Vocal Exercises to fix pitch problems?

  • Thread starter Thread starter arcadeko
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arcadeko

arcadeko

Illuminatius Overlordious
I have pitch problems - Is there something specific I can do to improve my pitch?

An exercise or practice or something?

Here is a recent recording that illustrates pitch problems:



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Also - I don't know why (It has to be psychological), but I can recognize pitch problems right away when I listen to other vocals, but for some reason I have a hard time hearing my own pitchy singing - so WTF is that all about? :mad::confused::mad::confused:
 
Raise your eyebrows on higher notes. Sounds like a silly idea, and may look silly too, but it can help.
 
Try to work on your breathing so that you are more relaxed with air to spare. Also, singing to notes on a piano or guitar can help. But it's just practice, really.
But to be honest, while your voice could do with improvement (whose couldn't ?), I don't think the sample you provided has bad singing at all. I really like the song too.
 
jimmys69 said:
Raise your eyebrows on higher notes. Sounds like a silly idea, and may look silly too, but it can help.
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I will try anything - even if its just to make you laugh at me when I sing high notes ;)

grimtraveller said:
Try to work on your breathing so that you are more relaxed with air to spare. Also, singing to notes on a piano or guitar can help. But it's just practice, really.
But to be honest, while your voice could do with improvement (whose couldn't ?), I don't think the sample you provided has bad singing at all. I really like the song too.
Click to expand...
Thanks man - I do have a running out of air problem - and I just seem to keep writing these songs that have there loooong stretches of vocals with no air breaks :mad:

I think if I record it a few more times I will be able to get a more integrated sound. I am going to make a guitar or keys track as a vocal guide. :rolleyes: I think that has helped me before.
 
LOL. No I wasn't looking for a way to laugh man. It truly is a technique that has worked for me (not a singer but had to play one!). You could place a vise upon your crotch and video tape that moment. Then I will get a chuckle out of it. :)
 
jimmys69 said:
LOL. No I wasn't looking for a way to laugh man. It truly is a technique that has worked for me (not a singer but had to play one!). You could place a vise upon your crotch and video tape that moment. Then I will get a chuckle out of it. :)
Click to expand...

If I ever come across a vice big enough to hold my junk I will shoot a vid for ya ;)
 
I was thinking I may use this to get the high notes myself. Compact, yet large enough to get hold of the junk? LOL! Ew..suddenly this looks painful.....
 

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Ian Gillan reckons when recording "Child in time", tight trousers helped him hit the high notes.
But I don't believe him.
One of the Pretty Things reckoned that during the recording of the "Parachute" album, the producer, Norman Smith, would poke drumsticks up the singers' arses to get them to hit the high notes.
I don't believe him either.
 
jimmys69 said:
Raise your eyebrows on higher notes. Sounds like a silly idea, and may look silly too, but it can help.
Click to expand...

grimtraveller said:
Ian Gillan reckons when recording "Child in time", tight trousers helped him hit the high notes.
But I don't believe him.
One of the Pretty Things reckoned that during the recording of the "Parachute" album, the producer, Norman Smith, would poke drumsticks up the singers' arses to get them to hit the high notes.
I don't believe him either.
Click to expand...

So I can quite with the drumsticks now?
 
lol! oh man, this thread is heading in a bad direction.
 
If you are recording vocals while wearing headphones, try just covering up one ear with the headphones and leave the other ear uncovered, to allow you to hear your voice in the room. It gives a better perspective on your pitch.
 
Wish14 said:
If you are recording vocals while wearing headphones, try just covering up one ear with the headphones and leave the other ear uncovered, to allow you to hear your voice in the room. It gives a better perspective on your pitch.
Click to expand...

Good advice. Btw, with or without drumsticks?


Sorry, I couldn't resist... Done now. :)
 
I don't understand why you would have pitch problems, is your voice just shaky. If you have little control over your voice, maybe you just have to sing more? This might be a question only you can answer for yourself. My answer would be.. just sing in tune dammit!:laughings:

But seriously some basic vocal exercises you can do are singing a scale up and down on each of the vowels. Start out with a 3 note scale, then go to 5, then 8 notes. That should be all you need.
 
Wish14 said:
If you are recording vocals while wearing headphones, try just covering up one ear with the headphones and leave the other ear uncovered, to allow you to hear your voice in the room. It gives a better perspective on your pitch.
Click to expand...
Also good advice. A friend of mine who has a great voice but sometimes goes off key instinctively tried this recently and it made such a difference that she can't imagine ever going back to both ears closed.
It's a good test of whether one can stand the sound of their own voice.
 
From what I could tell from your recording, and correct me if I'm wrong, it seems you're having trouble locating the correct notes.

If that is the case, then I recommend working on your ear training. Start doing ear training exercises daily. Good Ear - Online Ear Training Site is a pretty good free site that I've used before.
 
Jon Chorba said:
From what I could tell from your recording, and correct me if I'm wrong, it seems you're having trouble locating the correct notes.

If that is the case, then I recommend working on your ear training. Start doing ear training exercises daily. Good Ear - Online Ear Training Site is a pretty good free site that I've used before.
Click to expand...

That's probably the problem - I haven't really isolated the exact problem yet. I just get people saying its pitchy :rolleyes: so i guess I am not hitting the notes accurately - I am going to put all this good advice into practice this week and try to lay down a killer vocal track :D:D Thanks everyone
 
I hate to mildly disagree with some people here, but you have to be very careful with extra muscle movement when singing. Be very conscious of strain in your throat, when singing with good technique throat strain should be very very minimal, actually your abs should start to hurt first. I am not an expert in this field, but I have been trained in classical technique, so that's my 2 cents.
 
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