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Forums > Music: Vocals

need some vocal advice

Blockimus	Date: April 27, 2006 @ 2:31 PM ok as you can hear from my songs (listen to without regard if you need an example, lol) i'm not the best vocalist... never claimed to be but anyways, I was wondering if anyone could offer tips and what not on how to better stay in tune with my guitar as far as singing goes. I have no problem doing a Do Re Mi scale but i don't know, finding the pitch of all the different chords on a guitar is a totally different thing it seems. Also I don't know if it means anything but i have a really deep voice, and while i know this constrains me does it mean I'll never be able to play a more upbeat song because my vocals can not stay with the chords im playing on the guitar or are there tricks to sort of blend the two or...? Just looking for some helpful advice here, thanks!
shadowself	Date: April 27, 2006 @ 3:34 PM I can't listen currently - I am at work. However, the answer is at least in part "PRACTICE". It might be a good idea to play and sing along with songs that you know. That way you're training your voice to be hitting the note you want to while you're playing, and you will have a guide vocal to help you get there. Sing in the shower. Sing while you're walking around the house. Sing when walking down the street (I do!). If it's an original, you can try recording your guitar part then recording a guide for the vox melody on another track using your guitar or a keyboard. Sing over top of this guide melody and when you are happy with how it turned out, then you can mute the guide. I think my knack for melody is because of my love for harmony. When I was starting out in music, the band I was in would only let me sing lead vox in Midnight Oil songs because I stunk as a singer. However, I did sing a lot of harmonies and that led me to making up my own harmonies in songs that lacked them. Or discovering 3rd and 4th harmony parts in songs that only had 2 people singing. Once I had mastered finding harmonies, staying on key with the main melody was that much easier.
Elu	Date: May 16, 2006 @ 10:44 AM what shadowself said. Definately. The only other thing I could add is that you should maybe listen to the chords you are playing. Pluck the root note and then match it with the vocals. And then practice practice practice. It will come but it takes time and patience. There is nothing wrong with the tonal quality of your voice, you just need to master it like your guitar.