General Music Chat

I am a 30 y/o female vocalist. I have sung since I was very small. I was raised by a single mom who could not afford voice training, so I practiced every chance I got. From commercials to mom's Fleetwood Mac, I sang it! So then I got involved in choirs & did that for a few years...then moved up into solos. Always on stage in plays, often lead roles. I began playing flute/piccolo at 12 and continued singing. I have taken a few voice lessons, enough to learn my natural range, good techinques etc... So then started singing with a large worship band in a large church.

My point I have several people working with me for a band....I feel I am "good enough" and know I will continue to get better. (Of course, family & friends that hear me tell me I'm great.) I used a low-quality mic to record myself on my pc & it didn't sound horrible, but I thought I sounded worse than what I had thought, kwim? So now I feel REALLY insecure! I still have this love for music & singing, but now it's like the devil on one shoulder & the angel on the other! Even tho I have been involved in music/arts all my life, suddenly I'm doubting my skill level...any advice? Thanks...

It's hard to judge without actually hearing you, but I look at it like this: You obviously have dedication and experience, and you are always gonna be your own toughest critic. I wouldn't let one recording bring you down. It is possible, however, that you "hear" yourself in a different way, and the recording has kind of snapped you back to reality. I don't mean that in a bad way. I've had many experiences over the years when I thought something sounded fantastic as I was doing it, only to go back and listen and be dissapointed. Sometimes, even sick! The point is, you have to be objective about it. You are not going to be perfect ALL the time. You definitely seem to be serious about your craft, and I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that no, you don't suck! Keep working at it-if you are anything like me, you'll always have a bit of insecurity, but you just have to plow on through it.

Good Luck!

I've had many experiences over the years when I thought something sounded fantastic as I was doing it, only to go back and listen and be dissapointed. Sometimes, even sick! The point is, you have to be objective about it. You are not going to be perfect ALL the time.
Good Luck!

Yeah, that's hittin' the nail on the head I did feel sickened by it. Mostly because I was so surprised and didn't know how to take the recording. And then there's my husband reminding me "you're always you're own worst critic" etc but I really appreciate hearing it from someone who has experienced it. Advice duly noted, and thank you so much! I'm encouraged! In fact, I did another recording and it was better, so thanks again!

koolmom78: Post your stuff up on the bandmix site. I want to hear it.
You can hear ours at BM or MS or BOB . More on MS for the time being.

As soon as I have any audio's to post, I sure will! I just have this patheti-sad recording of myself singing a Casting Crowns song where I used my husband's pc mic from when he used to play W.O.W I haven't even figured out the software enough to know how to play the song & sing with the track yet So I played the song with the media player & had an earpiece in, then sang into the mic...SO it's not exactly hig-quality I'm workin' on getting to know the software, and will try to record some vocals with a track here real soon. Thanks for asking!

I will also listen to your stuff too

Hey Girl,

You gotta rememeber,Casting Crowns is using millions of $$$ worth of gear...ALL KINDS of TOYS...Aural Exciter, Sonic Maximizer,REAL multi-band Compression , not this software stuff ..Outboard EQs' that cost 5000 a piece..and a vocal mic that Im sure is well over 1000$, AND YES, EVERYBODY IS USING IT (but me .. can ya tell .. )pitch correction software..AND..(let me breathe) MASTERING GEAR that you dont EVEN wanna know what that gear runs.....So, lighten up..... ...Get your self a good sound card (meant for recording music , not the one in the back of your puter) OR interface with good preamps (like a mixer) and you'll be surprised what just a simple recording software program can do...
Hey Guys/Gals, what would be a simple program for her to get started?
Maybe one that aleady has good interfacing preamps???


John

Heck we just record our practice session live with a Zoom H4 right off the PA. Once I get the ballance and compression right it should sound a little better. We're not Casting Crowns but we aint castin mega bucks either.
Most of my musical budget is tied up in PA speakers monitors & such. Love to play live and loud.

John, I could just hug you! You are absolutely right! I'm kind of embarassed that I wouldn't have thought of that myself but I am so glad you brought it up. As for the other stuff, it's all Greek to me, as they say I'm hardly computer illiterate, but I am very unfamiliar with what all that meant! If there is specific hardware/software I should use for recording, please explain in layman's terms!

Hey Girl,

Im still a noob..There are Cats on here that can explain the digital syndrome bestesser than I...Sanshouheil, I was just pointing to someone who is obviously new to this, the reality of what is used in a mastering studio and what can be expected from a basic home recording set up...That way her expectations by comparison wouldnt keep her down.
Everyone goes through their own "tweaking", reading of tutitorials, that will determine what works best for their system..,Ive never used any of the more basic programs,,I dove right in with Cool Edit and Im still on a BIG learning curve...To understand recording in both the digital and analog realm I found this page to be most helpful...It will give you all the info I described..

http://www.tweakheadz.com/guide.htm


John

Thanks John! Will check it out tomorrow

Just wanted to say a big thank you to everyone for pitching in! I really needed a snap back, and I needed to be reminded to kick the old emotions out & get back in with the objective part of my female self (yes, such a thing exists ) So I have continued working on the recordings & realized I had gotten lazy and was not even trying...so, anyway, I'm much better now & am grateful!

improve

Hey, you know what? You are absoluetly right...

I've been playing and singing in bands for over 27 years. When I first started, the initial recordings we made with me singing sounded TERRIBLE. I couldn't stand listening to myself sing. I was AWFUL. In some of my first bands I didn't sing much at all, still very self conscious and critical like yourself. But I kept at it. Some of the bands I was in I was the ONLY singer, so I HAD to sing, no alternative except doing instrumentals. It is only within the last five years I started to actually like my vocals. The most recent studio work we did I can say that I'm a half way decent singer. The best advice I ever got for vocals was swallow the microphone (not literally of course) and MOVE AIR OUT OF THE SPEAKERS. Put as much power as you possibly can into the microphone. I kind of compare what I do with a pitcher in baseball who nibbles and tries to finesse the batter. The hell with that, just blow it by him. You're not going to get any better unless you force the MAXIMUM out of your voice. In other words SING YOUR ASS OFF. And most important, get into a live band situation. Go to jam sessions if you have to, but get out there and sing with musicians around you, and if possible sing through a quality PA with a quality microphone. You can only do so much singing at your computer. You obviously have the motivation, get out there and do it. I've done it at times out of necessity, but I can say after many years I'm a quality singer. GET AFTER IT. And GOOD LUCK. Later...

Don't give up or be upset. Keep doing it !!!! I swore I would never sing again after hearing myself on a really cheap recording my mother did of a group of two other gals I sang with. We thought we sounded good but the quality of the recording was so bad and our voices weren't the greatest but they weren't as bad as the recording, I'm sure ,lol
Anyway, listen to my songs and know that I'm not really impressed with the sound of them, but they were done in a hurry for a songwriter's contest and recorded in a not soundproof bathroom/bedroom/ studio, ha-ha-ha. That's what was available in a small town and the guy that helped me was a friend made through knowing his wife. He helped me to get it done for what I needed it for and I hope one day to use a real recording studio and get a band together. I play guitar and sing. I also wrote the two songs on my bandmix profile page and have about 75 more. Some are secular and some are of christian influence. Don't get discouraged and keep trying and sing, sing, sing, no matter what !!!!

God Bless,
Guitargal

I still cant stand the tone of my voice, I just imagine Im listening to Robert Plant or Chris Cornell.