Awesome dude. I actually also play saxophone and I was taught the same thing, breathe and support air through your diapragm and keep your shoulders relaxed, and I understand how important it is to singing too. I've done the paper trick a few times but not that often, and I usually substitute it with long tones (basically, hold out a note as long as you can while supporting the air, and looking at a tuner to make sure the pitch doesn't drop at all...if it does, you fail!). I just did the paper trick just now and got about 15 seconds, so I don't really know how good that is cause I don't do this that often. I'll definitely try to keep this up too, but I think I also have to just practing singing in general. Screamings not out of the question but I would rather do that later than sooner so I don't blow my voice out or anything. Thanks too, by the waySuicideNote wrote:It'll be a year before you are conditioned enough to sing a 2 hour show. It depends on if you are going to scream. If you are going to scream, then fuck it don't read on.
Hey... if you are reading this you actually want to sing. THE FIRST thing to do is to learn to breathe using your diaphragm. You'll need it for breath support. Your shoulders shouldn’t move up toward your ears at all when you take a breath. When you inhale, take a slow deep breath and feel your abdominals first move down and then your ribcage begins to expand. Also, don't take in 100% of the capacity of your lungs, you will be stuffed and won't be able to support all of that air. Stay at about 85%, if you can figure out what that feels like. This is a proper breath. When you see Phil gasping for air, that is poor technique, whatever.
Exercise #1 from suicidenote is to lay on the floor with your back flat on the ground, place a moderately heavy text book on your stomach. Breathe. The book should be forcing you to concentrate on what it feels like to take a full breath. You may feel your abs pushing outward as guess what you haven't been breathing properly since you were about 1 year old. Fight that urge to press with your abs and let your diaphragm expand and draw in the air. Exercise if fun.
Exercise #2 from me. Now that you have taken a full breath you'll want to exhale all of that fucking air. Rip off a 2 inch by 2 inch piece of paper from your favorite titty mag or notebook. Stand the fuck up and stand near a wall with your face about 12 inches from the wall. Stick that little fucking piece of paper up on the wall and inhale and while you exhale blow on the paper while removing your hand to only keep the paper in place with your airflow. Fucking hard huh? How long were you able to do it, 4 seconds? Now think about those long ass Bruce Dickinson type notes, holy shit! The trick to this is to only blow enough air out to keep the paper in place, this teaches you to control your breath, fucking cool huh?
As you get near the end of your breath, you'll feel your upper abs begin to push on your diaphragm to get the air out. You should get used to this feeling because its good technique and proper breath support. When sounding notes, you’ll need this pressure to get good consistent tone.
When I hear people screaming and straining their voices I think what a waste of talent. If you are going to do something, do it right and work hard at it, it pays off, especially with vocal training. I am a shitty singer by default but with a fucking huge amount of work, I am satisfied with where I'm at now.
If you get as far as the paper exercise, post here and I'll give you some more things to work on.
