General Music Chat

Anybody got any tips on how to develop a voice? I mean i can sing and play guitar at the same time but my voice isn't any good is there any methods or anything like that to get an actual voice out?

Well, anyone who's anyone will tell you to take voice lessons, but I've been there and done that...didn't help a bit. Unlike other musical talents (I play guitar and bass) I personally believe you either have it or you don't. I REALLY want to be able to sing and have been trained, practiced, hell I've even been PAID as a lead singer in a working band..to no avail. I simply am never going to be a great singer. Forget it. That's my advice, but you can do as you like.

Anybody got any tips on how to develop a voice? I mean i can sing and play guitar at the same time but my voice isn't any good is there any methods or anything like that to get an actual voice out?

It does help if you took singing lessons. I use to think it was a waste of time and money. Then I discovered that like any instrument, you have to practice your fundamentals, such as breathing techniques ( so you don't bust an artery when holding notes), facial exercises, singing from your diaphram, so you don't kill your voice, scales to help you stay in key. It is also important to know what to drink and eat to preserve a healthy voice. My question to you is how much time are you willing to commit each day to develop the voice you wan't. Write to me if you'd like. I, to, had the same concern years ago, and now I am very content with my results.

Peace,
singer and bass player.

Man, for some, singing is a natural gift. Others have to work at it. Ill tell you my story...

From an early age I found I loved to sing. Id get in the shower and and sing and sing... In Jr. High I tried out for chior. I didnt make it. I was crushed. Durring High School I never tried out for plays or chior fearing rejection. I have a tape of myelf singing back then and let me tell you, it was BAD. LOL

I joined the USMC out of highscool and was stationed in Subic Bay Phillipines. I got in some trouble over there and spent a lot of time on restriction... all I had to keep me company was my sterio and a Mr. Microphone and some Country Music cassette tapes. So I stayed in my room and sang...ALOT.

After I got out of the USMC I had just got home and was driving down the street with Mom and Dad and saw this sign at Sun TV that read "Karaoke Contest Today". Mom and Dad talked me into enterring. They new I loved to sing because I still used my mr microphone and sang along with my tapes at home. I ended up winning that contest and meeting some folks and started singing on weekends. I still practise every day and am constantly immproving my vocals.

Feel free to check out my profile and see what a lot of work can get you. Im not the best, but I always get a good response.

Hope this helps your perspective.

Jerry

Well, generally speaking, singing is a natural gift to many, but some people can learn to sing and even sing well.

I think that the suggestion of lessons may be a good idea.
Also, many people tend to think they can't sing, but others hear you differently than you hear yourself.
Who knows, it may sound wonderful to others while it sounds like nails on a chalkboard to you.

On the bright side, it's good that you wish to improve. I know many people who "know" they can sing. I'll give them credit on their enthusiasm, but they are sadly mistaken lol...

I think we all know people like that...

Anyway, good luck to you!


~~L~3~\/~~

Hey, I'm a singer trying to learn piano...lol so I feel ur pain, in a way. I started taking lessons when I was 12 and stopped when I was about 16. Now I am at UMiami for jazz voice. If you just want to get your voice in shape there are a few ways to go about it. If you take voice lessons try to take from someone who is either classically trained or have training in Musical theatre bc they know their sh*t. If you don't have the funds to pay for lessons and have passable piano skills, you can do some things yourself.

1- To extend your vocal range, and sound less like you are pushing or straining- try this! start at the lowest note of your comfortable voice, play in P5's. So play C and G and sing C,D,E,F,G on the syllables "La" or "EE" Move the interval up the scale by half steps. Don't be afraid to puh yourself to hit some higher notes after you are good an warmed up. You might be surprised by how your voice will strengthen over time just from this basic practice.

2)- Practice your breathing and stamina. When you breathe in, your stomach should push outward as it fills with air. Most people have a natural and incorrect instinct to breathe more into the chest area. You will know which you are doing. If your chest and shoulders rise when you take a deep breath you are doing it incorrectly. So, breathe in slowly while your stomach pushes outward. Imagine you have a straw in your mouth that extends all the way down to the bottom of your stomach. And as you slowly breath in, you are filling your stomach from the bottom upward. Then see how long you can hold out a note on this single breath. By concentrating on your stomach muscles or what is actually ur diaphram, you will be able to let out a very little amount of air at a time. Thus being able to hold out notes longer. You capacity will increase over time.

3) If it is the sound of your voice that you do not like, That will be harder to change. I suggest picking out some artists that you like. Find some songs that you like. Then practice trying to copy everything that they do. Try to mimick their performance of teh song exactly. Trying to deliberately copy teh nuances fo someone else's voice, might help you to have more control over your own and a better ear to hear them.

I hope this helps a little bit. If you have any questions, let me know!! [/i]

The answwer is: Some people are born tone-deaf and some are not. When you sing record yourself. When you play it back, if it sounds the way you heard it when you were singing it - then you are not tone-deaf. If you are not tone-deaf, the recording should sound the same as when you sang it.
This way, if you train your voice (with lessons) it won't be a waste of time.

I agree w/ Mavelle.
I worked for months with a singer, once, trying to teach her to hit the right notes.
It was an exercise in futility. She was tone-deaf.
She only sang good one time, and she was dead-tired at the time, and her heart wasn't in it.
- which I thought was pretty interesting.
But, we could never recreate her singing properly again.
.
P.S.
Hey, Kaleigh.
Did you get rid of all the hum & buzz ok?
Alan

HEY! Thanks alan! We just have a dirty power source in my house. Everything was fine at the gig!!! Thanks!

Kaleigh,
Your profile says you do Jazz.
What other styles of music do you sing?
.
I TRIED to download and listen to you doing Proud Mary, but Windows does not recognize .m4a. (neither do I)
.
I went to an 'extensions' site to look up .m4a, and found this:
.
Files in .M4A format are actually the audio layer of (non-video) MPEG 4 movies. M4A is slated to become the new standard for audio file compression. This format is also known as Apple Lossless, Apple Lossless Encoder, or ALE. It is a new codec designed to provide lossless encoding in less storage space.
.
Hmmm.
If you want people to hear you, maybe you'd better record in some standard format.
Good luck.
Alan, Madison, CT

I have been singing in bands for over 25 years. When I first started I couldn't stand my own voice. I believe your voice can change over time with constant use. It's like learning how to do anything athletic: hitting a golf ball further, bench-pressing more weight, throwing a javelin further. The more you sing , the more your voice can change. The muscles associated with pushing air out of your mouth change, the way your lungs and stomach move to get that air out changes over time. You may not like your voice (maybe few other people do as well) now, but I guarantee the more you sing the better you'll get. Try singing higher, lower, growl, scream, whatever. Force yourself to sing in ways you can't now. It may take years as it did for me. When I first started I was wimpy, couldn't push much air through the speakers. Now I can out-power just about any vocalist that sings with us, and I'm even starting to like my voice. I never considered myself a lead singer, but now I'm definitely a force behind the mic. Don't give up, just keep singing. That's my singing "lesson". Good luck-Fisherman Bob.

Whatever style you sing, whatever level of talent or skill, the most important thing to remember is to always warm your voice up properly! Ever notice that the first song of the night can be pitchy & shaky? That comes from singing "cold," without a warm-up. When your voice is properly warmed up you'll find you can do longer sets without becoming hoarse, & you will have more control over your voice. I use the "Pop Singer's Warm-up Kit" by Hal Leonard. It has a booklet that shows what warm-up excercises to do & how, & a cd with piano scales you can sing along with.

Yes some are gifted but if you have it in your heart let it out. Choose songs in your range. Read the lyrics and know the story. Vocal coaches are a must. They keep you in check so your dont push your voice.There are many techniques to be learned, like placement of the voice, lifting of the soft palate, proper breathing using the diaphram and relaxation. Remember what it felt like when you didnt complete that home work assignment ? Well its no different here. having your work done helps you relax and when your relaxed you sound so much better. Have fun.
Oh yeah if you listen to those 2 songs on my profile , I was rehearsing not laying tracks. let it out!!!

Vin J you are awesome.. an AC/DC meets guns and roses kind of sound!

THANX PLACEBO IT FEELS GREAT TO RECEIVE COMPLIMENTS FOR YOUR HARD WORK. Thanx again VIN J