Figuring out the right genre for my voice

[GeetarPlayer]

I'm starting to reevaluate how my singing fits into a genre. I've grown up doing pretty much Top-40 radio songs. But I've noticed some songs really fit me well, and others sound forced.

 

I'd like to get y'all's input on it. So, I plan to do a few simple recordings to have you listen to. I want to try not to do a song that exists - that may sway you. What do you suggest? I was planning on just making up some melodies and some stupid meaningless lyrics, and reuse them in various styles... a driving rock song, a country song, a talkie ballad, a middle of the road top 40 song, and a soaring melodic rock ballad.

 

What do you think? Should I instead do some covers?

[Jersey Jack]

An interesting idea, surely, but I think you're approaching this in the wrong way. Your passion for music ought to trump the tonal quality of your voice, it seems to me. If you love a particular genre, work your voice into that genre.

 

There will be some exceptions of course--not everybody can sing anything. But if you are drawn to a style of music it's very likely that you have already internalized the vocal that complement that style. If you haven't yet explored musical styles (which may be the case if you're very young) I suggest throwing your self into the music in order to find out where you live, musically speaking. Then evaluate your voice--not to see if you can sing in this genre, but to see what sort of work you need to do to make it work.

[beach1]

Interesting topic. I think maybe you should listen to Jersey Jack's advice since it sounds very good.

 

Maybe I haven't given this topic enough thought myself.. When I started to take singing more seriously, I felt like my voice felt more comfortable and better-abled to sing pop/rnb-ish type of stuff, or at least was just good at that, so I decided to concentrate my efforts into singing and studying how to sing that style. Of course I do enjoy that type of music, but I'm not sure if that type of music is what I want to be singing the most, now that I think about it. I mean I do enjoy it a lot, but I wonder if I'd be even happier singing another style.

 

Anyway, sorry for going a little OT in your thread.

[GeetarPlayer]

Thanks for the replies, guys. Jack - good thought. I definitely have gravitated mostly toward pop/rock, but lately, more and more Country. But I've yet to "come out" with Country. It's kind of a "will I ever really sing one of those in public". I love listening to it... not sure if I'm suited to perform it.

 

"Genre" may have been the wrong word here. I'm thinking more along the lines of like on "Idol", where they put a lot of weight on song selection. And as I start to write songs, I want to model the feel of the song I write after the right style, for my voice.

 

I have a busy time coming up, but I'll throw some recordings out there in a few weeks and see where it goes. I'm sure it will be a valuable experience no matter what.

[Tburn]

I'm not sure if I would take the lets pick a genre approach either. Question; 1. Do you write your own songs? 2.Are you in a band? Often times the songs I write for my self have a mind of their own. They don't really fit in any one genre song to song. They're just songs with their own style and feel to them. My band however has a more direct approach or genre if you will. So basically what I'm saying is sing what you want and the more you sing the less strange you might feel about attempting other genres (country) in public.

[noisetrip]

for example, i really love kurt cobain's singing voice ( no joke ) but cannot sing it for the life of me. let kurt cobain play his own part and you play the part of geetarplayer. sing and have fun, feel something. don't sing something that others might think fits your voice but you might not like at all. be happy with your voice and try to get better with practice.