Singing tips

[seanpatrick]

Hey. I recently put together a folk punk band, and I'm in the position of lead singer. The thing is, I'm not a natural born singer at all. I was wondering if there are any tips or techniques that could help me along the road. Anything would be appreciated!

[Low D]

Expensive whiskey and cheap microphones. Or wait, maybe it's the other way around...

[Will]

Figure out what your vocal range is so you can play songs in a key appropriate to your voice.

Record yourself every two weeks or so. Much easier to hear what you don't like about your singing from a third party perspective.

Learn what you can from your favorite singers. Not just talking tonality, but emotional expression and phrasing. This'll help you develop your own style. Pay attention to the notes. There are nuances you might not catch if you don't listen carefully -- although this is less important for beginners. Better just to focus on capturing the 'feeling' of a song. Notes are nothing without feeling.

Sing in the car, the shower, during sex, etc. More you do it, the better you'll get.

Most importantly, when you're just starting out, enjoy yourself. The better you get the more you'll notice your flaws, and you can torture yourself over them at the appropriate juncture. Can't take on everything at once.

[JamesM]

Try and sound like yourself, rather than people you idolise. The world doesn't need another gravelly Shane MacGowan impersonator.

[seanpatrick1]

Thanks for the tips guys. I really appreciate the input.

[old barney greyheron]

Remember to breathe..

[moose]

Remember to breathe..

I forgot that once and fell over...

[Jonahs Lift]

My band have been making me lead-sing some songs lately. I never think of myself as particularly good, and over the last few years I seem to have lost my ear for pitch. So Inthought myself not a good choice..

In my nervousness, I over-compensated and spent so much time focusing on pitch, that I lost the energy. One of the band finally said It sounded a bit karaoke! The ultimate insult! So I relaxed and just gave it the balls it deserved and sang with the energy the words dictated. My performance was much better and the insults have stopped!!!!

Our fans repeatedly say that they love our energy and performance. None of them have EVER said that they love our tonal qualities!

I say, as others here, be yourself, understand the lyrics, and TELL the story. After all, Shane has never been known to pitch perfect, or even be intelligeable at times, but his energy and performance is what makes him the front man.

Good luck!

Wayne