United States

Your music sounds good - not sure what you plan on for the vocals. Maybe you could hire someone to do some sample vocal tracks (I see people advertising they wil do that for money often) and this would give potential singers the opportunity to hear what they might be doing.
You have to remember that you are unlikely to find a singer who can read charts, and potential singers may not respond to you thinking that is what is required.
As we haev discussed here often, finding band members is harding than finding needles in haystacks - you have to be presistent and use evey avenue you can find.

Hey everyone I'm Chris.

www.bandmix.com/cdsymphony/

I live next to Washington DC in the Northern Virginia area and I'm wondering why is it so hard to find a good vocalist. I've been playing guitar for close to 20 years, piano for ten, drums for four and bass for 2. I now write the orchestra/scores for hard rock/metal music. I noticed that it's hard to find vocalist's.

I receive lots of emails from people that are interest in writing music with me from all around the globe. Every time I respond to them it's like they freeze up and disappear. They like the music well enough to write me. When it come time to showing up in a studio or a practice spot that's the last I hear from them.

I'm always looking for a good female vocalist to help round out the sound I have created. My question to everyone is

- Did I write the songs to complicated? I always try to make a few parts repeat more than normal to accommodate the vocalist.

- Did the other instruments steel the melody's? Maybe I've wrote to many melody's in the songs

- Maybe other musicians just think they can't perform that well? Maybe I should dumb down the songs some.

- Is one musician writing so much music bad? Possibly they feel like there may be a control issue with writing the songs.

These are some idea's that come to my mind. Maybe you can help. Any none insulting comments would be appreciated?

Check the link out above for the music demo's

Chris, it s been my experience that earnest seekers of collaboration are the exception and not the rule. I'm not surprised at all that you are having crappy luck.

That said, your strategy and assumption might be off. I don't really know of too many metalists who will touch classical. BTW, you orchestration tracks do not constitute 'classical'. They are simply orchestration. As such the classicist musicians reading your ad, and hearing your work, probably wont touch you with a ten foot bow. You see the dilemma?

My advice...Advertise to start a metal band... When it comes together, then introduce the orchestration. Just my opinion.

The 1st one sounds like Paramore or Flyleaf, maybe a b-side Killers tune.

The second one sounds confused to me, albeit interesting.

All I can possibly tell you is that sometimes "less is more".

If the music gets too busy, it can get confusing to follow the base timing of the song in question.

If I was a female vocalist and I heard the second tune on your player, I'd run from that because it sounds confused, timing wise.

But that's just another opinion, don't take it as gospel.

You have the old conundrum - since you don't have a vocalist you think like a guitar player.

I've learned a trick to help with that, at least for me. When I have a song that has a lot of detail I try to sing along with it. (I'm not a singer but can sing enough to know what works). It often takes writing chord charts to match my lead parts so I can synch the vox.

Think like this: I'm going to introduce this song to a band that wants to go somewhere. How will I get their attention? More importantly, how will I keep it? You mentioned too complicated? Show 'em the guts of the song first so they can get it - save the fancy stuff for after they know the changes.

Then the hard part comes. (I speak as a song writer who has played guitar and bass in numerous bands) You have to adapt to a singer and you have to face the annoying fact that the singer is the most important part of the band!

Yuck. I should be the most important part of the band damn it. But there it is brother.

Worst case, you don't find a singer, and you really want to do this - better head out to LA or NY.

Now to feel better go watch a good Nightwish Video like Sacrament of Wilderness: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7Oj3tyyTxQ.

Talbot

Hey Chris-
Lots of good advice from the guys above- very difficult but not impossible of course. I've had the same problem like many others on this site and as far as I'm concerned it's a friggin mystery why female singers do a no show after showing interest. My personal opinion is that the vast majority of them are either full of s**t, or you have scared them by asking them for something they're not sure if they can deliver. Like was mentioned above- your best bet is to find a professional willing to take on a side project. Be advised though, some of these girls want 300-500 a song, and you have to go to them. Just keep looking. It's a common problem. Good luck.

300-500 a song?

Jesus and I felt blessed when i made 100$ in a night..

I am barking up the wrong tree.
How much skin are they showing for 3-500 a song? lol

Hey Scott
Had to laugh at that. I agree for that price there should be 'optionals' but then again that's a totally different kind of professional

Actually 300-500 are what some charge- the ones with the credentials. Usually these gals were backup singers to bands. For instance- first pro I ever contacted wanted 500. a song and she wanted me to send a sample to her and she would then record a vocal track and send it back. I did check her out and she was who she said, having sung backup for Willie Nelson and Tony Orlando, but after hearing a sample of her voice she didn't have the range for what I was looking for. I would never pay that much for a singer for a song, but obviously some people do.

The ones with no credentials you can get a lot cheaper than that- trick is to find a good one who is serious. Easier said than done. I don't know who the hell would pay 500 for a song but obviously some do.

"Bail"..and get an unknown.

Yeah the search might be long but there is always a light at the end of the tunnel.

As for folks with credentials, "faq em".
You are only as good as your last performance, ever.

Find the one that makes you feel like they can cut the proverbial mustard. Yeah you might have to coax them and coach them, but you'll be 1000% happier than having to get coffee for the singer that thinks they deserve a trailer and a cold cut plate filled with caviar every time you need them.

"Four star daydream, think I'll buy me a football team".

Lyrics come out better when you have a "cheat sheet" and you also let the vocalist work it out some on the spot.

A lot of reasonable vocalists will have an inclination as to how the song should go to some degree. To write the lyrics in a concrete manner and not allow any derivation, well let's say that those lyrics better be FAN-FAQING-TASTIC else let the vocalist work with the product a little bit.

A singer just posted on the homerecording forums, she will do vocal tracking at about $100/song (more if she has to 'write' the melody or harmony parts) - Euro numbers, so that price is approximate.

Poop on her.

She should be happy that the composer consented to let her sing on his material.

Does she have a full band ? Has she been on tour?
Where has she played of late? Ever heard of her name before?



If the composer hears her sample and says, "yea she'll do".
That's a boon to her and not what I think (imo) would be a high paying gig. $

If the composer says, "I need Annie Lennox". Ok, now it's time to break out the check book. Said subject has her own thing going on and doesn't need any extra help, but after hearing what has been written consents to be part of the recording. $$$ That's where the singer gets paid well, not the previous one.

Poop on her.

She should be happy that the composer consented to let her sing on his material.

Does she have a full band ? Has she been on tour?
Where has she played of late? Ever heard of her name before?



If the composer hears her sample and says, "yea she'll do".
That's a boon to her and not what I think (imo) would be a high paying gig. $

If the composer says, "I need Annie Lennox". Ok, now it's time to break out the check book. Said subject has her own thing going on and doesn't need any extra help, but after hearing what has been written consents to be part of the recording. $$$ That's where the singer gets paid well, not the previous one.

I didn't listen to any of her samples, but she seemed to be a Pro with touring experience, offers to do low-res MP3s first so that the payer can make sure he likes what he hears before she goes back and tracks for real in the studio.