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Peer Review Videos

June 2nd, 2010 | by Greg Barker

Ben Bozzoni – ‘Holding On’ (Original)

Bio: Hi, My name is Ben. I’m 25 and live in Berkshire, England. I began singing and writing music at around the age of 18. I’d always played the piano since an early age, and… going through some tough life experiences I discovered I found comfort in expressing myself through song. My music tends to be drawn on my own past relationships and difficult times – and I try and sing with the emotion and feeling to allow others to feel the story I try to tell in my songs. This is the first time which I have put my own music out there. I have struggled with self belief and confidence which is why it has taken so long for me to share my work. I feel privileged to have been contacted by Amy at VoiceCouncil Magazine to encourage me to submit my music. I intend to continue growing, and welcome constructive criticism from my fellow musicians as I feel that you never stop learning. Now that I have taken the first step to share my passion with others I hope to continue doing what makes me truly happy. Ben

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  • http://www.soniceroticaband.com Brian K. Stevenson

    He brother Ben!

    I'm proud of you for stepping out. You sound like a passionate person, which is truly advantageous to song writing. From your bio, I gleaned that you write more “sad” songs than happy ones? That's ok, plenty of sorrow in the world, and a huge part of music is getting one's message to resonate with others. I hope that you find some sunshine in letting go through your music.

    You've got the beginnings of an effect song in “Holding On,” however I think it might have come across better had you placed the camera so that it focused on your face more + it would have picked up your voice better. When you sing quietly I can hardly tell what it is that you're singing from a lyrical and vocal standpoint. Also, although you're passionately going for it in the vocal builds, be careful not to lose focus.

    I noticed that you tend to sing from your vocal mask (nasal area), when reaching for the high notes, which pinches off your voice. These are the moments where you'll want to sing from your belly. It'll save your voice, add warmth to the vocal, and seem as easy as breathing to belt out your message.

    Since you're already a piano player, you're ripe for a recording studio of your own. It's so inexpensive these days to get some good gear and embellish your musical focus. Early sequencing was interfaced through keyboards. If you had a couple of good mics (one for voice and one for piano – condensers preferably), a decent sound card, and ok computer you could breathe incredible life into a piece like “Holding On.”

    Imagine it with a simple but sturdy beat, some rich strings in the hooks, maybe some compression, light verb, and delay on the voice…I feel that learning to broaden your palette my help you a great deal. If you need help figuring out a solid rig for your budget, feel free to email me. Let me know what you're looking to accomplish, how much you can spend, and I'll find a very reasonable solution from which you can grow from for years to come!!!.

    Namaste,

    Brian

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