well - that was interesting....

[thoreau]

Tonight was my first SFGMC rehearsal - and I discovered (OMG!) is First Tenor is way to high for my voice. Most of the arrangements were a sustained high G or A or B. Yikes! So I talked to the conductor and the 1st Tenor section leader about moving down to 2nd tenor. They said that they were making some moves from other singers and they'd let me know - but that they carefully try to balance the choir section numbers - and there was a chance that I would be the odd man out. So he's going to let me know via email what the "verdict" is. It's a little embarrassing- because my last two seasons with the Seattle Chorus I sang lower first no problem. I guess my voice has changed as I got older. I hope I didn't mess up my opportunity to sing with them.

Comments

[cuboz.livejournal.com]

You're very lucky that you CAN sing.... I wish I possessed that talent!

*hugs*

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

If a "lower" first has to sing a B, then the "higher" firsts must be castrati! :)

[bootedintexas.livejournal.com]

first tenors anymore in choruses are completely unnatural (beautiful) but i just dont know how they do it.

when i first sang with choruses i sang upper 2nd and enjoyed it.

I am now very happy as an upper baritone.

d

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

Well, with the modulated, careful sound most choruses prefer, I'm sure the high firsts can sing comfortably in a mix that sounds like a legit full voice. No one sits up there all the time without some finessing.

[tbone1961.livejournal.com]

you do know the right underwear would fix this problem!

[notdefined.livejournal.com]

In places where I have sung, the range expectations for a tenor were only divided between 1st & 2nd. Even though each were divided later into high, middle & low, one still had to fit the range of the part. If you are a first tenor, and had that range, you still should have it and without resulting to a falsetto either. Learn to use your head voice, it is not as difficult as you might think. I have discovered that my upper range does not end at F# like I believed for years and I can be quite comfortable sitting on a C# or even higher. So, don't throw in the towel, if you once had it, you still do. You are nowhere near old enough for the power of your voice to be diminishing on you. Of course, that said, there are some chorus' that prefer the firsts to sound like castrated boys, you may ask your director what sound it is that she is going for. You may have to resort to, uggh, falsetto to accomplish it.

[low-fat-muffin.livejournal.com]

I'm not throwing in the towel. but these notes last night - sustained (for measures and measures) As and Bs above the staff was a bit much. We'll see what happens. I know that my "instrument" is out of practice - and thats why I really wanted to get back into a chorus. We'll see how it all shakes out.

[notdefined.livejournal.com]

Be persistent Robert. What I've been learning in the last 4 years with Dale has been mostly understanding what my voice was already capable of doing and how to protect it from injury. Of course, a little confidence building (something you don't need from what I can tell as you do very well on stage) hasn't hurt me either.

[jimwnyc.livejournal.com]

Hang in there. I bet part of it is just not having sung for a while...I know your voice will open up again. Hopefully they will adjust you down, if not right away in a bit. Didn't you say your concert is in about 5 weeks. Just spend that time getting to know people and how the chorus works...the music will happen soon.

I have sung upper 2nd tenor in NYCGMC for eight years now. Our new director, who is doing a ton of our arrangements, seems to voice stuff higher too. We keep bouncing off Gs and As. I tend to sing a lot of falsetto while learning stuff and letting my voice adjust to it. Usually by concert time, and with proper warming up, I do ok.

Just enjoy...

[bruinwi.livejournal.com]

Waaaay back in the day (We're talking some 23 years ago), I had a D above high C in my vocal range. When I joined Perfect Harmony 12 years ago, I started in the First Tenor section...and paid for it.

Those days are gone; my range has telescoped and headed downward. Whether it's due to age or just wear-and-tear, I now sing baritone. I can still hit an A from time-to-time, but I can't live there.

[blt4success66.livejournal.com]

the voice changes...I don't have that ability much anymore either.

[throbbin.livejournal.com]

Well, now that you are "41 year old Bob" (teehee), your voice may have moved to it's new range. I sure can't do the things I used to with my throat, No more "Bohemian Rhapsody for me" :-(

[low-fat-muffin.livejournal.com]

blowjobs are probably fine still :)

[throbbin.livejournal.com]

I don't know what you're talking about, you perv

*dabs daintily at mouth with doily*

[low-fat-muffin.livejournal.com]

BeHAVE!

[throbbin.livejournal.com]

If you don't go back to care bears and singing, I CAN make sure you never find out about definition three, you know... ;-)

[xianjessen.livejournal.com]

Jim says that Kathleen McGuire always recommends using the head voice for higher notes for tenors in your situation, but I know she's on sabbatical. Jim's a second tenor and I know his section IS pretty full. It's hard to imagine you being squeezed out of the chorus over this. I bet you'll get back some of those higher notes in short order in either event.