The Vocalists Thread

I'm aiming this thread at singers/vocalists, their styles, techniques, successes, failures, useful vocal tips, comparisons etc. In fact, anything vocal about vocals :)

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We could talk about stuff like

> Have you ever had formal voice training ?

> Have you ever suffered through singing badly or too much ?

> Do you belong to a choir ?

> Have you had to lower or raise your pitch for any reason ?

> Which part of harmony (with others) do you like to take

> Do you try to sing like someone you admire ?

> Are you a screamer or a breathy whisperer ?

I'll leave you with a few thoughts now :)

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my first time ever in choir was 6th grade. not sure why i joined, but i did. got selected to do a duet with another person, for an event in a large auditorium. was so nervous, i think it made me not want to be involved with choir or music stuff while in school. i never took a music class or sang (in school related stuff) after that.

i like to try and mimic a style, if i can, or at least try and have fun with it. have done throaty metal stuff, a Jimi Hendrix impersonation, maybe an AC/DC-like style, sang in Spanish, and tried and failed at singing in French :D

singing is interesting, much like a guitar, where you can have "effects", it's the same with singing for me, just more challenging. effects would be, clearer, softer, breathy, louder/scream, throaty, nasally, from the belly, more headier, falsetto, closer, further, etc.

unfortunately i had to lower my pitch when i went through puberty, really didn't have control over that :D

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I love your response Nick and I've had much the same experiences. There were some great female singers at my school but they never got picked for the choir, they were told they were too "distinctive"

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So many people (including musicians) tell me they CAN'T sing. Reasons are many and varied from shyness - to being tone deaf. But I don't accept that. Unless you have lost the ability to talk, you CAN sing.

It doesn't matter if you think listeners will judge you or think less of you, that's their problem ; the point is you're trying and the more you try the better you'll get. As long as you let go of your inhibitions and start enjoying the sound of your vocalizing then it's worth having a go.

Singing is so subjective, it goes from a low Monks chant to a soaring, glass breaking Soprano.
We all know famous singers who hardly break sweat, in fact they barely sing at all, but the way they present the lyrics is meaningful.... YOU can do that too.

Of course you don't have to sing, but there are so many good reasons to do it. It's healthy, sociable, expressive, it makes you and others happy no matter how bad you think you are - there's a chance that if you can't hold a tune you probably can't hear if it's good or bad anyway :)

I know my singing is average but occasionally I hit a sweet note and that's so rewarding. Most of you have good mixing equipment so there are ways to disguise or enhance what comes out of your mouth.... but don't use auto tune unless you are really serious or trying to impress or surprise someone.... but is it really going to make you happy, that's the question !

In the meantime, please add your "inspirational thoughts and songs about singing" to this thread

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I used to try and sing on my 4 track cassette recordings when I was younger. I could only do it by "putting on" a voice, but hey, all the best do the same don't they? It was still out of tune and badly sung all round. I gave up. I think singing is very very hard if the only time you sing is when you want to record some singing once in a blue moon.

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But Zedders, you shouldn't give up, you should do it more, get to the stage when you sing for pleasure. If you haven't sung in a while you get 'rusty' you have to rev up your engine, get the oil flowing, pull out the throttle and soon you'll be purring. Try different ways until you find a style that suits you..... You can't be "out of tune" if you are the one making the tune up :) Thanks for stopping by all the same

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this thread reminded me of doing a song with Tu, it was really inspirational from my point of view. not just to sing with her but to write something to sing over. probably one of the coolest times I've had here on the loops. which reminds me, I may try and remix it as my equipment and tools is different since then.
#242444

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@Shamika: I hope that others may hear and follow your words of encouragement. Alas, this is not for me as I am cursed. Even humming in the shower turns the water into green slime.

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MySounds, I'm sure YourSounds are not as bad as you say, you are one of the most self deprecating musicians I know, far to humble and apologetic about your skills :) I know you're exaggerating, but I think if you really wanted to you could find a voice within yourself that's right for you. I'd like to hear you just once :|

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Hi Shamika, you always post such cool things in the forum. And so interesting to read everyone else's replies too. Well, I shall try and answer your questions.
1/ No I have not had any formal voice or musical training. I was asked to join a choir once but they wanted to make me sound more operatic which isn't really me at all :D Although I might have liked the dressing up part :D oooh Carmen.

2/ Singing badly or too much ? I did try singing with a chest infection once and ended up having a coughing fit with tears streaming down my face. Not the best idea. More lemon and honey please.

3/ I dont belong to a choir but maybe we should see if we could do some wikiloops ensemble singing, that might be fun :)

4/ I always wish I could have a kind of a cool bluesy growl in my voice but I think the only way I could do that would be getting a sore throat or going to the shop and buying those little white fire sticks...nooooooooo perhaps not.

5/ I like singing harmony too so if anyone wants some harmony vocals, I'm in :)

6/ I don't try and emulate anyone because the originals do it so much better :) speaking of vocalists like Adele or Taylor or Amy Winehouse or like Aretha Franklin and Karen Carpenter and so on. You know who they are as soon as they start singing.

7/ A screamer or a breathy..back to the sore throat or the bad cold :D:D
I just sing the song how I feel it I guess and hope it's okay. thanks for reading :)

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Just to answer the questions:

1. Yes. Up until I was 14. Teacher was a singer at Covent Garden. Needed the training as singing was part of the RSM piano exams. Then my voice decided on a lifestyle that had more to do with special effects in horror movies.

2. No.

3.-7. No, as I stopped singing after giving it a final try in a band when I was 18. Anyway, the wistful piano player had much better chances of attracting girls than the singer.

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@Shi, so glad I enticed you in, I feel that you're probably ready to do more singing again soon ? <3
@MySounds, I've not finished with you yet my friend :D

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Where can I sign up? :D

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> Have you ever had formal voice training ?
No. But I sing very regularly.

> Have you ever suffered through singing badly or too much ?
No doubt I often sing badly, but usually I can tell where I messed up :)

> Do you belong to a choir ?
Yes - as a singer and occasionally as a composer (premiere of 2 pieces in about 3 weeks...)

> Have you had to lower or raise your pitch for any reason ?
I'm not sure what you mean here. I made a piece once where I used pitchshifting to harmonize myself in real-time: https://youtu.be/AKs25wQiIDU

> Which part of harmony (with others) do you like to take
Usually the bariton part (the "higher" of the two "low" voices in a choir)

> Do you try to sing like someone you admire ?
No. That never works :)

> Are you a screamer or a breathy whisperer ?
If I had to choose one, I'd say breathy whisperer, but more likely the answer is neither?

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Interesting topic, I was an 'I cant sing' person but then again I was a 'I cant play a musical instrument' guy for most of my life too! I wrote a few songs for others to sing and then thought I would give it a go and sang on a few of my own songs. I am not a great singer as you can hear but I enjoy doing it and I can get my message across better if I sing it myself. I tried one of those AI tools to sing my songs and realised I wasn't as bad as the AI! As for lessons I have never had any but think I could improve considerably with a coach. There are some outstanding vocalists on the Looops for sure.Any tips greatly appreciated.

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Zoot, I love what you said about preferring to sing yourself to get the message across better. Thanks for your input :W

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I've been eager to reconnect with the forum, and this thread from Shamika feels like the perfect place to jump back in.

Have you ever had formal voice training?
It all began with choir in 3rd grade, sparking a lifelong passion for singing and music. Throughout my time in the public school system, I had the incredible opportunity to participate in group choirs, bands, and orchestras while receiving weekly instruction from choir leaders, including the inspiring guidance of three teachers by the names of Briggs, Contzius, and Wurster. We studied everything from classical to contemporary, jazz, secular, and spiritual pieces. Looking back, I realize how fortunate I was, and I soaked up every bit of it. My favorite memories involve singing German lieder for judges, which I did several times a year to qualify for higher-level vocal ensembles. Singing a cappella, in different languages, in 8-part harmony—these were magical, enriching experiences that I deeply miss.

Have you ever suffered through singing badly or too much?
If you listen to my early recordings and compare them to where I am now, you’ll hear how I started from humble beginnings and worked my way up through dedicated practice, constant experimentation, and a deep love for the craft. I wouldn’t call my beginnings “bad singing,” just the kind of humble start that comes with any new practice. You have to push through that period where you feel like you suck because the sound you're making doesn't match the sound of your idols—or that dreaded time of listening back to a recording or video where you thought you nailed it but you actually fell short of the expectation. In a sort of masochistic way, I would spend hours recording myself, tweaking my technique like an obsessed madwoman at times, but it gave me purpose growing up in a chaotic alcoholic home. In that way, perhaps I’ve leaned on singing too much to give me an identity, and if I lost it, I might feel like a big part of me is missing... But aside from that, I’ve never sung too much and I never will; there’s always room for more!!

Do you belong to a choir?
Not currently. The last choir I was part of was a small church choir of about 10 people, which I led for a few years, accompanied by a brilliant classical pianist, Torigoe. I've often thought about starting one again, a more secular group, but I know the level of commitment it takes, and I’m not quite ready for that yet.

Have you had to lower or raise your pitch for any reason?
Hmmm…if you mean transposing, then yes, I almost always transpose songs I’m covering into other keys to ensure they fit my vocal range comfortably.

Which part of harmony (with others) do you like to take?
I've typically been slotted as an alto, which probably isn’t surprising. But when I need a change, I love diving into soprano—gotta appease that side of me every now and then! I also enjoy singing tenor when needed, appreciating the unique melodic opportunities it offers. Each vocal part plays a distinct role depending on the piece, and the interplay between voices is pure magic.

Do you try to sing like someone you admire?
ALWAYS. I've spent countless hours emulating singers like Paul McCartney, Ella Fitzgerald, Mel Tormé, and Chet Baker. I love to dive deep into studying a singer’s voice, and then I’ll emerge, picking and choosing which techniques and nuances I want to incorporate into my own style.

Are you a screamer or a breathy whisperer?
In bed? Both :D And on the bucket list is to learn to really growl and scream like many rock singers do...

Thanks for these prompts, Shamika <3 Your engagement is inspiring!!!

Side note: As you've probably figured out, I’m really passionate about music and singing, and I love sharing what I’ve learned with others. If anyone’s ever looking for advice, tips, lessons or just someone to bounce ideas off, feel free to reach out. I’m happy to connect with fellow musicians, help if I can or at least try to point you in an interesting direction ;)

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Pro you are Lady.

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Playing drums, bass & guitar I preferred to be a sideman never the main focus.
I started singing & writing lyrics on my 4 track because I didn’t have someone else to do it.
Super Lyrics & Music on the loops with very few people bringing them together I started singing here.
I record countless tracks to try to get a good one if I can’t I will splice bits together for a good one.
If you like the lyrics & music I brought together please feel free to redo them with your vocals.
I would love to hear it done by someone that knows what there doing. Live Long & Prosper. Peace Out.

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