cocco Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 My new band had its first practice Monday night, we're only 3 piece ATM so myself and the guitard decided to share vocal duties. I can sing, I thought confidently. Oh how wrong I was. Ozzy would not have been proud of my rendition of Paranoid. Completely different ball game to singing along to the radio or in the shower. Ollie was in the same boat too. Anyone got any advice/tips apart from singing lessons or just don't bother?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danthevan Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Try singing without playing, if it sounds ok then its just practice putting the 2 together. If it sounds shocking, get a singer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 It's horrible when you hear your own voice as other hear it. Doesn't sound like yourself does it? Did anyone else comment or is it just you that thinks this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgraham Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Anyone can sing. To sing decently takes a bit of work. To sing well takes a good bit of work. To be a great singer takes a LOT of work. The voice is an instrument like any other. Just because you HAVE one doesn't mean you know how to use it to make music well, just like if you HAVE a guitar doesn't mean you know to use it to make music well. It takes practice to get to the level you want to be at. If you're interested in lessons either in person or via Skype hit me up. I do know an Speech Level Singing teacher in Cardiff who can give you lessons as well if you'd prefer someone closer to home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldG Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 (edited) It's a bit of a shock, innit! Room acoustics/eq, mic type, reverb settings etc,etc will all need consideration - before you get near hearing what you want back from your voice. Singing through amplification needs practice, and[b][i] with a mic that suits you[/i][/b]... paying close attention to your [url="http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/oct98/articles/20tips.html"]mic technique[/url] as you go. Monitor yourself through headphones as much as possible - you'll get the best of how you sound out front this way. Shame you're not closer, I almost guarantee that if you sang through the Valve mic in my studio you'd be impressed... Edited January 23, 2013 by OldG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gub Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 I have recently started doing more backing vocals , tis a different ball game once your micked up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveFry Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 It is easier in the shower because of the natural reverb . I find it very difficult without reverb in the monitors . More mic technique from SOS ; [url="http://www.soundonsound.com/news?NewsID=14522"]http://www.soundonso...ws?NewsID=14522[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Vader Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Just keep doing it, the more you sing the better at it you get. And without the record on in the background, that doesn't help and it hides your mistakes. I have had to sing in every band I've ever been in, simply cos I was the only one with enough bottle to do it back when we were 12 years old (also I had sung in both church and school choirs and so was bloody loud). I was shocking then, I am almost passable now 23 years later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 [quote name='cocco' timestamp='1358929042' post='1947072'] ....Anyone got any advice/tips apart from singing lessons or just don't bother??.... [/quote] I used to sing in my school band but stopped when I started playing with better bands. I wish I'd carried on and got better. I'm sure I could have done a better job than some of the singers I've played with in the intervening years. Keep at it, and take lessons if you have to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
51m0n Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Cant do it myself, I sound so tragically crap to myself that I cant bear it..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil.mcglassup Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 I can hit notes very well, my problem is that my voice is so 'thin'- it has no depth or strength to it. Can a voice coach improve it to an acceptable level? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobVbass Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Practice breathing deeply and fully (and work out where you'll do it in the song) Pay attention to not pushing your voice too hard while maintaining projection - let the Mic do the work Warm your voice up don't jump straight in. Do some vocal exercises and practice holding notes; Oohs and Aahs are especially good for this Then practice, practice some more and practice. Did I mention you need to practice a lot? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyquipment Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Same my voice rather thin. So lead vocals will sound crappy! Backing I'm quite happy with. Just a different sound really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobVbass Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 typically if your voice is thin, then you need to work on breathing and diaphram control Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charic Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 I'm not "too" bad on hitting notes and my voice is particularly thin either my problem... tone. But I've started working on it by recording myself to tracks into protools so I can listen back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lfalex v1.1 Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 My voice was fine. Then it broke. Did I say "broke?" More like fell from a tenth floor window and smashed to smithereens. One morning I'll get up and speak in a pleasant tenor. Next day I'll sound like Barry White through an octave pedal. I sympathise with the OP... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgraham Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 [quote name='OldG' timestamp='1358930742' post='1947096'] Singing through amplification needs practice, and[b][i] with a mic that suits you[/i][/b]... paying close attention to your [url="http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/oct98/articles/20tips.html"]mic technique[/url] as you go. Monitor yourself through headphones as much as possible - you'll get the best of how you sound out front this way. Shame you're not closer, I almost guarantee that if you sang through the Valve mic in my studio you'd be impressed... [/quote] Yes and no. The voice is the sound source, so it's important to get that right first. [quote name='phil.mcglassup' timestamp='1358942896' post='1947323'] I can hit notes very well, my problem is that my voice is so 'thin'- it has no depth or strength to it. Can a voice coach improve it to an acceptable level? [/quote] Yes. A common problem easily fixed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlapbassSteve Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 [quote name='cocco' timestamp='1358929042' post='1947072'] My new band had its first practice Monday night, we're only 3 piece ATM so myself and the guitard decided to share vocal duties. I can sing, I thought confidently. Oh how wrong I was. Ozzy would not have been proud of my rendition of Paranoid. Completely different ball game to singing along to the radio or in the shower. Ollie was in the same boat too. Anyone got any advice/tips apart from singing lessons or just don't bother?? [/quote] I think knowing that you've got work to do is half the battle, nothing worse then a bad singer that doesn't realise... the rest is practice and confidence, if I can (nearly)do it, anyone can! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dingus Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 [quote name='mcgraham' timestamp='1358929440' post='1947078'] Anyone can sing. To sing decently takes a bit of work. To sing well takes a good bit of work. To be a great singer takes a LOT of work. The voice is an instrument like any other. Just because you HAVE one doesn't mean you know how to use it to make music well, just like if you HAVE a guitar doesn't mean you know to use it to make music well. It takes practice to get to the level you want to be at. If you're interested in lessons either in person or via Skype hit me up. I do know an Speech Level Singing teacher in Cardiff who can give you lessons as well if you'd prefer someone closer to home. [/quote] +1 on this . A good friend of mine who I used to be in a band with was a fairly decent singer and sang semi -professionally for years . He started having proper singing lessons and the difference they have made has been [u]amazing [/u], I mean really astounding . He says that the exercises and warm -ups he does before performing now have completely transformed his range and stamina , and his pitch is noticibly more reliable . He says he can't remember how he used to sing and perform without what he has learnt from the lessons . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oopsdabassist Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Scariest thing ever, especially if monitor is loud and I can hear myself. I can just about manage BV's cos I can hear the singer and it gives me a note to aim at (I usually need a run up!!) Lead vocals are ouit of the question, rest of band usually collapse in hysterics before I finish a line! I keep thinking about lessons...one day......one day.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacqueslemac Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 I started doing backing vocals recently. I think I contribute more to volume than quality. I can rarely hear myself through the PA when we practice, but I hate the sound of my voice when I listen to playbacks later. I've been practicing by singing along to as much as I can, but only venturing near the mic when I feel confident that I can sing without stopping playing. The singer has been very kind, giving me the thumbs up when I come in, so he must be able to hear me. I'm starting small. One guitar sings too, while the other just does a few backing vocals like me. I'd hate it if I was the only one doing backing vocals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil.mcglassup Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 (edited) I used to wear ear plugs when I last played in a loud band because of mild and intermittent tinnitus. They were reluctant, i.e. refused, to turn the backline volume down. I eventually splashed out on some of the more expensive ones that allowed me to hear my own voice for BVs but they did not work too well and for me would certainly be no good to me as a lead vocalist. Is there an answer? (apart from finding musicians who know what 'sensible volume' means) Edited January 23, 2013 by phil.mcglassup Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thumperbob 2002 Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Backing vox are easy. Harmony vox are not. I really learnt a lot when I was in a Beatles tribute band in the 80s. Three parts everywhere! Practice, practice. Learn your thirds and fifths. Sing a line and then do the third. Sing a line and do the fifth. Play ur bass at the same time. Loads of instruction on YouTube. Unless you are a natural singer you'll have to really spend some time on it. Try to picture the pitch in your mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassection Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 In my case I can hit notes fine, just not the right ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldG Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 [quote name='mcgraham' timestamp='1358949635' post='1947473'] Yes and no. The voice is the sound source, so it's important to get that right first. [/quote] Yes and no to this...... the OP said he he could sing, but was disappointed with what was coming from the mic/PA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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