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Hey, I'm a young guy wanting to make a demo CD so that I can take it to local bars to get into the acoustic circuit around my town. I purposely made the vocals nice and loud on this one because that's what I want opinions on. It may be pitchy at times, I'm interested about what you guys think about my timbre, range, etc. Give me your worse, tell me if its crap. And tell me if you'd hire me to play at your business! https://soundcloud.com/bigreddwood/demo-001/s-I6ERd

I covered this simple song, Dylan's cover of Billy Grammer's "Gotto Travel On". I just want to know what people think of my timbre! https://soundcloud.com/bigreddwood/gotto-travel-on Thanks

I (male) just tested out my vocal range. Please comment on that. Is it average? Or special in some way? I'm not a trained singer. I'm dissapointed about my chest voice because it doesn't have a higher range. chest voice: lowest: g2 highest: c4 (comfortable) g#4 (uncomfortable, pushing) head voice: lowest: e3 (comfortable) c3 (uncomfortable, weak) highest: c5 (comfortable) g5 (uncomfortable, pushing)

I may have to put my ears on Craigslist apparently they aren't doing me any good anymore. So far I am shocked by the responses. After listening to that several times I am surprised by any comment other than outstanding or excellent. I have listened several times and even looking for something I can't find anything to even nitpick about. I dare to say flawless. But hey, that's just me. If I were walking passed a bar or a hall of some sort and heard that, my first reaction would be ..."wow" who the hell is that...I have to go see." But we are all different with different tastes and different ears and different abilities. So maybe it's me....I may be missing something. I am impressed by how relaxed you seem throughout. No tension anywhere. A great example and I thought it was beautiful. Felipe. "OUTSTANDING!!" Personally I found nothing wrong.

Here is our (kind of fun) cover of One Way Out. This is based on the original version which was recorded in the 60's by "Sonny Boy Williamson II." Hope you like it. Thus far it has received lukewarm reviews. Oh well, can't have a winner everytime And of course the other two.

I thought this was a more solid performance than the first Mivke. I bit more controlled and steady/consistent.

Here is something I wrote (lyrics). I found a backing track on Youtube since I have no access to my own music or anyone to write for me. I put my lyrics to this to give an idea of what I had in mind when I wrote the words. If anyone could put similar music to the words that would be great. This is kind of a rough cut here just to give an idea. I heard a tune (instrumental jazz) in the car one day and started singing my own words to it and that is how this was born. I know you guys are metal heads but... Maybe someone can blues this thing a little or jazz blues? http://www.soundclick.com/player/single_player.cfm?songid=12085793&q=hi The song is about a girl from a down and out town who moves up (thinks she does) and and then seems to forget where she came from. But she is really no different. She just suddenly "thinks" she is. She just needs to come back down to earth. But she thinks "we" need to kiss her arse! Not gonna happen!! " I ain't comin up to you" Lyrics: Come Down To Me Baby You better come back down to me baby, cause I ain’t comin’ up to you You better come back down to me baby, cause I ain’t comin’ up to you But if you wanna meet in the middle, I’ll see what I can do. You left me for that money man, but he turned out to be a fool And now you think you’re someone, that can take us all to school. Ridin’ round in your fancy car like you know a thing or two You better come back down to me baby, cause I ain’t comin’ up to you You better come back down here woman, there ain’t nuthin’ owed to you But if you wanna meet in the middle, girl I’ll see what I can do. You got no time for me now, thinkin’ who the hell you are You better come back down here woman, you ain’t no superstar Just come on home now you’ve taken this too far. You better come back down to me baby, cause I ain’t comin’ up to you You better come back down to me baby, cause I ain’t comin’ up to you But if you wanna meet in the middle, I’ll see what I can do. You said get my act together, learn a thing or two Girl I don’t even know what that means but I’ll tell you something too, You better come back down to me baby, cause I ain’t comin’ up to you Yea, you better come back down to me baby, cause I ain’t comin’ up to you You better come back down to me baby, cause I ain’t comin’ up to you But if you wanna meet in the middle, I’ll see what I can do. © 2013 T. Pressimone

Ok, I know Xmas is over...but. Thanks to those who gave this a shot. As I said in the original post feel free to reshape the lyrics. Add/subtract whatever. I don't play an instrument so I couldn't add my own completely original submission but I'll give you what is sort of what I had in mind, although anyone is free to do what they like. As I said, I don't play an instrument so I found a backing track on youtube. It turned out to be long and had a twist or two to it so I had to sort of add lib the lyrics a bit and add some extra. Check this out. http://www.soundclick.com/player/single_player.cfm?songid=12073861&q=hi&newref=1

Actually there is no song here. But maybe there could be. I scribbled this last year. I altered the last verse this year to make it a little humorous. To be honest, this started as an idea for a Xmas Blues song. So it was unfinished and still is. Just scatch notes for a song idea. I forgot I had it and came across it today. I decided not to finish it or add anymore to it and just leave it as is and hand it over here (other than changing that last verse). Maybe one of you musicians, (guitar platers etc) can put some music to it and also sing it. Just take it and do what you wish (or not). Alter the lyrics if you like. But it's Blues so Blues it up I had a 12 bar progression in mind but I'm no musician so whatever. Do you Remember Last Christmas Do you remember last Christmas baby, sittin’ round the Christmas tree Do you remember last Christmas darlin’ hangin’ round that Christmas tree You had the nerve to tell me, that you was leavin me. Gave you everything I had, all my lovin’ too I tried to make you happy, woman what else could I do. Merry Christmas baby, hope it’s a good one for you I wonder who’s Christmas you’ll be turnin’ blue Do you remember last Christmas under the mistletoe I Said, Do you remember last Christmas under the mistletoe. I Tried to love you baby but I ended up out in the snow. I remember last Christmas, when you said we were through But this is a new year and I got someone new I hope you’re doing well and I want you to know That I still think of you, you ho ho ho ho.

I read something interesting today and it reminded me of this thread. It has to do with sounding like another artist. The author gave a link to a fantastic guitar player, one who copies Stevie Ray Vaughan. He even makes instructional videos on how to sound like SRV. The guy sounds just like him (guitar playing). The author however wonders in his writing about this. The guy is such a fantastic player, the author wonders how he would sound if he put his talent into sounding like himself. Does he expect to be a success on someone else's genius? Such a great and talented player why wouldn't he want to do his own thing? I can see being "influenced." But copying? The interesting point the author made was that in the art world this would be considered forgery. In the music world it is done all the time. It seems in the Critique my Singing Section it is preferred at times and singers are critiqued for not sounding like the original singer. Why would someone want to? Why copy someone? You should strive to have someone someday copy you! Be influenced by others' styling or vocals but don't try to re-do what they have made famous. That is my view at least. And it is something I consider in critiquing. I usually give points for what is done well in the sample but also subtract points in the same song for a sound alike performance.

My wedding song was Led Zepplin's "Thank You." I was a huge Zep fan since their first album. I met my wife in July of '82. In May of this year I posted a rough version of "Thank You" here to see if I could work it out for our 30th anniversary this passed July, of when we met. I would then sing it again on the Cruise we were going on in September for our 29th wedding anniversary. I made a CD of the recording and she loved it. She didn't mention anything about the singing as I think the sentiment got her. However, on the cruise, after I sang it live she asked. "How do you think that was?" Uh oh! When she asks that I know it's a nice way of saying it didn't sound so good. She puts it on me that sly one!!! You know what my justification is? She is deaf in one ear so I tell her that her pitch perception is off!!! So there! :D

Hey now wait a minute there hombre!! "You bad critiquers?" Don't lump me in with the bad critics. I think my critiques have been fair and have contained equal parts of good and bad. Not to mention constructive criticism and advise, to the best of my ability.

C'mon now You've been here a long time, I'm sure you've seen good reviews by Felipe. I know I have and I've been here less than a year. Actually I think my very first song post got a good review from him but it was almost a year ago so I'm not absolutely sure. So it seems to me it is not good to give bad critiques to singing but ok to give bad critiques on critiquing? :D

I agree and as I said above somewhere, while these ideas can't be translated exactly into singing instruction as well as many other teachings; the basic principles or philosophy of the method probably can. I agree with this also. I wasn't talking about just doing your own thing. I too study the original before recording or singing it my way. I also study other versions and interpretations by other artists as well as live versions. I try to learn the song as best I can in it's original form and then from there I take all I have learned from the various interpretations, add my twist and go for it. My comments about sounding like the original pertained more to the voice. People tend to critique if you don't mimic the originals voice or vocal stylings. For the singer I think you should familiarize yourself with the original first but for the listener/critic I think they should step away from the original or expecting a carbon copy or even mimicked vocal sound.