danny boy - 2007/04/03 18:47Ok, I'm sure some of you know the irish ballad Danny Boy, it's used alot in choral stuff. I'm singing it for a Solo and Ensemble contest, and I love the song alot. I'm still working on it with my voice teacher, but hitting a high A in this song is a problem, even though I can sing almost an E above it. And, I'm such a dork, lol, the song makes me sad. I get a little sentimental about some songs, like I can't sing My White Knight without choking a little bit, and I CANT choke on this song, or I'll get a bad report from the judges. I don't expect immediate response, but any advice?*´¨) ¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*¨) (¸.•´ (¸.•´ Annie
currently: nothing : (
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AmandaC
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Re:danny boy - 2007/04/03 20:48I can't help with hitting notes but on the chocking up part I can try! The song "Some things Are Meant to Be" from Little Women always made me cry, or at least it used to!
My advice would be to just listen to the song over and over again and just get used to it. Maybe listen to other songs that make you sad or are sad, but don't make you choke-up and then you can draw on that emotion while singing so you're not emotionless.
That thought was a bit jumbled but I hope it helped a little.The opposite of Rent is Oklahoma!!! Why didn't I think of that?
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MezzoStar
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Re:danny boy - 2007/04/03 21:04AH! This song brings back memories...I did this song for NYSSMA in 6th grade. I also got a little sentimental. For the choking part; practice. If you sing the song hundreds of times, you won't feel as emotional.
As for the high note, try opening your mouth more. If a note is too low or high, I seem to hit if better. Break a leg!
~ChristinaCurrent Role: Fantine-Les Miserables (opens: May 26-29)
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karijayne
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Re:danny boy - 2007/04/03 21:18First of all, I want to clarify that I'm not a voice teacher, but I recognize the high-note problem you're having because I've grappled with it too. Here's the advice my teachers gave me:
Nine times out of 10, if you're having trouble with high notes you can sing easily in other material, it's because the note is paired with a word that has a closed vowel sound. That affects how you're approaching it vocally with the positioning of your mouth and throat, etc.
So this is kind of hard to explain in writing, but try singing the high-note word with a variety of vowel inflections - usually "ah" works best because it's the most open sound. If you can create the shape of an "ah" with your mouth and in the back of your throat while you're singing the problem word, the note will just pop right out.
For example, if the trouble note is on the word "here" (which has a very closed-off "e" sound) try singing "haaahre" instead of "heeeere." Does that make sense? And don't worry; it will read to your audience as "here" even though you're technically singing "hare."
As for the sentimental stuff, that's happened to me too, but I find that listening to and practicing the problem song repeatedly gets rid of the sappiness -- eventually.
Hope that helps! Kari-- Kari
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mrmistofolees19
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Re:danny boy - 2007/04/04 17:34For the advice so far, thanks, I'll be working on that with my voice teacher too. And I get sad over the sappiest songs, lol. But here's a new problem, which I probably have to deal with myself, but now I have to sing this in front of my chorus class. My chorus teacher is making us. She's crazy, but I guess it's supposed to get us used to singing in front of people. But in the 8th grade, everyone's going to give me crap about it if I got too scared, or even if I sounded great. Everyone already thinks I'm a dork for liking theatre, even though I hardly ever mention it. My voice teacher tells me to just not care, and so will everyone else. It'll be hard, though.*´¨) ¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*¨) (¸.•´ (¸.•´ Annie
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AmandaC
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Re:danny boy - 2007/04/06 00:23Oh I would HATE singing in front of my class. But in 8th grade (which was just last school year) I noticed most of the kids in choir respected when people had nice voices and told them so. Maybe your class will be supportive! Don't think the worst and get nervous, try your best and be proud!The opposite of Rent is Oklahoma!!! Why didn't I think of that?
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I.Love.Thespians
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Re:danny boy - 2007/04/09 20:01Emotions are good! But not if they are going to make you choke. I just finished states for S&E so I know the pressure and every thing. I also sang Danny Boy when I was in 7th grade for Honors Choir Auditions. My question is do you think you're having trouble with the A because your getting emotional with the song. Because if you think about the song more then the notes you probably won't prepare yourself to go up to the A. Singing is hard because of how many things you have to think about at the same time. Like staying on pitch,rythm, words, the list goes on forever. Also you don't want to over think the note, if your having trouble with it you may just be psyching yourself out about it. I screwed up the lyrics for one of the songs I was singing for S&E during warm up that day and during my preformance I did the same thing. I knew the right words I was ready to sing them and the wrong ones came out. I just had a mental block or something. So Just try to drop the jaw and keep the back of the throat open. If you tense up your going to take the risk of hurting your voice, cracking or possibly not even getting any note know to man out. I don't know if any of that helps its probably all stuff you've heard but its really important. So I hope I helped. [Admin Edit: Double post combined]
I think singing in front of your peers at school is a thousand times worse then singing for a judge that you don't know. So just sing your heart out and if they give you crap just know that its probably because none of them have the guts to sing a song like that in front of the class. I've been getting crap from classmates since 6th grade and I'm now in 10th. I know doesn't seem that long but I know how you feel. Its hard. But if you've done shows before, you know how you have to really get into character. Well do the same thing before you sing your song. Get into character of a famous singer (Whoever you admire the most) and just think what they would do if they were in the position your in.Kylie
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stlgurl702
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Re:danny boy - 2007/04/10 16:41This is bizarre! I have solo and ensemble on thursday and I'm singing danny boy!Auditioning For- Bye Bye Birdie (Hoping for Kim for Ursula)
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shadesofharmony6
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Re:danny boy - 2007/04/10 20:02The same thing happens to me. Of course, Danny Boy is a song that touches my heart because it was a favorite of my recently deceased grandfather, and there are other songs too like You Raise Me Up and Lonely Room (my older brother was Jud in Oklahoma! as a senior, and I'm going to miss him when he leaves, so I get emotional with that song too.) What I do is try to figure out why that song makes me cry, and try not to think of it, or try to think of the good memories. If you think of something good, or sing the song a lot, you won't have that hard of a time. I hope this helps!Catherine currently: Babette/silly girl #1 BATB next: audition for Chicago!
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meka04
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Re:danny boy - 2007/04/11 04:39I totally understand there are alot of songs that I get chocked up on when singing they. Honestly i have no advice on how to prevent this because I've performed these song lots of times and I get choked up every time.Currently: Upcoming Productions: Children of Eden(Ensemble) Upcoming Auditions: All Shook Up(Lorraine/Ensemble) Company(any)
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mrmistofolees19
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Re:danny boy - 2007/04/18 22:31Thanks guys, but I'm going to sing Danny Boy in a slightly lower key for the contest, instead of an A, it's an F#. It works better for me, and I still have all through highschool to do contests and keep working on this kind of stuff.
But now there's another thing, my stomach has been REALLY bugging me the past 3 weeks, so I went to the doctor, they told me i've been too stressed, and my stomach is fighting back, I can't remember the rest, but the only bad word I heard was 'ulcer'. But there's no blood, an I haven't been THAT stressed out. I'm using medicine. But everytime I have something like Pizza or that stuff, my stomach kills, and I can't eat that much either without it hurting.
But now I've got the contest this saturday, Music Man shows next weekend, then the same weekend at 10 AM on sunday, I audition for Anything Goes. It's not theatre stuff thats stressing me out, It's my school, it's a freakshow.
Are there any foods I can eat that can help my stomach? Is there anything else I can do? Thanks!*´¨) ¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*¨) (¸.•´ (¸.•´ Annie
currently: nothing : (
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mrmistofolees19
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Re:danny boy - 2007/04/19 17:58I'm sorry, I forgot to add, I don't expect everyone to be a proffesional doctor, but little tips would be nice. And this isn't serious enough for me to not audition or do the show. thanks*´¨) ¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*¨) (¸.•´ (¸.•´ Annie
currently: nothing : (
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mrmistofolees19
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Re:danny boy - 2007/04/23 22:15Okay, so the stomach ache I've had for a while is starting to go away, but I still need to take it easy and stop freaking out about anything (that'll be easy )
And on April 21st, I performed Danny Boy, and I recieved a 1, which is the best score out of 5. Although I didn't really sound as well as I wanted, I still pulled it off. But it was hilarious..... sorta..... my voice teacher said "Your (contest) room is the best place for you to sing, right outside the window is a cemetary!!" So that did help a little (lol) I got into character without choking.
And stlgurl702, how did yours go?*´¨) ¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*¨) (¸.•´ (¸.•´ Annie
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faithzilla
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Re:danny boy - 2007/04/29 17:09For example, if the trouble note is on the word "here" (which has a very closed-off "e" sound) try singing "haaahre" instead of "heeeere." Does that make sense? And don't worry; it will read to your audience as "here" even though you're technically singing "hare."
^ That is awesome advice.•••♥♫♥••• faith
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