! abethfordc - I'd LOVE to hear David sing Nessun dorma as well.... oh YES!!!!! That guy who won Britain's got talent did it well....a little rough, technically, but VERY emotional. Stirring. Go to the tubey and listen to Jussi Bjorling singing it... he is my favorite tenor ever. From the 40s, 50s. I have a fascination with the 40s...the fashions...the stars.. Vivien Leigh... the hairstyles for women... so feminine! But I digress!!! lol kitkat: your theory on the vibrato/sound wave makes sense to me! Yamina, you hit the nail on the head!!!! For me one of the many ways David's voice is a cut above in the pop/rock world is his long legato lines - so many singers seem to be doing more "talking on pitch" - like a conversational style that emphasizes each word, whereas David sustains not only the word, but the entire phrase - links it all together. You need major breath control to do that, and it goes so well with the sweeping, "anthemic" style. Will answer more later and discuss!!! FUN!!! ~ Saturday, October 9, 2010 - 00:19 magicalbeck: DAVID`S VIBRATO I don't think I'm explaining this well. Vibrato is in everything DC sings, basically. You can't hear it on short notes or certain notes that he does "straight" tone.... but other than those two things, on pretty much all sustained notes, he has vibrato. Period. That's one reason it sounds so relaxing to the brain.. so soothing. non-permane-eh-eh-nt: his vibrato is beautiful beyond words, as was already pointed out. Music of the Night - all OVER it....throughout it. Not just on be-e-e-e. . or n-i-i-ight. Everywhere!! GORGEOUS. Therapy - it's therapy for me-e-e-e, to wear my heart on my sle-e-e-eve. Very obvious. Beautiful! Just in ca-a-a-a-a-se.. There are over a thousand examples. I feel like I must not be explaining this right. Vibrato occurs very naturally when the voice is relaxed and the breath pressure is correct. There are singers who use a straight tone in a cool way, stylistically. Joni Mitchell did. Jazz artists do it a lot.. Jackson Browne never used vibrato. (i know they are from a long time ago - but good examples!) But it's usually there. David has it in spades. I know as a singer personally I always had vibrato. It was always just there. I've taught people that had none but then as they learned to sing a little better it showed up, beautifully. The question about male vocalists and female vocalists.. well that's a complex question in a lot of ways, and in some ways depends more on what voice type they have (soprano, mezzo, alto, tenor, baritone, bass, and the sub-classifications therein ), but basically, principles of correct singing can be taught to either sex. And they will work.

However there are a few things specific to certain voices. For ex, I learned a couple of very important "tricks" from a teacher a couple of years ago that I only took 2 lessons from! She was a soprano, like me, and so she experienced certain things and I "got" them in a new way, from her. But the best coach I ever had was in NY and he didn't have my voice type at all! (obviously!) He was a dramatic or spinto baritone. I hope that makes sense... !!! Your question was a tough one to try and answer in this format; I'd need to have a conversation with you!!! ~ Wednesday, November 17, 2010 - 05:12 magicalbeck: DAVID`S VIBRATO David has vibrato in the lower range, the middle voice, and the high notes. I don't think I'm explaining this very well. Go back and listen to David in Axium - he has ALWAYS had vibrato. Just in Case... Therapy... it's not new. His voice just sounds more rested and better than ever, and is maturing into the brilliant dramatic tenor that he is. and already was. Listen to all of the Idol stuff... MOTN... he has vibrato pretty much all over the place. It's in everything, basically, except when he's choosing not to use it, or belting very hard. Or singing a phrase that is more conversational in style; more talk-singing. But i'd have to list every song he's ever sung to give you all the examples of his vibrato. he just has it. As a singer, I always had vibrato. It is actually a very normal occurrence. There are many examples from Idol. Jordin. Katherine McP. Kelly! Clay. Anthony Federov. Adam. Aaron Kelly. the list goes on Vibrato occurs very naturally in beautiful voices. Listen to classical singers - they all have it; it is a given (unless they are singing Gregorian chant or some specific type of music that they purposely don't use vibrato for.) Listen to Kelly Clarkson. She sings with stunning vibrato all of the time. David's is off the charts.. ~ Wednesday, November 17, 2010 - 05:12 magicalbeck: DAVID`S VIBRATO David has vibrato in the lower range, the middle voice, and the high notes. I don't think I'm explaining this very well. Go back and listen to David in Axium - he has ALWAYS had vibrato. Just in Case... Therapy... it's not new. His voice just sounds more rested and better than ever, and is maturing into the brilliant dramatic tenor that he is. and already was. Listen to all of the Idol stuff... MOTN... he has vibrato pretty much all over the place. It's in everything, basically, except when he's choosing not to use it, or belting very hard. Or singing a phrase that is more conversational in style; more talk-singing. But i'd have to list every song he's ever sung to give you all the examples of his vibrato. he just has it. As a singer, I always had vibrato. It is actually a very normal occurrence. There are many examples from Idol. Jordin. Katherine McP. Kelly! Clay. Anthony Federov. Adam. Aaron Kelly. the list goes on Vibrato occurs very naturally in beautiful voices. Listen to classical singers - they all have it; it is a given (unless they are singing Gregorian chant or some specific type of music that they purposely don't use vibrato for.)

Listen to Kelly Clarkson. She sings with stunning vibrato all of the time. David's is off the charts.. === SINGING TECHNIQUES by magicalbeck Tuesday, October 5, 2010 - 08:42 magicalbeck: - >BREATH CONTROL> NEMO: LOVE your graph and what you contributed there!!! I'm learning too believe me! I agree about the Star Spangled Banner - NOBODY else does that in one breath!!! I seriously believe that with him, it is more GIFT than choir masters and teachers as far as such things as breath control go. I go back to calling him The Natural. It was said that Mickey Mantle could do things naturally that most had to have more training for.. he hit HRs out of batting practice constantly. Of course there are a lot of natural athletes, but I am a student of baseball to a degree and he is specifically cited for this natural ability. I'm not saying that Dave didn't learn valuable lessons from these teachers and choir directors. But I mean, listen to the long phrases he holds in Callout at a young age. One of them is between 13 and 14 slow beats!!!!! (in the power ending) This is sheer natural ability and power. He has strong muscles and a naturally large lung capacity! This is easier for him than for mere mortals. I'm not saying it is not hard work.. he works hard at it, but his ability level is naturally higher than most. a LOT higher. infinitely higher! kitkat: thanks for explaining I see what you meant by that now.!!! I was a little confused.. !!! I am quite sure that Dave is well aware of and even taken aback by his Gift sometimes. i have even experienced this.. all singers of any seriousness must, surely.. the old "was that ME???" syndrome. You hear yourself and are amazed at something outside yourself that gave you this Gift - God!!! Because you know it isn't really YOU... that you are a vehicle. A conduit. Anyway didn't mean to get so philosophical. back when most phones used to ring differently, I would practice and think the phone was ringing, literally. I'd stop and pick it up, fooled by my own voice and those overtones I have talked about. !!! weird! The prism.... the "other" tones besides the one note you are singing. lady peace: the "rasp" he adds is definitely by choice. It is a vocal "effect" that rock singers have been doing for quite a while... and blues singers before that.. (think Gregg Allman at only 21, and he was influenced by the great blues artists before him.) The little added "rasp" or "edge" David does is, of course quite unique and better than anybody I have heard do it. I have talked about this on other boards. What sets him apart here is that he can add that little "edge" at the same time as singing perfectly freely with that incredible textbook vibrato.!!!! It's simultaneous!!! ASTONISHING!!! Or he'll be doing it and let it fling off like in the first big, long note in Permanent. (non-Permane -----------nt). He throws off the "edge" as I prefer to call it (but you can call it rasp - that is fine!), and goes to soaring, spectacular clarity. Music of the Night is replete with this stuff.......sigh... I worry a little at times about strain, but he has such a big, strong HEALTHY voice, right now. I'd like to see him study with Ron Anderson though. He's all about teaching them to sustain their voices for decades. People with strong pipes like Whitney H and others, are paying the price now for incorrect singing. Mariah too. They didn't preserve their voices well. They still can sing, but have lost a great deal. Sorry - I really want to respond to everything and I don't mean to leave anybody off or ignore.. I'm

doing the best I can!!! You are all making such excellent points and I am just randomly addressing stuff. so if l don't mention your post it is NOT b/c it wasn't interesting to me! You are all a fascinating group of people and I am truly honored to be meeting you, and to be a part of All Things The Voice, here at DCO!!! ======== Monday, October 4, 2010 - 03:29 magicalbeck: - BEL CANTO SINGING Rachel - hi! i have some online friends who told me about BG and how he sang it a cappella - and with no mike!!! thanks for thinking of that. I've seen him 5 times but he didn't do that any of those times.. He did sing a cappella, and once it was in front of 14,000 people (Arbonne) but not mikeless. I'd LOVE to hear him do it!!! thx for sharing! I know that he has the kind of instrument that could have handled opera in the olden days - where you had to sing over a whole orchestra with no mike!!! he could do any type of music he wanted. He does sing the vowels very purely and very true. Even in the Axium stuff you hear it - "it's therapy for me to wear my heart on my sleeve. Beautiful. bel canto indeed!!! There is a great teacher in LA who teaches a lot of stars and some AI folks too... named Ron Anderson and he teaches them bel canto singing . I didn't see David's name on the list but I saw a lot of other Idol contestants... wonder if Dave had any instructions from him.. http://www.ronandersonvocals.com/voice-coaching.php also click on clients across the top of the homepage. you'll see pictures... there are some over to the side. several there from AI7 including Carly (Tater). Blake from 6. Lee, Casey, Mike, Aaron, Siobhan, Katie, etc from Season 9. No DC pic. hmmmm. I think Dave was pretty happy w Debra Byrd on the show! MANY of Ron's clients aren't pictured. Myles Kennedy is one. Entire bands take him on the road with them. I wish I could study with him. He is soooooo expensive though. My finances and my health are not strong enough right now. maybe some day.. In answer to someone's question (I can't find you now- sorry!) Kris Allen is a light baritone... leggiero probably. He's very musical with his voice but it is not a big voice. Not that this matters - it doesn't always mean that much. Kris sings from his heart and that is the most important thing. Lee has a big full instrument (lyric - maybe even spinto baritone) but has a serious problem with pitch. I am not particularly a fan of Lee's singing, especially in light of the Lee/DC comparisons. I was like, say WHAT??? Where are the spinning, soaring high notes? Where is the perfect vibrato? Where is the tone? Where is the stage presence? There. is. no. comparison. !!! Lee's a different type of singer altogether.. more Springsteen-esque... gritty...kind of out of tune is ok with that genre. But it can't be compared to the One who brought Music Of The Night or Billie Jean to the AI stage!!!!!! NO!!!!! nooooooooooooo!!!!!! ~ Monday, October 18, 2010 - 01:18 magicalbeck: - CLEAR/GRUFF VOICE incipit - I totally agree. All I Really Need Is You should have been a single. So beautiful and sexy.. I was surprised that they picked I'm Alive for the single. It was good singing but kind of a blah song for me.

That and The First Time Ever... were the two I regretted most. *sniff* I still do when I think about it!!! It's not as if he will do songs like those again... not too likely anyway. polarbrrrr the reason he modifies the "e" vowel in CBTM, is to get a more chesty, belting sound. We already know that his beautiful, pure "e" vowels are some of the best showcases of his crazy resonance. But he is going after a different sound for CBTM. E and OOH are closed vowels and have to be modified sometimes to belt. Also have to be modified up real high...to AH, or OH, or even UH, or EH. To an open vowel, not closed. Someone mentioned clear voices. I think that David has both clear and "gruff". (it's not really "gruff" so I put that in quotes.) He can put that "edge" to his voice (this is not natural; this is a stylized, added "effect" that he does organically, at the throat...his natural voice is a clear as a bell), yet at the same time that the "edge" is added, he can be singing perfectly clearly. SIMULTANEOUSLY. This is astonishing and I am sorry if I keep repeating things!!! but new people are coming around, or new/old people...so I repeat. This can be heard so often in his music but most obviously in MOTN on the high notes, and in Permanent on "non-perma-neeeeeeeeeent". I don't know any singer who does this, in this way, and with such clarity at the same time as the "gruff" edge or whatever you want to call it. Pandora....It's always such a blessing to see you here in the Voice thread.. or anywhere, for that matter! You described what i said better than I originally said it! seriously!! LOL ~ Tuesday, October 19, 2010 - 18:47 magicalbeck: - PORTAMENTO (SLIDE UP) Follia - the "slide-up" is called technically a portamento. On a piano or harp where the notes cannot be slid between continuously, but can be filled with (somewhat discernible) notes in between, it is called a glissando. Voices, strings, guitars, etc can do a portamento....the notes in between are filled in gradually (even if quickly), and it can be either going up or down. You hear operatic sopranos - and other classical voices -do it coming down often. I know you have heard it often at the concerts you attend. Pandora pointed out another one that I wish we had more of. I'll Be by Edwin McCain. WAH!!! That was a jewel, and they only teased us. That Cookie IS a big teasuh!!!!! He looked amazing that day... 'nuff said. ~ Thursday, November 11, 2010 - 19:34 magicalbeck: - FALSETTO <3 CC !!! <3 pweller !!! mujerfeliz I don't believe that having a firm tummy can keep one from singing well. Nah. As for me, I am not that attracted to overly buff guys. Just naturally muscular is good enough for me. In fact that steroid looking bulk is hideous to me. But you didn't ask me that did you? LOL I digress... but, plain old toned is fine. (textual wink) As to singing it can only help to be in shape. Can't hurt. That is an old wive's tale or something. !!! There are a lot of weird superstitions about singing. Don't believe them, for the most part.

(textual smilie) normanthecat It is possible to have the very same notes in falsetto that you do in "regular" voice, in certain parts of the voice; some overlap. So he can choose. And he does! But of course when it gets past his high C's, maybe C#'s or D's tops, then it is gonna be pure falsetto. Like the harmonies on "ALL sing along" in A Daily AntheM. (high Eb..) They are falsetto but very strong and clear. Just remember that David has a dramatic tenor Voice, so sometimes what may seem like falsetto is not; it is just regular voice singing softly. I need to listen more to the Ronald MacD vids... then I can tell you better. (he sure sounded strong and amazing on LO). Dramatic voices have a large amount of volume differentiation. Their softs (musical term: piano) are softer, their louds (musical term: forte) are louder than voices of mere mortals! So, extra soft is called pianissimo... he may just be singing pianissimo and not falsetto at all sometimes! Hard to even tell with tenors sometimes.. usually I can tell with him, but with Adam Lambert or Myles Kennedy and other lighter, or brighter lyric or leggero tenors, you can't always tell for sure what is falsetto and what is not. Thursday, November 11, 2010 - 13:40 magicalbeck: I think we have evidence of several gooooood thingz!!!! 1. he's in REALLY good voice, due to: a. much-needed vocal rest, a little respite from the rigors of touring b. it's maturing and getting even better, as I have mentioned... (i LOVE being right!!! heehee) 2. he may be studying voice since he's in LA now so much more. I have no evidence to support this but it's possible because he just sounds SO good; even better than ever!!!! or 3. it may be from the kind of practice he can get in studio. It's not like touring. He can choose to lay down the vocal track when it is feeling really good, and he can rest it when he needs to and work on instrumental aspects, etc. 4. the physical fitness can only help a singer. Body stronger, good health = even better singer!!! All the way around this is only leading up to something AMAZING for DCTR2 !!!!!! Hold onto your hats Cookies!!!!! WoooooHoooooHooooo!!!!!!!!!!!! ======== WHY The Voice AFFECTS US THE WAY IT DOES Wednesday, December 8, 2010 - 18:24 magicalbeck: abethfordc I think the Voice just hypnotizes you - LOL!!! But seriously, I know what you mean about the AI songs. Since it is a show 100% around singing, they record the voices very much "out front". On DCTR, it is at times more buried in the general tapestry of the songs, but still clearly lead singing. It is loud but the instruments are also loud much as I call it. Also on Avalanche, and much of A Daily AntheM (my favorite!) To name a few songs where the voice is the "same voice", as you put it, I would say Declaration, Heroes and Light On all are the same kind of use of his Voice. Of course all of them are David Cook's Voice, so it is just that he uses his voice in different ways. He's very versatile.

I think when you line up different songs together on a playlist, it has partly to do with the key changes that you were used to, getting shifted in a new list. As the song changes, the new one adjacent to it is likely in a different key from what you were used to...that gives a very different feel. Sorry I have been so MIA. I have a long post copied into a draft in my emails that I will eventually get to.. my internet provider has been flaky lately.. grrrrrr.. Anyway HEY EVERYBODY!!! *textual wave* ~ Tuesday, March 8, 2011 - 19:33 magicalbeck: Hi DCO Thank you all for your warm words and welcome back, as always!!! I have to take exception with one little thing I am hearing echoed from some of you - My analyses are not actually that "technical". MasterClassLady, yes. ( just re-read her notes on the Finale and I disagreed with 80% of it, but no matter! That is totally technical.) Yours Truly, no. No, I don't focus on that much at all, except that he is a great dramatic tenor. I don't hear too many people out in the world pointing this out except for me and Enan. My focus has always been the beauty, the brilliance, and unusual dark quality PLUS the visceral reaction his voice evokes... I talked about pulse quickening, soul food, etc etc, but perhaps because my post was so freaking LONG (lol) that this got lost somehow! Me and COOKaineaddict are on the same page believe me!!! (I LOVED your post too, btw! priceless! So true...!!!) I've tried to express this several times - how my brain tries to process The Voice but that his singing bypasses the mind and goes straight to the body, soul, heart. Finally comes back to the brain. You put it perfectly, addict !!! My focus has also always been on the kind of artist he is - the writing ability, the interpretive skillllzz. etc etc.. Please don't confuse that with the "technical" aspects of singing. If I were totally enthralled with that, I might not have even been as big a fan as I was, because others can be more technically "perfect" than DC, especially in the past. I have written about resonance because it is off the charts and because I have been asked about it. And have been asked about his breathing and many other things. He sings incredibly well in every aspect there can be, but especially in how his voice affects. That's why some people don't "get" him, THEY ONLY LISTEN WITH THEIR MINDS. Big mistake. Male, or female. Pure, incredible natural ability is the main thing that he has in spades and it has nothing to do with technical stuff... and this ability to seduce with his voice is a HUGE part of it. I feel it in my body. Every note. Absolutely. ROBERT - that was YOU????? Cool. I loved your post. It was spot on in EVERY WAY!!! Very astute. I've quoted it a few places. You guys are awesome over here - such lively minds! So interesting! ~ Saturday, March 12, 2011 - 19:03 magicalbeck: RACHEL: I admire your effort at putting into put into words how different singers can affect different people. and the lock and key is a excellent analogy. But I do believe some people are just better.

Dave has it all - the incredible natural Voice, in all its power and glory and fullness, plus the skills and brains and sensitivity to put the Voice to incredible use, and the writing and acting ability to make these things all come to life. The sexiness. The inflections.. the list could go on and on. Not many people have it ALL. They may have a great voice. Or a great talent and sensitivity. Maybe sex appeal. Or songwriting ability. But not all combined. Therefore, I must say, I am with you, COOKAINE. He is pretty much the ONLY one who has that key now, for me!!! After I heard him... well, every other singer pales in comparison. And it is not because he is "hawt". There are many great looking people in the world but they don't have The VOICE. JAYELGEE: those little vocal grunts, groans and nuances, usually formed in the throat (or more accurately the glottis), but sometimes via consonants, so with the tongue, are really kind of nameless. They definitely aren't trills - although I like the creativity of searching your brain for a term, QT !!! hehee If you heard a vocal trill you'd know what I mean. It's the rapid-fire singing of two notes (right next to each other usually) - almost like a bird can do. Classical singers do it mostly. === EVALUATIONS OF DIFFERENT SONGS ON TLM The Last Goodbye (studio version) Wednesday, May 18, 2011 - 18:29 magicalbeck: Hey peeps... okay long delayed - and LONG (hehee)- but here is my piece on TLG: First of all, let's talk about the single, the studio version. We will tackle the acoustic, live versions next. Leave that aside for now. My friend, fellow DC lover, and sometime DCO poster Pan has described the single as having something like the fizz of a champagne bottle when first opened... I called it crisp.. concise... tight. Well there's a reason for this that is musically "sound." (insert the single here metaphorically at least.. I don't know how to do that) Hear how bright it is? how fizzy? how crisp? Part of this is because of the key it is in. The key of D major. It's a very bright, vibrant, almost valiant key. And on a guitar the key of D has a lot of open strings as as opposed to fretted strings. There are always both, but most chords in the key of D have more open strings, which is to say perhaps only 2 of the 6 are fretted, or 3, and the other 3 or 4 strings are "open", and ringing slightly more. More overtones. And also, in The Voice, as the main high note of the song, he is hitting high A's here (A4)- a very bright (and in his case of course), full, ringing, resonant note. He briefly hits even a higher note on "MILES apart", a B5. High note indeed but he has done them many times. (ending note of Eleanor Rigby on AI btw). He can't just crank them out indiscriminately like Adam L or say, Myles Kennedy with their lighter, more piercing tenor voices though. Ah how MUCH I prefer DC's Voice!! Most of the world of critics and writers are STUPID for never noticing this unparalleled difference in his voice compared to ALL other rock/pop tenors !! The weight of his voice is still astonishing!! There is no doubt to me now that he is indeed a dramatic tenor which I have I always stood by anyway. I used to have lingering tiny doubts occasionally, though, and worried for brief moments whether it was somewhat possible he was a spinto tenor

which is also a pretty big voice.. and that I was misleading people!!! But MAN!!! I LURRRV being RIGHT!! hehee In the studio version there is an urgency and a bright tempo as well... it almost celebrates the lost love, the missed opportunity. It is bittersweet and reflective but somehow jubilant and triumphant. It is one of many moods about a failed relationship - that's one thing I love about it! That same person could on another day write a very sad song, or an angry song. It's a slice of a whole; a piece of a mosaic, yet a complete song. Brilliant! Now, if you listen to the performances - my favorites are the acoustic ones - you will notice that it has a slightly different feel. I love the one from Apr 30... a radio station appearance. In the Idol performance I noticed the song didn't sound as bright as the studio version. The sound mix was a muddy mess, the guitars too loud (and bass) and Dave was a little off because we later learned the mike was turned off briefly which had to throw him for a loop....grrrrr.... I hate for him that he goes on Idol and doesn't sound his very best -again!!!! Frack!!! This happened with Permanent too. (everybody could understand that of course.) Not with Jumping Jack Flash however. But he needs to make such an impression with the single!!!! aaaarrrgggh!!! I worry for him. Anyway, I digress.. the sound sucked, and he seemed vocally nervous until he found his groove. Once he did, it was Dave. Vintage but new Dave. But I'd be lying if I said he sounded 100% as beautiful as he CAN and for that I was a little sad for him. I want him to win over new fans!!! He is never pitchy unless the sound is screwed up...acoustically he always shows how beautiful his voice truly is, when he can hear himself perfectly. OK then he performs it on Ellen and it sounded excellent except a little darker.. not "fizzy" or "crisp", but definitely concise and tight, and in tune. They had tweaked! Changed keys. I was shocked that it was a lower key because I thought he struggled with the low notes in the Idol performance... but WHAT DO I KNOW??? LOL! I had been predicting that they would change the key but UP one half step!!! They moved it down one half step. It was the high parts that must have felt a bit uncomfortable.. not that he can't sing the A4s and B4s, but it is wearing, especially the way they sit in his huge voice in the chorus. For ex: from :28 - :50+ "I didn't want to LOSE you, leave you with a BROKEN heart, but wherEVER WE are, we're MILES apart, I know that we tried but this is the last goodbye, OH... I didn't wanna LET you go, but wherEVER WE are, we're MILES A-part, I know that we tried but this is the last goodbye." The tessitura is high in this song.. higher than I realized. We talked about tessitura a while ago. That is where the song lies in the voice generally. For ex: CBTM has a low tessitura. it's not super low but it sits in a generally lower place with few high notes. LO has a high tessitura. It has some individual low notes but it LIES high. So, it is interesting that he has lowered it for performances by a half step. For the acoustic and the Ellen ones anyway. It sounds terrific, in a different way. especially acoustically. Stunning. More vibrato! But it is not fizzy. not crisp. Not as many open strings, more fretted notes. It's rich and beautiful, and they do it slightly slower as well, acoustically, which gives Dave time to hear himself and revel in his own voice enough to let the vibrato really ring out. This is so long.. I want to point out a few more things on the acoustic version(s) but will let y'all chew on this for now! So much to tackle!!! I think I love acoustic David almost more than anything... he's always perfectly in tune for

maximum resonance and ring, and the shimmering vibrato can be heard so obviously. It's all just too awe-inspiring for words. (you'd never know that by my posts.. ) Laughing out loud I want to eventually talk about Drive as it is so very noteworthy, and I planned on it before these others came out(!!!). Also TMAIA, and TMO, and probably next it will be Paper Heart . I am OBSESSED with the acoustic version(s) of this song. That wasn't a favorite song for me until I heard it acoustically. The word "everything" in the chorus - all I can say is OMG!!! *sigh* Posted by earlybirdSF