self taught vocals?

Tyler T · Posted: Mar 02, 2004 5:20 pm Post subject: self taught vocals?

Ok, so I love playing the guitar, and I try to sing, but I am starting to really annoy my roomate...and whoever might be listening. Ive recently started recording myself a little bit, and the results were less than pleasing. I wanted to take a vocals class next term, but it wont fit in my schedule. Does anyone know if it is possible to teach yourself how to sing and not suck? haha.

BTW, I sing all the time, and Ive been doing it forever....just haven't gotten any better. Feeling kind of hopeless Sad

ohsix · Posted: Mar 02, 2004 5:26 pm Post subject: Re: self taught vocals?

scott a · Ladies Man Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 9810

wes reeves, you forgot to mention the great william hung. he's self taught...

ohsix · Posted: Mar 02, 2004 5:34 pm Post subject:

Tyler T · Posted: Mar 02, 2004 5:41 pm Post subject:

wes reeves, good point! However...I don't think you realize how bad we're talkin here...

Rocko · Posted: Mar 02, 2004 5:51 pm Post subject:

Tyler T, dude i can hear you all the way over here and it is horrible. oh wait that's American Idol that some shmuck is playing while at work.

ben746 · Addict Joined: 04 Aug 2003 Posts: 560

Be the next Rage against the machine

hopesfall · Outlaw Joined: 06 Nov 2003 Posts: 104 City: o.c

play in a hardcore band

MojoPin · Posted: Mar 02, 2004 10:20 pm Post subject:

Practise for about 10 years, every day and you will get there Rolling Eyes

finkle · Wakeboarder.com Freak Joined: 22 Sep 2003 Posts: 4067

my buddy wants to go down to the old market and just sit down with his guitar and play. But he decided to "perform" for his mom first as a test audience. The poor kid was laughed at by his own mom! He quickly realized that singing and playing at the same time wasn't very easy.

Take some "singing" lessons from someone. Singing isn't really about having a good voice (at least in most rock bands and such) it's about singing on key and in rythm with the music.

MojoPin · Posted: Mar 03, 2004 12:25 am Post subject:

I agree kswiss....it all depends on what you want to do with it... There are even popular bands/artists that can't sing on key and don't have any rythm.....

Tyler T · Posted: Mar 03, 2004 1:54 am Post subject:

I don't have any problem singing and playing at the same time, I just have a problem with my voice. You see, Im really into playing accousitc music. My inspiration comes from people like Jack Johnson, Dashboard Confesional, Elliott Smith. I guess if I just start really paying attention to myself and recording everything and listening to it over and over again, I could develop a better ability to sing on key...i guess one of my real problems at the moment is that I don't have a very wide range of notes. I really can't hit the high notes, which is limiting my ability to write the kind of music that I want to. That's something you can develop with practice though right? I just don't know how much my roomate and my neighbors want to hear me "practice" Surprised

MojoPin · Posted: Mar 03, 2004 2:11 am Post subject:

The first thing that's important to remember is that we all have different ranges in what notes we can use...This is something that is very hard to change...you can change it a bit but I doubt that ,for example, the singer in "The Darkness" can do a Sinatra-song... Laughing

x vegan x · Addict Joined: 19 Jan 2004 Posts: 857 City: Minneapolis

hopesfall, hardcore "singing" is much harder than you'd think. Anyone can scream, but it's hard to make it sound good without destroying your throat (like Keith from Throwdown was). A friend of mine, who sings for Too Pure to Die, tried teaching me how to do it. I know the technique, but I've never been able to do it. Unless you're talking about old-school hardcore, like my roommate's band Any Last Words (<-shameless plug). Those vocals aren't as hard, but still not as easy as you'd think.

Tyler T, I've heard of books, CDs, and videos you can get to help with your singing. Those would be better than nothing, but there's no replacement for an actual person.

Chales · Guest

Rod Stewart
Neil Young
Janice Joplin

Dpierce37 · Ladies Man Joined: 23 Apr 2003 Posts: 7659 City: Austin

Tyler T, wow, what a nice video you made. HAHAHA, I think you got the vocal's, now you just need to work on you dance moves! Rolling Eyes

This is you isn't it? Twisted Evil

http://www.muchosucko.com/video-aichaaicha.html

(sorry bro, couldn't resist Laughing

)

Tyler T · Posted: Mar 06, 2004 2:33 am Post subject:

Dpierce37, thanks for the vote of confidence man! What do you think of my bedsheets?

Porterwake · Posted: Mar 06, 2004 8:11 pm Post subject: Re: self taught vocals?

Dave W · Posted: Mar 06, 2004 8:24 pm Post subject:

I used to sing in a choir and practicing really does increase your range a bit. I was always kind of surprised at how much my range improved after I had warmed up a bit. Not that I was a professional or anything.....

Mad props to anyone who can play the guitar while even attempting to sing. And then you're interested in doing that in front of people? Shocked

You've already got me beat by a long shot. My mother was always trying to get me to stick with an instrument when I was younger. Much to her disappointement they really aren't my thing though. I'm not the most coordinated person. Wakeboarding and chewing gum at the same time is an accomplishment for me. Adding some style might be asking a bit much.

If nothing else, you are way ahead of a lot of people because you have a realistic (possibly even a little critical) view of your own abilities. That means you actually recognize that you have some things you might need to work on. Watch a single episode of american idol and you start to realize that there are a lot of people who have no idea what they should be working on.