Maybe a bit tone def?

W

Wack

New member
Hi, I sing quite a bit, But the sound of my voice annoys me. I have never had any serious complaints (just that I sound like a variety of different people with the different songs sung). When I record myself singing I notice every error and it sounds like Sh!t regardless as to what other people have to say:(. I hear a "wine" that other people don't seem to catch. How can I change this? I want to like my voice. Are vocal lessons in order? I've been told to try to 'scream' when I sing to get my vocal chords loosened? I'm not sure if this is true. What can I do? Thanks in advance!
 
Good breathing technique is key.

I got probably the most real advice from Seth Riggs' lessons. Here's the first lesson (it helps to see the book but you can get a lot from just hearing it). I believe what he says about speech level singing.

 
Wack said:
Hi, I sing quite a bit, But the sound of my voice annoys me. I have never had any serious complaints (just that I sound like a variety of different people with the different songs sung). When I record myself singing I notice every error and it sounds like Sh!t regardless as to what other people have to say:(. I hear a "wine" that other people don't seem to catch. How can I change this? I want to like my voice. Are vocal lessons in order? I've been told to try to 'scream' when I sing to get my vocal chords loosened? I'm not sure if this is true. What can I do? Thanks in advance!
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Most people are uncomfortable hearing their own voice. There's nothing new in that. Many are also aware of the singing mistakes they make on listening back (some, admittedly, are blithely ignorant, and cannot hear the blemishes, much to the discomfort of others).

The fact that you have "never had any serious complaints" is positive (unless the listeners are your friends and relatives, in which case all bets are off; they tell lies).

The difference between live and recorded vocals is that with the first, the mistakes are ephemeral (and are forgotten by the listener almost straight away), whereas with the second, the mistakes are permanent.

So, where to?

Firstly, singing lessons (and in particular, dintymoore's advice about breathing) can help you exercise control over what your vocal chords are doing.

Secondly, you can learn to live with what you've got. On a personal level, I'm not enamoured with my voice. But it is what it is, so I'm not going to beat myself over the head because it is not sublime. I hope I can deliver performances that will cause listeners to overlook the deficiencies in my voice.
 
Get used to your voice! even singing lessons won't change the fact that it sounds different rattling around inside your head than it does recorded (or how it sounds to the rest of the world when you talk/sing). That unfortuantely is a fact of life/physics thant can't be changed.
So listen to your recordings and get over it being your voice and it's not quite what you were expecting. It's something anyone who records their voice has to figure out.

And then practice a lot. Mistakes happen but if you practice your material a lot so yo are really comfortable with, figure out if you need to make key changes so it's more comfortable in your range etc then you'll do a better job on the delivery and minimize errors.

The nice thing about recording is even if you do have some mistakes you can go back and fix them with retakes and punch ins.
 
I talk to the trees......but they don't listen to me !

https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=234003&page=6

Have a read through this if you haven't already.

I think all the suggestions given thus far kind of cover it - chief of which is that your voice is your voice, you may need to take a leap of imagination to get around your dislike of it.
I often think I sound flat but everyone else seems to think it's OK {and they're not family !}.
Vocal lessons shouldn't do you any harm. Unless the teacher is an axe wielding homicidal maniac on the quiet !
 
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