Desertrose

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.

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.

That would be a nice ride by bike up there. There are some quaint little stops along the way and I don't think any of those were badly affected. The fires have eased now, thank goodness.

Yes, a shame you didn't get more time to explore that area. Won't be much left after this I'm afraid but luckily the bush always bounces back, as will the people in time.

Sorry for your friend. So many people affected hey. Can't believe it's got this bad. Now a state of emergency? I hope they are just over reacting and taking every precaution rather than it actually turning out to be as horrific as they are worried about. Just found out that the house we were renting a little over twelve months ago there in Emma parade in Winmalee has been burned down. That whole street is practically gone! Feeling so lucky that the twists and turns of life led us away from that area now. I'd like to donate directly to the bushfire brigade.

I know there are a few Aussies on this site. Just hoping everyone is safe wherever they are! My daughter has lost her house in the Blue mountains. My other daughters best friend has also lost her house (Susan Antonio who just joined this site recently) and many other friends of theirs have also lost homes or are being impacted by fires in some way or another. It's been the most frightening experience for our family as most of my family live right in Winmalee where over 200 houses have been destroyed and the crisis still continues with bad weather ahead. So many fires are still burning in different areas. It's just unbelievable that we are seeing this kind of thing so early in the season. My heart goes out to all those people who are now faced with having lost everything they owned, pets...oh that just upsets me so much. My daughters boyfriend braved the fire to try and get in to save their two dogs but unfortunately he was only able to save one. I have so much respect and gratitude for the firies who are out there facing horrific circumstances. Just true hero's. While so many homes have been lost, so many have also been saved, including my parents and my sisters homes. Just praying that what they are predicting weather wise will not be as bad as they fear.

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.

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.

I really enjoyed the above video. Different and interesting and what......no grinding provocatively swinging naked from wrecking balls or any lewdness at all? Miracles do happen.

Greetings daughter!

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,

This thread reminded me of this....if you haven't seen it, watch it. I thought it was brilliant. I guess maybe it's the melody that counts?

Arranging to me is like putting the puzzle pieces together. I think one of the most important things for people to try to do when arranging is to really understand how the instruments are working together- because they should compliment each other - and this can definitely help in the mixing department. Choosing too many similar in tone sounding instruments can end up making musical mud (I am guilty!) Another thing is while having some tasty guitar or keyboard licks filling in the spaces between verses and choruses adds interest and can give a song personality (personality, setting the tone or vibe is vital, I think.) too much of a good thing makes your ears have a conniption. Having too many "busy" instruments can also be distracting.....picking, plucking, plinking when combined can be a bit like trying to follow three conversations at once. How a piece starts too is really important - first impressions and all that. You wouldn't go on a first date with your fly undone would you? So if it starts kinda iffy -or takes three hours, seven minutes and thirty five seconds to actually hear the first note of the vocal come in ....well, yawn. Dynamic is REALLY important. (again, I think, and I think a lot.) To me a really good song should ebb and flow. It should tease... You should be enticed along....WANT to get to the good part, not feel like switching channels on the telly....and when you GET to the good part, (usually the chorus) you should want it AGAIN. If a song is at mega force full power right from the start and has absolutely no dynamic my ears get tired and I feel like punching something. (this may work for the death metal people though, but they are strange.) One thing I am learning is that it's probably a good idea (tell me what you think?) that if you plan to introduce say for example....a violin somewhere in the piece....that it shouldn't just come from nowhere - suddenly- BOO, then just disappear. If it's part of the party then surely it should ease in - not jump out from the closet and scare all the guests? Peoples ears have to get used to, slowly, all the guests in the room, for them to feel comfortable. So, I reckon, say if you want a saxophone sound for the lead break....he has to make a subtle entrance just a little bit sooner so people know he's there. (I'm really in a strange mood tonight.) Am I on topic? In the right place, contributing anything that might be helpful? You can be honest.

Hi Ryan. I'm in Australia too. I'm sure you'll learn a lot here, even simply through listening to other peoples songs and reading the critiques. I love piano too, and would write purely piano vocal based songs IF I had one.

Hi, and welcome! I'm an Aussie too. Nice bunch of people here at songstuff. I'm sure you'll find a comfortable spot.