Out of 10, how would you honestly rate your singing ability ?

lustycourtier

3, but get paid well for it so it’s cool, 

littlegreenman

As a classically trained chorister I was a 10 when I was aged 8-12, turned down a free place at the RCM at 13 cos I didn't want to go to religious boarding school.

Then my voice broke. And I mean proper "broke"!

Nowadays? I'd say I'm probably a 5-6 but I never sing in public anymore.

RobDavies

Probably a six.

I can nail Living Colour's Open Letter To A Landlord.... and a few other bits and bobs, too. 

Other times, I was really struggle with what some would consider 'easy' stuff.  Guess it depends on what key songs are recorded in?

Telejester

RobDavies said:

Probably a six.

I can nail Living Colour's Open Letter To A Landlord.... and a few other bits and bobs, too. 

Other times, I was really struggle with what some would consider 'easy' stuff.  Guess it depends on what key songs are recorded in?

How do you reckon you would fare singing with a jazz band with horns and all that singing in B flat ?

LoFi

Funkfingers said:ì

The strange thing is that I am perfectly content to listen to vocalists such as Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Billy Bragg and Richard Thompson - none of whom could be described as bel canto. They are more "off" than I am willing to allow myself to be.

?? The others I'll give you; but Richard Thompson has a fantastic voice! It's a very pure, unaffected voice, with range and power.

(As for me, as a classical singer, I'd probably give myself a 7 (was told it was a potential career a long time ago), but as a rock/blues singer (what I actually wanted to do), a 4 at best)

WezV

0.5 but I do enjoy singing and really wish I was better.

i sometimes think I might be able to sing with more guidance and practice... but I don’t think my voice would suit the things I want to sing so it dissuades me from trying

Since having kids I am constantly singing around the house and I like to think my voice is improving slowly

TheOtherDennis

On the @Grunfeld scale, I'm a 4 going on a 5. I've had lessons from teachers who say I'm a bass, and with some work and concentration I sound all right and can reasonably decently hold a tune in my range, they say.

However, the one time I've tried to sing in public I was so nervous I was flatter than the Norfolk Broads. Put myself right off.

Telejester

The voice is an instrument all in itself, jazz singers like diane schuur you are talking about the easiest 10 ever given.....right down to shite like Ashley Simpson, a rock solid 0 when she isn't miming and actually singing.

TheOtherDennis

LoFi said:

Funkfingers said:ì

The strange thing is that I am perfectly content to listen to vocalists such as Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Billy Bragg and Richard Thompson - none of whom could be described as bel canto. They are more "off" than I am willing to allow myself to be.

?? The others I'll give you; but Richard Thompson has a fantastic voice! It's a very pure, unaffected voice, with range and power.

(As for me, as a classical singer, I'd probably give myself a 7 (was told it was a potential career a long time ago), but as a rock/blues singer (what I actually wanted to do), a 4 at best)

And Billy Bragg is a better singer than a lot of people think too; his reputation has suffered badly as a result of that one appearance on Top of the Pops with Wet Wet Wet when he was terrible. I've seen him live three times and each time he's been fine.

Legionreturns

In "modern" music...does it matter? They're going to autotune the fuck out of you and delete any character... They only care about image

thecolourbox

I'd say when I sing regularly for a week or so I'd be about a 5, though I'm still finding my range and my best keys so sometimes I sound better than I am (usually when I'm in B minor, singing fairly high) but others I sound like I'm singing with ear plugs in

Edit - just considered this response and realised there are links in the Making Music section to proof of my singing ability (or lack thereof!) so please don't judge my optimism

HAL9000

Telejester said:

HAL9000 said:

I guess probably a 3 or so.

I can sing reasonably ok if I'm playing guitar at the same time. However, take the guitar away and any singing ability I may have goes completely out the window.

In a recording booth, headphones on, facing a mic with no guitar and engineer presses record for an acapella take........think you would reach the lofty heights of 2 ?

Doubt it. I’m ok so long as I’ve got something to pitch against and if can hear myself reasonably well. I feel I’m more confident with playing guitar than I am with singing. The guitar gives me something to hide behind. Singing aCapella would make me feel too exposed.

Kalimna

i - and unless Im in the car alone with the speakers on, it doesnt get any better than that.

CHRISB50

0.5

fields5069

I'd say 6. Having said that, I have rarely sung into a microphone when not drunk and at a karaoke. I'd say my "band voice" could grow to be quite serviceable, there's just the natural reluctance to "give it some rice" which would hold me back. 

EricTheWeary

Definitely in the low numbers if not  0. I have ‘sung’ in bands and do BVs but more characterful than tuneful. 

ICBM

EricTheWeary said:

Definitely in the low numbers if not  0. I have ‘sung’ in bands and do BVs but more characterful than tuneful. 

Anyone who has ever sung BVs in a band - at least without instantly being told to stop - has no concept of what it's like to be a 0, or even a 1 . Imagine if you detune a guitar randomly and then solo along in the background...

The Grunfeld Scale has these two the wrong way round by the way - Clueless should be above No (as in Just No).

EricTheWeary

ICBM said:

EricTheWeary said:

Definitely in the low numbers if not  0. I have ‘sung’ in bands and do BVs but more characterful than tuneful. 

Anyone who has ever sung BVs in a band - at least without instantly being told to stop - has no concept of what it's like to be a 0, or even a 1 . Imagine if you detune a guitar randomly and then solo along in the background...

The Grunfeld Scale has these two the wrong way round by the way - Clueless should be above No (as in Just No).

Oh, I have been told to stop! Really just shout along stuff and the occasional attempt at the toasting sections in The Specials songs ( lot harder than I thought and not a great success). I think I have some relative pitch but in a communal singing situation ( such as singing in church) I’m aware how off I sound,although I suppose if I can hear that I’m out of tune I must have some ear. I’ll upgrade myself to a 2 ( drunk/ football chants) then  

ICBM

EricTheWeary said:

although I suppose if I can hear that I’m out of tune I must have some ear.

We all have that, or we wouldn't be on a guitar forum .

I'm actually quite surprised to find how many others here rate themselves as low as I do - I thought it was fairly rare, but it appears not to be. I think it may be because guitarists, as a largely self-taught group, don't experience the selection that classically-trained musicians do from the very start - where they're expected to be able to sing a basic melody, and if they can't (as I couldn't) then they are written off as non-musical at an early age, and probably most never try to learn an instrument later.

Learning to play an instrument by ear, as many of us did, clearly does prove that we can hear pitch… it just doesn't mean we can produce it accurately ourselves.

RobDavies

Telejester said:

RobDavies said:

Probably a six.

I can nail Living Colour's Open Letter To A Landlord.... and a few other bits and bobs, too. 

Other times, I was really struggle with what some would consider 'easy' stuff.  Guess it depends on what key songs are recorded in?

How do you reckon you would fare singing with a jazz band with horns and all that singing in B flat ?

Haven't got a fucking clue, son.  YouTube me up, and I'll tell you after.