General Music Chat

Ok so I guess the title says it all. I'm new to the site and I'm looking for other musicians and songwriters brainstorm with. I'm a vocalist not a songwriter nor do I currently play any instruments so I have a ton of questions. TTYL

Put us up a sample of your vocals, and fire away with the questions.
Welcome to Bandmix.

Sanshouheil is right about uploading some samples here. When I first joined I didn't have anything recorded (at least that I was able to share because of bandmates in different projects) so I scrambled to get it done on my own (and I'm no recording engineer believe me) whether it's a good recording or not, we'll be able to help you out from there. Welcome to Bandmix...

Hi....... Lets here how ya sound. As the other two before me.... get something up online...... I'm no engineer either... all my music was written, recorded and played by just me, here in my house. I'm also in a band, but I have my own stuff I like to do. I'm also a singer and I'll be glad to help if I can. Peace........

www.myspace.com/2bitter2bsweet

Yo Mike, first time I've seen you around I think. Great jams posted on the site bro. Here's hope'n you find a drummer fast.

Thanks for the replies. I'm currently working on getting some songs recorded. WOW I never knew how hard, but the hardest is the fact that I'm not a writer so how do you come up with new material? So I've tried my hand a writing a few songs and so far so good on the lyrics part but putting a beat to it is going to prove difficult especially since I don't play a instrument. I envy you that do.

welp...... its kind of a long answer. Easy... yet complicated.... some of these things you've probably done already. First, I would make a list and decide what you really want to accomplish. Covers.... originals... solo stuff..... front person for a band..... Then you'll need something to show case your ability...... waaaaay tooooooo amny people say they can sing and really cant.... then there are those who have serious potential.... then there are real singers.

what I used to do ... believe it not was buy some Karaoke CDs of songs I really liked and the style I'm looking for. 1. It's GREAT practice 2. It'll be something you probably know by heart so you'lll be able to sing it confidently and fluently..... and you can record it to hand out for Examples of your singing ability.. just dont sell it or violate the copywrite... of course...

If you want your own stuff.... get a decent drum machine or looping program for your computer. I like to use ACID by Sony.. and a Boss DR880, but there are MANY options... all have pros and cons. Then you can find beats and sounds you like instead of trying to crerate them ... which can be tough enough for people who play... let alone someone who doesn't. You can do this for under 200 beans.... easily. Also.... if you dont have a mic, get a NICE one. A cheapy will not do your voice justice..... trust me. You'll want a presonus tube amp to go with it. You'll knock em out. Almost any mic under 100 bucks is crap for a serious singer.... however... a tried and true work house is the Sure SM58 and its about $100. It'll survive a nuclear bomb and sounds pretty good. I use a Sure mic but its a condenser mic for live settings.

Research some of those things online whether it be Google or something and you'll be doin good to start. Inspiration for creating songs/beats/rhythems is a whole nuther story. I'm not end all be all on knowledge but I hoped this helped you a little if at all. Let me know how ya make out. If ya set up a myspace swing by. Peace.
www.myspace.com/2bitter2bsweet
www.myspace.com/mysacredgroundband

I'm a bass player/lead singer/songwriter. Been doing this for over 27 years. Sometimes I think of the music before I think of lyrics, sometimes the opposite. I find it easier to come up with lyrics if I feel strongly about something. It could be any topic; politics, religion, contemporary popular music, pis*ed off at a former significant other, ANYTHING you feel strongly about will fuel lyrics. I've actually dreamt songs. A few times I've gotten up in the middle of the night and created a song from a dream I just had. The songs seem to come in bunches sometimes, then I hit a dry spell for a while. I can't really force myself to write a song if there's no passion there. It may be wise for you to find someone locally to collaborate with. The more you do this music stuff the easier it may happen for you. Good luck...

i play guitar and bass but cant sing a lick lol
luckly i got a friend that has a awsome voice
song written wise try to find catchy melodys
and words that mean something to you


and checkout my band
chaos theory
heavy guitars/funky beats
singer that sounds kind of like
the singer from metallica
with a little eddie vedder thrown in

www.myspace.com/fudgingcompost

or under audio in my profile

I'm not much of a songwriter, so I can't be much help there, the few ideas I get usually just pop into my head while I'm sitting around doodling on a guitar, usually acoustic. Lyrics is my downfall, I can't think up lyrics no matter what I try, usually if it happens at all it's the same way, it just pops into my head and I write it down.

Always keep a pen/pencil and notepad handy, you'll get ideas at the strangest times...a pocket tape recorder is even better.

Vocals...I've seen way too many people who try to sing just like they hum along with the radio in the car. If I step up to their mic I'll blow you right out of the room. I have to back off a foot from the mic sometimes if I sit in with a band, I always think 'no wonder the singer sounds so weak'...if the same guy tries to use my mic you can't hear him at all. I always avoid letting people use my mic, I use a foam windscreen and don't want someone else spitting on it. And they always spray a little...I'm almost always touching it, I don't want to rub my lips on their spit the rest of the night...YUKKK!!

Use your full voice, singing is basically a tightly controlled yell. When I sing I sing LOUD, the veins in my neck pop out and my face turns red from the pressure I'm putting on the diaphram (stomach muscles).

Put your finger in your ear for better pitch control, you can hear yourself a lot better, especially onstage with a loud band if the monitors aren't doing the trick. Press the flap in the middle of your ear down, closing off the ear and you'll hear much better and have a much better idea of the pitch you're actually singing.

Never drink anything cold, carbonated or alcoholic before singing. Cold tightens the vocal cords, alcohol does too and dries them, makes you slur your words and basically perform sloppy all around. Carbonation dries and tightens too and tends to cause occasional belching, not good in the middle of a song. Room temperature water is all I drink onstage and for an hour before, and I usually pour in some lemon juice to help clean up the vocal cords. It helps a lot, I can sing high harmony parts all night while if I don't use the lemon juice I will start to lose the high notes after a couple of sets due to vocal cord strain. It doesn't taste as bad as it sounds...

There are quite a few of us songwriters in here...what specifically are you looking for?

What genre? What instrumentations?

Do you have raw ideas that you're having trouble with?

This is kinds open-ended, for a forum request.

Feel free to ask me anything in my mailbox, & I'll try to help you, to keep the development under wraps, as it were, until you can get your copyrights & such.

There is also a lot of good info on this subject if you care to sift through the various threads to find it.

Good luck & welcome.