the absolute beginner

[genzm]

Hi,

I have been playing guitar for about ten years now, next to that I have also started to play piano.

I really enjoy playing and composing music, so I decided that I wanted to learn to sing.

I think this will be a great improvement to my musical experience

Now I don't really need to become the next best singer in the world or whatever.

I've set my goal to being able to sing along with popular songs. (if I get so far, I can still exercise more to get even further).

Now I had 4 years of singing lessons (it was obligatory at the music academy). So I have had some experience with singing, but it has been now about 6 years since I've sung, so most of my abilities are gone now.

 

My question now to you is: "where do I start"? What is the best way to get wherever I would like to get? Do I start with exercises and if so, which exercises? Or do I just start with singing along with songs and exercise this way? And how do I know if I'm doing it the right way, because you often hear that singing the wrong way can destroy your voice? Maybe some tips and tricks about the basics?....

 

Please note that I have very little time left, so I won't be able to follow any lessons (which I find rather bad. Following lessons would be much better, but it just don't have any time for it).

So I will have to teach everything to myself.

 

Thanks in advance

genzm

[grace_slick]

Well...firstly, I don't know what to suggest in terms of exercises or anything, but I'm sure others will be more knowledgeable in that regard.

 

Secondly, if you had 4 years of lessons and it's been 6 years since you sang, you probably won't have to start RIGHT back at the beginning, unless the lessons you had didn't really do anything much in terms of what you want to do and how you want to sing now.

 

Thirdly, just sing songs you love and that make you really WANT to sing. Like it's an effort to just keep your mouth closed when these songs come on. Sing along with them...once you find some songs like this, and you know them pretty well, see if you can get the backing tracks (they're on Youtube and can be downloaded and stuff, or just sang along with) and see how you sound in place of the lead singer.

 

If you can, try and record yourself...this is INVALUABLE in learning where you need to improve...

[genzm]

Ok, thanks for the tips.

I will try to sing a long with some songs and then look for backing tracks.

Unfortunatly, except for my mobile phone, I don't really have anything to record myself. :s

But I'll figure something out.

[cjpbarboza]

hi, well for me the most important is that you learn how to breath,if you can control you breath you can develop your voice. try to do basic exercise like work with your diaphragm .

[genzm]

seems logic. You got maybe some efficient exercises for me, or should I look them up myself on the internet?

About the songs, you got maybe some songs that are not to difficult to sing? Because I don't realy know how to determine if a song is rather hard of easy to sing.

And of course I would like to start with some easier songs. To get used to the feeling of singing, and to give myself some confidence that I allready mastered a few songs XD

[cjpbarboza]

I should listen you first to see what is your technique do you any video on internet?

[OpiateGW]

hm, I grew up in choirs and that got me started so I haven't been where you are. If you have access to a place to sing at will I would suggest starting with scales and re-familiarizing yourself with your own voice. Even doing do-re-mi and simple warm-up exercises can be a good starting point, and then sing what you would like to sing, starting with what is least vocally challenging. It's awesome that you know some piano, that can help you with familiarizing yourself with your range. As far as singing properly, do you already breathe diaphragmatically? If so singing supported from your diaphragm is a good start to singing correctly, but if you're worried about whether you are singing correctly if it doesn't feel good you're doing something wrong. It took me some time to learn that one

 

A few years ago when I went to lessons over the summer I worked on Handel's Messiah despite the fact that I was gearing up to be in a rock band. Singing correctly is singing correctly regardless of genre. I guess my point is the basics are the same and that's where you start. As far as mechanics I'd listen to a vocal coach over myself any day

[genzm]

Ok, I think I'll start with some -what you call 'warming up'- exercises.

Then I'd like to start with some songs.

My favourite bands are 30 seconds to mars, muse, linkin park,... So I'd really like to sing songs from them.

Any hint maybe of a song with which I can start? An easier one?

I think I know what it is to breath correctly. It's one of the things they've hammered in when I followed my singing classes. Not that I'm breathing naturally the right way, but I know when I'm doing it wrong XD

As for online videos or so: no I don't have any. As I told I have practicly nothing for recording myself. I find this actually annoying, because I know this would really help me.

Anyhow, if I start enjoying the singing I will definitly buy me a microphone. That way I can also record my guitar work, which is also nice

[OpiateGW]

whew, you picked some toughies from the start man. Out of those 3 I would stay away from trying to sing like Chester Bennington or Jared Leto for a while. That high yelling Chester does takes some real training and is extremely easy to do incorrectly, maybe something to shoot for in the future but that takes time. Jared Leto has had some ridiculous vocal training, I can do some Chris Cornell stuff half decent and still fail miserable on newer 30 Seconds to Mars. I'd stick with Muse if you really need to go with one of those three. He sings open and supported with no added grit, if you know you're a tenor and aren't straining to sing like him that's not a bad bar to set. Are you into Radiohead? If so maybe go for something like High and Dry or Fake Plastic Trees. I'll take listen to some Muse songs and see what I would consider doable early, but you sound like you're kind of ready to run before you can walk just a tad.

[genzm]

Ok, thanks for the warning.

The thing is that I had really no idea on the difficulty of their singing. (but I thought 30 seconds to mars would be over the top)

I'm not really into radiohead.

Hear maybe some other suggestions:

absynth minded (is a belgian band, so maybe you don't know it so here a link:

)

das pop (again belgian yes I'm belgian myself) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVOQjtDqEhk

zornik (also belgian)

Greenday

Israel Kamakawiwo'ole - somewhere over the rainbow (I think this will have range which is to wide)

kings of leon

Milow

Three days grace

tool

And of course I'm also a huge rodrigo y gabriella fan, but they don't sing, so that's kindda hard XD

[OpiateGW]

You guys are producing some sweet tunes over in Belgium. A ton better than the crap we have on the radio here.

 

The Absynth Minded song would be a perfect start as far as vocal difficulty. Most Green Day is pretty easy too, maybe start with Time of Your Life or one of their other acoustic songs.

 

As long as you're not preoccupied with trying to reproduce the voice you're hearing even Kings of Leon would be pretty easy. The issue would be if you're trying to reproduce the angst in his voice which you could really do wrong. The actual notes he's hitting and the breath support needed isn't too bad in Kings of Leon tunes.

 

My old band used to do an entire set of Tool. Fun but difficult stuff to pull off. One of the problems with both Tool and Three Days Grace is making sure you are singing in your own voice and not attempting to mimic the rasp & grit & screaming that these singers do quite often. I found that only when I concentrated on original music did I find my own voice, then when revisiting covers I did them in my own voice rather than trying to copy the singer's which can lead you into trouble.

[genzm]

thanks, I'll try to pay attention to that.

Anyway I was probably going to look up the exact notes that they are singing so I can correct myself, when I'm to high or to low.

That way it will be much easier also to ignore their special way of singing and focus on the exact notes.

I'll probably start with the absynth minded or greenday. When I can sing those I will try to both sing and play guitar at the same time.

If that works out, then I really will be proud about myself XD

 

P.S.: and thanks about the comment on belgian music, it's nice to hear

[LeonardScaper]

just sing songs you love and that make you really WANT to sing..............If you can, try and record yourself...this is INVALUABLE in learning where you need to improve...

 

 

And don't worry too much about singing the wrong way......I don't think you can destroy your voice that way..........

 

.....oh, wait.....I've been singing the wrong way for years......

[genzm]

Ok, thanks.

I'll just try something out.

I really want record myself somehow, I think would be better for me, and for you (so you can here at what stage I am).

So I'll try to record with my mobilephone, and hopefully that will be decent enough to here the singing over the noise XD