Experienced vocalists, please help

Hi Everyone,

I really want to improve my singing. I've been in music for years, but singing is definitely my weakest point. I took a one-semester class at Rutgers--an introductory voice class. I learned a lot of the basics and I thought I could expand on my own, but I'm not so sure what to do now.

I know at least that I can try to find a voice teacher, but how much are lessons? I don't have a lot of cash these days.

I have to admit that my biggest problem is finding pitch. I have good and bad nights, but I'd really like to be more consistent. What are methods that I can take to improve this? I don't use sheet music--I kinda just play along with my guitar or whatever is going on musically in the background. Should I study ear training?

I have a bunch of homemade recordings here: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=178496 Basically the rule of thumb is that the topmost song is the most recent. You'll be able to hear my learning progression through the songs.

Anyways, thanks in advance.

-Kris

JUST {censored}ING DO IT. You don't need a voice teacher, and I'm sorry to say, but your Rutgers class, don't mean {censored}. You gotta be confident, and you just have to do it. Sing along to your favorite music, sing in the shower, sing while you're punchin the munchkin, just sing. 3 words, practice, practice, practice. Other things: Make sure your cords are warm. Do the Do Ra Mi Fa So La Ti Do if you need to, or the rest of the {censored} above. Drink tea, coffee, or any other warm beverage. Cold will constrict your vocal cords, inturn, making you sound pre-pubescent. Stay away from milk or other creamy foods. They are thick, and will cause more mucus to build up in your throat, equaling bad sound. Stay hydrated. Room temp Gatorade, or plain old water will help more than hurt. I hope this {censored} will help you man, GOOD LUCK:thu:

"Punchin the munchkin"?

sing as much as possible along to things. record yourself singing and find out what you're good and bad at. also, try and sing long sustained notes of a single pitch, it will be hard at first and you'll drift in and out of tune, practise until you can do it properly and you'll be learning to support your voice. but mainly sing as much as possibly, every day, this will have a huge effect on your voice.

maybe join a choir too, try singing notes properly, *straight*, before adding your own inflections later, because if the basics aren't there you've got nothing to build on.

I think recording yourself singing is a good idea, as long as you know it's going to sound even worse than you thought. It did help me alot--I was doing a lot of stupid inflections that I didn't realize until I heard it on record.

I'd also recommmend karaoke. It helps alot with stage presence, mic technique, etc.

If I had the cash, would you recommend for me to find a voice teacher?

yeah man, just sing all the time, and work on it. thats all you gotta do. anything you feel like you cant do well, concentrate on it for a while-- listen to other singers and imagine yourself sounding like that.. and how you'd have to hold your throat to make yourself sound like that. then try it. and keep trying it, till you're good at it.

like the other person said-- try to sing long sustained notes. it really helps with pitch control. and try to get to where you come in immediately with the right note, instead of having to try and find it for a second.

and really listen to yourself. dont just sing along to the radio and listen to the radio, make it to where you are much louder than the radio and you can hear what you're doing. otherwise you're barely even helping yourself.

hope that helps!

depends on the style you're going for. if you want a normal, conventional soundign voice then yes. you'll need one. but if you're looking to be a lead singer of a band or something, id say dont. not having lessons helps you to develop your own individual style, and you need that to sound like a "real" singer. people that have had lassons tend to sound like choir singers or backup singers, cause nothing about their voice stands out and makes it interesting.

yes if you can find the right teacher for you.

dont get to carried away with singing other peoples music.. its sometimes better to pick up the guitar and just pratice singing by your self.. its not just practice practice practice (for some people) you really need to learn correct techniques or you wont progress.. you could even be doing your voice damage.

try this site http://www.vocalist.org.uk/

check out the links.. or google vocal tips

it should help..

Spoken like a true singer.

Practice makes perfect, only if it is perfect practice. Some people do need a voice teacher. If your voice class taught you something, then it is obvious that it does in fact mean something.

Singing is just like any other instrument: It has to be studied, it has to be practiced, and it most certainly is not something that one can simply intuit.

I am not saying that you need to spend the farm on voice lessons or that the lessons will make you a virtuoso, but there is nothing wrong with hiring some help.

Well, my advice is to work your way up. Start off with easy things (lower range, consistant pitch changes) and work your way up. As you start singing things that are in higher ranges and jump around in pitch a lot, you'll realize that you'll have far better control over singing the easier songs. You're building comfort and technique by moving into harder songs. Just keep trying new things and singing as much as possible. Practise is really the key.

I would just like to repeat one that was said earlier; LISTEN! If you are not critically listening while you sing, there is no hope to correct tuning problems. Singing off key is the single worst thing you can do. Listen for being in tune, Listen for proper enunciation

(poeple in the south pronounce the letter I like Ah), Listen for phrasing, Listen to your vibrato (a little goes a long way), Listen for inflection. In other words LISTEN!!! (then go listen to your recorded voice for what you missed while you were singing)

I recommend finding a good teacher!

You're probably singing with your throat & not your stomach & u gonna end up killing your vocal chords.

You need to learn how to breathe properly FIRST! your breathing & Stomach is your volume.

If you push your voice you'll end up getting Nodules & scars on your vocals.