Good point, Brian. Lots of great singers didn't/don't have great "instruments" to work with. A few that come to mind are Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong, Elvis Costello... it's the techniques they use and their inflections that make them stand out and still sound cool.
...in contrast, Ringo's singing on Yellow Submarine gives me the impression he has a decent "instrument" to work with, but could use a little technique!
Singing lessons
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westtexasrickenbacker
- Member
- Posts: 217
- Joined: Fri Jun 16, 2006 8:46 am
It's been a hell of a long time since the last post here, but I think I'm much better than I was before. Still no lessons yet, just normal practice. My only problem now is I can't do it anymore.. I moved out of my dad's house, and now I can't sing loud anymore.
I'm gonna make do with what I can right now.. I need money for real lessons.
I'm gonna make do with what I can right now.. I need money for real lessons.
1976 Rickenbacker 4001
2011/05 Fender Standard Fretless Jazz Bass
2005/11 Fender Standard Jazz Bass
2011/05 Fender Standard Fretless Jazz Bass
2005/11 Fender Standard Jazz Bass
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lyle_from_minneapolis
- Advanced Member
- Posts: 2530
- Joined: Sun Nov 19, 2006 7:13 pm
A bad voice CAN be improved, but the deciding factor will be your own ability to hear what you are doing. In other words, if you can't tell when you're hitting the notes or not...maybe you should do other things.
But if you CAN hear when you sound good, or not so good, but you just don't know what to do...then there are many ways to improve.
One of the best things you can do when singing high energy rock is to OPEN YOUR MOUTH. It will change your tone and also force you to sing less from the neck and more from the diaphragm. Sort of like getting away from always using the bridge pickup. Watch Mick or Macca sing the loud ones--just like at the dentist's office!
A great exercise is to try to imitate a good singer, one that you think you might be able to sing like. Play with a CD and go over a few phrases and try to nail it exactly. Pay attention to when they hit the offbeat, how they "phrase" it, and even how they choose to pronounce the words, when they cut off the note. When you become more conscious of this stuff, you soon have an easier time of ad libbing your own "phrasing" style.
Pay attention to "attack" and "decay"--this means how loudly or abruptly you come into a note and how you come out of it, with your volume and with your sustain. If a saxophone just honked all the notes at the same level and distance, it would suck. Same goes for your allegedly "bad" voice---you probably can make that bad voice Swing, but it takes a little creative flair, and the courage to sound like an ***. Have fun with it!
But if you CAN hear when you sound good, or not so good, but you just don't know what to do...then there are many ways to improve.
One of the best things you can do when singing high energy rock is to OPEN YOUR MOUTH. It will change your tone and also force you to sing less from the neck and more from the diaphragm. Sort of like getting away from always using the bridge pickup. Watch Mick or Macca sing the loud ones--just like at the dentist's office!
A great exercise is to try to imitate a good singer, one that you think you might be able to sing like. Play with a CD and go over a few phrases and try to nail it exactly. Pay attention to when they hit the offbeat, how they "phrase" it, and even how they choose to pronounce the words, when they cut off the note. When you become more conscious of this stuff, you soon have an easier time of ad libbing your own "phrasing" style.
Pay attention to "attack" and "decay"--this means how loudly or abruptly you come into a note and how you come out of it, with your volume and with your sustain. If a saxophone just honked all the notes at the same level and distance, it would suck. Same goes for your allegedly "bad" voice---you probably can make that bad voice Swing, but it takes a little creative flair, and the courage to sound like an ***. Have fun with it!
Here is where I hide my music:
http://www.soundclick.com/MarkKaufman
http://www.soundclick.com/MarkKaufman
My problem now is with the different bands I listen to, and the singers I try to emulate. Like Geoff Tate and King Diamond. King sings mainly with a high, piercing falsetto, and Geoff never, ever goes falsetto. I know for sure when I'm singing falsetto when I listen to King, but when I hear Geoff and try to sing his stuff I have no idea if I'm doing it in my real range or my falsetto range. I have to push hard to sing either's stuff, but the confusion of whether I'm doing it right or cheating bothers me.
1976 Rickenbacker 4001
2011/05 Fender Standard Fretless Jazz Bass
2005/11 Fender Standard Jazz Bass
2011/05 Fender Standard Fretless Jazz Bass
2005/11 Fender Standard Jazz Bass
Nate, a big benefit in learning to sing is RECORDING yourself. Of course, I became quite discouraged when I first tried this -running my already 'thin' voice through my Shure SM57 and guitar preamp! But once I got my hands on a good mic I discovered a bit more about my true vocal tone (and range). I've been writing songs for years and only recently began singing lead vocals on some of the band's songs. Truth is I love it. 
Best of luck in your endeavor.
Best of luck in your endeavor.
Shaking the floor of Heaven
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lyle_from_minneapolis
- Advanced Member
- Posts: 2530
- Joined: Sun Nov 19, 2006 7:13 pm
Nate, there is no cheating. Take the "false" out of falsetto, and just consider it "headtone"---just a different approach to hitting a high note. "Falsetto" always sounds like a fraudulent practice, doesn't it? Neil Young uses it a lot, and Paul McCartney, but so does Robert Plant, and he can seamlessly change from regular voice pushed higher than hell and a strong, stinging headtone. It doesn't really matter. Hitting the note and sounding good is what matters.
There are some voices and notes you will never be able to emulate, and that's when you should sing it differently. Robert Plant no longer tries to wail like he used to, but he still sounds great by selecting different notes to sing on the old songs. Just Tell The Tale with power and conviction. Imitating is great for learning and for cover bands that want to sound exactly the same as the covered---but a great performance of a known song by a lesser known performer usually works better when you find your own way to do it. Sing it lower or change the melody line at certain places---you have that right. The original artists do it all the time.
As They Might Be Giants said, "Be you. Be what you're like. Be like yourself."
There are some voices and notes you will never be able to emulate, and that's when you should sing it differently. Robert Plant no longer tries to wail like he used to, but he still sounds great by selecting different notes to sing on the old songs. Just Tell The Tale with power and conviction. Imitating is great for learning and for cover bands that want to sound exactly the same as the covered---but a great performance of a known song by a lesser known performer usually works better when you find your own way to do it. Sing it lower or change the melody line at certain places---you have that right. The original artists do it all the time.
As They Might Be Giants said, "Be you. Be what you're like. Be like yourself."
Here is where I hide my music:
http://www.soundclick.com/MarkKaufman
http://www.soundclick.com/MarkKaufman