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vocals clip - advice needed


mike-o

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Here's a little clip I just did, it's two guitars, bass, and vocals... looking for advice on the vocals. I know my pitch is a little off at times, still working on that. I didn't write this by the way. Also, I know I sound like {censored}, so please don't respond with "you sound like {censored}". Recorded with the macbook built in mic. Didn't spend a lot of time mixing and stuff. Obviously. Anyways

 

http://mike-pmlmi.posterous.com/

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I don't think it's bad at all, man. Maybe I just have untrained ears, but it didn't sound all that off-pitch. It was a bit low in volume, so if you actually wanted it a bit loud, you should just work on volume. Other than that, I think you sound pretty damn fine. :)

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Yes, you do sound fine, and you have the potential to be a very good singer. The most significant problem with the recording is the swaying or undulating rhythm--you appear to drift in and out of regular beats, with the effect being that the song occasionally stalls. You are probably trying to create a feeling of syncopation, but the music here just sounds sloppy and unfocused.

 

That's by the by, as the main issue is your voice, which I again say is very promising. The main problem seems to be lack of confidence. This is visible in your own hesitating, self-deprecating post, and it continues in the way your voice is buried in the mix--as if you're trying to hide it. You need to liberate your voice from the closet! Bring it out stage center, proclaim yourself to the world as a singer, and let 'er rip!

 

Very often singers who hold back out of shyness or lack of confidence create vocal problems (wobbly, unfocused noted, for example) that will simply disappear when they come to project their voices out into the world with some power. In any case, until then, it's hard to tell whether the slight instability in your voice is caused by holding back or whether there may be, say, breathing problems.

 

Either way, your vocal problems are fairly minor, and easily be fixed with some lessons. Good stuff! :thu:

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Jersey Jack is spot on. What more advice do you need?

 

try using his advice and record again. Then let us listen to what you did. That will make it easier to point you in some other directions as needed.

 

Lessons. Very useful.

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Have you tried actually notating the melody (or picking it out on the fretboard or a keyboard) and singing it wordlessly as you play along (like on "la-la-la" or "da-da-dum"), then trying it a cappella, then finally, once you're confident, putting it all together? I find I'm at my pitchiest on unfamiliar material (especially trying to record or sing a harmony on a song I'd barely heard before) and/or when I can't hear myself very well relative to everything else going on. Which brings me to my second point--GREAT picking, but it's overpowering the vocal. In music, familiarity breeds not contempt but comfort; comfort brings confidence, and confidence results in better performances where you can begin to let the emotion of the song and lyrics shine through and let the intonation fall into place.

 

It drives me nuts when singers (especially those singing backup) have only one volume--ELEVEN--but in your case it's just the opposite. In the words of Mama Rose in Gypsy, sometimes you just gotta "Sing out, Louise!" (yeah, I know you're a guy but I just like that quote).

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