25 year olds sounding like grampas?

[Dimmi]

I wonder if I am not the only one that has noticed this trend in modern pop/rock music...

When I first heard that Lifehouse song, I had no doubt in the fact that it was an 80 year old man singing it. Fuel is turning the same way. So is 3 Doors Down. The lower, the crunchier, the dirtier is the lead vocal sound, the better?

Well, the funny thing is...when you listen to live *acoustic * performances by these bands, the lead vocalists sound a tad more "normal." (high-pitched)

How are they doing this? This question is eating me up. My first ambition was to run my vocal through a guitar amp and crank up distortion on it ...Didn't work.

Fine, fine production, I must say...

Any ideas?

[Gargamel]

Its amazing what million dollar studios can do with bad voices...(the guy in Staind is TERRIBLE)

[Dimmi]

Thanks for saving me from embarassment of having no one reply to my thread

It's just that my voice is kinda bright. I wish I could sing high notes with more crunch and low-end in my voice.

Here, check me out if you got a second: http://mp3.com/dimmi

See what I mean?

[tubedude]

I would say for starters, they are using a very "high-clarity" mic with lots of proximity effect, up good and close (in those big budgets you mentioned, probably a Stephen Paul mic) into a really in your face preamp like an API. The Neve 1071 series and others in and around that series are the most popular preamps in the world, and are a huge factor in alot of cases.

[Brad]

Hey Dimmi,

Save yourself some money - don't buy incredibly expensive studio signal processors to make your voice that way - just start smoking several packs of cigarettes a day, and swig down a fifth of cheap bourbon every night. After awhile, your voice will have some low crunch. Your liver and your lungs may hate you, but hey man, it's rock & roll!

[old guy]

Gargling with Draino's always worked for me....

[Dimmi]

Hahahaha thanks Brad, I am starting today

[Prism]

Laugh if you want, but "Red Bull" makes for some fine voice lube...that's my experience anyway.

Isaiah

[Cyrokk]

You can achieve some of that grit by practicing singing more grittier in your normal range. Once your voice and throat get comfortable to the feel you'll be able to extend it to higher ranges, and you'll still be able to sing without it.

Try singing some songs that are just outside of your normal vocal range, pushing in your diaphram and scream or shout those notes you can't quite hit.. I don't know if it's the conventional way to learn to sing in that fashion, but it worked for me.

Hope this helps,

Cy

[ruebarb]

I thought nothing would make my voice sound good...then I tried singing like Stephen Stills.

problem solved.

RB

[JuSumPilgrim]

I think it has more to do with the style of singing and natural tone of your voice more than the mic or pre. Not everybody can be an Eddie Vedder-Layne Stailey-Scott Weiland-wannabe. Thankfully that trend is dying (although I loved the first bout of grunge.) I predict by next spring the new crop of johnny come latelys will have gasped their last breath, at which time guitar centered rock will either be dead or reformed into something more atmospheric like radiohead and sigur ros.

[darnold]

It could also be doubled and heavily compressed into 1 track. just a thought.

darnold