Singers (need tips)
Sunday, June 10 2012 @ 03:37 PM CDT

So I've been singing at home, I like to sing thru a mic with the effects processed thru garage band, but I don't like the sound of my voice 'naked'. Thats is something that is holding me back right now from singing live. I'd like to know if anyone who sings live is using any effects processing to 'tweak' your voice a bit. I was thinking of getting the same stuff you'd hear for a guitar.... reverb, echo, chorus, EQ, etc. Does anyone actually do this? I'm thinking of checking out a Boss VE-20 or something.......

Re:Singers (need tips)
Sunday, June 10 2012 @ 05:17 PM CDT

If I sing live in a theatre using the mic, then I do like to have some reverb, as without the natural room acoustics the voice can sound a bit "dry" and it can feel like hard work. Luckily we have a sound technician who can do this with a proper sound desk, but I ask only that it should mirror the natural acoustics of the venue as too much reverb and EQ can make the voice sound over-produced in my opinion.

Re:Singers (need tips)
Sunday, June 10 2012 @ 06:39 PM CDT

My advice is to sing to people with your voice until you accept it as is. If you hid now you may never find your true voice.

Re:Singers (need tips)
Sunday, June 10 2012 @ 06:46 PM CDT

Nobody likes the sound of their own voice on playback. It sounds very different from what we are used to. As long as you're reasonably in tune, it's probably better than you think. You might want to think about a couple of voice lessons?

That said, there's always room for improvement. Compression and reverb make a huge difference. Sometimes EQ is a necessity. Delay can be great. When you move into effects like chorus, they tend to make a voice sound a bit unnatural, great for a song here or there, but you don't want to leave it on all the time.

Digitech make some great vocal boxes - some of them will even listen to your guitar to give you correct harmonies.

Re:Singers (need tips)
Sunday, June 10 2012 @ 07:51 PM CDT

i'm still learning, but here are some ideas:

stand up when you sing.

don't breathe with your chest, let your belly control the air flow.

you should not feel like you are straining your throat to sing, it should be smooth and easy.

Re:Singers (need tips)
Sunday, June 10 2012 @ 10:30 PM CDT

Pay attention to anyone that doesn't owe you money about how they think you sound.

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Monday, June 11 2012 @ 11:05 AM CDT

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Re:Singers (need tips)
Monday, June 11 2012 @ 11:55 AM CDT

roy thomas baker has artists he records sing with effects already added -- which is how I always did it. I don't like my voice a bit. confidence is important -- like my friend brad always said don't worry what it sounds like just sing as loud as you can!

Re:Singers (need tips)
Monday, June 11 2012 @ 12:36 PM CDT

It really depends on a number of factors, but in all cases compression and EQ are always recommended. Both of these are sound conditioners. They will help you adapt to the room's acoustics and give your vocals a more polished sound.

If the venue Is small, add a subtle bit of reverb. The larger the room, the less reverb is necessary, since larger, open spaces provide natural reverb and echo. Use Echo sparingly... it is really more of a novelty sound effect than reverb is and can "get old," quickly.

Your material and your vocal should dictate your usage of these sound tools. Reverb is best suited for softer, more intimate vocals. For louder, punchier songs, reverb just gets in the way; in those cases, you may want to shut off the reverb, or turn it down to a barely perceptible level.

Finding the best microphone for your voice and performance style is another important consideration. See if you can rent a selection of live performance mics from a local music store and try them out at your gig. Finding the right one for You can make a substantial difference.

Re:Singers (need tips)
Monday, June 11 2012 @ 01:47 PM CDT

this is going to sound a little unorthodox'd and yet in the confines of garageband and its tools this does work with voices that are a bit reedy and thin as your own vice does sound to yourself sometimes, go to the effects and turn on the distortion, the preset is too heavy so dial it down until it is just a little grumble at the edges and it in effect gives body to a vocal, you will need to do tweeking to get it more transparent, but it is easy to figure out what is too much. i know some peeps may bash me for my primitive ways but it is a valid trick for getting fatter tracks, and it does work on vox, cheers