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Been trying to work myself up for the near future of playing guitar and doing live vocals again. Got any recommendations, exercises...etc....any tips that might help along the way? I've done this duty before, but I don't care what anyone says, it takes cajones(balls) to get up there and be the voice. Its been a while too...

Tips and tricks? Read Pete Strobl
http://www.bottom-end.com/about/

Tons of voice training and performance techniques from a guy who has been doing this for 30 years. He came from the same humble HS vocal music program that I did many years ago but he actually has talent.

Is he legit? Check out his credits... whew! Last year he was vocal coach for the Van Halen tour.

http://www.examiner.com/article/voice-t ... -van-halen

Practice practice practice!! Get out your song list/cheat sheets/lyric sheets and play and play and play. Then go out to some open mics, etc and keep working it.

Thanks guys! Yeah, I'm definitely looking to get some instruction cause my voice will bleed otherwise after every show. Need some serious coordination too. I've done git and vox before, but the playing was really simple. I definitely need some work! A couple practices should tell me how much work I really need...haha!

I know how you feel about the courage to get up...I go through this very intensely...But I found a work around

1) Know that even at your worst moment, the first motherfucker to heckle you is always that last motherfucker to step up and do it himself. Basically, you already win.

2) Dont follow the advice of imagining your audience 'naked'. Some of those guys and chicks are so ugly, it will make you scream like a girl and throw your vocal game off balance.

3) Before you step up on a stage, understand it takes at least 2 hours a day of practicing the same song, until you wake up one day and realize it's not a struggle anymore. Then and only then are you prepared the share it with an audience.

4) If you say your voice sucks, you might be 'half'-right. The trick is to get an honest partner who can tell you how precisely it sucks, so you can work on it till they say that doesn't suck anymore .

5) Never try to 'be' the artist you are covering, if in fact you have been told you suck.. It only makes you appear worse than you really are, and its an embarrassment and disservice to the artist you covered.

That's all I can think of...In summary..just gitr done...

I guess I could add to paperdog's manual this: figure out your physical limits so you can beware of them.

I had to have a guy sing a song I wanted to sing in a recording session because I'd worn out my voice teaching the sideman to do the tune.

I'm in a similar boat as you - wanting to sing more, hesitant for lots of good reasons.

Talbot

Two shots of whisky and a bottle of beer works for me.

I did the solo duo thing for a yr and found that I just didnt feel it, better just wanking on guitar for me.

But if you cant find the voice you want then you have to step up and be the voice.

Good Luck and Keep On Rockin

Once again, great encouraging, yet realistic advice from all of you!

There's many reasons for me to do the vocals. Any reasons I wouldn't try are just excuses at this point. I mean, without asking I've been told my voice is perfect for the music. I write the lyrics...etc. But I do need to get better, know how to take care of my voice, and not be such a chickenshit. Why should it be easy at first anyways? There's no reward if there is no challenge.