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anybody here started to sing at some point?


offnote

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I mean I often envy some of the pianists or keyboardists

who can sing well like Billy Joel or Elton John and I'd like to add vocal to my playing. Anybody here had success with learning how to sing good and play at the same time if you never have done it before except the usual shaving humming?

 

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I sang a lead vocal while playing ONE time in the past. It was at a New Years Eve party and I sang See The "Sky About to Rain" by Neil Young from the album On The Beach. It wasn't awful, but I've never really been much of a singer. I've been trying to work on it more lately with some originals I've written.
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Yes- years ago once I changed from "chasing record deal" to "buy food, pay bills."

 

Started with backing vocals/harmonies. My vocal isn't good enough to front a band but you have to take your turn in a busy function band - your main vocalist needs a break.

 

If you suspect you might actually be quite good at it once you get going - pay for a few lessons with a coach.

 

There's no quality to my voice so I'm always going to be backing/harmonies and only lead at a push.

 

(1) Try not to shout (like I did for years)

(2) Identify your range in the morning

(3) Find songs that are not technically difficult - avoid long held notes, exposed stuff. If your timing is good (and you're a musician so here's hoping) - find some "talky stuff."

 

That's just for vocally challenged guys like me in function band situations where needs must.

 

If you're "chasing the dream" and you have no quality to your voice (the public find it inoffensive rather than like it) - don't sing lead vocals. Just don't.

 

Playing and singing - it's actually easier for us keyboardists - just chord it or drone notes. Singing drummers have a harder time.

 

Good luck.

 

I am pitchy. :(
What do you mean?
I'm the piano player "off of" Borrowed Books.
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I sang a bit of harmony as an adolescent, usually the lowest part because I have a low-pitched voice. Plus of course I sang in the polyphonic choir during the Conservatory period.

 

With the years, my voice has become a bit wobbling from lack of practice, and this difference between the pitches I'm hearing in my head and what comes out of my vocal cords drives me mad!

So I avoid singing altogether at present. Not a big loss anyway, because I don't have a beautiful voice... but I miss the joy of singing a little bit. Humming in the shower is all I allow myself.

 

 

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I can sing, and everybody says I have a nice voice and I sing well (I usually don't believe them) :). So I sing quite a lot when jamming with friends and sang backing vocals and main vocals with a pop/rock cover band I was in.

Nevertheless I used to sing as "frontsman", I mean, not at the keys, as it was really difficult for me to play well and sing at the same time. At some point I decided I had to practice and be able to sing along while playing, and I found it's just a matter of practice.

Now I can sing while playing, but don't expect me to deliver some Rachmaninov-like chops while singing nicely!

 

It's easier for a piano player to sing than it is for a drummer, but it's even easier to sing while strumming a guitar though! :laugh:

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I song and play and have for years. Start by learning and singing harmony. When you sing people are listening to the words so focus your attention more on your vocals first, then playing. If you have to stop playing or you have a difficult time with certain passages try simplifying. Like anything it takes practice and the more you do it the better.

Jimmy

 

Those are my principles, and if you don't like them... well, I have others. Groucho

NEW BAND CHECK THEM OUT

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(1) Try not to shout (like I did for years)

(2) Identify your range in the morning

(3) Find songs that are not technically difficult - avoid long held notes, exposed stuff.

 

Great advice - in addition, I'd add:

1) Sing with confidence and have fun. The audience will notice.

2) Understand that there will likely initially be a decline in your playing while singing.

3) Backing vocals will make you sound better

 

 

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I started an originals band 15 years ago with me as lead singer. That was awful. Luckily I came to my senses and quit.

 

But I've since learned that even a terrible singer can be convincing and effective if they can sell it with confidence and attitude.

 

Recently I started singing background parts in a salsa band. From there, I got motivated to sing some songs by myself during my practice time. Occasionally I record myself to see how I'm doing. The result? Sure enough, just like everything else, all it really takes is regular practice! :)

 

In my life I've tried 3 different vocal teachers, and I've never found one who really helped me get past my particular difficulties. The biggest difficulty: trying too hard. It wasn't until I was in Brazil, and I had a bad cold, and I sang Bossa Nova without actually trying to sing and it occurred to me "damn I sound kind of like Jobim right now". That is, if focused just on the delivery of the words like talking, then it pretty much sounded good.

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I think that main challenge is to train your voice to be stable and able to keep in tune other things like voice quality are not that important as we see many great singers have not necessary great voice. By great voice I mean wide range and strong base. Interesting voice timbre is probably the most beneficial like e.g. Rod Steward - weak voice but very characteristic timbre.

Other thing is how to judge you have good voice or not if you don't hear your voice same as others perceive it.

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I sing, I write songs and sing what I write, and arrange harmonies with my band members based on what's needed and what I want. No coach, no guide book, a good ear and practice, which makes perfect in my golden years.

~ Sean

Juno-60, Juno-G, MicroBrute, MS-20 Mini, PX-5S, R3, etc.

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I sing, I write songs and sing what I write, and arrange harmonies with my band members based on what's needed and what I want. No coach, no guide book, a good ear and practice, which makes perfect in my golden years.

 

so you're saying no coach is necessary unless you want to sing an opera? just good ear and and I guess recording yourself and listen to? I'd like to agree because singing should be natural thing, shouldn't it?

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I never sang at all, and had zero interest in it, until a couple years ago when I started singing some very occasional backup parts in a cover band. I always thought I was a simply awful singer, but as I did it more, I realized that wasn't true. Once I got comfortable enough that hearing my own voice coming back at me through the PA no longer made me want to run and hide, I started doing more backup parts because it actually became kinda fun. And soon I realized that I have a much wider range than I ever thought. The baritone/bass range was always most comfortable for me, but I figured out that once I get over myself and belt it out, I can get up in the high A range, and live there, with no problem. And I've realized I'm less "pitchy" than many of the lead singers I work with.So I've decided to take some lessons with a vocal coach as soon as I can schedule the time.
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I sing, I write songs and sing what I write, and arrange harmonies with my band members based on what's needed and what I want. No coach, no guide book, a good ear and practice, which makes perfect in my golden years.

 

so you're saying no coach is necessary unless you want to sing an opera? just good ear and and I guess recording yourself and listen to? I'd like to agree because singing should be natural thing, shouldn't it?

 

Sorry motif, but how on earth am I saying that? In MY experience as a young vocalist, my ear and practice have worked for me. I'm a hobbyist, not a professional. If you want to know where my opinion is coming from, I do believe that most people have it in them to sing. I know that I shied away from it for many years, until I received positive feedback from others, and started to explore my natural abilities. I'm speaking as a hobbyist against a pool of professionals. I'll accept that.

 

But, OF COURSE coaching, if one can afford it/has time for that option, can be hugely beneficial. Even the few sessions I spent with a choir master when I was part of the school choir have marked me as a musician today. One can always explore new limits, learn new techniques, and improve on bad habits. I'm definitely no exception. If anyone here has never tried singing, I strongly encourage everyone to sing! But feedback and coaching are important.

 

Anyways, I hope that addresses your concern. I don't want to be offensive either, so please don't take any offense. I'm just not sure about the level of sarcasm/inquiry in your post.

~ Sean

Juno-60, Juno-G, MicroBrute, MS-20 Mini, PX-5S, R3, etc.

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Yeah, I started to sing... and the band turned off my mike...

'55 and '59 B3's; Leslies 147, 122, 21H; MODX 7+; NUMA Piano X 88; Motif XS7; Mellotrons M300 and M400’s; Wurlitzer 206; Gibson G101; Vox Continental; Mojo 61; Launchkey 88 Mk III; Korg Module; B3X; Model D6; Moog Model D

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Yeah, I started to sing... and the band turned off my mike...

 

That happened to me for real! Some years back I was on tour with a Fairly Famous Band, and the lead singer decided he wanted everyone singing on this one particular song. Prior to that I didn't even have a vocal mic onstage. I told him I couldn't sing, but he was insistent. So I got a vocal mic, and started singing on that song. Then after about 4 or 5 gigs, my vocal mic just kinda stopped appearing, and nothing more was ever said about it.

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I spent many years in the background - I think I did background vocals twice. Then I landed a church gig and got into singing 4 part harmony (I was the daddy - you know "daddy sang bass"). A few years ago, I landed another church gig and had to sing lead. I was a bit terrified, but forged ahead. Today, I would say I'm a decent singer - not a great singer - but decent, although the church crowd is usually a bit more forgiving than some.

 

What I've learned:

1. Concentrate on selling the song vocally.

2. Focus on the singing much more than the playing (most of my singing mistakes happen when I start getting into the keys more than the vocals).

3. Every voice is an instrument - find the style that works best for yours.

4. Have fun with it - there's a lot of vocalists that go all out, get a great response, and sound pretty bad.

 

Go for it!

Cloner

Yamaha DX7S, Ensoniq ESQ-1, Yamaha HX-3, Clavinova CLP-300, PSR-740

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What I've learned:

1. Concentrate on selling the song vocally.

2. Focus on the singing much more than the playing (most of my singing mistakes happen when I start getting into the keys more than the vocals).

3. Every voice is an instrument - find the style that works best for yours.

4. Have fun with it - there's a lot of vocalists that go all out, get a great response, and sound pretty bad.

 

Go for it!

 

I think you offer great advice for vocalists! That's exactly how I got started, and depending on my comfort level (and abilities), I shift concentration from instrument to the mic. And as motif said, there is always some room for vocal training in this routine. :)

~ Sean

Juno-60, Juno-G, MicroBrute, MS-20 Mini, PX-5S, R3, etc.

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I don't have much of a voice, but I don't let that stop me. My wife wants me to learn to sing correctly; she says I'm doing it all wrong and I'd be a lot better if I did it right. I'm sure she's right about that too.

 

To play and sing together, you have to really have both parts DOWN. If you're reaching for words or don't remember the phrasing, it ain't gonna happen. Practice singing the song a LOT. Make a backing track and practice while driving. Makes for good funny looks at intersections. ;-)

 

My high school bandleader said that anyone with an earn can learn to sing in tune. I do believe he's right about that. My wife gave me her textbook from choir and it starts out saying that a good musician can make good music on a bad instrument. How true! It goes on to say that while the quality of our vocal instruments varies dramatically, anyone with good musical sense can learn to use the instrument we have well enough to make good music with it.

 

A lot of terrible vocalists are great singers. They know what works and how to use it. Look at Mick Jagger.

 

You have to have the keyboard part down to where it's second nature. After that, it's just practice.

 

The hardest part for me, years ago, was singing a song that didn't follow the beat. That came, with time. Now if only I could get a good tone and be on pitch and remember the damn words ...

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Yeah, I started to sing... and the band turned off my mike...

 

Thats funny!

 

I usually do not sing. First time was for a comic spot in a country show. I thought no big deal, I have been performing a long time. Now this wasn't a bar or a wedding. Everyone seated and completely focused on the band. About 3 minutes before time to pull in the mic, butterflies. Then full blown Stage Panic! :o

 

 

Nord Electro 3... Korg CX3... Leslie 145... Wurlitzer 200a... Juno 106... Roland RD170... DS88
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My first band was kind... they put me through the monitors, but not through the mains...

'55 and '59 B3's; Leslies 147, 122, 21H; MODX 7+; NUMA Piano X 88; Motif XS7; Mellotrons M300 and M400’s; Wurlitzer 206; Gibson G101; Vox Continental; Mojo 61; Launchkey 88 Mk III; Korg Module; B3X; Model D6; Moog Model D

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