Some days the vocal cords just don't work.

TalismanRich

TalismanRich

Well-known member
Some 20 years ago, I recorded a version of Paul Simon's America. It was my first attempt to use computer multitracking with a program I found called "ProTools Free" (2001). The recording was made on a Windows98 machine with a 486 processor. There was no audio interface, just a basic Soundblaster card. I managed to get some ok harmony and acoustic guitar recorded with my EV electret condenser mic and old Yamaha acoustic. Not great, but it was more "proof of concept" anyway. It would be a few years before I sprung for the Yamaha AW16G.

So yesterday, after listening to a copy of that recording, I sat down with all my new gear and thought it might be nice to redo it. There was no problem getting a respectable copy of the guitar track. But when it came to the vocals, it hit me just how much 20 years takes off of your vocal range. Lordy it's tough to try to do Art Garfunkel's harmonies. After 2 1/2 hours of trying, I had to take a break.

Maybe I just need to go back to the original and listen to what I was singing on that version. I don't remember it being all that tough. I tried a few things, drinking juice, mint, a little steam to open the head. It just didn't work! Maybe if I record the main vocal and guitar normally and then drag the speed control down on Reaper by 10 or 15% I can get into range for the harmony.

Has anyone else tried this? Does it sound unnatural?

Anyone have a time machine I can borrow?
 
I suggest that at least once a day, and definitely before laying down vocal tracks, you spend 15mins doing some simple vocal warm-up exercises.
They include, but not limited to:
  • body and jaw stretches (yawning), ​
  • humming,
  • lip exercises,
  • breathing - from your diaphragm rather than your throat (this one in particular is a good one to practice at least once every second of your life 😁)
There are plenty of online instructions/how-to videos, and as an example, try www.voices.com/blog/vocal_warm_ups/

Truth is, like everything else in life, the singing voice is a 'use it or lose it' scenario, but with some simple exercises you'll start to find it easier to hit those higher notes.

P.S.
If that doesn't help you, I'll lend you my time travel machine last Wednesday.
 
I haven't lost much in my high end but my voice is picky about weather and I can't sing worth a crap early in the day. Dry air is bad for me so cold Winter weather can be a problem. I have thought about getting some sort of steamer of some sort but have not done any searching yet.
 
TalismanRich said:
Some 20 years ago, I recorded a version of Paul Simon's America. It was my first attempt to use computer multitracking with a program I found called "ProTools Free" (2001). The recording was made on a Windows98 machine with a 486 processor. There was no audio interface, just a basic Soundblaster card. I managed to get some ok harmony and acoustic guitar recorded with my EV electret condenser mic and old Yamaha acoustic. Not great, but it was more "proof of concept" anyway. It would be a few years before I sprung for the Yamaha AW16G.

So yesterday, after listening to a copy of that recording, I sat down with all my new gear and thought it might be nice to redo it. There was no problem getting a respectable copy of the guitar track. But when it came to the vocals, it hit me just how much 20 years takes off of your vocal range. Lordy it's tough to try to do Art Garfunkel's harmonies. After 2 1/2 hours of trying, I had to take a break.

Maybe I just need to go back to the original and listen to what I was singing on that version. I don't remember it being all that tough. I tried a few things, drinking juice, mint, a little steam to open the head. It just didn't work! Maybe if I record the main vocal and guitar normally and then drag the speed control down on Reaper by 10 or 15% I can get into range for the harmony.

Has anyone else tried this? Does it sound unnatural?

Anyone have a time machine I can borrow?
Click to expand...
Your vocal chords change as you get older. Your voice gets deeper and the range gets less but a better depth
 
Sadly, yes - but not always a change for the worse. In the show I am on at the mo, the musical director does a vocal warm up for the singing cast every morning an hour before show time. I get it via a loudspeaker. One of the things they always do is an upwards and downwards arpegio, major scale with nonsensical words that use all the vowels, then it goes up a step and repeats and then up over and over again. You can hear the tension in people's voices as it gets near their top limit. He then stops, and after a day off he cannot go so high. after six days two shows a day, everyone can go higher.
 
rob aylestone said:
Sadly, yes - but not always a change for the worse. In the show I am on at the mo, the musical director does a vocal warm up for the singing cast every morning an hour before show time. I get it via a loudspeaker. One of the things they always do is an upwards and downwards arpegio, major scale with nonsensical words that use all the vowels, then it goes up a step and repeats and then up over and over again. You can hear the tension in people's voices as it gets near their top limit. He then stops, and after a day off he cannot go so high. after six days two shows a day, everyone can go higher.
Click to expand...
I remember a time when I didn't need to warm up but I definitely do now. I've always thought it to be a crap shoot for singers on how a voice will age. Someone like Tony Bennett seem to never lose range and others degrade at a relatively young age.
 
I've always wondered how gravel voice people like Chris Rea, Joe Cocker, Bonnie Tyler and Kim Carnes managed to keep their voices? Unless their voice was just not the same as somebody with a sore throat?
 
That was a bunch of nonsense. Singing makes your voice stronger, not weaker.

I noticed that when I lived in an apartment building, my voice sucked. I could not belt it out there.

In my house, I belt it out like a 4 year old.

Most should benefit from a warm up.
 
grimtraveller said:
What does that mean, exactly ?
Click to expand...
Today, currency flows through an economy as a liquid. Using the voice as equity , that is 'money in the bank' . At 99 cents a MP3, against a $16 CD, or Mutual Fund, forget about it. These are the indicators letting you know, we need to fight capitulation. The sooner the better , because inflation is out of control.
 
Over the past 40 years, my vocals haven't netted me enough to give a 20% tip to the counter worker that gave me the free senior drink at the Taco Bell! Indeed, it's probably cost me more than $3000 buying equipment so that I can record it!

Does that make me a "perfeshunal muzishun"?
 
LazerBeakShiek said:
Today, currency flows through an economy as a liquid. Using the voice as equity , that is 'money in the bank' . At 99 cents a MP3, against a $16 CD, or Mutual Fund, forget about it. These are the indicators letting you know, we need to fight capitulation. The sooner the better , because inflation is out of control.
Click to expand...
As is often the case, I haven't got a clue what you're on about and even less idea how it relates to getting older and finding that it's harder to hit the notes that one could do yesteryear with a little more ease.
 
TalismanRich said:
Some 20 years ago, I recorded a version of Paul Simon's America. It was my first attempt to use computer multitracking with a program I found called "ProTools Free" (2001). The recording was made on a Windows98 machine with a 486 processor. There was no audio interface, just a basic Soundblaster card. I managed to get some ok harmony and acoustic guitar recorded with my EV electret condenser mic and old Yamaha acoustic. Not great, but it was more "proof of concept" anyway. It would be a few years before I sprung for the Yamaha AW16G.

So yesterday, after listening to a copy of that recording, I sat down with all my new gear and thought it might be nice to redo it. There was no problem getting a respectable copy of the guitar track. But when it came to the vocals, it hit me just how much 20 years takes off of your vocal range. Lordy it's tough to try to do Art Garfunkel's harmonies. After 2 1/2 hours of trying, I had to take a break.

Maybe I just need to go back to the original and listen to what I was singing on that version. I don't remember it being all that tough. I tried a few things, drinking juice, mint, a little steam to open the head. It just didn't work! Maybe if I record the main vocal and guitar normally and then drag the speed control down on Reaper by 10 or 15% I can get into range for the harmony.

Has anyone else tried this? Does it sound unnatural?

Anyone have a time machine I can borrow?
Click to expand...
Some days one just can't do vocals - other days it's the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak - but if you could hit those note 20 years ago - you can hit them now - just need more rehearsal than before - the first take of youth - the 25th take of oldsters.
 
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