Singing? - Off-Topic

#1 Edited by razorzxz (180 posts) - 1 year, 11 months ago

I have a band at the moment and we are getting a place to rehearse for a few months and we don't have a vocalist. So I said I'll give it a shot, but I'm not even sure I can sing and I don't want to embarrass myself. I've taken a look at musical scales and practiced with them a little, but I don't think that's going to improve me drastically. Is there any way to get alright at singing within a week? Just so we have some lyrics to go with.

#2 Posted by CookieMonster (2364 posts) - 1 year, 11 months ago

Probably not. I'm guessing Its like any other skill, i.e. it will take a lot longer than a week to get good at something.

#3 Edited by razorzxz (180 posts) - 1 year, 11 months ago

@CookieMonster: I have a month before I actually have to perform, if that's of any use. Also I don't really want to be good within the week, just reasonable.

#4 Posted by Bombs_Away (1010 posts) - 1 year, 11 months ago

Just fucking go for it man. As my boy Chris Rock said, "If the beat's alright, she'll dance all night!"

Make sure you play well and the song is well written. Vocals don't matter if everything else is good.

#5 Posted by MatPaget (1110 posts) - 1 year, 11 months ago

@razorzxz:
Alright, I'm a singer, and have been a front man for many bands.
These are the tips I suggest.

1. Put your hands on your stomach. Every time you breathe make sure your stomach moves out (breathing with your stomach), and every time you sing, make sure your stomach moves in (breathing out).  This will ensure you're not singing out of your throat, which is really bad for you. If you perform, and your stomach hurts, then you're doing it right!

2. Sing with a smile. This may not seem like much, but it makes a huge improvement. Don't sing sad songs with a smile, obviously, but when you're singing a song that could warrant a smile, do it.

3.  If you have access to a piano, find the lowest note you can hit comfortably, and the highest note you can hit comfortably. Stay in that range for everything you sing.

4. Drink slightly warm water before and during singing, not cold water. Don't listen to anyone who says drinking lemon juice is good for your vocal cords. And no greasy foods!

Remember, singing is about expressing yourself. It doesn't matter if you're an "amazing singer" like Andrea Bocelli, or Robert Plant. Some of my favourite singers are not traditionally great singers, but they express themselves amazingly.

If you can talk, you can sing.

#6 Posted by Everyones_A_Critic (6089 posts) - 1 year, 11 months ago

If it's a metal band than you're probably already overqualified.

#7 Posted by Example1013 (4457 posts) - 1 year, 11 months ago

As the saying goes, those who can't play sing, and those who can't sing play bass.

#8 Posted by TheDudeOfGaming (5901 posts) - 1 year, 11 months ago

Like beards, and loss of hair, you either have it or you don't.

#9 Posted by razorzxz (180 posts) - 1 year, 11 months ago

@MatPaget: Thanks, this is probably the most useful information I've had so far.

#10 Posted by MatPaget (1110 posts) - 1 year, 11 months ago

@razorzxz: You're welcome! If there's anything else you want to know, or need help with, feel free to PM me.
I don't claim to know everything, but I do know a lot.
I've been training for a few years now, and I've also learned Vocal Jazz Theory, which is something I suggest if you end up loving to sing.

#11 Posted by Tordah (2394 posts) - 1 year, 11 months ago

Don't be afraid to belt out and sing loudly. Nothing is worse than singers that quietly mumble their way through songs.
Exaggerate the pronounciation of every word when you sing. It might not seem like a big thing to yourself but others will definitely hear it and appreciate it.
Record yourself singing. If you've never heard your own voice before you'll be shocked by how you sound to everyone else (most probably in a negative way too, so be forewarned)
Be prepared to take a lot of criticism unless you happen to be naturally talented at it.

#12 Edited by cnlmullen (900 posts) - 1 year, 11 months ago

If you find you suck at singing and want to get better I recommend picking up Roger Love's Set Your Voice Free. As cheesy as it sounds, the vocal exercises and techniques in there helped me improve my singing quite a bit (I'm not exactly a natural).

#13 Posted by ChristianConservativeVinny (95 posts) - 1 year, 11 months ago

@Tordah said:

Exaggerate the pronounciation of every word when you sing. It might not seem like a big thing to yourself but others will definitely hear it and appreciate it.
Record yourself singing. If you've never heard your own voice before you'll be shocked by how you sound to everyone else (most probably in a negative way too, so be forewarned)

This is particularly good advice. Remember that your vowels make the melody more intelligible, while the consonants make the lyrics more intelligible. If you listen to the lead singer of Styx, he pays a ton of attention to his consonants when he sings, and as a result you can understand the lyrics really easily.

If you're singing in English, pay special attention to the accent that good singers sing in. It is NOT the same as their speech accent. We have an awful lot of vowels that sound really ugly in song. A good rule of thumb is to always return to the 5 "cardinal" vowels. They are "ah" as in "father," "eh" as in "bed," "ee" as in "bee," "o" as in "or," and "oo" as in "shoe." Approximately. If you have to sing a word that doesn't contain one of those vowels, such as "in," replace them with their closest approximations. And to sing a diphthong (a vowel that "glides" from one sound to another such as "ow" or "ey") you sing the bulk of the vowel on the first sound and add the second sound to the end.

To get a good feel for where your mouth should be when you sing, find a pitch that's comfortable and sing the vowel in "or" while adjusting the position of your throat and the back of your tongue. When you all of a sudden feel like the sound coming out is a lot prettier, that's where you should be.

#14 Posted by mikethekilla (278 posts) - 1 year, 11 months ago

no