napoleonboot

An original song: "Christmas Time". https://soundcloud.com/george-williams-8/christmas-time As usual, constuctive criticism is welcome. My singing, guitars by my friend Billy Playle. George

So... it's 2 years on from when I posted this. I must have sung it in private several hundred times since the recording above. I returning to it as it is my sort of nemesis/practice piece. For me has loud, soft, rocky, mellow, slow and fast. Also, it stretches my range at the top. Listening back the recording above I realise I can now sing it a lot better. I'll post a new version when I get a chance. Anyway, I am a member of the local community musical theatre group - I sang in "Oliver!" with them earlier this year. They had a christmas party last night, with a Karaoke. This song was on the Karaoke list, and so I went for it. I absolutely nailed it! I was very happy indeed. Some of those present had seen Superstar on a high profile professional Arena tour in the UK this year. I have several comments that my version stood comparison with the singer in that production (Tim Minchin). I have learnt that it's one thing to sing difficult stuff in the privacy of my home studio (aka family study) with the safety net of doing retakes and with no audience, and its quite another thing to do it live. So... it was only Karaoke, not an Arena, but nevertheless I felt very good about it :)

Excellent. I can't understand a word, but it sounds great!

Were you singing to some backing that we can't hear? Your range sound Baritone to me, if you think that matters. Quite nice to listen to. There is some falling back into talking (not singing) in the lower part of your range, like a bluesy Rex Harrison. In the higher notes you dont have the vibrato that you have in the middle of your range, this maybe implies some tension or breathing changes needed. I am working on the same thing, I am few weeks in. Seeing a vocal coach in person has helped me a lot. You don't need to wait for your voice to "settle down" before getting lessons.

Excellent! a few years back when I mostly a guitar player, me and some online muso friends created a cover of the title track from Savatage's 1985 album "Power Of The Night". The Savatage line-up on that album had founding members (brothers) Jon Oliva on vocals and his brother Chris Oliva on guitar. Their lineup changed a few times over the years, with Jon leaving and later returning, and Chris sadly passed away. The vocalist when Jon left was Zak Stevens. So, anyway, Zak got to hear of our cover, and got in touch. After some discussion, he did vocals and keyboards for us, and so it sort of turned from a cover into more of a remake! The guitar part was fairly hard to do, as Chris Oliva was good, and I tried to track his original playing note-for-note. My playing has gone rusty since then, as I later saw the light and turned to singing! If you listen you will be able to tell why I started off with the handle guitargeorge. https://app.box.com/s/yfmuoe8d6irl4fit4dcs Strangely, Zak was born on my 1st birthday.

That's it - I only had a top hat picture, but no cane. Mind you, it is a really big top hat.

Many thanks Ron. I will change my avatar as suggested.

Some people are having soundcloud problems, so here it is via box https://app.box.com/s/iune016u42zl06thf388

Some people are having soundcloud problems, so here it is via box https://app.box.com/s/tlbs1wlk1hmh0td4kfba

I suggest you go to a vocal coach (such as Robert Lunte). I dont know if you can spot this problem just from hearing someone sing, you probably have to see them... Anyway, rather than belly, the proper term is to sing/breathe using your diaphragm. There is a lot about this particular topic on Youtube, such as:

Maria flagged doesn't mean anything. Maybe you misheard, or maybe they were an idiot. Why dont you sing something, record it, and post it here. We'll give you some feedback using proper words. Being 52 isnt a bad thing, Tom Jones is 73 and he sings just fine. George

Ron - what are you going to do now you've achieved your goal?

like me

"Like Sequins To Stripper" is a new song with my singing. I have had a few sessions with a vocal coach recently, and it's helping me work on areas of my vocals which I felt needed attention. This is the first song I have recorded since I had the sessions. As always, constructive criticism is welcome. Music by my friend William Playle, and lyrics by Donna Devine. I have had the pleasure working with both Billy and Donna a few times before, always great results and fun music. I loved working on this, I visualised myself as Bertie Wooster as I sang it.

Jugulator, thanks you might be right about it being out-of-sync. The guy who mixed did some odd stuff. It wasnt as serious as some of the things I do, so I left it.

Thanks Gilad. I met them on www.musicianscollaboration.com. I have been working with them for several years.

Me on vocals (I also composed the vocal melody). Constructive criticism is welcome. https://soundcloud.com/george-williams-8/mr-wallabee A collaboration with some musical friends of mine from around the world: guitar and drums by Henry Mittnacht, bass and composition by Andy Gupta (Canada), lyrics by John Scunziano (USA). George

long ones.. I dont have time to think for short ones

I'm working on breathing and using my diaphragm more when singing, with my throat open for big vowels. I think I'm getting the idea. I'm fairly happy with the results so far. This track isn't finished yet, there is a guitar solo and some other stuff to go on. As usual constructive criticism is welcome. https://app.box.com/s/opne8q9po49psa5ltskz George

I really enjoyed Sandman It brought back memories of playing this in a band, as a guitarist. I love the song. You were a little pitchy in places. Aso the recording was a a bit trebly, and the reverb you used isn't very convincing. That's all just recording technique not singing. One, was also good. Same comments about pitchiness, and recording technique.

Ron you gave me the same advice on crashing notes in one of my early posts here. It was very helpful and I worked to eliminate it, or at least get it under control. Thanks. George

excellent. Reminds me quite a lot of Robert Lunte's singing. Good recording also, well done.

Many thanks for listening and commenting Geno and Ron :)

Link updated in opening post, repeated here: candidate final mix.

I did main vox and harmony. There 's more to do on instrumentation. I need to listen back a few more times to decide whether I need to retrack any vox. I am hoping comments here will help me decide, or identify rework areas. As usual, constructive criticism is welcome, or "good job". This is decidely different to my usual prog/heavy rock material. It seems to be part of my emerging subconcious plan to sing in as many styles as possible. I'm starting on some 1930's style comic material next, a song about strippers.