Japanese Media Addresses Ayu's Voice

[Dokiyo]

this must be truly heartbreaking to ayu.....
and as i was reading these articles, i heartbroken too

[Crystal_Ageha]

Whoawhoawhoa, WAIT.~ Yes, Ayu's voice has not been as good for a while now, but....... A lot of people are mainly critical because of the fact that it's deeper..? Because it's not that screechy, high-pitched sound it used to be?? ._. Ugh...

I just want to say this: her actual singing is WAY better the past few years than what it was in the beginning. WAY. Better.
For those of you who think she's shouting now, that's not necessarily the case. (I mean, there are times where she definitely is shouting now, but that's obviously because her voice is completely worn out. I think that if she didn't scream sometimes, pretty much nothing would come out. So she does it because she literally has to, because of what she's done to her voice...) She shouted more years back, and the first few years of her career she wasn't singing right at all. (You don't have to know anything about singing to realise this --Go watch a live of Depend on you, and then tell me if that's singing, lol...) Also, she doesn't miss as many notes as she did back then, either.
So, the main problem with her voice now is BREATH SUPPORT. She is singing wrong in terms of how she's using the breath. Which, on the good side, technically means she is actually SINGING, not just speaking different pitches. It'll also give her a few notes more of range, at least without becoming nasal, and probably more control, which makes up for lack of volume she'll have.... Too bad that using your breath wrong can severely damage your voice, and can completely mess up how you sing in general.


I realise that many of you may not know how to sing --How to ACTUALLY sing correctly, not just adjusting your voice to fit a tune. So I'll try to explain a little bit, the difference between her singing then and now, and what's wrong.

1. Ayu, before, relied on a type of false singing. She wasn't putting any real support in her voice, so this resulted in one step above speak-singing, if that. The only positive things about speak-singing is that it gives you a very clear, regular speech sounding tone, and that you can get much volume out of it. (Which is why you should only use it if you need mainly volume and emphasis control, like for musical or rock genres, and not range or actual good singing. BUT, even then, there's a correct way to "scream", so that you don't risk causing severe damage to your voice.) Many pop and rock singers sing like this, but when it all comes down to it, it's not "real" singing.
Sure, you can produce the notes, but it often sounds like you're screaming, and your range ends up suffering terribly. If you even try to hit the higher notes, you get an extremely nasal sound (which just happens to be a signature of Ayumi's singing style, right?), because you are actually singing through your nose (which, that is certainly a huge no-no in "real" singing).
If, for whatever reason, you don't believe me when I say that Ayu didn't originally sing at ALL correctly, remember the first year...she had no vibrato, and she was....well, screechy. That's because she wasn't singing. THAT, not now, was screaming...
2. Ayu's problem now is that she's putting too MUCH support into her voice, resulting in the overly-breathy, forced tone you've been hearing recently.
Now, her voice has obviously been wearing down for a while now... And even when it wasn't, the fact that she was singing wrong could easily tell anybody that there's a good chance her voice would become at least a little damaged in the near future... Anyhow, because of the damage, even though Ayu knows how to sing at least somewhat now, it seems she must FORCE it out, because of the damage that has taken place (which, it was mostly from singing incorrectly, but, from what we've seen, could also be from unhealthy foods, smoking, drinking, etc.)... Which is why she's overdoing the "power", and putting much more than what's needed into her singing.... Which, oh no--it's an endless chain, because this will result in even MORE damage. D:
For anybody who doesn't understand how putting too much power or breath into singing can be so terrible, besides the fact that you may sound like you're screaming... Using too much breath means both breathing and using your muscles incorrectly. And obviously, those are the worst things to do when singing. Because, even if you start out with a good range and a nice tone and all that, singing wrong in this way tightens up the muscles, wears them down, and gets you used to singing in ways opposite of what you want. This can very quickly result in you having to literally force the sound out of you (if the damage is severe enough, like Ayu's), because your throat muscles are sore and damaged (which, no matter what, results in air not coming out as fluidly or correctly as needed to sing well - which can affect your range, heavily, too) and because you are developing bad breathing habits (by forcing out the sound--never should you need to force the sound out >_<).


Ayumi's problem is, she doesn't really know how to fall into a nice medium of singing (which, that's actually most "singers" problems, though she takes it to an extreme), probably because she learned to sing wrong, continued to sing wrong, and by then damage had already taken place. So even though she's gotten SO much better in singing, it seems she has never known how to sing 100% correctly, to keep from harming her voice. For a few years (around 2004-2006) she was nearly there, but breath support problems were still evident. (For example, in her 2005 tour [and others, as well, but this is just an example], she often directly cut herself off, or didn't hold her notes. Which may not seem so bad, but this is a horrible habit to get in to, because it screws up your breath support and throat muscles if you don't know exactly what your doing....which, Ayu didn't [and, it seems, still doesn't].)
So, at the core, this has always been a major problem for her, just that now it's taking a huge toll on her voice. :\


And she's only ever sang Boys & Girls HERSELF a few times. >_< Dunno why that, or the fact that Ayumi Hamasaki sings incorrectly, was just brought up NOW. >_____>


Oh, and I would also like to point out:
Everybody is going to need to give Ayumi AT LEAST a few months of hard work and practice before any great improvement will be made, but probably much longer (especially seeing how, to this day, she still doesn't sing correctly). Even then, it will be longer, still, before her voice is fully healed (or, at least healed as much as it can be--if she keeps going like this much longer, I can guarantee permanent damage, if that hasn't already happened).


OH, and why are some of you acting like she's ever been fat???? She hasn't gained significant weight this year, and there's never ever been a time where I looked at her and went, "ew, she gained weight..." There were even times where she looked too skinny! Even for a little Japanese girl... I think it's sad that some people even bring this up.

[Luvia]

Originally Posted by Crystal_Ageha

Oh, and I would also like to point out:
Everybody is going to need to give Ayumi AT LEAST a few months of hard work and practice before any great improvement will be made, but probably much longer (especially seeing how, to this day, she still doesn't sing correctly). Even then, it will be longer, still, before her voice is fully healed (or, at least healed as much as it can be--if she keeps going like this much longer, I can guarantee permanent damage, if that hasn't already happened).


OH, and why are some of you acting like she's ever been fat???? She hasn't gained significant weight this year, and there's never ever been a time where I looked at her and went, "ew, she gained weight..." There were even times where she looked too skinny! Even for a little Japanese girl... I think it's sad that some people even bring this up.

I TOTALLY AGREE with you!!!!
She needs REST!!! Give her a break for her voice at least!!

and I don't think she is fat too! or gained weight. I think it is more of the clothes she wore that made people to look it as if she had gained weight. I guess everyone should go and look at her in person then you will know why

[Lee^ChaN]

@Crystal_Ageha: i love your post
Indeed, she's been using nose-voice and now screaming..
and i'm sure her throat muscles are damaged..

I don't get this gaining weight thing. Even she gains 2-3 kg, she's not fat..

[love in music]

Hmm.. I don't notice any weight gain. She definitely looks a lot smaller than she was in 2008..watching that ASFXX live from a-nation 08 made me realize how much smaller she is now. Her weight does fluctuate a lot though.

[emi♡]

Secret era, she really did gain weight. I mean, that was the first, and only imo, time it was really noticeable...I think they're being a little too critical about her weight.

Besides...I think her gaining that weight in 2006 contributed to the size of her breasts seeming to grow lol

[njanjayrp]

Well this isn't anything new to us, it's a good thing (in a way) that this got published and I am hoping that it will reach her in some way, as she does need vocal training.

[truehappiness]

It's not so much that she looks fat/like she gained a TON of weight or anything... just that her frame back in 2005 was a little different. It was very petite compared to her frame now. Her face got a bit rounder when JEWEL's promotion came around, and then by the time CDL06-07 started, she'd been exercising and lost the weight that she'd put on during that time. However, since then, I don't think her frame has been as stick skinny as she was in 2005 (and before) since then. Not that I have a problem with her body, since she's fit and fine the way she is now, just that there is a noticeable difference between her body then and her body now. It's mostly around the sides of the chest area (not the actual chest/breasts) and her waist.

In AT08, she wore a sort of schoolgirl outfit and a bit of her waist poking out of the outfit for the first few shows, looking like it was kind of squeezing out. She changed the outfit so that the area would be covered with a shirt before removing it again for the Asian stops when she was noticeably thinner. I'm sure she noticed a bit of a change as well.

[ExodusUK]

She should retire, she is wearing herself out. She'll be a shadow of her self by the end of the year if she continues like this.

[njanjayrp]

Originally Posted by ExodusUK

She should retire, she is wearing herself out. She'll be a shadow of her self by the end of the year if she continues like this.

You wish.

@Bigtop - nah the person who suggested she should retire is well known for comments like that...

[truehappiness]

She should retire, she is wearing herself out.

Music is my life, if I am without music or if I can't sing any more, it's like I die, I'm nothing...because music is everything.

I don't know my future. I don't know about tomorrow. I can just control for today or present, right now. [...] I don't want to think about future too much, because present is most important for me.

Yeah, I don't think that will ever be an option.

If it ever gets so bad (like... REALLY bad) that she has to retire, she will probably do it, but at this point in time I don't think things are so bad that she needs to consider that.

[tenshi no hane]

I don't really care about her body but since she's a singer the voice should be superb. Usually a singer should have mainly proper performances with the occasional miss, but with Ayu it has become the other way around (imo). When I listen to other singer I am sometimes surprised by how consistently good they sing just because I am so used to Ayu's on and off voice.

It's so sad since we know singing is her everything, but currently she's no good at it. I know she tries, but going on another long tour isn't going to help.

[ever_free]

Originally Posted by tenshi no hane

I don't really care about her body but since she's a singer the voice should be superb. Usually a singer should have mainly proper performances with the occasional miss, but with Ayu it has become the other way around (imo). When I listen to other singer I am sometimes surprised by how consistently good they sing just because I am so used to Ayu's on and off voice.

It's so sad since we know singing is her everything, but currently she's no good at it. I know she tries, but going on another long tour isn't going to help.

yes, Ayu has to figure a way somehow, techniques or methods which will help her in the long run

[Luvia]

i don't think she will retire either. she will NEVER.

[love in music]

Originally Posted by Luvia

i don't think she will retire either. she will NEVER.

lol I could see ayu touring at like 70 years old
I know everyone thinks she needs a break, but I highly doubt she will take one. She just keeps going and going and going. Workaholics anonymous?

[Bigtop]

What's this deal going about now? Is this now becoming a debate?

[waterballoon]

Can we please stop throwing the "Ayu was never a good singer" excuse around?

Cos while I agree with that, it's not like she sucked in singing in her 11 years as a singer. 2003-2006 was easily her golden era in singing, where it had the right combination of breath support and diaphragm usage, coupled with a good tone quality.

Granted she has her good moments since talkin' 2 myself (Rule @ Kouhaku '09 for example), but really, she's a singer? I mean "Ayu was never a good singer" imo is just an excuse to defend her from what she's SUPPOSED to do - sing. God forbid Ayu thinks that way cos we'll never see a change if that's so.

And I thought it was a fact that her voice has gone for the worse over the years. Debut - 2000 basically much wasn't that good as well since she was using her nasal voice, but please don't put down her good quality vocals from 2003-2006, and please don't close an eye to her falling vocals now.

I believe she can sing, because I have heard it from my own ears. And if she can do it back then in 2003-2006, why can't she do it now (besides the fact that her left ear has lost its function)? It's all about receiving the right vocal training for her case, and kicking away the old and bad habits that MAY have contributed to her falling vocals, for example eating spicy food, drinking and smoking.

I'm not requesting for her to be pitch perfect like Ken Hirai, but she's a singer after all. I mean even Koda Kumi and Tohoshinki who are regarded as good vocalists have their bad moments too, what more from Ayu?

I just find it tiring that people are using the "she was never a good singer" thing as an excuse. Cos it's not gonna work. Ayu's vocals have fallen in quality over the past few years. Get. Over. It.

-Sorry if I'm coming across as being rude, I didn't mean that.-

[njanjayrp]

Originally Posted by waterballoon

Can we please stop throwing the "Ayu was never a good singer" excuse around?

Cos while I agree with that, it's not like she sucked in singing in her 11 years as a singer. 2003-2006 was easily her golden era in singing, where it had the right combination of breath support and diaphragm usage, coupled with a good tone quality.

Granted she has her good moments since talkin' 2 myself (Rule @ Kouhaku '09 for example), but really, she's a singer? I mean "Ayu was never a good singer" imo is just an excuse to defend her from what she's SUPPOSED to do - sing. God forbid Ayu thinks that way cos we'll never see a change if that's so.

And I thought it was a fact that her voice has gone for the worse over the years. Debut - 2000 basically much wasn't that good as well since she was using her nasal voice, but please don't put down her good quality vocals from 2003-2006, and please don't close an eye to her falling vocals now.

I believe she can sing, because I have heard it from my own ears. And if she can do it back then in 2003-2006, why can't she do it now (besides the fact that her left ear has lost its function)? It's all about receiving the right vocal training for her case, and kicking away the old and bad habits that MAY have contributed to her falling vocals, for example eating spicy food, drinking and smoking.

I'm not requesting for her to be pitch perfect like Ken Hirai, but she's a singer after all. I mean even Koda Kumi and Tohoshinki who are regarded as good vocalists have their bad moments too, what more from Ayu?

I just find it tiring that people are using the "she was never a good singer" thing as an excuse. Cos it's not gonna work. Ayu's vocals have fallen in quality over the past few years. Get. Over. It.

-Sorry if I'm coming across as being rude, I didn't mean that.-

I pretty much agree, I don't think Ayu is a bad singer, sure her voice did get worse over the last few years, but prior to that I loved the way she sang (I still do xD). And no you weren't rude ^^

[truehappiness]

I just find it tiring that people are using the "she was never a good singer" thing as an excuse. Cos it's not gonna work. Ayu's vocals have fallen in quality over the past few years. Get. Over. It.

They have fallen in quality over the last few years, yes, but she's not a "natural" at singing like many/most acts are. Her best years were great for her, but it's not an excuse to say that she was never an above average singer, because that's pretty much the truth. The fact that she isn't an amazing singer though isn't the reason why her vocals are shaky now. Something else did that and made things worse. I guess most people are just trying to point out that her vocals were never superb, but over the years after debuting, they got better (for Ayu), and then at some point they dipped again before getting better for a short while and then dropping sharply in quality again. And here we are now.

[waterballoon]

Originally Posted by truehappiness

They have fallen in quality over the last few years, yes, but she's not a "natural" at singing like many/most acts are. Her best years were great for her, but it's not an excuse to say that she was never an above average singer, because that's pretty much the truth. The fact that she isn't an amazing singer though isn't the reason why her vocals are shaky now. Something else did that and made things worse. I guess most people are just trying to point out that her vocals were never superb, but over the years after debuting, they got better (for Ayu), and then at some point they dipped again before getting better for a short while and then dropping sharply in quality again. And here we are now.

Yeah I understand that... like I've mentioned, 1998-2000 wasn't very good; she improved along the way and changed her singing style, but slid really badly recently. And yeah I suppose it's due to many factors, like fatigue, drinking and other daily habits.

And I really don't think she was a bad singer to start with... I love the tone of her voice... it's really warm and soothing. Like I'm listening to HEAVEN now and I really love the tone of her voice. ^^

Singing isn't always about hitting the right notes or being able to hold a note for 16 counts, it sometimes is about the tone, and the emotions. Ayu has a nice tone (well at least she used to, even now though it's not as good it's still nice) and always hits the bull's eyes when it comes to emotions, so now it's the technicalities... she had a certain mastery of it back then, I guess it's finding them back now again~