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new here, would appreciate any insight/criticism

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I'm 33yrs old and have been singing since high school where I sang in the high school choir. But I seem to have always made more of an emphasis on my instrument playing versus my vocals. Well I think I've coming to a point where I want to try and improve my vocals...since apparently those close to me are saying they need improvement. The criticism they always give is to sing in my natural voice which I just always thought that's what my voice sounded like. I just open my mouth and whatever comes out is what comes out.

So anyways, that's my situation. And like I said above, I kinda think I should spend more time on improving my vocal technique anyways as it's something I've sort of neglected. The only real vocal training I have had is just in high school/college choir. So I appreciate any suggestions, thoughts, criticisms that you all may have for me.

Here's a link to my reverbnation page:

http://www.reverbnation.com/christopherperkins

I only have 1 song on there now, but plan to add more later this year. And if needed, I'll try and find some other clips of me singing

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All righty, I uploaded a few more tunes. These are all just clips of me doing some covers.

There are a couple small spots in this one where maybe I got into it a little too much and lost control. oopsy! lol

This one didn't come out too bad I guess. And just an FYI, this isn't the editted version...so some brief profanity towards the end of the clip.

And finally this one. No instruments...just me talking and singing so you can hear the differences. First part is an obvious cover and the 2nd part is a little piece of an original song I have.

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I am glad I listened to all three.

"Can't You See" - great soul and blues in your voice. If you ever decide to "train" that out of your voice, I swear to God, I will track you down and kcik your butt. And I am an old guy, so that would be enbarassing for you.

"Jet Airliner" - awesome guitar and I like that you do what I do, playing guitar and singing at the same time. It is my "wheelhouse" and where I am most comfortable. I was hearing some hypernasality. Through the nose nasal, which I am not a big fan of in every genre. However, that is just a style thing, for me.

Then, the third file, where you speak and I could hear it in your speaking voice, too. Then, I realized, you are singing with voice and dialect that you have and it made sense. And your original is awesome. Keep that and finish it.

Again, hypernasality is just a thing. For example, I like Willie Nelson and he is hyper-nasal. And I liked Phil Lynott, And he was hypo-nasal, at least to my ears. And my ears may be off. For I have done a cover and didn't realize until later that my guitar was out of tune, even if i was singing true pitch.

Which reminds me - in "Take it Easy", you changed keys, which can happen in a capella if you have not decided on a key.

Anyway, I love the funkiness of your voice and I think you need to be recording professionally and making obscene amounts of money.

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Just wanted to add: I hope my post made sense. Your pitch and volume was good, which is job number one in my book. Everything else is style and I like your style, even if timbres sound different to me.

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I am glad I listened to all three.

"Can't You See" - great soul and blues in your voice. If you ever decide to "train" that out of your voice, I swear to God, I will track you down and kcik your butt. And I am an old guy, so that would be enbarassing for you.

"Jet Airliner" - awesome guitar and I like that you do what I do, playing guitar and singing at the same time. It is my "wheelhouse" and where I am most comfortable. I was hearing some hypernasality. Through the nose nasal, which I am not a big fan of in every genre. However, that is just a style thing, for me.

Then, the third file, where you speak and I could hear it in your speaking voice, too. Then, I realized, you are singing with voice and dialect that you have and it made sense. And your original is awesome. Keep that and finish it.

Again, hypernasality is just a thing. For example, I like Willie Nelson and he is hyper-nasal. And I liked Phil Lynott, And he was hypo-nasal, at least to my ears. And my ears may be off. For I have done a cover and didn't realize until later that my guitar was out of tune, even if i was singing true pitch.

Which reminds me - in "Take it Easy", you changed keys, which can happen in a capella if you have not decided on a key.

Anyway, I love the funkiness of your voice and I think you need to be recording professionally and making obscene amounts of money.

Wow, thanks for the feedback ronws...I definitely was not expecting your last comment...well from anyone really lol. I have no intentions on making it big...I just want to have fun playing music and share my music with whoever wants to listen.

Nope the soul and blues will stay. No need for butt kicking here. As I have sat back and listened more I have noticed the nasal quality too...some songs are more noticeable than others.

And yeah Take it Easy, I noticed the key change right after it happened. Sometimes I have broke out in that one just acapella and been decently stable with pitch and key...I am not sure what happened to me here lol.

Oh and as for the little piece of original in the third file...that song is actually done. Lyrics and all that have been complete for a while. I am actually in the process of getting that one fully recorded...just got some more finishing touches done to it. I may post some progress on it here soon.

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I like the sound of your voice and what you do with it. I like the fact that you do not mind changing the song a little to fit your style. I can also understand how it would effect some people when the rhythm and melody is not what you were expecting. Songs grow and change with each person who sings them.

As for people saying to sing with your natural voice...... I use my natural voice and people tell me I should add rasp and vibrato as you do to give the songs a better feel or sound. You can't please everyone so you have to please yourself...and it's alright now.... I learned my lesson well...... (Sorry Flashback to Ricky Nelson) :cool:

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I like the sound of your voice and what you do with it. I like the fact that you do not mind changing the song a little to fit your style. I can also understand how it would effect some people when the rhythm and melody is not what you were expecting. Songs grow and change with each person who sings them.

As for people saying to sing with your natural voice...... I use my natural voice and people tell me I should add rasp and vibrato as you do to give the songs a better feel or sound. You can't please everyone so you have to please yourself...and it's alright now.... I learned my lesson well...... (Sorry Flashback to Ricky Nelson) :cool:

And, MDEW, when I sing a song, my friend, Lee, would ask me who originally sang whichever song. And I would tell him, pleased with my own mastery of trivia musica. And then he would say, "Let them sing it, then."

Ouch.

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I often ask, "which original version do you mean?" and then roll off a list of people who made it famous in different genres. I was researching a Bee Gee's song(can't remember which one) but it was covered and made the charts by Janis Joplin, Tom Jones and a few others. Some had the basic chord progression and chorus but they were not the same melody by no means.

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I often ask, "which original version do you mean?" and then roll off a list of people who made it famous in different genres. I was researching a Bee Gee's song(can't remember which one) but it was covered and made the charts by Janis Joplin, Tom Jones and a few others. Some had the basic chord progression and chorus but they were not the same melody by no means.

I would often have the same question in my mind. For example, "Me and Bobby McGee." Which version? Janis Joplin? Or Kris Kristofferson, who wrote it? "Sunday Morning Coming Down." Johny Cash? Or Kris Kristofferson, who actually wrote it. "Tambourine Man." Numerous artists' renditions or Bob Dylan's original?

"Hallelujah" Everyone considers Jeff Buckley's version the quintessential version but he did not write it. Jimi Hendrix took "Along the Watchtower" to a place Bob Dylan never could have taken it.

Even these days, the Shinedown cover of "Simple Man" is as popular as the original Lynrd Skynrd.

Dio's cover of "Dream On" has as many tributes as the original by Aerosmith.

Hey bass, when I said finish, I meant the recording. I didn't mean that your song structure was unfinished. As you know, when you get into recording, sometimes you make minute adjustments to the arrangement.

"I feel the need for more cowbell." - Christopher Walken

(In "Mississippi Queen" by Mountain, it sounded like someone gave a cowbell to a primate and he went, well, ape-crazy with it.)

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