I can sing with tracking at home with my Desktop and feel very comfortable, but when I sing the songs in public, I can't reach the low notes any longer. It is as if my voice raises in pitch and loses its lower resonance.

Curious if you experience this and what the remedy might be?

I wonder if their is a normal change to be expected here and just what the raise might be, i.e., one, two or three steps, etc.?

Thanks

Hi Dance Host,

I think you are experiencing what is commonly refered to as stage fright. This can vary in intensity with the crowd you are in front of and your level of confidence, as well as many other things such as, do you need to go to the restroom?, when did you last eat?, who or what preceeded you on stage.

I doubt there is a way to measure it in notes or steps, only know that it exists.

After many years of performing I have overcome most stage fright but still feel a twinge if I follow a good group of singers, a really good musician, or a rocking band, with my solo effort.

I remember a particular terrifying night in Ecuador in 1992 when I had to follow a 35 or 40 piece symphony orchestra with my feeble acoustic guitar and folk songs for an audience of about 800. In the end it turned out fine but it was a most lonely hour on what seemed to be an enormous and empty stage.

Concentrate on breathing. It takes more air to make low notes than high. Practice getting air into the lungs, loosen your belt, pull the air down with the diaphragm, and learn how meter it out by singing from down low in the chest cavity.

O..

Hi Dance Host. I suspect that you are experiencing a little tension when singing in public. After many years of performing, I still do.

Warming up on the way to the gig might help some. I often do not "find" my voice until a few songs into the first set. I try to compensate for this by planning a few easier songs, with less range required, to start the set with.

Respect,
Col. Andy

Also, less can be more. Sometimes when we reach for high or low we become more aggressive than is necessary.

This reminds me of a similar idea for instrumentation. Bela Fleck is an amazing banjo player and here is some proof:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Z7_iEjhBpU

In an interview once, the use of his right (picking) hand came up and he was asked if he played with a hard touch or a light touch. He said, "Neither. I play with the right touch".

I think we might apply this concept to our singing as well.

The "warming up" is rather important ... otherwise, your range (initially) can be quite dependent on the time of day (e.g. morning vs. evening) and how much you've used your voice in between times. It can also depend on what you've had to eat or drink just prior to singing.

All those "variables" tend to "go away" (cause only minor variations) if you take time to warm up your vocal chords properly prior to the performance.

Never thought about stage fright before...hmmm...

I can relate to the lower notes being more comfortable at home, though. Morning especially, but that's a really skewed example. For performing, I feel I'm at my best anywhere between 7 and 10. Later afternoons are okay if I am "keyed up" enough for the gig, but I prefer evening. But regarding comfortable octaves, I have found during a performance - maybe well into the show; second or 3rd set (if that long) - the lower notes just have no volume, or, "Dang, is that the key I always do this song in?" Smooth and clear, but sometimes a tune or two feel a step low. Like others have shared here, I think it must have to do with getting into "high gear" and if you go for a "lower" song after your gradual shift, it can be tough.

All of the above comments are relevant and could point to the cause of your problem, it could also be that you are reaching the low notes but can't hear them. Make sure that your monitoring level on stage is adequate for you to hear your voice comfortably, I am never happy performming unless I can hear myself clearly.

quote:

I am never happy performing unless I can hear myself clearly.

I'll agree with that. There are about 3 songs, that if I can't hear the intro properly, they are really tough to pull back on track.

I do believe that doing a warm up before the gig really helps though.
I like most of the vocal training materials at
Singers Success - Vocal Warm-up

They have quite a few products for singers.
I personally feel that they help, if you do the exercises and focus.

My wife really hates it when I am driving to the gig and doing a warm-up to a CD in the car, but I can feel it if I don't.