Stone Temple Pilots - Creep, feedback pls :P

R

rfpd

Member
I've tried to make a more natural sound since last time, again I'm here to learn from you guys not to argue. Since it's a more known song, I guess it should be easier to spot what's wrong.

I'm really trying to get that 'grungy' tone, soothing and deep.

Recorded with my laptop mic. Again, I know I'm not a great singer, I'm just trying to get an heartfelt good tone. Thanks in advance!
 

Attachments

  • stp-creep.mp3
    2.2 MB · Views: 15
(I'm not too keen on downloading files, even mp3s)

Can you put it on Soundcloud, like your other clips? I'd like to take a listen and follow the thread. Hope people comment. (I can't comment on grunge, myself.)
 
kickingtone said:
(I'm not too keen on downloading files, even mp3s)

Can you put it on Soundcloud, like your other clips? I'd like to take a listen and follow the thread. Hope people comment. (I can't comment on grunge, myself.)
Click to expand...

Sure thing!

soundcloud.com/user-110251694/stp-creep/s-CGasp

It's kinda sloppy :P
 
*
That's quite challenging what you are aiming at, there, as well as the distraction of playing guitar at the same time.

I wonder if it would be easier to break it down and practice smaller pieces before putting things together.

What's your approach with general vocal technique? Online vids, online tips, packaged courses, vocal lessons?
 
kickingtone said:
*
That's quite challenging what you are aiming at, there, as well as the distraction of playing guitar at the same time.

I wonder if it would be easier to break it down and practice smaller pieces before putting things together.

What's your approach with general vocal technique? Online vids, online tips, packaged courses, vocal lessons?
Click to expand...

I started with online vids, now I just try to 'copy' my favourite singers, like Eddie Vedder, Scott Weiland and Layne Staley. I record and I hear my voice, just that ahah. I know how to make a kind of good sounding 'whispering' voice (inspired by Elliot Smith, big fan), but I'd like to do more!
 
Much the same. I used online vids, too.

One really important thing I learned was that the louder and more intense you have to sing, the less air you should push through your vocal cords. That is not the most intuitive thing, but it does actually make sense.

Quite a natural thing to do is to try to push more air when you are intensifying the sound. But it is counterproductive.

When you sing "guess" (31 sec), "got" (39 sec), likes (59 sec) and (64 sec), you are pushing air, when you are supposed to by using "support". It sounds way too forced at the moment.
 
kickingtone said:
Much the same. I used online vids, too.

One really important thing I learned was that the louder and more intense you have to sing, the less air you should push through your vocal cords. That is not the most intuitive thing, but it does actually make sense.

Quite a natural thing to do is to try to push more air when you are intensifying the sound. But it is counterproductive.

When you sing "guess" (31 sec), "got" (39 sec), likes (59 sec) and (64 sec), you are pushing air, when you are supposed to by using "support". It sounds way too forced at the moment.
Click to expand...


Thank you! I will definitely keep that in mind, when you say pushing less air, you mean before I sing or while I do it? That is, inhaling a lot or exhaling a lot? Should I take a breath and then hold it while signing this louder notes? Or take a small breath?
 
rfpd said:
Thank you! I will definitely keep that in mind, when you say pushing less air, you mean before I sing or while I do it? That is, inhaling a lot or exhaling a lot? Should I take a breath and then hold it while signing this louder notes? Or take a small breath?
Click to expand...

I mean, while you sing. The air is only supposed to escape in a trickle. You want the air to vibrate, not move en bloc. The more intense or higher the note, the slower the trickle. (Higher, more intense notes can be sustained for longer without running out of breath.)

(It's because intensity is created by higher air pressure, not air speed. In fact, the more air speed (air pushed), the more difficult it becomes to generate enough pressure to get the intensity. It should all feel very relaxed, though.)

There are some great vids on "support" that go into this. The ones I learned from are by Franco Tenelli and Michael Trimble. They are both classical tenors (which is why I hesitate to recommend them, even though I personally think that their techniques can be applied in all genres of music.) I have seen some vids by Ken Tamplin, and he makes a lot of sense, too, and deals with contemporary and rock. He definitely talks about distortion, rasp etc., and how to use them safely. That's the other thing with rasp. If done incorrectly, it can damage the vocal cords.

That breathing stuff (called support) is right at the foundation of everything singing, and it can be very counterintuitive. So worth spending a good while researching and practising it, if you have not already.
 
andrushkiwt said:
Stop doing that. Just sing the way YOU do. Work on the fundamentals first.
Click to expand...

Yeah I know, it's just that the voice I like to do is very quiet for louder parts. Imagine a rock song, sure it's good for verse, but it's really quiet for the chorus part. That's why I'd like to diversificate my voice.
 
rfpd said:
... it's just that the voice I like to do...
Click to expand...

Again, no. Don't try to do any voices. Don't imitate other people directly or intentionally. That'll get you nowhere fast. Learn to sing using your own voice. Your timbre. There is a uniqueness in your voice, in all our voices, and the reason you like X singer is because he is singing like himself. So, sing like yourself. I promise you you'll be happier in 6 months if you sing your own natural way than if you continue to try and copy how you think others sound.
 
rfpd

Personally, I think that experimentation is all part of the game. Experiment, copy your favourite singers, whatever, and get feedback... also, it is ok to challenge the feedback. None of us has all the answers. We only have opinions.

My own opinion is that "copying" your favourite singers/sounds happens naturally anyway, but over a long period of time, and your voice becomes influenced by, rather than a copy of, theirs. I think this happens naturally since the day we are born. So, yes, your unique voice, reflects a lot of influences.

So, you have made the decision that you want to build intensity into your voice for particular songs. And you want some "distortion" in the sound (grunge, gravel, grit). Fine. Don't be surprised if that takes AT LEAST a couple of years to achieve. The FOUNDATION for that can be found by googling or youtubing "singing breath support". It won't teach you about distortion or grunge, but it will lay the foundation for being able to diversify. My advice would be not to be distracted by the grunge sound while you explore "support". Your voice is going to drift in the "grunge" direction anyway, almost without you noticing, simply because it is what you like.

Once you have good support technique, then you will be in a position to actually focus on distortion.

Hardly anybody does the kind of distortion you are aiming for, "naturally". It is an affected sound, much like classical singing is an affected sound, and, when you are ready, you have to actively train it, but not before.

Here is Luciano Pavarotti..

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top