I need help singing(duh)... when i sing the notes in my head, they sound right, but when i listen to them in 3rd person (like a recording) they sound horribly off... i would really love to become a singer because it seems amazingly fun and really cool(cool way to get girls haha)i would also look cool playing guitar and singing at the same time... and i would get friends(maybe??)...
If you could help me thanks..

[QUOTE=jhaatwt411]I need help singing(duh)... when i sing the notes in my head, they sound right, but when i listen to them in 3rd person (like a recording) they sound horribly off... i would really love to become a singer because it seems amazingly fun and really cool(cool way to get girls haha)i would also look cool playing guitar and singing at the same time... and i would get friends(maybe??)...
If you could help me thanks..[/QUOTE]
:lol: yea it can get some female action stirred up. Especially if youre a lead singer. And it is fun to me, and i like expressing my emotions and ideas in a constructive way. Im very much at home singing, and when youre confident it helps....alot! So you need to just practice and learn. You can always take some lessons ya know!

You should read all of my replies and click around and read the questions and answers. You could be over pushing and or blocking your throat and air. And all this or any combination of this and tension can throw off what your vocal cord muslces get in relation to what your brain sends. just learn to relax and practice humming along with singin at a regular level, so you learn to keep the cords buzzing together, and its eaiser to relax when you hum. Play a not or progression on the guitar and sing along with it. youre gonna have to practice staying in key with various pushes and consanants ,while keep the throat relaxed.

[QUOTE=Merkaba-1]:lol: yea it can get some female action stirred up. Especially if youre a lead singer. And it is fun to me, and i like expressing my emotions and ideas in a constructive way. Im very much at home singing, and when youre confident it helps....alot! So you need to just practice and learn. You can always take some lessons ya know!

You should read all of my replies and click around and read the questions and answers. You could be over pushing and or blocking your throat and air. And all this or any combination of this and tension can throw off what your vocal cord muslces get in relation to what your brain sends. just learn to relax and practice humming along with singin at a regular level, so you learn to keep the cords buzzing together, and its eaiser to relax when you hum. Play a not or progression on the guitar and sing along with it. youre gonna have to practice staying in key with various pushes and consanants ,while keep the throat relaxed.[/QUOTE]

Thanks very very much... and also... sometimes getting/staying in key for me is hard because im not exactly sure what i sound like... even if it sounds right to me in my brain, its not really on key, so any suggestions for that?

That just takes pratice. i still do it more than i like. But you just have to train yourself if youre not a "natural" at it. practice singing accapella. Theres not much better. pick a song you already know or have trouble with and sing it accapella until you get it down. Dont forget to keep the throat relaxed, like i said , tension can cause inorrect notes as well. Tell yourself its hard to sing off key if you stay relaxed. And get a way to record yourself singing as much as often.

not to be stupid or anything... but whats acapella??? heh :-/

^ no music

ohh okey dokey, thank you soo much for your help

There is a guy at my college who has been singing orchestrally stuff for many many years now.
He's looking to teach a few people for free, Now singing a melodic rock style, Would he be able to teach me anything that could be cross applied to rock or would it be mostly useless to me?

to me...for free..i would at least see how he is. LIke i said, he might say or show one thing that could open up worlds for you. Then again he might not. Why risk it though? I dont think you'l be singing super hard all the time right? So i would at least look into it. Maybe ask him this same question.

A while back you talked a little about powerfalsetto. could you tell some more about how to do it please. If anyone has seen the movie Elf, i think it is what Will Farrell uses this one part where he screams "Santa!" really loud, is that right?

Remember when we were in Africa?
 

I tried your excercises and I don't know if they've helped. I can't really hear myself and still don't know if I'm breathing the right way. But I got a chance to take singing lessons for free. No one else in my band wants to sing, and I'm probably the least able but I'm willing to make that jump to get my band started because we don't have a singer. Anyone think its worth it to pursue singing even though I'm gonna have to play bass and sing kinda McCartney style except with a not so good a voice?

yes

I just read the 'mucus' threads. Good stuff my friend. I have drainage problems myself; I smoke cigs and weed. I cut back on weed a few years ago which helped my breathing and control tremendously (even though marijuana smoke is an abuterant it didn't help at all). I recently cut back on cigs too :thumb:

I've pretty much got rasp handled and i decided to move on to some screaming. I do one scream now..in one of our ska songs haha..just for starters. So far so good. I read your tips on screaming. Funny thing is you mentioned Louis Armstrong. Before I read your post on the subject i was demonstrating proper growl to my bandmates by singing "when your smiling". They thought it was hilarious that I could sound like that.
We do a lot of covers for certain gigs and I do vocals by Tim Armstrong, Gavin Rossdale, Bradley Knowel, and others who use some rasp in one form or another.

One thing I picked up when I did vocal training several years ago was that even diva-type singers can growl if they want.

I do have a question:
Sometimes I get a real workout in practice or at a gig. My gut hurts, around my back, diaphragm, and towards my chest. When this happens in the middle of a set, is there a chance that I can hurt my singing in the future if I keep singing for the rest of the night?-or is this just more of a feel-the-burn type of thing?

:thumb:
yea, somebody gets the Louis armstrong thing! And yea, I agree, any type of singer can growl.

So how long is this practice workout? I would just say its due to tension. Now if your throat hurts....thats when you should start worrying. The only thing is that if youre getting that kind of upper body feeling, you might be tensing the cords as well. It could be anything, since you smoke! plus style, stance, postures, etc...those type of things. NOt to mention that smoking anything makes your muscles tense and blood pressure rise...it all plays a part. I wouldnt worry about it, but i would try to ease it. Like i say, when singing, everything you do should be comfortable ya know. Theres no reason why you cant do 2 hours or more without feeling anything hurt. Pain means somethings wrong. Try variations to see if you an pinpoint causes.

Hey Merkaba. I've been looking through the forums and all of the singing stuff and I've seen you've heard this a million times but you're a genius dude lol. I wanted to ask you something though, lately I've been doing a bunch of acoustic demos because my band broke up. My voice was alright but nothing fancy when I was in the band but when I got in my friends home studio I started singing with his ovation and his jaw dropped and even I believe it sounded really really great...he kept asking me "why didn't you sing like that in the band?" and it got me to wondering...I try just as much in the band and when I'm by myself with an acoustic, but I can never feel that kind of response and ring that my voice has with an acoustic. I've heard people say things like "ohh I don't play with band anymore because an acoustic matches the timbre of my voice." Is that being realistic? Is there any way to make my voice sound as good with the band as it does by myself? I'm 14 but I've pretty much undergone all of my voice changing. I've been singing for about 3 or 4 years seriously, so it's relatively strong. I apologize for the length of the post lol but I would appreciate any type of feedback. You are my idol man(listened to those demos)...Rob.

1. Those demos are shlt! hehe. no, really! I'll have some more up soon.
2. dont apologize for the length of a post. its all communication. Look at my posts!

i wouldnt really say that you've gone through all of your voice changing at 14...I mean, its not quite likely. It could be the case....but statistics say youre gonna have a few more. But singing through them is the best thing. If you learn to sing hard through them you will have a good set up because at 14 your hormones are like hurricanes. I would suggest you do vocal workouts if for no other reason than just to have the capability. Of course dont hurt yourself.
For me, there is nothing like singing along withe an acoustic. Nothing. So much so that i want to do a seperate project for lighter type of music and one for heavier stuff....because I'm just a different animal between the two. The acoustic's resonances is right there in your own bubble...its hard to sing any off note, plus the guitar istelf is vibrating your body more. I think its all part of why alot of guys like to do softer music. REalistic? well its just a matter of what you want to do. I want to do both eventually. But there is definitely a science behind the difference of singing to an acoustic and singing to electronically reproduced and altered replicas of acoustics, i.e. electric. Its just up to you. Keep on practicing and stuff and you'll develop your own path/paths, capabilities, etc.

is cannabis smoking bad for the throte? I smoke both skunk and resin and i smoke it in bongs, bukets, defies and occasionally pipes. I dont smoke joints to often as i dont enjoy the taste of tobacco. I am a singer in a band and i dont want to screw my voice up. Obviously i aint gonna completely quit, but i will keep it to a minimum. And also if there is anyone who knows about this stuff, is any way of smoking it that is less bad on the throte?

Oh also, i did a gig on Friday and when i sing i think i put way to much pressure on my voice. Anyway, when i woke up the next morning i had a sore throte. DO you think this is down to how i'm singing. When i actually scream it doesnt hurt and i think i actually know how to scream. But when i sing i kind of put on a rasp and i think thats whats doing my voice in. It doesn't hurt when i'm doing it, but i get really out of breath and my chest hurts. Any ideas. I'm a 16 year old male btw and my voice has broken but i dont have a deep voice. I sing like emo/post hardcore kind of stuff.

You know, I don't know anyone that completely likes their own voice. I used to cringe every time I heard mine. But in order to improve, you have to get past that.

I recorded what I did on a simple little tape recorder, and back then it was me acapella or me and my guitar, no effects, no nothing! But what you're listening for is NOT how wonderful you sound. You're listening for what you are doing wrong. I did this a LOT when I was learning how to do harmony.

I had to learn to quit saying "THAT"S AWFUL! and start looking for what wasn't working. And everyone I've sung with loves the way I harmonize, so it must have worked. You have to get used to hearing your own voice.

As to the screaming part, I can't help you there, I'm afraid. I sing Classic Rock and Country, not a lot of screaming I have to do!

Teri Jo

Hey, I haven't seen this topic really go into detail, so is there some special technique to death metal singing? As in Opeth, Morbid Angel, etc?

Also, what is an inhale scream? Listen, if you've already written this stuff down, merkaba, just give me a link and I'll ask questions from there.

For your information I am a 14-year-old male with no privacy or vocal experience, and I am not interested in clean singing as much as I am in achieving a death/black metal-type of voice without ruining my range.

[QUOTE=i'm_soooo_emo]is cannabis smoking bad for the throte? I smoke both skunk and resin and i smoke it in bongs, bukets, defies and occasionally pipes. I dont smoke joints to often as i dont enjoy the taste of tobacco. I am a singer in a band and i dont want to screw my voice up. Obviously i aint gonna completely quit, but i will keep it to a minimum. And also if there is anyone who knows about this stuff, is any way of smoking it that is less bad on the throte?[/QUOTE]
No. Why? because it depletes capacity of the lungs. you will be short breathed. I guess putting ice cubes inside the bong may keep you from burning your throat from the hot smoke, but smoking is a nono for singers

I stay off the drugs, I need brain cells for work, and don't want the law up my ying yang!

I need some serious help with my vocals.

[url]http://theinsurrection.net/syn/[/url]

It's under Cold and Ugly2.

Merkaba also if you have AIM or MSN PLEASE give that to me...I have no vocal teacher and really need some hands on instruction.

AIM- BetweentheEchoes
MSN- [email]ender_wiggin550@hotmail.com[/email]

[QUOTE=Levitate]No. Why? because it depletes capacity of the lungs. you will be short breathed. I guess putting ice cubes inside the bong may keep you from burning your throat from the hot smoke, but smoking is a nono for singers

I stay off the drugs, I need brain cells for work, and don't want the law up my ying yang![/QUOTE]

I would say that is a subjective opinion left to the individual who is actually smoking.

One could argue that Frank Sinatra was a great singer, but also a heavy smoker.

Look at Aaron Lewis...the dude smokes cigarrettes and is a self proclaimed pothead. He was stoned off his *** for his MTV unplugged performance, and I would say that was quite the beautiful performance.

and yes, I smoke pot.

I notice that my singing abilities decrease when I am blazed, which I finally realized was from the paranoia more than the pot.

When I am blazed off my *** nothing feels better then lighting some incense and candles, and picking up the acoustic and letting go. When I do this I can usually go to that "place" where it is just the music and I am not thinking about my neighbors hearing me...

I would say that to extent it is definetely detrimental to singing abilities in the long term, as smoking any thing would be, but I wouldn't worry about it as much as every else seems to...

If you worry about it too much, but continue to smoke, you need to be careful as making the though enter the realm of conscious thought could induce a self fufilled prophecy...

Need some help with my screaming
 

I read some of the guides on screaming and they don't quite answer the question I need to have answered. When I was 14, my favorite band was Linkin Park. Chester Bennington could scream like I heard no other person scream before. Of course I practiced it and what do you know? A month later I sounded about 95% like him. I enjoyed singing.

Then the age of 15 hit and the voice changes started taking its toll. I lost my ability to sing Chester Bennington. I had to find a new favorite band and my favorite band is now Metallica.

I am now 17 and sound a bit like James Hetfield when I scream. But I want to know, is there any possible way I can get Chester Bennington like sound back into my voice? Or should I just give up, accept the way my voice is, practice like hell, and just hope to God I'll make it somewhere?

i was wondering if anyone ever used vocal release with eric frey? i was thinkin about gettin it but i wanted some imput from other ppl that have used it b4. please help me out here.

Just wanted to thank you merky. I posted my singing on the audio arena a few months ago and everyone said I sucked, and now everyone says i'm really good....thanks a bunch:D

I have a concern about my throat, / back of my mouth.

I was being my crazy self watching myself sing in the mirror, when I noticed, something weird. Next to the dangling thing at the back of my mouth, is a tiny flap of skin. I don't when it was there, I remember it being there before, however, it was smaller as I recall. I am concerned about whether or not it could flatten or sharpen notes, add or detract from my rasp, or just mess up my singing. Or is it nothing to be concerned about? If necessary, I will post pictures (ew). IF anyone wants I could pop up a couple recordings of me singing rasp, no rasp, I can almost do immigrant song, fairly good at ACDCish kinda singing. I *Want* to sing Nirvana and I can do a lot of their songs pretty close to the way Kurt sang them.... but I am more concerned about this flap....

[QUOTE=DougJI]I have a concern about my throat, / back of my mouth.

I was being my crazy self watching myself sing in the mirror, when I noticed, something weird. Next to the dangling thing at the back of my mouth, is a tiny flap of skin. I don't when it was there, I remember it being there before, however, it was smaller as I recall. I am concerned about whether or not it could flatten or sharpen notes, add or detract from my rasp, or just mess up my singing. Or is it nothing to be concerned about? If necessary, I will post pictures (ew). IF anyone wants I could pop up a couple recordings of me singing rasp, no rasp, I can almost do immigrant song, fairly good at ACDCish kinda singing. I *Want* to sing Nirvana and I can do a lot of their songs pretty close to the way Kurt sang them.... but I am more concerned about this flap....[/QUOTE]

Post it all!

[QUOTE=Wang Hung Lo]Post it all![/QUOTE]
*warning* No sensitive viewers please. Note that I am not posting this to be disgusting, but out of actuall concern for my voice.

[url]http://www.s92456452.onlinehome.us/throatflap.JPG[/url]
It doesn't seem extremely large in this picture, but it was because of the way I had to stretch my mouth to get a decent picture. It gets slightly larger, 1/16 of an inch larger about.

Recording.
[url]http://www.s92456452.onlinehome.us/singing%20sample%201.wma[/url]
I am aware that TNT is not sung like that, but I was displaying the rasp.

Little about me....
Im 14, so I am aware my voice probably isnt done its changing... I haven't taken any singing lessons, but I;ve been buzzing aroudn the Jam session going through merkabas stuff. I'm not sure I'm doing everything correctly. I'm in a "band" which is having trouble getting off the ground. I wanna play Nirvana kinda stuff, the other guitarist wants to play Zeppelin, or Hendrix/ACDC kinda stuff, which I dont have a problem with, and our drummer is a natural, but lazy. We don't have a bassist, and the other guitarist refuses to play bass. So we have two guitarists, and a drummer. I have trouble playing and singing at the same time, though a lot of Nirvana songs are easy to get the hang of. The worst problem with the band however is the lack of a vocalist mic/amp set up.... So I usually end up yelling over whatever were playing. Bad idea... but they won't be cajoled into buying a vocalist mic..... Ugh. Anyways, I only ever smoked pot, and that was only for a couple months during a rough patch, and I wouldn't be Canadian if I hadn't :P. Anyways, what do you guys think about the flap and my singing.

Thanks, Doug

Bump

Can I get some answers about this, I really am rather concerned...