Singing

[YourLastAugust]

I am a decent singer and my friends want me to be a second singer in their band(other people say i'm good). But sometimes my voice just sounds....flat, and lucky for me I'm a bass so I can't hit alot of the high notes. Is there any exercises or anything that could help me sing higher or not sound as flat? Because I think it will sound good then I record myself and it just sounds gay.

[Chuck Vermette]

I am a decent singer and my friends want me to be a second singer in their band(other people say i'm good). But sometimes my voice just sounds....flat, and lucky for me I'm a bass so I can't hit alot of the high notes. Is there any exercises or anything that could help me sing higher or not sound as flat? Because I think it will sound good then I record myself and it just sounds gay.

Of course, that's because you can't really hear what your voice sounds like. Most people are in control of notes when singing quietly, but when they have to sing louder, that control goes to hell.

This site can help you, I've been there and it's decent.

http://www.vocalist.org.uk/voicetraining.html

[Blind-Pilot]

i reckon scales work well.. just keep practicing scales.. I also sing along to fall out boy that singers a gun it helps a bit.. doesnt make me sound like him just sort of helps to get your pitching correct

[punklet2101]

Practice scales, heck, practice anything just do it often.. get lessons if you can afford it.. don't eat any dairy 24 hours before you sing (chocolate, milk, ice cream, anything like that) and that should help with your pitch. But more than anything the more you practice the better you're probably going to sound.

[djUbilla]

I am a decent singer and my friends want me to be a second singer in their band(other people say i'm good). But sometimes my voice just sounds....flat, and lucky for me I'm a bass so I can't hit alot of the high notes. Is there any exercises or anything that could help me sing higher or not sound as flat? Because I think it will sound good then I record myself and it just sounds gay.
Dude, practice scales along with a keyboard or guitar, and try and match the note.

Also try singing songs that barely stretch your vocal cords. Than just practice this and keep stretching them. This should help you hit some higher notes. I'm a more on the bass side, like yourself, and its helped me a ton.

[PunkDrums182]

I am a decent singer and my friends want me to be a second singer in their band(other people say i'm good). But sometimes my voice just sounds....flat, and lucky for me I'm a bass so I can't hit alot of the high notes. Is there any exercises or anything that could help me sing higher or not sound as flat? Because I think it will sound good then I record myself and it just sounds gay.
Okay, i suggest taking vocal lessons if you wanna be serious about, they'll show you everything you need to know. Also, drink honey and like gargle it in the back of your throat before you sing and stuff. I heard tea is good too, and have ROOM TEMPERATURE water with you when you sing at practice or shows.

[Kif]

My friend made a "Singing 101" .doc file with lots of tips and exercises for your voice and throat which is below:

Singing 101:

Intro:

I will be going over the basics of vocal technique, it is important that you understand the simple concepts of music theory such the names of scales and notes. When I refer to a note, I refer to its root note and its octave. For example C3 would mean the note C in the third octave, in this lesson we will consider C3 to be middle C.

About me:

I’m 20 a male, and I am trained in jazz, pop, rock and metal singing. I started singing when I was 15 and have taken lessons for about 3 years. I have studied jazz vocal at University for a year as well. Over the next few weeks I will post extensive lessons on several singing topics, hopefully this will help anyone trying to improve their voice.

Natural Skill vs Perseverance

It is true that some people are just naturally very good singers. They can adlib melodies and be on key right on the spot. Don’t worry though, just because you are not naturally a good singer doesn’t mean you can become a decent singer, it just means you have to work about 100 times harder than they do. I am not exaggerating to the least bit, you really do have to work your butt off. Very few people are actually tone deaf, and yes its true that they are “hopeless” as far as singing, but don’t worry I’m sure you aren’t one of those people Singing is just like anything in life, to be great you have to work.

Finding your singing range:

Your singing range is simply the lowest to the highest note you can sing. (this can or may not include falsetto depending on the style of singing you). Most males are usually Baritones; this range starts at about F#2. Personally I can’t sing an F#2 I am more comfortable at G#2 or if I have to a G. If you can sing lower than F#2 you are probably a Bass. If your range starts at about B2 or C3 you are probably a tenor. Most people’s ranges (full voice, not falsetto) are about 1.5 – 2.5 octaves. If your range is less than this it generally means your voice underdeveloped and needs some work (don’t give up yet, you can do it). When I started singing I had a singing range of about 1.5 octaves, now I can sing about 2.3, so yes it is possible to increase your range!

Lesson 1: Breathing

Breathing:

Before we start to run, we should learn how to crawl right? Well for singers breathing is the FOUNDATION of our voices. If you are constantly out of breath you are going to sound horrible, end of story. Breathing strengthening exercises are arguably THE most important for beginning singers. The higher the note is up in your range the more breath that note will take to sing. Thus to be a versatile singer it is important to strengthen your lungs to avoid constantly taking breaths between words or sentences.

Exercise 1:

1) Look around the house, find the following items:
– a stopwatch
– the heaviest hardcover book you can find (The fifth Harry Potter book is great for this)
– a CD player, headphones and your favourite CD (optional)

2) Lie down on your back, with your hands at your side.
3) Place the book in your stomach
4) Inhale SLOWLY, but instead of sucking in your stomach make you stomach EXPAND out.
5) Exhale SLOWLY, this time less your stomach shrink back to its normal state.
6) Repeat.

It feels different from normal breathing doesn’t it? It is because when you normally breathe you contract your stomach. All your life you have been breathing incorrectly, from now on, this is the only way you will breathe.

I only suggested the CD player because this can get very boring, but if you are listening your favourite music time can pass by quickly.

If you are inhaling every:

- 20 seconds (needs improvement)
- 30 seconds (fair)
- 45 seconds (good)
- minute (very good)
- one and a half minutes (excellent)
- two minutes (wow)

I myself have got lazy with this I used to be able to only need to breathe every one and a half minutes but now it is probably something in between 45 seconds to a minute.

Exercise 2:

Can you count?

Count slowly, make sure you enunciate every syllable VERY clearly, to the point its almost ridiculous. This is important, as a singer you want to be able to sing every possible sound in the human language.

Count as much as far as you can without taking a breath (without killing yourself).

A good goal would be to be able to count to 65-70.

Exercise 3:

Atonal Scales:

We are not singing yet, we are simply just practise saying these words clearly and loudly in a manner that does not strain your voice. When you breathe, make sure when you do have to breathe you do it in the exact same way we did it in our first exercise, from the diaphragm (expanding your stomach). Make sure that when you SPEAK these exercises they are also coming from that same place you breathe. For simplicity, I spelt everything phonetically.

1. Daah De Dee Doh, Daah De Dee Doh, Daah De Dee Doh Du
2. May Mee Mah Moe Moo, May Mee Mah Moe Moo, May Mee Mah Moe Moo
3. Ah Eh Eee O Eww, Ah Eh Eee O Eww, Ah Eh Eee O Eww
4. Doh Ray Me Fa Soul Fa Me Ray Doh
5. Day Dee Dah Doe Doo, Day Dee Dah Doe Doo, Day Dee Dah Doe Doo
6. Doh Me Soul Me Doh, Doh Me Soul Me Doh, Doh Me Soul Me Doh
7. Create your own variations.

Exercise 4:

Speaking and Proper Singing Form:

Ok so we’ve learned to crawl, now maybe we can take our first real baby steps.

Lets go over proper form:

1) Stand up straight
2) Shoulders back
3) Head straight ahead (or maybe slightly a little down, stylistic reasons)
4) Cheekbones up (to the point, that it looks like you are the joker and are making a stupid grin on your face).
5) Be CONFIDENT (very important)

Ok here are so weird ones:

6) Stand on your tip toes
7) Make your arms into a slightly broken ring above your head, every time you say a syllable make your hands come together.

The last two are only for practising purposes, these will help you feel your chest open up and will allow you to sing from your diaphram easier. If you already understand how to sing from your diaphram than these are not that necessary, but are still helpful. Now that you have learned this form make sure you apply it to all the exercises you have learned today.

Speaking:

Simple enough, we are going to talk. Make sure you use, all the techniques you have learned (breathing, form, etc.)

If you have to breathe at any point, make sure it is done so in a manner that doesn’t break-up individual words.

Practise this phrase:

The lemon tree is very pretty, and the lemon flower sweet. But the fruit of the poor lemon, is impossible to eat.

Create your own phrase, the best is to use lyrics from songs, or your own songs. Keep your breathing consistent; make sure you breathe in the exact same parts every time.

If you are getting bored, just talking and feel you are ready, you can practise singing a note (keep it monotone for now), when you say these sentences or lyrics.

I hope this was useful; check back for new lessons, in the near future.

Sliver

[Andy]

Go to a lot of shows and scream your ass off along with the vocalist. Fuck scales.

[Kif]

Screaming is overated and dull now