Trying to learn about vocal harmony. MY WAY!

[kickingtone]

For me, learning theory is not going to work, at this point. Maybe other folk who don't have a background in music theory are in the same boat. The ears need breaking in, before you even touch any form of instruction.

 

So...

 

1. I have started to listen far more critically to my favourite singers singing together -- less passive listening, more scrutiny of how they are interacting. This is the BULK of what I am doing right now to learn vocal harmony.

 

2. Improvisation. This is psychological. Just sing along your own improvised part. It may be a mess to begin with, but the idea is that it will refine itself over time. As you pracise and get more familiar with examples of vocal harmony you have been listening to, you will sense more options as you improvise, and they will become refined over time. That's my bet and I am always right.

 

This is part of a song I posted before. I had attempted to add a third vocal to two vocals. I think that this version is an improvement, and I am sort of improvising, too. IT IS CRUDE RIGHT NOW but that is what I expect -- improvement to be gradual.

 

(Yeah, yeah, yeah.. to the that-won't-help-you brigade, and the it-will-only-give-you-measles brigade, by all means post, but I am not interested.)

 

Two vocals...

 

 

Third added... I dialed it back as it is the base...

 

 

But this makes it more clear what I improvised...

 

 

So-so, but so what? So long.

[kickingtone]

Don't worry! Modern electronics means you don't need to learn vocal harmonies, just let the magic box do it!

 

I guess that you didn't stop to think before you quoted me out of context and wrote your rant.

 

Did you see the words, "at this point"? The words you chopped off in your quote?

 

Ears and sense or feeling come before theory (for me at least). That does not mean skip theory. It means listen more and better to the type of music, before trying to learn theory about it. At least that gives you a stronger reference point.

 

Also, the rules you talked about don't apply to all genres of music worldwide. That is yet another reason to start by paying much more attention to what gives music from a particular region a particular sound.

 

 

[Mr.Grumpy]

I have deleted my reply... I still think learning a little music theory would make things easier, not harder.

[kickingtone]

I have deleted my reply... I still think learning a little music theory would make things easier' date=' not harder.[/quote']

 

I totally agree with you. And I am totally looking forward to learning theory. I love that kind of stuff. I went for it, but found that I'd jumped in too quickly.

 

I found I wasn't ready for it, yet. I have to be realistic.

 

I had a rethink, and took a step back.

 

For example, I would listen to some online material on theory of harmony, and it would go into thirds and why smaller intervals "sound squeezed". I would listen to an example, and it wouldn't sound squeezed to my ears. It is quite possible that the chord is quite acceptable in some foreign music that I listen to from time to time. So my ear is used to it.

 

So, I need to understand it from the perspective of what is "Western sounding", rather that what is "right", "wrong", "squeezed", "incomplete", etc. Hence my current listening spree, etc.

[CosmicDolphin]

One squeezed sounding vocal , stacked on another squeezed sounding vocal, stacked on another squeezed sounding vocal = muppet chorus

[kickingtone]

Ignore the trolls, folks. Stay positive!

 

I discovered this vid that I found really cool!

 

Hey! Guess what? She often listens to songs and looks to sing a third part in harmony.

 

(In this vid, she also picks one of my favourites, Simon and Garfunkel). She explains her harmony part really well, too.

 

[video=youtube;Flv_yUfOU7c]