I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!! (need advice from singers)

Larf03

Larf03

Like a rock
Jun 5, 2003
2,261
16
38
Right Next Door to Hell
www.fredlaroche.com
It's been about a year since I have lost the ability to use my full vocal range. I don't know what it is! It's not painful, I just can't produce those sounds anymore!

I used to be able to pull off Brian Johnson / Blitz / Zetro Souza even on my worst days and now I sound like Dani Filth when I try to. Hell I used to be able to pull of Painkiller and We Disintegrate when I was in shape. My lows used to sound like Araya or Mustaine or early Chuck Billy but now, they seem to get lower and lower, I sound like Chuck Billy on The Gathering or Phil Anselmo on Five Minutes...

Another thing is that it gets tired so fuckin' quickly ... I jammed for one hour yesterday and at the end of the hour I would only play Ace Of Spades because that how much voice I had left in me...

What's going on? Why can't I sing anymore? I didn't overuse it, it just went away ...like that! It gets me fuckin' down right now seriously... Espescially that I would have the opportunity to do an Overkill tribute on a big outdoor stage this summer... FINALLY!!!!!

Tell me what you guys do in times like these... I don't want to sing Black Label Society and Motorhead forever...
 
Sounds as if you may have done some damage there Larf. Cara told me once that gargling an egg white helps, it does. Also, I'd look into going to see a doctor. I know that there is therapy for such things, but I know little about it. I would like to think you're an educated vocalist, so I'll skip talking about warm ups and such. Maybe, sadly, you lost your touch?
 
E-bortion said:
Sounds as if you may have done some damage there Larf. Cara told me once that gargling an egg white helps, it does.?
Click to expand...

Yeah... maybe I have done some heavy damage... My technique relies mainly on heavy air flow from the lungs... It may have messed up my throat a bit... As for the egg... I'm so desperate I might just try it! Is it like a one-time shot or do you need to have a ...ahem... a fix on a regular basis???

E-bortion said:
Maybe, sadly, you lost your touch?
Click to expand...


...Maybe :(
 
Going to the doctor to see if you've done any damage is a good idea. I would also, after that, check into getting a vocal coach. They can teach you to do what you want (within the confines of your range) without doing any damage.
 
Lillitu said:
Going to the doctor to see if you've done any damage is a good idea. I would also, after that, check into getting a vocal coach. They can teach you to do what you want (within the confines of your range) without doing any damage.
Click to expand...

I tried have a coach... He ask me: "Show me what you got and where you wanna go"

I poped an Instrumental version of Overkill's Elimination my friends recorded for me and I sang it like I used to be able to... He stood there, not saying a word... and when I was done I asked me where I wanted to take my vocals... I then popped Killbox 13 and said : "I wanna sing this song (Devil By The Tail) without damaging my voice...

That's when he decided to finally tell me: Are you done wasting my time? I'm an actual music teacher here... Things like that you'll learn screaming in back alleys...

:( :( :(
 
Try another teacher. Just because that one is closeminded does not mean others will not work with you. A *good* teacher would shelve their personal opinions on music and teach you how not to damage your voice doing what you want to do.
 
Lillitu said:
Try another teacher. Just because that one is closeminded does not mean others will not work with you. A *good* teacher would shelve their personal opinions on music and teach you how not to damage your voice doing what you want to do.
Click to expand...

LIlitu is correct -- go find somebody who hasn't gotten his/her personal preferences confused with his profession. A good vocal coach could help with any style, period.

Ask around in your area for someone with "the touch" -- vocal instructors, like a lot of other professions, either have "it" or they don't. It's one thing to memorize the rules and be able to regurgitate them at anyone who stands in front of you. It is entirely another to be able to take each individual and find a way to work with their specific talents and speak to their specific thought process.
 
First off, did that loser of a vocal " teacher" take any money from you?

If they did, get it back immediately, they should not be teaching.

When I originally began working with a voice coach although she had NO CLUE the style of music I was talking about she was more than willing to learn and very helpful. After a while from me constantly exposing her to stuff I like we found a common ground in communicating and when I would say " Maybe something more Fates Warning like " she knew what I was talking about.
Any good teacher will be able to take thier knowledge and help you apply it to your style.

Second, see a doctor immediately to make sure you have not done any damage.
I will not bore you with my own horror story but I had lost my voice for YEARS and I do mean YEARS due to a medical condition not diagnosed properly. ( I would have killed the original doctor but have thought better of it )
It could be from eating habits, lifestyle, you name it.

Third, it could just be time takin it's toll. Sometimes your body changes. I don't know your warm up, excersise routine but a good vocal routine may help.

Let us know how it goes and what you find out.

Good Luck.
 
Larf03 said:
Yeah... maybe I have done some heavy damage... My technique relies mainly on heavy air flow from the lungs... It may have messed up my throat a bit... As for the egg... I'm so desperate I might just try it! Is it like a one-time shot or do you need to have a ...ahem... a fix on a regular basis???




...Maybe :(
Click to expand...

I do the egg thing on a regular basis, in fact, everytime I growl.
 
From one singer to another, get a vocal coach. Most with experience will know how to help repair any damage done and can teach you how to train so it never happens again. In the long run it's cheaper than medical proceedures you might not even need but a doctor will tell you , you do. I had almost the same thing happen to me 5 years ago and after 6 months of breathing and projection exercises along with lots of herbal tea and lemon I was fine. And remember rest your voice on the day before, the day of, and the day after singing, less talking more tea!!!!
 
DEADHEART said:
From one singer to another, get a vocal coach. Most with experience will know how to help repair any damage done and can teach you how to train so it never happens again. In the long run it's cheaper than medical proceedures you might not even need but a doctor will tell you , you do. I had almost the same thing happen to me 5 years ago and after 6 months of breathing and projection exercises along with lots of herbal tea and lemon I was fine. And remember rest your voice on the day before, the day of, and the day after singing, less talking more tea!!!!
Click to expand...


Thanks... I'll get on that all lemon and egg white diet :)

I just wish I'd be able to find my voice again before going to a vocal coach to at least start from something...
 
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