who here plays solo or in a duo? i need some pointers

[Screamingjem]

my old singer and i have started a duo, he sings and i play guitar and do backup and harmonies etc. I need some help in making the music sound better, i need to get it tighter, alot of the time it seems too empty sounding, what can i do to make it move and fill space and keep it tight? Part of the problem with the sound is my acoustic, its just a bottom of the line yamaha with high action and a pickup that makes it sound soooo thin.

 

anyone know of a good reasonably priced acoustic that sounds nice and balanced and full for duo work until i can afford something really nice?

 

thanks guys i appreciate it.

[Terry Allan Hall]

my old singer and i have started a duo, he sings and i play guitar and do backup and harmonies etc. I need some help in making the music sound better, i need to get it tighter, alot of the time it seems too empty sounding, what can i do to make it move and fill space and keep it tight? Part of the problem with the sound is my acoustic, its just a bottom of the line yamaha with high action and a pickup that makes it sound soooo thin. anyone know of a good reasonably priced acoustic that sounds nice and balanced and full for duo work until i can afford something really nice? thanks guys i appreciate it.

First, see if your Yammie's action can be lowered. If so, use a mic AND the P/U, mixed to whatever ratio sounds best.

Second, as you're the "band", work in bass runs into your strumming...adds a lot to the arrangement. Rent videos of solos/duos and STEAL whatever you think will help.

Third, borrow/buy a chorus pedal...it'll fill out your sound a lot, but run it VERY subtly...too much all the time is annoying!

Fourth, does your singer play anything? Percussion? 2nd guitar? Harmonica? Bass? Could he learn?

HTH.

[sumpm1]

I say shame on your singer if he doesn't play an instrument. He could be playing rhythm or strumming chords, maybe with a nylon string, and you could be filling in the chords and doing a little more intricate work on a steel string.

[bbarkow]

Since you're never going to achieve a "wall of sound", you need to be pretty careful about selecting material. Also, don't be shy about arranging songs to fit your sound, rather than trying to sound like the record.

I do solo covers, and I have found that if people recognize the song, they don't pay much (or any) attention to the arrangement. I have never had anyone come up to me and tell me that I played a song wrong. But I have had a LOT of people come up to me and tell me that they appreciated me doing one of their favorites.

Best of luck!

[Kap'n]

Something that's worked well for me playing rock covers in bars is to re-arrange things a bit differently.

Ferinstance, to get more low end going, I almost always voice chords as low as I can go, making a rough approximation of the bass player's part.

I then strum with a rhythm that approximates the drums. It really gets the energy level up.

I also find that standing while performing makes a big difference with crowd reaction, even if you're playing the same thing as you might be sitting down.

Of course, this approach doesn't work as well in restaraunts.

[J.]

Work on the vocals/harmonies until you and your singer can get them as close to perfect as possible. I find that vocals are the first thing people take notice of, especially non-musician types. You can have guitar wizardry going on underneath, but if the vocals aren't in tune and in the pocket you're not going to go over well.

[Hudman]

You don't have a duo. You are the band and background singers.

 

Seriously, you need to get your singer playing guitar too. Then you will have an actual duo.

 

Another tip: Take your guitar into a tech for a setup. If that doesn't work, look at buying a better guitar. Most solo guitarist / singers manage to produce a nice full guitar sound on their own while handling all of the vocals.

[Hudman]

 

Something that's worked well for me playing rock covers in bars is to re-arrange things a bit differently. Ferinstance, to get more low end going, I almost always voice chords as low as I can go, making a rough approximation of the bass player's part. I then strum with a rhythm that approximates the drums. It really gets the energy level up. I also find that standing while performing makes a big difference with crowd reaction, even if you're playing the same thing as you might be sitting down. Of course, this approach doesn't work as well in restaraunts.

 

 

Excellent advice. I rarely play guitar parts on the acoustic guitar exactly like they are recorded. They end up sounding too thin. I do the same thing to "fill up" the empty spots left by not having a bass player and drummer.

[DeepEnd]

Strictly speaking, I'm in a quintet but a couple of things come to mind. First, get your vocalist playing some form of percussion: tambourine, shaker, wood block, etc.

 

Second, there used to be a gadget called a "Guitar Micro Synthesizer" back in the late 70's/early 80's that would--among other things--produce tones an octave lower than the low tones coming from your guitar so that it sounded like there was a bass playing along. I have no idea if anything similar exists today or even whether they were any good but a little bass oomph! helps. You don't say whether you're playing through a separate amp or a PA.

 

As to your guitar, depending on how decent it is, see about getting the action lowered and installing a decent pickup. If you're goind with a soundhole pickup, upgrade to a Fishman Neo-D at a minimum. They run about $50. If your budget allows, look at a Fishman Rare Earth, Baggs M1, or K&K Pure Western. Plan on spending close to $150.

 

For a decent step-up guitar, look at models running around $250-300, a bit less if you buy used. Make sure whatever you buy has a solid top and plan to add electronics separately. Good brands in that price range include Alvarez, Art & Lutherie, Epiphone, Ibanez, Walden, Washburn, and Yamaha.

[markwayne]

Here are two problems that I hear a lot with people starting out in the single and duo market around these parts. I'm not saying these apply to you, but they are pretty common problems.

Rhythm! Work on your rhythm chops. Popular music is ruled by the beat. If your meter is all over the place, nothing you play is going to feel "right" to the crowd no matter how stellar you arrangement. Listen to some of the better solo, acoustic players. They can establish a strong pulse that carries itself even when they drop out to play another part.

Add some percussive elements to your playing (body slaps/knocks, etc.) and I agree with the others here in that you need to get your vocalist to help by picking up something. In a duo/small group, anyone not playing an insturment of some sort is dead weight unless they have the voice of an angel.

Learn as many inversions of the more common chords as you can so that you are not always playing the same voicing of every chord. Find inversions that use open strings whenever possible. Get a good capo to help take advantage of open strings in keys that would not otherwise allow them.

Work on some simple chord/melody arrangments. Try to find inversions that frame the melody and try to always be aware of where the melody's notes fall in each chord so you can accent them at times. I often try to work in the vocal harmony arrangement into my comp part so add some girth to choruses. And, at some point, you are going to need to provide an instrumental section in most pop songs and nothing sounds less polished than just strumming the same chord pattern or dropping the comp part entirely and playing a single line melody for 16 bars.

JMHO,
Wayne

[daklander]

Fire the singer if he/she can't or won't learn some type of instrument, whether stringed, keys, percussion.....

[bbarkow]

dropping the comp part entirely and playing a single line melody for 16 bars.

I've never heard anybody actually do that, but I'm sure it happens. I can't even imagine....

[LiveMusic]

You might consider a chorus or other effects pedal.

 

I have an acoustic-electric that was $270 three years ago and it's fine. I'd buy used if I could to get more bang for the buck.

 

I would never have a singer-only in a duo.