#1645240 - 03/28/05 08:38 AM
Re: Getting started singing harmonies?
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Tedster
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Registered: 09/21/00
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AHA! Great thread!
In one sense, I think that the really great harmony singers have a knack, in that they have an ear for harmonies...but, it's easier than ever now to develop that knack...
Here's what I'd do...
Get a little four track cassette deck (if you don't already have something like that).
Record one track with the guitar...just an acoustic...one track with the lead vocals.
Now overdub your harmonies on the other tracks...starting with the third. When you overdub, it's really easy to pick out if you're adding a part, or doubling an existing harmony.
I'd get whoever the best singer...least easily distracted by other parts...to do the parts. The guys that will eventually be singing them don't have to record them in the first place.
Now, make copies of the cassette. Let's say the bass player is singing the fifth (usually the hardest...thirds are easy). Give him a cassette with three mixes of each song...one with the guitar and his part only...(fifth) ...one with the lead and fifth (it'll sound like a Gregorian chant)...and one with the lead and third (so he'll have to supply the fifth). Tell him to keep that cassette (or CD) in his car and sing along with it at all times.
You all will be singing like the fricking Beach Boys in no time.
_________________________
"Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine...(WAH WAH WAH WAHHH!)"
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#1645241 - 03/28/05 08:58 AM
Re: Getting started singing harmonies?
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Tedster
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Registered: 09/21/00
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Oh, and remember, falsetto is perfectly acceptable for the higher stratospheric harmonies. It blends in and sounds just fine. You want to hit it strong, but not too harshly.
AND remember...a harmony line doesn't always have to "move" with the melody. Sometimes a harmony can be one note, or hang on one note.
Listen to my cover demo...you'll hear a little clip of my rendition of the old "Left Banke" song "Walk Away Renee". The harmonies on that song are mostly monotones...the melodies move but the harmonies don't.
_________________________
"Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine...(WAH WAH WAH WAHHH!)"
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#1645243 - 03/28/05 12:33 PM
Re: Getting started singing harmonies?
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BluesWithoutBlame
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Registered: 11/12/04
Posts: 774
Loc: Oslo. Norway
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The last few years I have been home recording and working on just that.
It helps a lot to be able to do this alone for a while to get past the terrible sound when you "search" for the harmony part :-)
The best advice I can give, as a non-natural harmony singer is this...
You will be singing a DIFFERENT song than the lead singer. Practice it that way. Your song is your song, and the main vocals are another song playing simultanously.
I use my guitar often to get the part, write down the notes on the harmony section, then play the song, singing MY (harmony) part.
Do this enough and it really is NOT a problem, you sing your part.
The hard part can be doing this on-the-fly, but that too is great practice. I now tend to sing either the harmony part, OR harmony part when there is none, in the car with the radio.
Helps also to get some Beatles, CS & N, and others known for their harmony (I don't have it but heard Simon and Garfunkels earliest recordings had often lead voc on one side, harmony on the other, so you can pan a stereo to hear the harmony more than the original.
Like anything, it takes practice. I would arrange time AWAY from normal band practice with the singers in the group, away from all the instruments except one (one guitar or one keyboard) and get some intense work together to get the harmony parts down.
But first and foremost, the understanding that YOUR song has one type of chorus, whereas the lead vocalist has HIS song....they just coincide!
Hardest thing...not slipping over into the main vocals. That is the BIGGEST no-no. Otherwise it is fun to try whatever comes naturally...you slip between 3rds, whatever, but just NEVER double the vocals.
Good luck!
_________________________
==================================================== Check out my original music at http://www.soundclick.com/bands/jacker "In theory there is no difference between theory and practice, but not in practice."
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#1645244 - 03/28/05 12:48 PM
Re: Getting started singing harmonies?
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Tedster
MP Hall of Fame Member
Registered: 09/21/00
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Good stuff, Blues...
Although, on some early Beatles recordings, the vocals were doubled by John and Paul singing in unison. They'd sing a bit in unison, and then one of 'em would break off into a harmony. The point is, almost anything is probably okay, as long as it's done purposely that way.
But, singing harmony takes practice. No matter how good you are, or how naturally it comes, you still have to work at it, whether you're CSNY or the kids jamming in the neighbor's basement. Don't be discouraged. It'll come!
_________________________
"Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine...(WAH WAH WAH WAHHH!)"
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