Classically trained but can't sing contemporary/pop songs...why?

ScriptedAlibi

I was just wondering if there is anyone else here who can blast out a decent Pie Jesu but finds any attempts at more contemporary/pop music fall below par? I've had some clasical training in a soprano/mezzo style (apparently my voice fell in between the two) and I know that I have a decent enough voice on that score, but when it comes to trying to cover the likes of say Ed Sheeran or Regina Specktor (music I like), I suck! I don't mind classical, but after spending years of making songs I can't really relate to sound 'relatable', I'd love to actually sing words that mean something to me....without sounding like a banshee:o The only time I've ever done that was one night in Galway after a good few vodkas and a guy with a guitar playing Damien Rice! Apparently it wasn't too bad then!

I'm lousy at theory. I haven't a clue about keys etc. and I've always just learned by ear. When I auditioned for the RTE choir I completely blew it when it came to sight reading, I hadn't a notion. That was about 5 years ago and I pretty much just gave up on singing then, stopped the training etc. and just decided I wasn't any good.

I recently got in touch with my old singing teacher to get back on the horse(funds depending), but I'm just not sure what I want out of it! I'd still love to belt out an Ave Maria here and there, but I really want to see if there's any more to my voice than that. For example, I learned the soprano version of the song 'Summertime' a few years ago but I love singing it to myself around the house in a lower more relaxed key, it feels more 'jazzy', takes less effort and I just feel less self conscious! So this is the problem, she's going to ask me what I want out of it and I don't actually know... Everything I read says I'd need to retrain to sing 'pop' but to be honest I don't know if I even could! The whole 'head voice' thing just doesn't make sense to me, I've always sang from my chest - if I try to sing in my 'speaking' voice I have absolutely no range and sound horrendously off key.

I guess I was just wondering if anyone has ever had a similar thing?! I've heard of pop singers not being able to sing classical but I've never heard of it in the reverse

I don't actually know what put the idea in my head again lately, maybe I just need to give up the ghost:( But well, I really miss it. So any advice would be welcome.

Wurly

It sounds to me like you need a better knowledge of your voice.

You need a teacher who can help you determine the parameters of your different voices - eg. chest, middle and head. Only then, will you be able to make head nor tail of where your voice is coming from.

For instance, some opera songs will require a lot of head voice. But contemporary songs may only require a small bit of head and a lot of chest. if you don't know what it feel like to be in a particular voice or where that voice starts or ends, then how can you master it?

Also - sometimes the way in which we pronounce consonants and vowels when singing, can change the sound of it dramatically. So, pay attention to how you pronounce when you are singing your classical stuff compared to how you pronounce for contemporary.

metrobro

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