Steve Ngai (危 志 荣)

When I sing along with some MLTR songs, I realize that I can’t sing as good as last time. I couldn’t support MLTR much continously high notes. I believe is practice. Last time, though I don’t have the singing knowledge, I practice a lot by just keep singing along and really sing a lot compare to me after being a Christian. But, as I keep singing along with those songs, I seems to get it back a little and gain back some excitment of singing and some confidence too. Confidence to sing high notes and to renew my mind that I can’t because I’m a bass ma. No, I can sing high notes because I did it in the past.

This also makes me think about few thing about singing along with song. I think this is a good way as practice. If I want to exercise my support for high notes, I think MLTR will be a good teacher here. I shall try this way also for other nice song. Using this way, when my pitch not same with the original one, I can pause to fix it. Also if sing along, I can also learn the rytme, familiarity of the songs (like when to come in, listen to the instrument) and learn from the original artist thru some imitation.

But some problem might occur is if I imitate the original artist, then I will have so many types of voice and could be at the end, not fix voice of my own. Maybe at the moment, just let it be first until later. After some time later, I think it’s time to fix one time of style and focus in it.

Also today, bought a pre-amp. I have been longing for home recording equipment for long. Initially tried to look for audio interface but don’t know which shop already. So, since I’m near Pudu, I went to Pudu to look for something and bound into this Beringer shop and bought this little mic pre-amp which cost RM180. Free one RCA cable and one 2 to 1 convertor. Hope this is a good buy. Don’t really have much time to survey because the shop I plan to buy will close if I go there after working day and Saturday half day. I feel the kind of obsession in me because I don’t think there is anyone in the church including song leader will do this extreme thing like me I think – home recording. Willing to spend much time and money for it and now I’m not joining song leader too. Maybe this is me, have some nature of extreme. Maybe this look extreme or crazy because no one does that but in the other hand, when I think about it, doing so (if can afford) can get to improve in your vocal effectively. I hope so.

I also believe in knowledge and skills. I believe that if someone keep practice without proper technique or skills, his/her singing skills will never improve. He/she able to maintain it but couldn’t really be better because he/she already feel satisfy of it and not knowing what is lacking in them. That’s the job of a voice teacher, to point to what is still lacking in that person.

Also, something I heard from the singing forum, you paid voice teacher for their ears. So, instead of spending RM200 every month to voice teacher, what about spending one time cost for home recording? Using it, I think, can help to hear our outpot clearer. I can’t wait to buy a dynamic mic to test out my new mic pre-amp.

Come earlier to church office to practice with Wai Yee but couldn’t do well with “Create in me a pure heart.”

Then change to We will glorify. Still find it so hard, easily get distracted. Maybe this can be pitch-matching side effect. When want to pitch-match need to sync with others, but if part, need to rebel against it. Woo .. find it challenging. But, I have told myself not to bother too much of pitch and also other thing because I’m focusing in breathing now.

Our group F4. Today our group got much rebuke and challenge from other song leader. I spoke out after Fui Enn rebuke Grace. But thinking back, indeed our group deserve it because we do not carry the right attitude about this audition. Though I myself focus in singing lately, but because others seem not talk about it and I myself feel lousy about my singing, so I also not too bother about it, only just discuss with Wai Yee last Wednesday to come earlier today for practice. I thought I’m the one who got it but doesn’t realize all other 3 also kena. Bottom line, we all gotta repent.

Other singing, I feel excited because I seem to be able to sing soprano at comfortable level, using my diaphram. Didn’t really think much about breathing but diaphram.

Daniel. He is talented bass because he is the best among all bass. He can catch up quick and confident and not as easy distracted compare to me. I have struggle with that, pride.

For my bass, when got other bass, I can sing it but alone very anxious. I gotta overcome my anxiousness and ‘just do it’.

I think I understand point 2 liao. Never take as much breath as you can hold. It is about taking the right amount of breath. Example, if got long break/rest, take more breath. If short breat/rest, take a quick breath (using mouth). So, gotta be familiar where are those break/rest and whether they are long break/rest or short one. After know it, gotta practice much too.

If want to sing pop song, need to use a pencil to right note the break/rest because no song sheet ma.

It has been a struggling moment of practicing my singing for so long. I read much, book, article and from forum. I tried out things. I put into practice what I read but still so hard to sing. The output the bad.

I know it is breathing problem but don’t still the same. I don’t know exactly what breathing problem. The problem also I got distracted to think or learn other thing like resonance, pitch matching etc.

But, I think I got to identify the problem in these few days. It wasn’t about me not using diaphram (because I can feel and use it when holding a pitch but not got mess up during singing a song) but the problems are a few like me holding the breath, mouth/nose breathing got mess up and etc.

Just now, read a book in Mid Valley. Btw, found out that there are a few vocal book over there. I found at least 3 books and one with CD book type. I browse through one of the books and found these execellent point about breathing.

These are the point that I’m going to bang them in my head at least for these few weeks.

• Never take a breath and hold it.
• Never take as much breath as you can hold.
• Always begin singing on the tail end of a inhaled breath.
• Always get rid of all your breath before taking in a new one.

I want to particularly focus in the first and third point because 2nd and 4th is quite hard and not get it yet.

Thank you God for helping me in singing.