Help with voice

bakemm · Unread post by **bakemm** » Wed Sep 10, 2003 5:45 pm

So I've been playing guitar for about a month now, can play the Christmas Song no problem, and working on others - Gret St, OSW, SMTS, and Typical. I have a little voice recorder and decided to record a full play through of the Xmas song...

While the recording is not high quality, it was enough to discover that the genetic hindrances noticeable in my father were passed along to me in full force. I can't sing worth sweaty cow balls. I always knew this to be a fact, but to hear my voice on a recorder was like a dagger through my self-esteem.

My personal, professional diagnosis is that my voice sounds very monotone, and any inflections don't sound like they belong in the song. Do you guys suggest voice lessons? Any pointers to help me out? I may be just so damn tone deaf I don't know whats going on...

Any help appreciated, thanks.

ticohans · Unread post by **ticohans** » Wed Sep 10, 2003 6:11 pm

well, i'd offer a few suggestions, but i'd have to hear a vocal clip...

bakemm · Unread post by **bakemm** » Wed Sep 10, 2003 7:03 pm

Well... here is a bit... probably better than my xmas clip.... hehe..

http://www.angelfire.com/theforce/bakem ... alclip.wav

Damn, I can't believe this crap is now on the internet. Any suggestions appreciated.

moffatt7291 · Unread post by **moffatt7291** » Wed Sep 10, 2003 7:11 pm

lol...i sound the same way...i dont even try anymore.

DMBFan63 · Unread post by **DMBFan63** » Wed Sep 10, 2003 7:11 pm

Dude, your voice isn't that bad.. it just has a bit of a bassy yet treblish tone to it.. just try and when no one is home(so you don't make people think your a freak) singing anything you can and record it, post it, let us here it, then we'll give you pointers..

bakemm · Unread post by **bakemm** » Wed Sep 10, 2003 7:21 pm

DMBFan63 wrote:.. it just has a bit of a bassy yet treblish tone to it.. ..

That bad, huh?

Well... since nobody is home right now... give me a few minutes and I'll give you guys a few good laughs....

bakemm · Unread post by **bakemm** » Wed Sep 10, 2003 7:46 pm

http://www.angelfire.com/theforce/bakemm/

There are 3 clips available for your enjoyment. Once beyond the immediate comical relief, please share your suggestions on how I could possibly improve. I would really like to work on this.

P.S. My favorite part is the "bold and bright" on the Grey St. clip. :wink:

ticohans · Unread post by **ticohans** » Thu Sep 11, 2003 3:35 pm

hey bakemm, i just listened to the clips, and i really don't know what to say. when you first posted the typical situation, i thought, hey, this isn't nearly as bad as i expected. there were some pitch problems, but you always came back to the same pitch area, which to me showed an ear that could be worked with. i don't mean to be mean or harsh, but that ear dissapeared in the other tracks, and when you played christmas song, you used the guitar, which i thought might have helped, but it only seemed to make things worse. in the end, i'd say that your technique from what i could hear isn't nearly as bad as a lot of folks here, but i don't know what to say about your ear.

but it's not the end of the world. so you're not going to be a rock star. neither is anyone else here. you enjoy singing, so forget what you sound like and just do it if that's what you like. you may never have loads of people dying to hear you play, but that's not what it's about in the end, right?

grock · Unread post by **grock** » Thu Sep 11, 2003 4:26 pm

ok, you are pretty nasal at times. that's gotta go. and i would even suggest using something like AP tuner for you voice to stay on. The new one seems to work for this. you got some good tips. you go flat on several notes so i say to practice individual notes with the ap tuner. it'll help you to know the notes better so you don't go flat.

most people aren't born with a voice. you really do have to baby it and develop it if you want it.

bakemm · Unread post by **bakemm** » Thu Sep 11, 2003 6:51 pm

Well, thank you guys for your opinions and honesty. My next questions would then follow up on what was said... 1. How do I overcome being "nasal"? 2. Is there a way to improve my ear to recognize the proper tones? and 3... this may be a stupid question, but how do I know what note I should be singing in. It's one thing to take the time to recognize what note I am singing... another to know what I should be singing... I just don't have a clue. Does it simply follow the notes being played on the instrument?

Thanks for your help guys... more suggestions welcome.

Appfro · Unread post by **Appfro** » Thu Sep 11, 2003 7:03 pm

bakemm wrote:Well, thank you guys for your opinions and honesty. My next questions would then follow up on what was said... 1. How do I overcome being "nasal"? 2. Is there a way to improve my ear to recognize the proper tones? and 3... this may be a stupid question, but how do I know what note I should be singing in. It's one thing to take the time to recognize what note I am singing... another to know what I should be singing... I just don't have a clue. Does it simply follow the notes being played on the instrument?

Thanks for your help guys... more suggestions welcome.

i didn't get to hear you sing, so i don't know what you sound like. but my girlfriend's mom was some kind of choir singer in some famous choir, and she said to get rid of singing nasal like is hold your nose while singing and get used to it. the thing i could throw out there is when you sing, you should feel it from your chest and not the back of your throat. if you feel it from the back of your throat and youre blowing a lot of air out of your nose, you automatically are sounding nasaly.

the ear thing im not sure about...you gotta kinda have to be born w/ that i think. its natural talent. im sure practice won't hurt you, but like tico said, you probaby won't be a superstar. but i know my brother couldn't sing forever and he kept practicing, and now he's good enough to at least do back up.

the note thing IMO isn't that big. you have to be pretty good at theory and reading music and stuff to know what note you have to be singing at any given point. if you have an ear, i don't think you really even have to know what key you're in.

skilly · Unread post by **skilly** » Thu Sep 11, 2003 8:13 pm

you have to also remember that everyone can sing, and sing enough to perform, i mean look at mayer he doesnt have a great voice, neither do 90% of the other bands out there, but if you keep at it anyone can have a good voice.

Appfro · Unread post by **Appfro** » Thu Sep 11, 2003 9:22 pm

TaylorsBaby225 wrote:you have to also remember that everyone can sing, and sing enough to perform, i mean look at mayer he doesnt have a great voice, neither do 90% of the other bands out there, but if you keep at it anyone can have a good voice.

i disagree

ticohans · Unread post by **ticohans** » Thu Sep 11, 2003 10:58 pm

I disagree as well.

As App said, in many ways, the ear is something that you are "born" with, but you can improve on what you have if you want to. In terms of developing your ear, there are certain absurdly intense things you can do in terms of study to get better, but the fact of the matter is that for 99% of folks, the stuff I'm talking about is too intimidating and too much work to warrant the effort. But there are simple things you can do, things like really listening hard to yourself, and really being attentive to music in general. Singing along with CD's would probably be really helpful, as you'll always have a good reference point. I really don't know what else to say beyond that, except make sure that you're relaxed when you sing.

4mbi3nt · Unread post by **4mbi3nt** » Fri Sep 12, 2003 1:30 am

Bakemm -

How long have been singing? I agree somewhat with Appsolider and ticohans, but rather than being inherent I believe the "ear" is something developed at a young age. You know how it goes once you learn something as a kid it's very easy to build upon it growing up. I would agree, however, there are those that are naturals. As for how to improve your ear, I would try playing scales and humming along. You could also doing this with chords (arpeggios) or just play some chords from a favorite song. Also, as people have mentioned ensure you sing from your chest/gut not throat. One thing I've found thanks to ticohans (this helps tons thanks again ticohans you mentioned this a while ago), is to sing as if you were breathing. This sounds kinda of stupid at first, but try breathing out of your mouth only with a few quick huff, huff, huff. Now when singing try to produce the same physical action with your breath. Mayer does this a lot if you want an example, i.e. sounds like he's breathin all over the mic all the time :wink:

. With lots of practice you could be a much better singer.

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Help with voice

Help with voice

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