General Music Chat

Hi, I'm trying to get into singing more serious, other than when I just guitar. I've sang for a few years, practising scales to work my range and breathing.

Not until the last six months have I gotten rid of singing through my nose, but I still sound so amateur and I kinda hate my vocal timbre.

Here's some little demo's I've made recently

https://soundcloud.com/ji-ji/fill-me-in

Craig David cover

https://soundcloud.com/ji-ji/audition-1/s-ExkBT

Audition track for a Post Hardcore band

https://soundcloud.com/ji-ji/silver-medal-wip

An acoustic song I wrote.

Any advice would be helped, thing is I hate the sound of my voice, and no one I know cares to listen or give me any advice just criticism, so I'm not sure whether I should stick to other instruments.

The tinny little speakers in this laptop make everything sound like crap so I won't listen, but I can make a comment or two.

First time I ever recorded myself was in about 1965 or so. (about 10 years old) I hated my voice. Still do.

Your voice sounds totally different in your head than it does to other people. I'm not sure just why but I think it may be related to the vibrations going through all that bone, completely changing what you hear, compared to what everyone else hears. You probably also sound like you think you want to sound.

I know of very few musicians who are satisfied with their own voices. Every one of them I've talked to have told me they were shocked the first time they heard a recording, by how different it sounded from what was in their head.

Get some good in person critiques. And not from friends and family, they tell you what you want to hear every time. I finally decided maybe I had a decent voice after people at parties and clubs who I had never met told me for 15 years I should be in a recording studio. I still have a dubious opinion about that one...but it finally convinced me maybe I have a decent voice. I ended up playing as part of an acoustic duo for 4 years and with various bands as a sit in for around 4 years, for a living, vocals all night long and never thought twice about it. But I still don't like my own voice after doing it 50 years.

Contact the choir directors in a couple of schools, tell them your situation and see if they will give a listen. Play your recordings for some strangers if you can, and see what they say, without telling them it's actually you. I did that a lot years ago.

But find some people who will tell you what they actually think, not what you want to hear. And be prepared...some people who have a good ear can also be pretty straight forward...

Jiji, it sounds like you've been singing softly for years, and your voice has grown that way.
I don't know if that's the case, but it sounds that way.
I suspect that you'd benefit greatly from cranking the music volume, and forcing yourself to move some real air and sing loud.
.
I suggest you try this;
First shut off the microphone.
This will be practice, not a performance, not a recording.
.
Try singing something where you can normally sing 10 or 15 syllables in one breath.
Now, crank the volume so that you have trouble hearing your voice.
Take a full breath - then inhale even more, and use ALL of the air in your lungs to sing 5-6 syllables.
If you're doing it right, you will need 3 breaths to sing what you can normally sing in one breath.
You might cough. (too bad; do it anyway)
Keep on doing this until you can hit the right notes effortlessly.
.
. . . effortlessly.
.

Also, you might want to experiment with the bottom of your vocal range.
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If you want to improve, you must do something new and different.
It takes a lot of practice for some people to become a singer with an appreciative audience.
You must practice with singing stuff that you cannot currently sing.

JiJi... You have a real cool voice. But you have to learn something real fast. NOT everyone is going to like you or your vocals or your song style.
The perfect example is MICK JAGGER and the Stones. He is 90 something and still touring. I still think he is great even though he never could sing half as good as most of the people on band mix.

Now I beg forgiveness for not explaining further. Go post this in life in the United States and not here. We are sorta in a major discussion about all the things you have brought up, in a way that questions FREEDOM and INDIVIDUALITY and CENSORSHIP.

You sort of inserted yourself into the middle of something that is NOT YOUR FAULT. I am trying to give a positive nod and understand that as you go forward it is very important that you completely believe in your self.


Like I said you have a cool voice... A few here will understand what I just posted... I hope you do also JiJi.

As others have stated similar thoughts...
You have a unique sound when you sing... which can be a good thing or not so. Very identifiable I guess. Some call it being a stylist more so than a vocalist.
I did like the 3rd piece you posted. The music seem to fit your sound best of the 3. imo.


All that aside if you're going to sing you need work (you're young) get a coach to help you grow.
Good luck to you.

Paleopete thanks for the advice I'll try those ideas when I record finished tracks. And yes its the vibrations through our bones that change our oerception of our voice (the only thing I remember from uni haha)

Rhythmman I think you nay be right I've just listened to a few recordings iver the years and I have a habit if sining quietly. I'll be oractising your exercise in the morning.

Glenny J you're right and thanks for the kind words, if this topic be moved over or do you want me start a fresh one?

Jahva thanks, the third piece is something I'm writing for an assignment it's one of my favourites style wise. Your right I do need a coach, I'm waiting for when I have more time and money to look for one.

Paleopete thanks for the advice I'll try those ideas when I record finished tracks. And yes its the vibrations through our bones that change our oerception of our voice (the only thing I remember from uni haha)

Rhythmman I think you nay be right I've just listened to a few recordings iver the years and I have a habit if sining quietly. I'll be oractising your exercise in the morning.

Glenny J you're right and thanks for the kind words, if this topic be moved over or do you want me start a fresh one?

Jahva thanks, the third piece is something I'm writing for an assignment it's one of my favourites style wise. Your right I do need a coach, I'm waiting for when I have more time and money to look for one.

JiJi Start whatever you need to start. You have to be yourself. You do what you FEEL is RIGHT. You have talent. You are working hard to develop it. You go JiJi. BUT... You have to exercise the most important gift our great country has to offer.

Now you go and do what you have too, and have faith in yourself to make the right choices all along the the way. You have the whole world opening in front of you. Good luck and best wishes.

JiJi

It sounds to me like you can develop a style of your own that will work.

It didn't sound to me like you owned some of the vocal notes as well as you owned the notes you played on your guitar. Not off-key - just a bit tenuous here and there.

You will be fine I think.

Good luck
Talbot