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Vocals - Thoughts


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It's been a long time since I've scratched any thoughts here.

I'm feeling particularly irritable due to the insanity of insomnia. 7 am was my bedtime this morning.

Anyway.

My daughter wants to write and sing songs so maybe I should steer her over here. I think I will.

She's my biggest fan, bless her cotton socks.

I just wanted to say something about vocals actually, from a non professional position obviously. Others may have much more valuable thoughts. This is just my perspective.

I don't consider myself to be a super fantastic vocalist, far from it. I've always hated my voice, wish that I had more balls instead of sounding like I'm five years old, but I'm usually pretty good with pitch and usually ok with putting some expression/emotion into what I sing. I only do what I am capable of and that's pretty limited. I can never be one of those fancy sing fifty notes in two seconds ullulating all over the place vocalists, and I can't scream or get any gruffness or really reach any spectacularly soaring over the top high notes. (funnily enough though I can get that gruffness when I yell at the kids)

So I just work with what I think best suits my voice.

I think that's the first thing you have to do as a vocalist "find yourself". Be realistic...work with what you've got and make the best of it and write what suits your vocals.

You can't sing with a tuxedo vocal to a heavy metal song. Wish I could do some screamo sometimes, just to unleash the demons but I'd end up sounding like a strangled cat.

When recording vocals my biggest peeve is when vocalists who are still "finding themselves", perhaps not so confident with revealing their singing voices- to compensate for their lack of confidence, will smother the tracks in effects.

Why oh why? Bangs head on laptop.

It really doesn't work.

That's like piling concealer on a zit from hell.

Really.

Don't put a condom on your voice....it's really unsatisfying for the listener.

This is just my opinion, I know pop songs sometimes use annoying effects. In moderation yeah, maybe, but not constantly.

Another pet peeve is doubling vocals...singing along with yourself on a song.

Why would you do that? Either you like your voice so much that you want to hear it twice, or you have so little confidence that you can't bring yourself to sing without a friend to hold your hand.

No. Don't do it unless for some artistic reason the song calls for a really messy vocal.

Again, here and there....maybe? But get them lined up like pretty maids all in a row or else it will be a schizophrenic mess.

This goes the same for recording harmonies.

The best way to get harmonies sounding absolutely blissful is to take the time and effort (and hey, I'm guilty of NOT doing this!) to mute all the music tracks and actually sing the harmony with the main vocal so you can get it EXACTLY in line.

Look at the tracks.... Do they line up? Have you got the exact phrasing, intonations the same?

When you do, and the pitch of both or all the vocals are exactly synchronized it can induce goosebumps.

Another thing is the right choice of microphone. We all have different tones and there are so many choices of mics that can best bring out the subtleties of your individual voice.

I'm not really an expert here with mics, and I know mine probably isn't the best for my voice (so I have been told) but really, if you've bought a cheap mic, it's probably not going to do your recordings any justice.

Pop filters are a must...but even with one your P's can still pop.

I sing very close to the mic, just what seems to work best with my mic and my voice, but there are ways to hold your lips so every breath doesn't PONG into an explosive blast. Looser lips works better than pursed lips I find and also turning your mouth slightly at an angle to the filter so your breath doesn't hit it directly also helps.

PPPPractise.

And also I've found that the position of your mouth to the mic can make a huge difference to tone.

Too far away and your voice sounds thinner and obviously more distant. (My experience anyway.)

Close sounds more breathy, if you want that intimate vibe, but too close and you can get a muffled kind of sound.

Singing upward, with the mic slightly above your mouth can calm some of the shrillness. The reverse for having it below your mouth. I think. I confess I have never done that.

Experiment. A lot of people I think just turn on the mic and expect that everythings going to sound dandy.

Listen back. Try different things. It helps to EQ the vocal track too when mixing.

I was explaining this to my daughter tonight and she said "But isn't that cheating? Making your voice sound better than what it really is?"

No, it's not cheating.

It's making the most of the tools that you have to present the best possible "sound" you can.

I think if you are going to offer up something to someones ears that you should present it as best you possibly can, for their listening pleasure.

After all if you offer up food for someone, don't you want to present it well, make it LOOK appetizing?

Well....I just slap it on the plate, but I don't even pretend to be interested in cooking.

Ask someone who will tell you the truth, even if it hurts, about how your vocal sounds.

No point in NOT getting real with yourself.

Pick the right KEY....oh this is SO SO important.

You shouldn't have to strain when you sing.

If you feel in the least bit uncomfortable singing, the audience WILL hear it...no matter how many condoms or friends joining the party.

Choose the key you feel most comfortable with.

If some notes are still too high, or low, modify the melody...don't hang on the notes...maybe drift a little touching on the note you want, if need be.

Remember that it's those long drawn out notes that are the most likely ones to go off pitch.

Remember to BREATHE before one of those notes. (all the time really) Breath controls pitch.

I think that's all I have to say before I once again face the nightmare of my bed,

8 Comments


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Thanks Tom, yep I agree about writing to your own strengths.  

It can be hard if what you enjoy listening to music/vocalists that you can't possibly emulate, but this is where being realistic with yourself helps.  

I think if you sing like you really mean it, like your heart and soul really FEELS it, then it doesn't matter if you've got balls or not.  :)

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Yep, true, that's another one...too quiet in the mix.

Thing is, by disguising or hiding something we don't like, there is no room for improving. It's almost a lazy way of approaching something isn't it?  

Taking the masks off those vocals forces us to DO something about whatever it is we're not entirely happy with.

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totaly agree!
i remember a few singers a few years ago used chorus and not a subtle one either...

even in metal you have to choose the right key for your voice, i struggled for a few years thinking it was my playing ability or my programming, and i cant say how important that point is!
i also think its easier to pick up where your going wrong, to much effect will mask those areas, but to improve you need to hear the errors!
me personally - il use a good compressor and a nice reverb. that's about it! 
I do think to many people auto tune, and to me, id rather hear someone who i know can pull it off live as well! its something for me as a musician to aspire to!

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great muse with some really good advice, work with what you have which in my case is limited but I have now worked out how to get the best out of it and as posted later you then write for what you know you can deliver well

 

I did have some lessons as well from a really good coach who was a bit wacky but she not only taught me to breathe correctly but had a lot of good tips on relaxing the body before I sang which was very helpful before a live set !!

 

I will try and dig out some of the info if anyone is interested

 

singers like cohen, `bill withers, chris rea, dylan were not from the hit factory cast but they all had their own sound which whether you liked it or not was part of their make up and success

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Mark I agree....way too much autotune these days.  It's a bit lazy really I think.  Serves a GOOD purpose if used in moderation....I don't have it but have had a producer use it once in a studio situation.  Sometimes you do a really good take but there;s just that ONE iffy note.  In that situation I think it can be a helpful tool, but not AS an effect, which when used heavily is kinda what it sounds like I think.

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Indie, I'd like to read about your info from your coach?  Relaxing at ANY time comes in handy but yeah, when singing it's really important, especially if it can stop someone straining their vocal cords.

 

And that's so true...so many unique singers have made good use of what nature gave them. :)

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