Improving singing diction – tips and reassurances?

thecolourbox

Hi all

Wasn't sure what section this should go under, either Technique or Making Music, who knows, but happy to move it if appropriate.

I want to improve my singing, but as a Christmas and a birthday have now passed and my Mrs hasn’t bought me lessons, I feel the onus is on myself to do it.

I’m aware of vocal exercises and warm ups and stance etc, for which I’ve got a few videos to digest and stick to the practice for in order to build the strength and control etc.

But one thing seems to be a recurring theme when I ask for feedback (from knowledgeable singists or Joe Public albeit in different vocabulary), which is that my diction and stuff that brings interest/variety to the singing is lacking and therefore I sound boring. I guess it’s singing equivalent of mumbling. I’m a quietly spoken chap and am a little bit nasal when I speak so that is naturally what happens when I sing too.

My concern with this all though, is that as vain as it sounds to say so, I actually quite like the general style of singing I can do naturally, albeit that I would like it more if I were able to control it a bit better and have confidence/conviction to provide a bit more gravitas for it. I think it is a bit breathy, tend to be fairly soft, and I can get quite high if I breath right.

When I think of things like “improved diction” I think of musical theatre, I think of Julie Andrews singing My Favourite Things. When I think of being able to power out stuff, I think of pub singers, I think of pop singers who sing too low for them on the verse in order to go for the big chorus. I don’t like my voice when I try to do these things. The diction/pronunciation bit I can see could work, for the “Summer” song I’ve linked to below I really worked hard on the diction and posture and breathing for that (except the end bit where it’s softer, and noticeably less good. But I can see that could work, but I do not want to end up sounding like John Barrowman or Julie Andrews.

So, any tips, reassurances etc would be very much appreciated!

What I used to do in my classical piano learning past, was to work out what I was missing, and really overdo it, then reign it back in bit by it. So when I was working on rubato (non strict timing, ie play quite loosely in line with the expression of the phrasing etc) I would learn whatever I was playing over and over at the most extreme overdramatic end of the spectrum, then reduce it until it worked well enough. Would this be the case here maybe? Do I need to face my fear of turning into Judy Garland by doing exactly that, then reducing it from there until I like what I hear?

Two examples of where I’ve been happy with my singing are as follows, for an idea of what I mean:

Thanks
Matt

sev112

Practice with the diction stuff
sing live with what you bring on the day
over time you will still have your style, but improved diction

as a listener it really matters, so I commend you for trying to improve this

thecolourbox

Thanks, I'm ready for practice I just am a little concerned that I'll practise wrongly and end up in the wrong direction - in my experience I've had teachers that have taken me in the direction they like then it's twice the work to unlearn that! I'm wary of doing that to myself unnecessarily! I'm concerned my style will be coaxed away from me like it was with piano and guitar

Mark1960

It's not my style of music, but purley from listening to the two songs I would say that you have something there to work with, in terms of ability. Just decide which way you want to go, and do it. IMHO (provided of course that it's in tune) vocals are largely a matter of personal preference, some people won't like your voice / style, and others will. For what it's worth I quite like it. Good luck and happy hunting for what you are searching for!

DannyP

Yes I agree, with the 'personal taste' comments and that there are always going to be people that won't like certain styles.

A lot of people adore this band, and some hate them. Zero diction

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tU1UmY6gSt8

smigeon

Just my 2 cents...

To me it's already fine. I don't think your voice is boring at all. To me, if I had to offer any criticism, it would be that the songs themselves might a bit all-on-the-same-level and might benefit either from more variation or dynamic in the backing, or from an added chorus or bridge melody that provides an explicit change of gear or scene or atmosphere.

But it's always best, IMO, that you write and sing the songs as you feel them. To me, anyone who says "boring" to sincerely-made music is just not getting it. You are saying something and the only thing that's in your remit is to say that thing in as committed a way as you can. If someone thinks it's "boring", then they just didn't get it. But that's OK - not everyone will. But some will. If you simply commit to do what you do, then it's not your problem or concern either way (unless you are aiming to make radio 2 muzac, of course). 

That all said, the notion of taking lessons or focusing a bit on diction, if YOU feel you'd like to, is not in opposition to what I just said. It may be something you enjoy doing and it may help you bring out what you want to say. But the primary thing is saying what you want to say with whatever level of technique or talent that you happen to have.

A final thought - you remind me somehow of Chet Baker (an old jazz trumpeter from the fifties who sometimes sings). A lot of people criticised Chet's singing, which was indeed "unconventional". Personally, I love his singing. He just means it and goes for it.

thecolourbox

Yeah I totally get that - in fairness the most scathing criticism has been from my family, and I don't like what they listen to much either. But I do need to improve it - the vocals on the above tracks I think are already way better than say this one:

And I don't think it's just strength, I think some diction improvement would allow a bit more force and presence of the words to be a bit more rhythmical even. I've been described as sounding "apologetic" even when I'm singing a happy song with a smile on my face.

But I guess it's being scared of the unknown, I don't want to ruin a good chance to imprive

thecolourbox

Thanks Smigeon, I'll have a listen to that later on. I did listen a lot early on to old jazz and blues singers so perhaps some of that stuck, I don't know.

I know those songs are a bit samey to be fair, you're right - they were just the best examples of my actual singing especially as the Summer one was a concerted effort to breathe properly and over pronounce everything.

I think really what I want is more a mixture of diction and conviction. The latter is a bit chicken and egg though - the recordings I've done are in styles I like but not styles I love, so putting true enthusiasm and "getting into the music" is a bit harder when you know you are not producing the music you'd like to ideally. But the reason I can't do the styles I love is that they require conviction and punch to do them properly which I don't have, so it just goes in circles like that really.

smigeon

Just thecolourbox said:

Thanks Smigeon, I'll have a listen to that later on. I did listen a lot early on to old jazz and blues singers so perhaps some of that stuck, I don't know.

I know those songs are a bit samey to be fair, you're right - they were just the best examples of my actual singing especially as the Summer one was a concerted effort to breathe properly and over pronounce everything.

I think really what I want is more a mixture of diction and conviction. The latter is a bit chicken and egg though - the recordings I've done are in styles I like but not styles I love, so putting true enthusiasm and "getting into the music" is a bit harder when you know you are not producing the music you'd like to ideally. But the reason I can't do the styles I like is that they require conviction and punch to do them properly which I don't have, so it just goes in circles like that really.

Just do it :-).

thecolourbox

What to do though, that is the problem!

zepp76

thecolourbox said:

Thanks Smigeon, I'll have a listen to that later on. I did listen a lot early on to old jazz and blues singers so perhaps some of that stuck, I don't know.

I know those songs are a bit samey to be fair, you're right - they were just the best examples of my actual singing especially as the Summer one was a concerted effort to breathe properly and over pronounce everything.

I think really what I want is more a mixture of diction and conviction. The latter is a bit chicken and egg though - the recordings I've done are in styles I like but not styles I love, so putting true enthusiasm and "getting into the music" is a bit harder when you know you are not producing the music you'd like to ideally. But the reason I can't do the styles I love is that they require conviction and punch to do them properly which I don't have, so it just goes in circles like that really.

I think confidence is key, once you start to believe in yourself you'll project better and that conviction and punch will come naturally. I know it's easier said than done but you already have the tools from what I listened to so the only way is up from here.

axisus

Wow, you are so far ahead of my singing. Envy!

thecolourbox

axisus said:

Wow, you are so far ahead of my singing. Envy!

Flattery will get you everywhere but I highly doubt that is the case - there were a lot of takes for these two and a couple of key changes also, but I know my ranges and what I can reach in each range etc so if I sound "better" in a specific example then it's likely a combination of me having presented a flattering scenario and it being in a key that suits my ranges

flying_pie

You could always see if there's a singing group in your local area. I played guitar for a long time before I did tried some musical theatre and choral stuff which was my start in singing. The musical directors there will teach warm ups, how do user breathing support and give great tips to all for the tricky sections

thecolourbox

@smigeon thanks for that Chet Baker link, I definitely see what you mean, if anything he sounds even more indifferent to it all than me! Works in that kind of song but I might try to seek out some more up tempo stuff with him singing to see how he does it.

The other one like that which I usually get accused of ripping off is the singer from The XX, again a fair cop I guess as his diction is certainly on a par with mine



But the problem is that I can't find much punchier or up tempo performances with this kind of voice to take inspiration from!

@flying_pie I have done the choir thing before at sixth form, admittedly because I had to for A Level music, and didn't really enjoy it much apart from two specific Bruckner pieces, as it was more about sounding less punchy and as part of a whole which is kind of the opposite of what I think I need. Plus every choir I've been involved with has done church style choral, musical theatre songs, or terrible cheesy versions of pop songs so I'm not sure if have enough time on my hands to find enough enthusiasm for those!