singing in tune....please help

[stanjanssen]

Hi,

I'm the guitarist in my band and I sometimes sing background vocals whilst playing guitar. Now, if I practice at home, or sing without a mike, everything sounds fine and I'm perfectly in tune. Now as soon as I sing in the mike (and hear myself louder through my monitor than I'm hearing myself through my head), long notes just go like ~~~~~ and sometimes I'm just out of tune, and while I'm singing I can't really make up if I'm to high or to low, very frustrating, because I do hear I'm out of tune!

What can I do to help prevent this? when I close one ear with my finger, I hear myself through my head very clear and I'm in tune again, woohoo! Any suggestions on this?

Thanks in advance,
Stan.

PS: are there any good DVD's or books out there which are a great guide to singing? I don't have the time nor the money for vocal lessons at the moment

[Twinky]

Hiya hon..it's a common problem so don't feel like you are an odd ball or something Perhaps cotton or an ear plug in one ear would be a good thing in the short term. Let me have a wee think about some other strategies for you and get back to you. oh and don't freak out...I teach singing lol *snogs -Twinks

[Twinky]

In the mean time if you want some exercises or anything to do..give me a screech

[famous beagle]

Singing through a PA takes practice. Just like singing with headphones. There's a big difference between acoustically, headphones, and a PA.

They all take getting used to.

I would just say practice it as much as you can. You'll get used to it eventually.

[BigRay]

well it sounds like you arent tone deaf, thank God. Voice Lessons are a must, whether you are a background singer, Operatic Star, rock star or jazz singer. I have been singing professionally since age 22 or so, and from being around all these amazing singers(not me, ) I have gathered some knowledge. Voice lessons help everyone. Its a skill that takes practice like anything else, the vocal cords are muscles that need to be worked right. Also, sounds like sightsinging and music theory/perfect pitch classes would help as well. when you become confident in the voice placement/pitch, hearing yourself wont effect you that much, though like the other poster said..having a earplug in one ear always works wonders. I do it all the time, especially when i am working on demos.

[stanjanssen]

Thanks, I'm gonna get me some earplugs, and practice...glad that this isn't really an odd problem... thanks for the advice, and keep it coming if you've got more tips, everything is appreciated very much , anything about singing really!

Thanks!
Stan.

[stanjanssen]

Twinky, I sent you a PM.

[stanjanssen]

So I practiced and practiced and practiced at home and things are really improving! I play through my own sound system, sing in a mike, and record my singing. Really helps me recognise the bad spots in my performance.
I'm getting there people!

Oh, and please send me any vocal exercises, tips, or other things of interest on singing! My e-mail address is nospam@finetuned.nl