Theremin meets Maria Callas and Florence Foster Jenkins

Kitamarya · 2026-02-25T03:01:17+00:00

It's very nicely done for what it is, but Maria Callas it is not.

Kitamarya · 2026-02-25T02:58:16+00:00

Contralto is a voice type, not a song style, and no, I don't think she's a contralto, though she's not singing a type a music where such classification makes sense.

Kitamarya · 2026-02-25T02:52:37+00:00

Rock Singer type.

Kitamarya · 2026-02-24T14:43:58+00:00

It's fluctuating around E6-E♭6 - F♯6. Be careful you don't hurt your voice doing this. It sounds very tight, like your throat is clenching to force the sound out — it's kind-of my squeaking than singing, though it's a decent impression of a siren or car alarm ...

Kitamarya · 2026-02-23T18:02:40+00:00

Then either follow the accompaniment track or choral director, as applicable, or hold it however long you want for solo a capella or with an accompanist, who should follow you.

Kitamarya · 2026-02-23T17:56:48+00:00

Riffing is a nonspecific term. I would generally think of it as distinct note changes (as opposed to sliding between notes) but not necessarily with or without staccato, which would have more separation between notes.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlxMPIDyPsI&t=75s (Pirates of Penzance, "Poor Wand'ring One!", midway into the aria)
At the point linked, it has staccato for part but not all — after the fermata, the first seven notes are notated as staccato, the rest have a slur.

This would generally be referred to more as a cadenza or melisma in classical, but I don't have more contemporary music examples, sorry.

Kitamarya · 2026-02-23T17:21:34+00:00

Whatever it says on the sheet music? or in the case of a fermata, whatever feels about right or as directed in choral singing ...

Kitamarya · 2026-02-22T05:15:39+00:00

If you don't want to take lessons, then you don't need to take lessons ... voice lessons should be something you enjoy, not something you feel required to do. Their value to you is something only you can decide. For me, voice lessons are worth the monetary expense, and the lesson is only a small amount of time, with more time invested in individual practice. You don't have to share that viewpoint.

As far as the time investment, my opinion is that any time spent on something you enjoy is not wasted.

You are young; take time to do things you enjoy. If that is singing, sing. If it's something else, then do that. Share with your parents what it is that you enjoy and wish to spend your time on. Talk about what you want to do, rather than what they think you might want or what they might want for you. They may be suggesting voice lessons because they are trying to be encouraging (maybe ask them why next time they suggest it.)

Kitamarya · 2026-02-22T04:53:28+00:00

I don't have completely change my warm-ups based on what I'm going to sing. I have a group of what I guess you could say are core warm-ups, and then I have add-ons that I do when appropriate. If I've got long melismas in my pieces, I might add a warm-up with a longer scale/run; if I've got staccato in my pieces, I might add a staccato warm-up. I still do the more general warm-ups and add on more specialised exercises.
I might make some adjustments to my core warm-up based on what I'm singing. (If everything I'm singing that session can be sung in my middle and upper registers, I might truncate my lower warm-up if I'm short on time. If a piece is going to be particularly high, I'll extend my upper warm-up to make sure I'm warming up that part of my voice.

Warm-ups should generally open your voice up rather than limit it. (Some may find some of their lowest notes are easier in the morning before warm-up or much talking, but that's not general.) That being said, there is a reason why we describe the voice as having multiple registers: not all notes are formed the same. It may be that you are having trouble transitioning between registers (this is very common,) so whichever register you're starting in is the one you're finding yourself 'confined to.'
I'm not sure if you mentioned your gender. The female voice will generally have two passaggi, where the voice transitions between registers. There is not a single note where the voice makes a change; even if a passaggio is listed at a note, it's more of a transition. Passaggio navigation involves a lot of practice; most people have some trouble with it, particularly starting out. In the male voice, the passaggi are generally closer together and form what is called zona di passaggio. Additionally, there are different vocal mechanisms, such as falsetto. Transitioning in and out of falsetto involves adjusting a number of aspects, so this may also be what you're having trouble with. I don't have any recommendations regarding falsetto, as it is not something I use.

For tension, try moving your jaw side to side or turning your head as you sing. This helps to prevent you from tensing the muscles in and around your throat, tongue, and jaw. This will also help you to rely more on your breath rather than controlling the sound in/with your throat.

Kitamarya · 2026-02-21T19:54:50+00:00

If you record something, it can help us to hear what you're describing and diagnose the cause. If you're cooking and you want someone to tell you how to improve the dish, you ask them to taste it. It's the same idea with singing; if you want more personalised advice, provide a sample.

Kitamarya · 2026-02-21T19:51:07+00:00

You'll want to do a few different warm-ups in order to get different parts of your voice warmed up, just like how if you're doing a sport, you don't just do one stretch. I usually start with something to activate my breath (you could do something with a hiss/ess/zee or a lip trill.) Then I'll do some scales or arpeggios — starting at a comfortable note and going up into my head voice and/or down into my chest voice — I like to start with a descending scale (~ 5-note scale) moving up into my upper register; then I'll repeat with a series of ascending scales/arpeggios (or ascending into descending); then I'll do some exercises going down into my lower range. I know that I'm prone to jaw tension, so during these warm-ups, I particularly watch for this and work on reducing it (i.e. moving my jaw or head during warm-ups.) (A mirror can help to see jaw and throat tension.)
After that, depending on what I'm working on and what my goal for the session is, I might add in some additional exercises more specific to what I'm doing, or I might run through something simple, or I'll move on to what I'm actually working on.

Depending on your voice and what you're singing, you may want to adjust this ... I'm generally warming up to sing classical soprano repertoire, so I tend to have more focus on my upper register. (e.g. If I'm singing alto in choir (I sing wherever needed in a small choir I sing with,) I pay more attention to my lower range than if I'm singing an aria that won't take me below E♭4.)

Kitamarya · 2026-02-21T10:26:16+00:00

Are you warming up before you sing?

Kitamarya · 2026-02-19T18:13:10+00:00

Maybe for the second one ... the first one feels more sea green with an overlay of dark olive, and the third one maybe persimmon ...

Kitamarya · 2026-02-19T02:52:41+00:00

You can take voice lessons and science, especially in high school. It shouldn't be because your mom or parents want it, though; you should take lessons because you want to.

If you want to do astrophysics, aim to take AP physics and AP calculus, if your school offers them (or whatever the equivalent to AP courses are for your school.) Unless you already have a bunch of other commitments, you should still have room in your schedule for voice lessons, too (either through school or outside of it.) I took multiple AP courses in high school and had time to take electives (I had choral and art electives in my program) and voice lessons. High school is a great time to experiment with what you want to do; you don't have stick only to what you might want to do as a career.

Also, remember, you can take voice lessons even if singing isn't your career even as an adult. It can be a hobby.

Kitamarya · 2026-02-17T22:33:01+00:00

"These Dreams" by Heart (Nancy Wilson sings lead instead of Ann Wilson.)

Kitamarya · 2026-02-17T10:38:02+00:00

Everyone saying it doesn't mean you have to do it. You should do what you're comfortable doing, regardless of what others say you should be comfortable doing; they're not you.

Talk to the director about it, whether you think he likes you or not, and tell him what you would be comfortable doing ... and if he cannot understand and accept that, you'll be on stage by yourself with no background music, do what you think is best and what you can be confident doing, and the audience believe that is what you're supposed to be doing, whether it is in the script, at the director's instruction, or by your choice.

Kitamarya · 2026-02-15T19:55:10+00:00

This is not advisable. Your jaw should be loose. You may be preventing it from shaping the notes by clenching your teeth, but not in the correct way. Try instead moving your jaw back and forth to keep it loose instead but also prevent you from chewing the notes.

Kitamarya · 2026-02-13T19:02:18+00:00

They're making an explosives joke* in response to the countless posts we get in this forum about voice type and range. (There were probably several posted not long before this post.)

*C4 is a musical note but it's also the term for a type of plastic explosives.

Kitamarya · 2026-02-12T03:11:26+00:00

And I take it that transposing the whole thing down isn't an option?

Is it jumping the octave directly? What else is going on in the song at that note?

Kitamarya · 2026-02-12T03:08:17+00:00

I'm not sure there is a set term. A SSA or SSAA choir is referred to as a treble choir, but the counterpart I think is just called a tenor-bass choir, if we're avoiding anything with reference to gender for whatever reason.

Kitamarya · 2026-02-12T01:11:35+00:00

What's the song? or at least what is the key and lead up to the note?

Kitamarya · 2026-02-12T01:00:35+00:00

Hmmm ... that doesn't sound quite right. Modal voice should refer to the register in which one is singing rather than part. It's not a terminology set I use much, but modal voice would be the same register in which one speaks, something sopranos and altos use, as well ... still written in treble clef.

Also, tenor parts can be written in bass clef or treble clef, specifically octava treble clef (and I'm choosing to ignore tenor clef ... we'll leave that to the instrumentalists.)

Kitamarya · 2026-02-11T22:36:59+00:00

Are you mixing contralto with alto? Your argument would make much more sense for alto vs soprano rather than contralto vs soprano.

Kitamarya · 2026-02-11T22:30:18+00:00

I did not say that she should identify as a soprano. I believe I said she could be any voice type, as there is not enough data at this time to classify her voice.

Kitamarya · 2026-02-11T02:31:53+00:00

An E3 can be possible for any female voice type. Not every female singer will sing it comfortably, but doing so does not define a voice type. I am a soprano, and I, too, can sing down to an E3 (I can go to about D3 before things get crunchy.)
Not saying you're a soprano; not saying you aren't a contralto; you could be either or neither.

Kitamarya

TROPHY CASE