Need some tips and advice on my cover, new to recording. [Cover]

tristeville

New member
Hey I'm really new to recording and everything and I just needed some tips on how to make my vocals sound more crisp and professional sounding.
I know it has something to do with EQ and I'm watching tutorials on how to properly EQ vocals.
What i'm clueless about is compression/reverb/delay etc.
Well anyways here's my cover:

https://soundcloud.com/sugoisugoi/the-way-i-am

Thanks for your feedback, I hope one day I can sound like an actual musician! :guitar:
 
Sounds pretty good to me honestly. Voice sounds very nice. Maybe someone else will chime in with something to change.
 
Your voice is very good. You have good pitch control. So I'll start with standard advice.
Breathing techniques: start by breathing in for one beat and out for 7 whenever you walk, that really helps diaphragm usage, breath control, etc. This is my favorite control exercise and takes no additional time out of your day, just have to remember to do it.
Pitch techniques: practice with an instrument. Play a note, sing the note. Play another note (specific intervals: minor third, major third, fourth, fifth, octave), sing the new note with, but especially without glissando. When you get in your head where the jumps are, start playing the base note and singing the jumps without playing them first. Then hit the note to see if you hit it well. Record yourself doing this (and the instrument) so you can listen back and see if you had to slide when you hit the second note on the instrument.

As a side note, at 1:56 your voice went from IV to IIm and the guitar chord didn't follow. Playing along in F-Bb-C, your guitar should drop to Gm at that point...

Hope that's helpful. I wouldn't change your voice, but you do have a good voice and possibly can be a great voice with some work. When you're ready for the next step, get in touch with a professional vocal coach. Spend a few $$$ and see what can happen. The pros can show you things that we can't explain in writing...

As far as compression/reverb/delay, etc. I will offer one piece of advice that has helped me more than anything else. "The best effects are those that you can't tell are there...until you bypass them."

:D Happy Recording!
 
I don't think you'll have much EQing to do. Voice is quite good. Perfect for the genre of song you sang.

Regarding your compression/reverb/delay statement... personally, I use some delay to help cover up vocal flaws. It does make your voice sound somewhat "blurry", though... the tradeoff is worth it for me, but if you don't need it, I wouldn't use it. In fact, I think the conventional wisdom with all those things is pretty much "if you don't need it, don't use it".
 
Disclaimer: Vocal coaches and lessons are not always the same thing...My vocal coach gave me specific techniques to learn and when you learned them, or needed further help to accomplish the technique, you went back (by appointment), but you could call and get clarifications, etc. at any time. Very expensive, but intensive (usually $100s to $1000s per visit). Teachers (lessons) usually set up weekly classes and work up from the basics to intermediate and up (if they have the skills themselves). Much less money (usually $15-20 for a 1/2 hour per week).

Helpful link to the complete "Singing Solutions" program. (Used to be $250, now free). It's just basics, but you can apply the basics to any style of music, just like you'll find flams and paradiddles in lots of different genres. :D
 
Back
Top