Jump to content

Question for those of you who also sing...

golias

By golias
in Electric Guitars

Recommended Posts

  • Members
golias Newbie

golias

Posted
  • Members
Posted

How do you keep the pipes working all night?

 

I'm a bassist first, guitarist second, and singer... somewhere around 8th or 9th. But I've found myself in a position of being a lead singer for a band. We do a lot of glam rock, which means half the time I gotta SCREAM MY LUNGS OUT and then there are times when I need to sing with a soft falsetto.

 

At a hot and muggy gig last weekend, my falsetto voice simply vanished after about 45 minutes. Our set list is getting a lot longer in the immediate future, and I gotta find a way to make my voice last. Are there between-gig exercises that will help? Anything I should be drinking (or not drinking) on stage that might make a difference?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Members
Tollenaar Newbie

Tollenaar

Posted
  • Members
Posted

I'd keep some hot tea in a travel mug on stage, preferably white or green varieties. It's great for soothing vocal chords and keeping them in check, and I know plenty of vocalists who do it, and some particularly big name ones to boot. It works well for me for the most part, and I'm a smoker, so my voice is shot to {censored} as is.

Give the tea a shot and see how it works. If it doesn't, i'unno :idk:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Members
songsforbears Newbie

songsforbears

Posted
  • Members
Posted

I got a chance to hang out with Dustin from Thrice. I asked him how he does it night after night and he said he just drinks a lot of lukewarm water. Nothing hot and nothing cold; either of those will shock your vocal chords.

Unfortunately, doesn't work for me. Some of us just have weak voices.

Still, if it works for him, it might work for you.

[YOUTUBE]4fJl5gOzaXY[/YOUTUBE]

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Members
DaveAronow Newbie

DaveAronow

Posted
  • Members
Posted

Dont talk in the club before or between sets. It is loud in there and you may not realize you are talking louder than normal, or even yelling. Stupidly easy way to wear your voice out without even realizing you did it.

 

And as far as drinking, the most important thing is to stay at least properly hydrated, if not even a little over hydrated. Do shorter sets so you can pee alot. Hell, I dont know? Make it part of your show. :idea:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Members
golias Newbie

golias

Posted
  • Author
  • Members
Posted

Have you taken voice lessons? It sounds like you are doing something very, very bad to your pipes, and it's probably related to breath support technique.

 

 

Breath technique isn't really the problem with me. I started out as a wind-instrument player, so that's actually one of my strengths.

 

I have no problem getting through rehearsals, so I'm guessing heat and dehydration was a major factor that evening. We were playing in a little dive bar with no AC on a hot night.

 

I happen to really like green tea, so I'll give that a try.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Members
onelife Veteran

onelife

Posted
  • Members
Posted

I worked with a guy who would take a sip of Buckley's mixture if he started to loose his voice. It tastes like a combination of cat piss and pine needles but he said he actually began to like it because it would bring his voice back.

 

I'm not recommending it but I thought I'd put it out there in case you get desperate.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Members
Engl Kramer Newbie

Engl Kramer

Posted
  • Members
Posted

I started off as a singer (in 85) and still do the lead vocals for my band.
I really struggled for years of shredding my voice before having some singing lessons which helped immensely.
More than that or >drinks, no spicy food, no smoking etcIf you sing every day you will increase your stamina ten fold.
Sing in the car- piss your family and friends off by practicing at home- but best of all, get all or part of your band together as often as you can.

BTW Singing lessons don't just give you voice support technique- you will also learn excercises and specific practice techniques.

I still have problems sometimes singing a whole set but only if I havent practiced regularly for a while.

Good luck- I hope it comes together for you.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Members
soundcreation Newbie

soundcreation

Posted
  • Members
Posted

No dairy products during that day, no cold water, only room temperature water, and vocal warm ups the day of. Oh and don't sing too hard rehearsing the day before!

 

 

yep. not that i'm an expert but my girlfriend is. She's a Julliard trained singer. She's often said the only thing she every drank in school and during her career was room temp water. No hot drinks no cold drinks, no dairy...etc...

 

I know you said you know how to breathe but she's also mentioned many inexperienced singers sing from their throats and not from lower down. Something to keep in mind.

 

Oh and screaming is very very bad.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Mark Wein Newbie

Mark Wein

Posted
Posted

 

Dont talk in the club before or between sets. It is loud in there and you may not realize you are talking louder than normal, or even yelling. Stupidly easy way to wear your voice out without even realizing you did it.

 

 

 

Super important point. ^^^

 

Also, try not to drink alcohol on gigs. Too much caffeine is bad as well. Sleep is an important thing for me as well as trying to not wear my voice out during the day.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Members
cephus Newbie

cephus

Posted
  • Members
Posted

Tepid water and no caffeine are good ones for me.

The main ritual for me is very low singing on the way to the gig. I try to do some gentle arpeggios going down half steps until I hit the bottom of my range and stay on the root for as long as I can. Stretches and gets the blood flowing. If I show up and start right into the gig, I lose my real voice and end up having to use my fake, gruff shout. The band does 4x45s usually, and it's a lot of work. I sing all but maybe 3 or 4 songs a night.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Members
benzem Newbie

benzem

Posted
  • Members
Posted
Dont talk in the club before or between sets. It is loud in there and you may not realize you are talking louder than normal, or even yelling. Stupidly easy way to wear your voice out without even realizing you did it.


And as far as drinking, the most important thing is to stay at least properly hydrated, if not even a little over hydrated. Do shorter sets so you can pee alot. Hell, I dont know? Make it part of your show.
:idea:



Great advice!

And tho they have throat spray, I have found potato chips, with their salt and oil, help much. Plain chips. Lays classic to be exact.

It's true!

And no more than 1 drink.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Members
Riggins Newbie

Riggins

Posted
  • Members
Posted

Have you taken voice lessons? It sounds like you are doing something very, very bad to your pipes, and it's probably related to breath support technique.

 

 

this.

 

check this guy out: Al Koehn

 

He's got some free introductory sessions you can try out. He's local for me, been meaning to go and get some formal singing instruction from him. He comes highly recommended around here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Members
golias Newbie

golias

Posted
  • Author
  • Members
Posted

Lots and lots of good advice here.

But those of you telling me "screaming is bad" or to change up my technique:

I'm not singing the part of Brunhilde in Die Walkure. I'm the "lead screamer" for an old-school glam rock band. A lot of what I learned about singing in college simply does not apply to this situation.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...