The book, "Complete Vocal Technique" is really, really good. I have been trying to understand vocal pedagogy for a very long time- years, decades.I got more out of the examples on the CVT website for rock singing than anywhere else I've looked. I am REALLY impressed.
Hi Katja, you really seem to enjoy what you do and you are doing great and you youg, too! I am a dramatic tenor and studied classic singing for 12 years with 3 different teachers from with the last five were with a russian tenor who taught a lot of technique, personally i do not have the patience to teach someone on how to sing, lol. I totally agree when you say that the pupil is the one who dicides which method works the best and work with what they have knowing their limitations.
@katjamariamusic In contemporary singing female singers use all four vocal modes. Classical male singers use all modes. Neutral would typically be used for higher pitches, softer volume (e.g. a counter tenor) Curbing for softer and medium volumes (think for example German ‘lieder’, etc), Overdrive for louder volumes, and Edge for a loud volume in the high part (for example many tenors when they sing their high loud notes). In contemporary styles male singers can also use all modes.
@katjamariamusic You are also completely right about that classical singers and teachers from the baroque times until now have been using (many of) the same techniques that can be found in CVT. In CVT terms, classical female singers use Neutral in the high part of the voice, Curbing in middle / lower part of the voice. They more rarely use Overdrive, but is possible: listen for examples to Maria Callas, you will hear Overdrive in the low part. Edge is not used by female classical singers.
@Gipsydoo Hi Gispydoo, thanks for you message. The song is written by the singer who also performs it at the end of the video. Her name is Gianna Tam, she is a very talented singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist from The Netherlands/Suriname. You can find more information about Gianna and her music on the internet. I'll make sure to inform her you liked her song! :-) Good luck with your singing! All the best and kind regards, Katja
@Querzeo Thanks for your comment. You made a good point: we should never trust any teacher (no matter how skilled) or technique before trying it out ourselves and see if it works for us. If it helps us, solves problems, makes singing easier and keeps the voice healthy, we can keep it. If not, we can move on and find something else that works. Every singer knows what feels best for them, so trust yourself and keep searching for techniques that work for you! Good luck and all the best, Katja
@katjamariamusic The difference between classical and contemporary singing is roughly put the sound color that the singer uses, and the use of vibrato is somewhat different. Also, classical singing aims at an even sound color all the time, while in many contemporary styles the singer has a big freedom when it comes to sound color, and to using vocal effects if I may add. What we mean by combining elements to create the sound you want, has to do with respecting the singer’s artistic wishes.
@MrGermont Thanks for your comment. And for referring to me as ‘girl’, by the way. I’m way past the age of being a ‘girl’ officially, but you could of course not know that. You are completely right, this is nothing new. Cathrine Sadolin did not reinvent the wheel, all she did was develop a new system to explain how all sounds that can be produced by a human voice (in singing and speaking) can be produced, and how to produce them in a healthy way.
Hello lorpordros, the song is written by the singer who also performs it at the end of the video. Her name is Gianna Tam, she is a very talented singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist from The Netherlands/Suriname. I'm sorry but I cannot remember the exact title of the song right now. But you can find more information about Gianna and her music on the internet: giannatam.nl Best wishes, Katja
@katjamariamusic The teacher does not decide what the singer should sound like.The singer does. There is not one style that is 'better' than the other, this is all due to taste. CVT is a very different method than SLS (Speech Level Singing) by the way. But in the end it does not matter what method you study, CVT, SLS, EVT, bel canto, or “normal technique” as you put it. I think every singer is free to choose what works best for them.
@katjamariamusic Hi Katja, thank you very much for your fast answer and informations about that great girlsinger! I already checked her website and must just say..WHEW!!! Have a good time and all the best for you!
@Suskemusical Hi Kevin! What a nice surprise, thanks for your message! Would be great to see you and hear you sing again, it's been a long time. Great to see your youtube channel, looks like you've been busy recording, that's fantastic! Take care :)
@katjamariamusic can I get the preparatory courses outside Finland? Or the degree isn`t available in Finland? Are the preparatory courses and Sibelius mainly free to attend? I read that on their web site, but I`m not sure. Thank you.
Hi Katja, I'm a singer too, with a band and with a choir, both sure just for fun, but enjoying it very much. Still need to work on my technique a lot tho ;-) Me, I have one question for you regarding the song, which is being sang in the very end of this video. It sounds so wonderful, but I can't remember it at all, what's the song title (original singer / band) of it please? Would be super happy if you could answer me! All the best and kind regards
Hi. do you possibly know if the school of music is still available in Finland? They have some sort of adult department, where I understood that you can train also for the opera class. Sort of preparatory class for sibelius?
@Serinia4melodic Hi! I'm not sure I understand exactly which school you mean. There are many music institutes in Finland that offer the level of training that is expected before applying for the Sibelius-Academy. Try search under 'musiikkiopisto' (Finnish word for music institute). Or check the SibA website for information about preparatory courses: laulu.siba.fi/en/home/ Good luck! All the best, Katja
@katjamariamusic Thanks for sharing songs by Anna Patrys with me, she is a technically gifted singer indeed with much expression. And this is what we shouldn't forget: Singing is not about technique, it is about expression. Technique is just a tool that helps us deliver the song in the way we want, sing all the notes we want to, make all the volumes we want to, use effects if we want to, and not get hoarse while doing this. Would you agree? All the best, Kind regards, Katja
hi singing folks. it's a shame that so many voice teachers don't know how to sing properly.With all due respect, Katja's voice in my opinion is born from a strong lingual background. Her tongue muscle is very strong as can be observed by the strength of her speaking voice. She also uses the back of her tongue quite naturally, which is why she has a strong voice. All the other stuff about different breathing and supporting and holding techniques are all secondary to having a strong vocal muscle.
@katjamariamusic And we singing teachers should have better things to do with their time than to try to prove why one method is better than the other. People learn in different ways, what works for one person does not work for the other. Let the singer choose.
@bagmetarch Hello and thanks for your questions. In order to give you further help and suggestions on your vocal technique I would have to hear your voice. Please contact me via the contact form on my website and we can discuss the options available! Skype vocal coaching is possible for singers worldwide. Kind regards :)
Girl! It's nothing new. Academic teacher arround the world know all this. All this CVT , SLS is known to all clacsical singers and teachers from Baroque till now. The best philosophy to really sing? Stop combine.This is an extension of speech.The less you can combine the better you sing.Proof?Two recordings.The same singer.Normal teacher, technik.Listen what she can do with her voice. 1.Verdi-Pace, pace mio Dio from La forza del destino - Anna Patrys 2.Calling You from Bagdad Cafe-Anna Patrys
Heh, when I read your name I thought you were Dutch by birth, ms. Slotte. Your entire name could be natively Dutch with ease. Perhaps you are descended from Dutch migrants to Finland?
@katjamariamusic Thanks for sharing songs by Anna Patrys with me, she is a technically gifted singer indeed with much expression. And this is what we shouldn't forget: Singing is not about technique, it is about expression. Technique is just a tool that helps us deliver the song in the way we want, sing all the notes we want to, make all the volumes we want to, use effects if we want to, and not get hoarse while doing this. Would you agree? All the best, Kind regards, Katja
hi singing folks. it's a shame that so many voice teachers don't know how to sing properly.With all due respect, Katia's voice in my opinion is born from a strong lingual background. Her tongue muscle is very strong as can be observed by the strength of her speaking voice. She also uses the back of her tongue quite naturally, which is why she has a strong voice. All the other stuff about different breathing and supporting and holding techniques are all secondary to having a strong vocal muscle.
@katjamariamusic Thanks for sharing songs by Anna Patrys with me, she is a technically gifted singer indeed with much expression. And this is what we shouldn't forget: Singing is not about technique, it is about expression. Technique is just a tool that helps us deliver the song in the way we want, sing all the notes we want to, make all the volumes we want to, use effects if we want to, and not get hoarse while doing this. Would you agree? All the best, Kind regards, Katja
