What song would you use to try out a new singer?

[Griffinator]

Hell, for that matter, ask me. I used to be able to hit those sick high notes from "Immigrant Song" - back when I was 25. I'm 34 now, and it just ain't happening.

[Eric VB]

We don't have a vocalist lined up, so (I know where you are going, I think) this is a bit of a "what if I win the lottery" moment. Having said that, though, I do live in the SF Bay area and there are a lot of retired musicians that live nearby. You just never know, you know? We may happen across someone that has stopped trying to "make it", but misses performance and just wants to have some fun playing out from time to time.

Yes, you never know until you try. I agree. And yes, maybe there is a retired singer in your area pining away for the fjords*, er, the limelight. (*Obscure Monty Python reference. Sorry!)

The singer that can do the songs (really well) on your set list has probably got a gig already.

I agree with this statement, too. I'd think it would be easier for a talented singer to find a talented band than the other way around. That is, I believe there are more Jimmy Pages out there than Robert Plants. So the odds are against you.

 

The other things to consider are status and networking.

 

If your band is already playing out (sans singer) and blowing people's minds, the singers will start looking for you. And from the singer's point of view there's a big difference between a "singer wanted" ad from a "working, established band with gigs lined up" and even a "near gigging band".

 

Sure, it's hard to play out classic/hard rock/metal without a singer. Still, you guys should be able to find open mikes and jams nearby where you can play at least three songs that don't totally suck without vocals. You might find a singer there. Or else pick songs for which one of the current members can sing without totally sucking. Don't worry if you have to pick songs that have lame instrumental parts compared to the set list you want to play. I mean, you can tell if someone has talent or not even if they play the "easy" stuff, right?

 

As far as networking, you guys need to get out and talk to other gigging musicians in your area. This could produce a good lead on a singer. Not by stealing a singer from someone's band right off the stage , but because these guys and gals know lots of other working musicians. "Say, didn't Andy say his band Gomer's Pile just took a dump and he's looking for a new hard rock project?" Maybe Andy doesn't read craisglist and only takes jobs by word of mouth? Besides, Andy is (was) a gigging musician. Is he going to want to join a startup band? Those have a nasty habit of taking forever to get off the ground, if ever; big time wasters. So maybe if Andy does read craigslist he'll only respond to the "working band with gigs" ads.

 

Don't just network with other musicians, either. You never know who people know. The elderly cashier at the grocery store might have a nephew that's moving back into the area next week and he sings in a band. Jackpot!

 

[For full disclosure let me just say that my current band was a startup that I joined as it was building. And I answered an ad in the local weekly for it. We found our last member through craigslist (lives only a few miles from my place). So sometimes this route does work. But, just as an example, I found out yesterday one of my coworkers fronts a band; we both kind of keep that to ourselves at work.]

[Eric VB]

Honestly, dude, your pool is already extremely limited by the fact that your list requires a 2nd baritone or tenor. Most of them are in signed bands - and the "retired guys who don't want to make it anymore" don't have the pipes anymore either - ask Robert Plant about what age does to your falsetto limits....

Agreed. Easier to find a Roger Daltry and do Who covers. (Good luck to the rest of you covering BGVs!)

[VeloDoug]

Oopsy... yeah, besides the joke that may have seem like a pretty harsh one, I think it's pretty good advice.

 

Also, the whole "different register/tempo" thing--lookn into that when choosing. I think you also want to look at phrasing and diction, although the songs on your list don't necessarily have rapid-fire syllable-after-syllable vocal rhythms. But I guess you'd wanna make sure the singer can dish out the rhythms well and not get lost in terms of the structure of the song.

 

But mainly, I'd talk to each one of the people you audition ahead of time and ask them what they feel comfortable with. Give them a list to choose from... Do AT LEAST 3 songs (remember you don't have to play/sing all/any songs in their entirety), 2 from the ones they feel comfortable with and one that might strech their limits. I would think you want songs in which you'll clearly notice their timbre, their ability to sing IN PITCH without fishing for correct notes when singing the tunes or when improvising (no unnecessary "portamenti"), their rhythm, their phrasing and their range, and that will tell you something about their musical personalities. You might also want to record the auditions, b/c when you play you might no be 100% focusing on how they sound, but you're also thinking about your playing. You'd wanna go back and double-check your impressions.

 

I'm guessing not many people are going to feel comfortable singing Immigrant Song. It fits the description Bill pointed out at parts, has fast passages on the vocals that have to have tight rhythms, and then some of the typical Robert Plant "free" phrasing/rhythms... so there you go, three things that are important in one song. Also, maybe it's not easy b/c of the high-register screams. However, it'd be also an easier song for the instruments to change keys in--and it's fairly short. If your band does this song, I'd put it somewhere in the audiditions repertoire for sure.

 

I'd ditch the Judas Priest song. If you wanna audition a singer w/ JP, take Painkiller or another one, but this one is not exactly a great melody, and anyone could sound good on it regardless of what timbre they have. I don't think it's a song that will tell you a lot about each individual singer.

 

No One Like You seems to me like a good choice as well. Ample register, varying sections in the tempo, the color of the voice has to be round and solid at times, rockin' at others.

 

War Pigs seems easy but in a way it's good b/c of the fact the vocals are in BETWEEN band hits, vocalist is all alone, and while an "easier" song, the vocalist has to have confidence doing it b/c of that fact.

 

Do you like Queensryche?

 

Great points. I never really thought of You Got Another Thing Coming that way... I'll have to give it another critical listen.

 

I've lost some interest in Queensryche since Chris DeGarmo isn't in the band, but have been listening since "Queen of the Ryche" was getting played on WCWP (CW Post College's radio station) on Long Island... before they had ever played a live show. I tossed Queensryche out there more as an indicator of what my band was capable of instrumentally since they have a bunch of harmony solos. Geoff Tate obviously has insane vocal capabilities, but we are looking for a rock singer and he is more like an opera singer. It works for Queensryche and their music because it is so 'dramatic', but it isn't something I'd use to try out a vocalist for our band.... it would be like asking them to sing "Bohemian Rhapsody" or something like that... too stylized... too hard.

[Gruupi]

You are really asking alot of any singer to expect him to cover that range of notes and styles. You really should ask him what his range and style is and tailor your audition songs to him. It would be really rare to find someone who could do all those songs justice. Almost no male singer can do Robert Plant.

 

I've seen many guitar bands where the singer is an after thought and it usually sucks. They find someone who can get through the songs but really isn't a frontman. For better or worse, as DR. Ellwood always points out (rightfully so), you really have to build your band around vocals these days.

 

As S'mel Gibson said, any singer that can sing all those songs well has probably got a gig. You better be real good to have anything to offer him. Plus how marketable is that setlist these days. I like the material, but the average club or wedding isn't going to be exited about it. Most good singers want good gigs, they love adulation.

[miroslav]

Almost no male singer can do Robert Plant.

 

Well...not the young Robert Plant.

 

Heck...Robert Plant can't do young Robert Plant either!

 

Most good singers...

.....love adulation.

 

Really...I never noticed that!

Though to be fair...a lot of lead guitar players are like that too!

 

Did you ever notice how in some bands the two are always trying to out-pose each other! :grin:

[blueross]

In my limited experience, you only need one song. And probably only 30 seconds of it. Give them a few from which to choose and ask them to pick one. My problem in auditions has been wanting to be "nice" and we end up listening to 20 minutes of crap rather than cutting it short quickly. I'm getting better at it, though.

 

Once the guy does the song, spend time talking to him if you like the vocals. That will probably tell you more than the additional songs.

 

(Caveat: I heard an audition story about a guy who only knew one song on bass. They happened to pick that one to have him audition [did i hear that here? Can't remember...]. Thought the guy was fine, gave him a song list and had him show up at a gig. Disaster ensued.)

[miroslav]

 

(Caveat: I heard an audition story about a guy who only knew one song on bass. They happened to pick that one to have him audition [did i hear that here? Can't remember...]. Thought the guy was fine, gave him a song list and had him show up at a gig. Disaster ensued.)

 

Well...I think with a singer it's a bit different.

You are right, you can usually hear in the first 30 seconds if the guy has a voice or not.

You can't really fake singing like you can fake bass playing by learning just one song!

That was a funny story...I would love to have been there at their first gig just to see their faces!!! :grin:

 

And looking at that song list again...

I am wondering if any one of the singers from those bands would be able to sing all the other songs of the other bands...and nail them...?

It's a bit tough expecting a singer to cover multiple styles and ranges.

Singing isn't really the same as learning to play an instrument.

Your voice is, what it is...it's not easy to just "learn" to sing with 10-15 different other voices.

[Griffinator]

Which is why it's far more important to have a vocalist with a good sense of pitch and rhythm, and a pleasing timbre to their natural voice.

 

It's really a bad idea to force a singer to sing "like" someone else - sure recipe for vocal strain and blowouts during gigs.

 

Trust me, I can tell you from experience - once your singer blows their throat, you're screwed for that gig.