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Love to sing but can't


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I know I'm setting myself up for alot of jokes but maybe i can get a little useful information between the lines. Eons ago I played folk guitar and sang Dylan songs for my own pleasure. Nobody ever laughed or ran away but in so many words I was not that great. ( Nasaly ) Like Dylan. Anyway 40 years later I'm playing in a cover band and we get a few gigs but I still would love to sing. Is there anything out there that may help a poor soul like me? I do have a good ear so I can sing in key, but a few notes may be flat or sharp, and I think a little harmony would help, the rest of the band is too shy or chicken. ( latter ). I have the courage, just not the voice. I'm sure lessons would help but I think God just made some people singers and others Instrumentalists. I do play keyboard. I don't want to sound like anyone in perticular just myself. I know I could give it some feeling. We play alot of blues and old rock 60's 70's....

If anyone out there understands what I'm trying to convey and has any ideas, I would be much obliged.

 

Thanks, Mi-key

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A lot of lead singers come from being the only one in the band who's not afraid to sing, so don't worry too much.

 

I myself took a few lessons a while ago, and that along with regular practice made a huge difference in my singing. Not that I'm that great, but I'm one of the stronger voices in the choir (another good place to get some learning done!) and do an occasional solo.

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I know I'm setting myself up for alot of jokes but maybe i can get a little useful information between the lines. Eons ago I played folk guitar and sang Dylan songs for my own pleasure. Nobody ever laughed or ran away but in so many words I was not that great. ( Nasaly ) Like Dylan. Anyway 40 years later I'm playing in a cover band and we get a few gigs but I still would love to sing. Is there anything out there that may help a poor soul like me? I do have a good ear so I can sing in key, but a few notes may be flat or sharp, and I think a little harmony would help, the rest of the band is too shy or chicken. ( latter ). I have the courage, just not the voice. I'm sure lessons would help but I think God just made some people singers and others Instrumentalists. I do play keyboard. I don't want to sound like anyone in perticular just myself. I know I could give it some feeling. We play alot of blues and old rock 60's 70's....

If anyone out there understands what I'm trying to convey and has any ideas, I would be much obliged.


Thanks, Mi-key

 

 

 

Take lessons and practice. Record yourself and listen back with a critical ear. Even going to the local karaoke bar can give you practice in singing...as goofy as it sounds...it's not a bad tool.

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The #1 most important thing is your pitch. But to hold the pitch clean, you have to support it with your breath. Otherwise you'll go sharp and flat as you have too much or not enough (uneven) breath support. By breath support, I mean an even flow of air much like if you were playing a trumpet or something.

 

 

If you are serious about it, find a coach and take some lessons. Thats what I did. :wave:

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Hey, that's problem many people have to confront with, and you're the one who has the courage!

 

We are almost in the same position.. I'm not great at singing, but sometimes have to. I'm actually seeking for a solution,too..

 

I'm thinking of having some lessons; but before that, I usually practise a song time and time again following the notes. I feel that's helpful to know what notes you're singing (if you play some instrument). And I'd then to try to sing it while playing guitar, try to harmonize with the guitar. Once I can do this, I can sing with any other instruments. No fake~~~

 

Good luck~!!! :)

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I started singing lessons at 56. Just to learn something so I could help others in my recording studio. I tried three other teachers before this one. My voice has improved tremondously. Can't emphasize how important it is to learn diaphramatic breathing. The next thing is focusing your sound. You need to have teacher there to tell you when your getting "it." It is not something you can judge on your own. Recording your voice lessons is a big help. Lastly, don't be wwary to change the key of a song so that it's appropriate for your voice.

 

I still work in a cover band with some very good singers. I get a couple of songs a set and no one has told me to stop singing!

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Sing from your diaphragm and not your throat. Learn to breathe properly and how to use that breath to it's fullest extent. Develop a natural vibrato. Each song should be looked at as an exercise in breathing and control of pitch. Learn your vocal scales in all the keys you are compfortable with. Just a couple of thoughts from a newbie.
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I would like to thank all that "pitched" in with advise, and I will take it to heart. Need to find a coach. I've heard about the breathing and diaphram control. Like you all said, with some practice and some honest advise I should be able to belt out a song or two without scaring the crowd away. Like Jimi said " if Dylan can sing, so can I ".

 

Thanks again, Mi-key

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I've played guitar in bands for 20+ years (damn.... damn!) and I have sung the occasional song here and there. A couple years back we went to a 3 piece (mostly covers) and I became the lead singer. I picked up lots of books, CD's, and found a couple that worked for me. One of the 20 minute vocal exercise CD's helped me get stronger and blend chest and head voice better, using more of a "mid" voice. Either way, I haven't really gone back to it, but it put me to a higher level than I was at. I don't consider myself a singer, but I have done some pretty big gigs now as the singer. It's all good, just learn to practice the right techniques.

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Choose songs that are in your range and capabilities and you should do fine.I imagine there are a lot of people who find themselves in your position.I did.Good luck.
:thu:

That will expand your repertoire and strengthen your present abilities. But it won't take you further. If you really want to improve, then step out of your comfort zone and practice what you can't. Aim high. I thought that nailing "Living on a prayer" was out of my range. But theres no such thing as out of your range. There is practice or laziness. With practice you'll do it. With laziness you won't!

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That will expand your repertoire and strengthen your present abilities. But it won't take you further. If you really want to improve, then step out of your comfort zone and practice what you can't. Aim high. I thought that nailing "Living on a prayer" was out of my range. But theres no such thing as out of your range. There is practice or laziness. With practice you'll do it. With laziness you won't![/quote

 

exactly!I was thinking in terms of him just starting out.

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I am in a position much like the OP. I really can't sing but I do seem to be improving as I get older. I took some singing lessons many years ago and that helped a bit with breathing and technique, but I think there's a natural talent that I am missing. More recently I have been talked into singing in the Praise & Worship group I belong to. Since I play bass, I can only sing on songs that have an easy bass part and on songs with words that I am mostly familiar with. In the last few weeks I have been paying closer attention to singers I see on some of the PBS programs they are running during their "fundraiser" drive. I am amazed that I have not really noticed before that few of the big name singers have great voices. What they do seem to have is plenty of technique, little vocal tricks, and a voice that is unique.

 

In the past I have been told that I will never be able to sing Rock because my diction is too good, and I believe that to be true. Over the years I have decided that one of my problems is that my voice falls partly in the tenor range and partly in the baritone range, and that I generally cannot hit all the notes in either range. Right now I am not doing too bad harmonizing within our group, but I don't see that solo's will ever be in my future. As for offering any useful tips, I'm sorry to say that I don't have any. It's interesting however to hear the advice offerred by those experienced singers out there.

 

JR

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In the past I have been told that I will never be able to sing Rock because my diction is too good, and I believe that to be true. Over the years I have decided that one of my problems is that my voice falls partly in the tenor range and partly in the baritone range, and that I generally cannot hit all the notes in either range.

That's just bull{censored}, but Believe and it shall come true!!Why not rather deceide that you will become good with practice?

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I am amazed that I have not really noticed before that few of the big name singers have great voices. What they do seem to have is plenty of technique, little vocal tricks, and a voice that is unique.

 

As a Tom Waits fan I'd have to agree. :)

 

Some of the best singers have pretty bad voices, at least as far as smooth sound goes. Stevie Wonder has an awful, nasally voice - but he's an incredible singer nonetheless. Or maybe it's the limitation of his voice that forced him to really work on style and technique?

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I'd love to start singing, at least backups to begin with... but I've got a really weird tone to my voice or something. We played a show at the Oceanfront here a few months back and the guy at the monitor board came back to make sure the mic was working -- said it sounded like it was missing some frequency or something, but it was just my voice. Who knows.

 

I rock the {censored} out in the car though, hell with everyone else. ;)

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