[broadway babii x0]

I planned on belting it all, but my voice teacher swears on her life I have an incredibly gorgeous mix that I should use all the time. (I'm 13, btw) But, I really don't know. So, heres an amazingly crappy recording of both. http://www.soundupload.com/audio/u73gm9hwxjq59dj

FYI: My voice isnt airy like it sounds on there, at ALL. I have a very full sound to my voice [:

my voice sounds horrid on their too, speaking voice as well.

PS: download is 398748978934x faster than just listening.

and yes, i was out of tune a tad; im much better w.the accompaniment and when i havent been belting my face out all day.

[broadway babii x0]

oh cmon, i know youre lookin at this thread and nto replying >:[

ik the recording is crappy, but its a basic sound of the difference

[dcrowley]

I haven't listened to your recording, but just a few points.

you should never belt a whole song. What gives this song power (when done right) is emphasis on certain moments. Usually actresses begin softly on the beginning of this song and then belt their asses off when they get to "and I know, it's only in my mind..." to the end of the song... You don't need to belt that much.. not to mention your voice will tire very easily. My suggestion is belt on the high points of the song "I've only been pretending" and "known"... the rest can be mixed voice. The words and emotion is the power in the song; don't forget that.

Please be careful with belting, though, at your age "belting your head off" can be very hazardous to your developing vocal chords. If your teacher advises to mix you voice where you feel like belting, take your teacher's advice.

[wicked_boy]

Start softly, end belting.

I like it sang like that, but be careful.

I presume you know how to look after your voice?

[MaryMag]

Two thoughts:

1 - You should't be singing this song.
2 - You shouldn't be belting.

Elaboration:
1 - Unless your rep book is already full of fantastic, lesser known songs that you can perform perfectly at the drop of a hat and with ease, do not waste your time with this song. It is NEVER useful at auditions. NEVER. It's not even an interesting choice for competitions or cabarets. It's a waste of time to do things for "fun" in a voice lesson. You sing for fun in your car, at karaoke, with friends. Not when you're paying someone. That's when you work on advancing your career - whether you're 13 or not. I know plenty of 13 year olds with impressive careers. You can be one of them.
2 - Belting changes the physical nature of your cords. It callouses them and makes those tissue-paper-thin muscles turn into the skin on the bottom of your feet. Toughened, calloused cords do not operate like healthy soft ones, nor do they produce the same sound. And they take a long time to heal. Even the Broadway belters everyone adores (Idina and such) have to go to VOCAL THERAPY after musicals like Wicked. Belting physically, fundamentally alters your voice. Focus on healthy legit technique now and you'll find that you later have all the skills necessary for a killer belt.

That being said, I agree with DCrowley. Belting is terrifying when it's used through a whole song. When I sang the song for a Les Mis callback recently, I used a lot of legit headvoice in the "and I know..." parts, and then whipped out the full on belt when Eponine would really lose it, (such as in "his world is full of happiness that i have never KNOOOOOOOOWN!" Sorry, Lea, no mixing on that note!) And then I reigned it back in to a nice controlled legit sound on "but only... only my own." I was proud of myself. Didn't sound great though... my vibrato was particularly enormous that day...

[jesuiscommejesuis]

YOU ARE THIRTEEN YEARS OLD! NO BELTING!

[MaryMag]

[Quique]

Ditto on what MaryMag and Crowley said.

Also don't strut around or do hand movement during the song. So many high school edition Eponines do that and it looks ridiculous.

[dcrowley]

Well, I agree that this song is fairly useless when it comes to auditions... but it can be a good song to grow as a singer. My friend is using it to develop her belt, and that is fine... I just wouldn't advise you to use it when auditioning, as it is almost on the same level as "Memory" when it comes to being over done. I ADORE this song, don't get me wrong... but I like it in the context of the show, not as a song to just get up and sing.

[jesuiscommejesuis]

Also, it doesnt sound like youre belting when you say you are. Can I get a second opinion?

[Quique]

I don't hear what would really be considered belting either.

[broadway babii x0]

I'm doing it for a school talent show, I wouldn't adare use this for an audition, even at my school. My school is particularly theatre-deprived; only about five people really know anything. Every other singer in the talent show is doing Hannah Montana, need I say more?

It was definitely belting, I used a cell phone to record it so it was a bit disorted. I know there are so many people who say dont belt it'll ruin your voice, but I really rarely do it. I use mix about 95% of the time, and I only use belt for certain performances/once in awhile when I practice, after warming up thouroughly (i.e: today). I know belting is bad, but I know I do it properly (have gotten second, third, and fourth opinions besides my voice teacher), and it's kind of hard to avoid it all together. Everything in moderation, I suppose. And what about young 10-year olds who belt playing Annie in a professional production? (i.e: that girl in the tour right now, can't remember her name)

MaryMag, I really like that idea of using mix/head-voice for most of the song. and then only belt where it's REALLY needed. And vocal therapy, for real? Even those where it doesn't sound forced?

I never use hand movements or move around unless I would do it as if I was speaking, and I'd do it then. Don't know if that makes sense, but yeah.

Thank you everyone for the tips as well! [:

[blue wind]

belting is very dangerous especially around ages like 12-18ish. if you have voice training and your teacher believes you can belt correctly, then go ahead...but use sparingly. only use your full belt at the climax of the song. the rest you can use like mix/head voice.

[jcstar]

I have a question for you. And, please answer me honestly.

You're 13 yrs old. You're singing On My Own from Les Miserables.

My question: Do you even have a clue what the song is about?

Andy.

[blue wind]

[curlyhairedsoprano91]

[jcstar]

Well, Eponine is, what, 18 in the show?

There's nothing that irritates me more than someone singing a musical-theatre song and not channeling the right emotions for it. Just singing a song because it's pretty, well-known, a showstopper and was possibly on the Billboard charts means absolutely nothing.

Why is the character on her own? Why is this guy she admires and loves ignoring her completely and drooling over some other floosie?

Eponine hnas been kicked to the curb by Marius and possibly other boys in her life. She has been hurt a lot, yet she refuses to give up.

Her real problem is, Marius is really dumb.

I don't think a 13 yr old girl should sing this song because they don't have the experience to draw on. It's like asking her to sing "Another Suitcase" from EVITA. It's simply a wrong choice for that age.

Andy.

[mastachen]

[curlyhairedsoprano91]

I think my real problem is that I <3 Mastachen.

*gigglesnort*

[mastachen]

[Orestes Fasting]

[lizavert]

Bravo OF.

And no one should be belting while their voice is still developing.

[broadway babii x0]

[dcrowley]

[Orestes Fasting]

[lizavert]

^ Exactly, thank you for putting that in a much better way than I did.

[Quique]

[broadwayxdoll]

[EponineMNFF]

[music is my life!!!]

do it in mix - it won't do your voice in too badly, plus it's an original take in the song.

THink about it like this - EVERYONE BELTS it - show what you can do but don't belt consistantly

[broadway babii x0]

[Matthew]

lol to this thread

[jcstar]

I think Eponine is in the right. The least Marius could do is pay some attention to her.

"Little you know, little you care." she says to him and she's right.

Andy.

[Quique]

No comment.

[dcrowley]