Vocal tips

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musicsdarkangel

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I'm doing vocals for a band i'm in, and also playing guitar. I have a boom stand, so it's all good.

Anyone have any tips?

I'm doin sorta like artsy hard rock singing, so it might have a bit of screamin, but for the most part singing, such as Finger Eleven or Radiohead.


Please help!! I really wanna get good heheh.
 
Sure.... its simple:

1. Find a brillant vocalist
2. Buy a great microphone
3. Have great pre-amps, mixers, hardware.
4. Have a genius producer
5. Make your milllion selling album and retire to the South of France.


Seriously, assuming you already have your gear, and your voice is as good as it's going to get, the only suggestion I have is to work on good microphone technique. Maybe get a good pop screen.
 
musicsdarkangel said:
I have a boom stand, so it's all good.
Click to expand...

Well, I was going to mention the importance of the Boom Stand, but you've already god that one covered, so I have nothing more to ad.

He he. :) Actually, four things you should be aware of:

1) Do you sing on key? If not, then I suggest you stick to guitar.

2) Do you understand proper breathing technique. As long as you sing on key, you can always learn proper breathing. I would suggest reading some good books or perhaps singing lessons. Yea, I know. Singing lessons can be lame - you'll probably get some old lady who sings opera trying to get you to sing crap from the 1940's, but that's actually the best way to learn !

Breathing is the single most important element. Without proper "wind support" from your diaphragm, you will totally wreck your voice within a year, I guarantee it.

3) Learn to work the microphone. Back off during loud parts. I mean it! Back off! Nothing sounds worse than when a singer gets really emotional and swallows the microphone during the really loud parts. You're supposed to swallow the mic during the soft parts and then back away as much as 3 feet when you start belting out.

4) Make sure you have an AWESOME monitor mix, and can hear yourself clearly. Get the little earphone plug monitors if you have to.
 
Make sure you have a really good boom stand. Mics are interchangable but you really want the best boom stand you can get. ;)
 
But don't they make ur vocal boomy?
Click to expand...
Yes, so if that's a problem, get a straight stand. But then if you're gay, you've got yourself into a little quandary. These damn mic stands are always complicating things.
 
Practice playing and singing a lot. Get good at it, if you aren't already. If you can, write songs or parts of songs where you don't have to play guitar so you can grab the mic and move around a bit-work the crowd. Talk to the crowd like a professional, too- you're not drinking at the bar with them, you are entertaining them. :)

Avoid smoking and alcohol while you are singing. Both dry out the throat more than you might think. Then you strain to hit the notes that you want and your voice gets burned out fast. When I'm singing a lot I drink room temperature water. If I'm feeling a little ill, I'll drink herbal tea with LOTS of honey in it. Yummy and good for the throat.

Ditto on the mic technique. I had my head blown off once by a guy singing "Smells Like Teen Spirits". He was mumbling the verses and screaming the chorus without backing off from the mic. Ouch! I was hoping the sound guy would compress the snot out of him after just a few moments of their sound check. He did. Oy, its easy to tell an inexperienced singer because they haven't learned to work with the mic.

Have fun!!
Chris
 
I just heard someone on the forum is now in the process of making an all-tube boom stand, with glowing lights and the whole nine yards.

Oh, and I almost forgot one last bit of advice: Stay off the heroine. Please see Kurt Cobain, Layne Staley, and it probably won't be long before Scott Weilan.
 
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