The singing thread

frankus

Thread title needs changing - this thread does not sing

Drew_TNBD

randomhandclaps said:

Drew_fx said:

randomhandclaps said:

I'm trying to convince Mrs RHC to do a vocal exercise helper to put up here.  She says as soon as she has time she'll do it.

Tell her I'll be a bit less of a misogynistic arsehole if she does it!

She likes you as you are.  I think she'd see any step towards lily-livered pussy whippery as a sign of weakness.

This is good. Good indeed.

newi123

I took singing lessons for a long while and found them useful for confidence building if nothing else. I also established that in the same way we all have different sporting abilities, we all have different vocal abilities - I am sure I am much faster round a track than my good friend (even if he trains alot), but he can sing like Brian Johnson which my vocal chords just don`t do! :-( So the first point is:

1) Accept what you have!

I`m fine with singing Cream and Hendrix but will never be able to sing Dio or G`n`R no matter how tight the spandex is. But then point two is:

2) You don`t have to be that good really!

Some of the most famous singers (or at least the ones I like) really aren`t that good. What they do have is their own style. Think Dylan, Mark Knopfler, Hendrix etc etc etc. In the same way we don`t all want to have the huge technical ability of some of the guitar shred superstars, you don`t have to be able to sing like Freddy Mercury to be musically valid. Less time worrying about ability is more time actually making music.

In saying that, the most important point is:

3) Practice, practice and more practice

Even now I find myself spending much time learning or writing guitar parts, giving the vocals a quick run through and thinking `that`ll do`. Like every thing in life you get better at singing / pitching etc etc if you practice. Repetition leads to familiarity. I wouldn`t expect to be able to play a guitar part with only a quick run through, so really it`s never going to work for the vocals either.

And lastly,

4) Sing it like you mean it

When I go and watch gigs, the ones that really impress are the ones who sound like they mean it and look like they mean it............... often if you listen to a recording of said gig, the singer really wasn`t that good, but passion and performing in a credible manner actually is just as important as ability I think. :-)

Drew_TNBD

My main issue with my own singing right now is that it's a bit too "nice" and "English" - I wanna fuck it up a bit more, but safely and reliably. I wanna add some grit, and be a bit more beltier. Like a proper rock gawd.

Sambostar

I think he is very good and very pure of tone all round.  I want to hear him sing A Ha songs, he's wasted doing the music he plays. 

Smoke 40 fags a day, that will give you the grit you are after.  Thing is at least you have it the right way around, most people have grit and struggle to produce a decent pure tone.

I was attempting to sing in B&Q today whilst getting some cement.  All that came out was a peep, then I looked down and my knob was hanging out, as my flies and trousers are a bit broken and ripped at the mo.  Must of been like that when I got out of the van.  That didn't bother me in the least though, the singing in public did.  Funny innit.

Cabicular

I over twang and have to really be careful with my Diction (I'm Scottish and not  in the proclaimers)

My motto... if you can't sing get good backing vocalists

(how are you embedding the soundcloud stuff?)

Got it

Cabicular

Cabicular

Oh I forgot... About the extended Guitar Solo at the end

The first solo is Paul Hindmarsh (of Line 6 fame) and I have the unenviable task of doing the second solo

Cabicular

I'm trying to find an example of my higher register.

This is just a rough so I repeat the verse and the mix is shoddy but it gives you an idea of what you can do

I'm naturally a Baritone but years of backing vocals and then singing in a Zeppelin Band gave me more and more range

Sambostar

I was listening to Radio 2 today in the van for ten minutes, it strikes me that I am being overly critical on not only myself, although granted I am not very good, but everyone now.  I keep thinking, if I was them I wouldn't be very happy with that.  But I'm getting more of an idea of people's ranges, types of voice they use, head. chest whatever that they use and their limits, what I like and what I don't and generally being a highly critical bastard, which is kind of reassuring and a learning curve as you can break it all into logical pieces and then relate to it and learn by it.

I think a lot of what is so hard about it to us non singers, is that it is a foreign instrument with a foreign and varied tone.  I mean, if you asked me what octave even something fairly regulated like a clarinet is playing at, I wouldn't have a clue.  As for people's voices which are so widely varied in tone...I only know guitar tones.

So this critical thinking is kind of helping me learn I think, because a lot of it must be a mental thing associated with a new instrument I reckon.

I still think Morton Harket is a great singer with a great tone.

Sambostar

Cabicular said:

I over twang and have to really be careful with my Diction (I'm Scottish and not  in the proclaimers)

My motto... if you can't sing get good backing vocalists

Dougie Maclean sings with an accent.  And them was some high vocals.  I'd struggle to get up to the pitch of the first track. Yu have got a great voice but I don't like those two tracks, they are too high in the register and give me a headache as I feel the soundwaves putting pressure on my brain.  I'm being highly critical remember.  Also it would sound better sung with an accent, but depends what region you are from, a soft Scottish accent and that pitch would sound beautiful to my mind.  No one ever understands lyrics anyway.    Much better than Essex/Wilshire/Oz accent, which is horrible.

That first track was outstanding.

Drew_TNBD

Sambostar said:

I was listening to Radio 2 today in the van for ten minutes, it strikes me that I am being overly critical on not only myself, although granted I am not very good, but everyone now.  I keep thinking, if I was them I wouldn't be very happy with that.  But I'm getting more of an idea of people's ranges, types of voice they use, head. chest whatever that they use and their limits, what I like and what I don't and generally being a highly critical bastard, which is kind of reassuring and a learning curve as you can break it all into logical pieces and then relate to it and learn by it.

I think a lot of what is so hard about it to us non singers, is that it is a foreign instrument with a foreign and varied tone.  I mean, if you asked me what octave even something fairly regulated like a clarinet is playing at, I wouldn't have a clue.  As for people's voices which are so widely varied in tone...I only know guitar tones.

So this critical thinking is kind of helping me learn I think, because a lot of it must be a mental thing associated with a new instrument I reckon.

I still think Morton Harket is a great singer with a great tone.

Honestly, there is so much science and logic to the thing... if you can separate that from the fear and emotion of singing, it gets way easier. Easier to try things, easier to take criticism, and easier to make progress.

DiscoStu

I love singing, but wouldn't class myself as a singer. I run out of breath and get light headed, I have no technique other than my own.
I'd love to get some lessons to get control of my diaphragm/larynx/tongue/lungs and to pitch better.

On an average day I have a 3 octave range from E to E. So open low E on a guitar to 12th fret on high E. I can get a couple of notes higher on a good day.

DiscoStu

Here's the last vocal I recorded at home, a medley challenge a mate set me at the start of the year.

Vocals and guitars are me, raw and unedited. Can't be bothered with polishing shit out!

Constructives welcome.

Sambostar

I don't want to hog this thread as always and should start a struggling singing thread I guess, but I tried this earlier with a higher voice and this is the last audio I'II post I promise, otherwise everyone will start hating me.  It's my crap attempt at pure tone.  I can hit the high bit before the higher bit about 1 day out of five and the actual high bit in a strained to buggery head voice every month or so although easier if I go falsetto, but it starts getting a bit X Factor.  Shame as I've always wanted to be able to sing it since I eleven.  My question is though, if you get lessons and practice and perhaps smoke less and get your breathing right, can you pull these things off regularly on the dot?

Although I highly suspect Morton Harket had a fishing accident when he was in his early teens, judging by the void in his tight trousers worn on stage, he does speak and sing naturally more like a baritone, but he has this amazing ability to pull these seamless octave voice tones and blend them all into one.  His falsetto at the same pitch of his belted voice is just as perfect.  I'd love to be able to do that.

@DiscoStu random question, but can you swim?  I even have major breathing problems playing guitar as I forget to breathe.  ONe thing that struck me is that I never shout,  I haven't shouted for years.  I need to do more shouting.

https://soundcloud.com/user360616451/crap-on-me

Sambostar

DiscoStu said:

Here's the last vocal I recorded at home, a medley challenge a mate set me at the start of the year.

Vocals and guitars are me, raw and unedited. Can't be bothered with polishing shit out!

Constructives welcome.

I love that, the diction and the softness to your voice.  I didn't like the swearing though.  How rude.  I think I am going to give up now after hearing that.  Are you from Derry or some place like that by any chance?  Love that soft rounded accent, also think you can get away with an American twang as American is basically Irish anyway. OK close, different country but hey.

My role from now on is Simon Cowell.

Way too mucho talent on here.  Depressingly good.  It's like not being picked for football all over again.  Oh it's all coming back now, I think I will go and cry.  I'm not qualified to say anything.  I think I will lurk on this thread from now on like a paedophile.

DiscoStu

Sambostar said:

DiscoStu said:

Here's the last vocal I recorded at home, a medley challenge a mate set me at the start of the year.

Vocals and guitars are me, raw and unedited. Can't be bothered with polishing shit out!

Constructives welcome.

I love that, the diction and the softness to your voice.  I didn't like the swearing though.  How rude.  I think I am going to give up now after hearing that.  Are you from Derry or some place like that by any chance?  Love that soft rounded accent, also think you can get away with an American twang as American is basically Irish anyway. OK close, different country but hey.

No, I'm Scottish. I'm from Moray and I have a bit of Doric in my dialect (@Drew_fx loves a bit of Doric) but mostly sing with an American twang like most folk.

I'm learning to be a bit more Scottish in my delivery but don't want to go all Biffy/Twin Atlantic! I'd love to be stronger in my lower register but I'm more comfortable higher up the scale.

DiscoStu

Here's an interesting chart I just found.

On a guitar, Middle C is 2nd string 1st fret. Taking my limits to be open E 6th string and 12th fret E on the 1st string, I can't decide if I'm a Tenor or a Baritone. I don't feel like a Baritone, I'm much happier singing around Middle C.

Actually, maybe I'm Contralto?

randomhandclaps

@DiscoStu - I really liked that.  I listened to it twice because my of question was going to be whether you recorded the vocals in one take because on first listening it seem like the body of the vocals tails off like you were tiring.  Then on second listening (when not focusing so much on the vocals) the only issue is that one that electric guitar comes in either the vox need to come up slightly on the guitar down and as the song progresses the percussive sidestick is quite tiring on your ears and they start to shut down a bit.  Vocals are grand though.  Great work, sir.

@Cabicular ;- I don't know whether you were talking about the tracks particular (or you worked hard to avoid it) but I don't find too much twang in your voice.  It's natural enough to not sound contrived - which for me is far worse that colloquial.  I think you've hit a great balance.

Cabicular

randomhandclaps said:

@Cabicular ;- I don't know whether you were talking about the tracks particular (or you worked hard to avoid it) but I don't find too much twang in your voice.  It's natural enough to not sound contrived - which for me is far worse that colloquial.  I think you've hit a great balance.

Thanks I appreciate that. I learned to sing live though so I have quite a 'hard' tone that I don't really like in recording. Cuts through live. Also I'm really a harmony singer so I find the jump to lead singing a bit jarring

Harmony singing is all about pitch and range and less about tone. I want to try and get more dynamics in my voice and I think I need to sing lower stuff quieter...