Gneetapp

And don't forget that during La Niña years the conditions are reversed... lol

On April 25, 2016 at 10:03 PM, JonJon said:

Also any discussion on the mechanical aspect of the cracked note. Physiologically, what broke down there? (and thus, what does the training focus need to be)

Hi JonJon, I am no vocal pro, but I think you cracked because of to much pressure, your folds could not hold it any longer and just opened up quickly. Perhaps you need to push less and try to focus more on resonance, or you just need to keep building up strength. Cheers

Hi Elvis, great job man! I really liked it! I am sorry but your performance was so heartfelt that I could not hear those mistakes you mentioned...

I liked the timbre and distortion, although IMO you could have used it a bit less. I had the feeling that you started almost every sentence with the distortion on the low notes to make them beefier. But You could also start a few lines with the fry/creaking (one of DC's trademarks)... BTW, I really liked the way you connected your vibrato to fry when ending one of the lines. Please, keep'em coming! 

Great singing, as always, Ellise! May I humbly suggest 1 thing for your next videos: avoid having the light behind you because it creates a shadow over you (unless that is what you are going for). You are a beautiful lady who sings amazing, so have the light playing with you. This way you can add more to your performance. Another thing I would like to suggest is regarding this song, if you intend to record it, is to take a little time in pause (maybe staring down...) right before the key change, so you will build up the suspense... Cheers

Hi JonJon, I liked it. I could totally feel the Zeppelin vibe in the verses, but I also picked up some AIC/STP in the chorus (especially the instrumental part). Even though I'm not a big fan of the psychedelic style, I liked it, and I honestly think this song deserves to be polished and finished. I felt that the first "I call on the maker" phrase in the chorus, sounded weird (for my personal taste). You are a writing/recording machine. Keep on rocking man!

15 hours ago, JonJon said:

Im probably going to ditch this one lol

going to attempt to get closer to an AIC/STP sound.

So far nothing I have done has been heavy enough for my tastes. My voice is too freaking clean for one thing lol...then when I double it, it just gets more weird sounding. Definitely gotta get more rasp.distortion in there.

Putting me a nice drum track together now...nice 82 BPM vibe lol

Gonna go for something with less syllables so I can actually sustain some notes

 

One problem I have as far as heavy stuff....I simply can NOT get a really heavy guitar sound. Its funny cuz ive got a Peavey 6505+ combo which is supposed to ONLY be good for really heavy stuff. People were saying you could NOT get a bluesy tone from it. Im the opposite...ALL I can get from it is crunchy/bluesy/classic rock vibes lol. (on this recording I just used my fender solid state amp with a pedal in front)

Hi JonJon, if you want to go for a heavier sound you could try tuning your guitar with dropped D and play those bar chords riffs. 

Yeah, I can relate to that...

1 minute ago, JonJon said:

yeah it gets pretty deep. How much of a sense of accomplishment can one get when only 20 people hear my "lot of talent" lol. a lot of time gets sacrificed...for what? I cant answer it.

The accomplishment I'm talking about doesn't come from praise. If this was the case I would not have spent several "monies" on music instruments and recording equipment. I believe you feel the same, or else you would have stopped a long time ago...

1 minute ago, JonJon said:

Of course, the Bible says not to waste your talents. If the boss gives you $1000 to invest and he comes back 5 years later and you just hand him the $1000 back, what have you done?? not much

Yeah, you can take the "higher" path and improve your talent

1 minute ago, JonJon said:

I guess I need to take the good side of it. That snippet WAS probably the most "pro" thing ive posted...so at least im heading in the right direction....and I only learned to bridge like 2 weeks ago. 

I think You are doing pretty good for someone who learned how to "bridge" 2 weeks ago. I "learned" how to bridge and access my higher range 1-2 years ago. Of course learning by myself, being lazy and inconsistent in the training do not help at all... 

1 minute ago, JonJon said:

Im thinking that if I continue at my current pace i'll be a great musician when im approximately 93

Yeah! That's the spirit! I'm glad I could help! ;-)

JonJon, so that is the question my friend: why do you write and record songs? If it gives you pleasure and a sense of accomplishment, just do it man! You could also create a Soundcloud account and post your songs there. I bet you would get tons of followers and even collaboration requests. I am not saying that all your songs are 100% ready, pro-level, radio/consumer-ready, but man, you definitely have a lot of talent that should not go to waste. I wish I had more free time in my hands at the moment to dedicate to music (singing, playing guitar, recording, and performing), because I would ask you to collaborate with me on some compositions, as I think it would be so much fun. I think it would be a crime if you don't come back to finish this song, now that you now it kicks serious arse. Congrats man!

FREAKING A.W.E.S.O.M.E.!!!!!

Those several hours working on just 11s worth of music really paid off.

This chorus sounds great man! Hard Rock, radio-ready, compelling rhythm, good guitar riff, and great vocals! If you didn't tell me I could easily assume it was a cover song. I am so jealous of you now, but in a good way.

Technical question: how did you come up with the melody? Did you sing it or play in an instrument? Did you already have the lyrics before the melody?

Congrats JonJon, and I can't wait to listen to the whole song when is ready. Keep them coming! 

I liked it Jeremy! I never heard this song before, but I thought your voice was a perfect match for it, sweet and smooth with a touch of sadness (it sounds like a wine description). I think I heard a few off-pitch moments easy to fix, but overall it was a good cover. I don't know why but I was transported to some beach watching the Sunset...

1 hour ago, JonJon said:

no I didnt say that I actually changed chords after writing a melody...but one CAN do that.

Sorry for the misunderstanding. Nonetheless, you mentioned it and I think it is a great idea.

1 hour ago, JonJon said:

Im gonna write today and I think ill try what you mention...just write the melody first and sort of plan out the way it builds etc...then go back and work out chords.

Yeah! Try to start with the chorus, make it very energetic. Then, you go to Verses and build them with less energy. If you create a pre-chorus you could make it at an intermediate level, and so on.

1 hour ago, JonJon said:

Like I got a friend who writes but he ONLY writes sort of primitive rootsy blues rock with the emphasis on the blues aspect. So if he is in the key of A its either going to be 1,4,5 chords or maybe A,C,D. Thats all thats on his color palette...so whether he does chords first or melody first he still aint gonna come up with, say, a Randy Rhoads/Yngwie diminished chord sequence because its just not in him.

I think my songs are on the more simplistic side too, although I usually make them very dynamic. I have to write a song, or at least use some lyrics I have already written and create a vocal melody using my relatively improved singing skills. I'm all about some Whitesnake/Coverdale vibe too! Maybe someday we could try to team up and collaborate on a song.

Cheers

I find it really interesting the way you build your songs, changing the chords after vocals are recorded. I might try it someday. I know that some people start composing a song with the melody (lead vocals), than chords (accompaniment) and lyrics. This way you actually have way more freedom with the melody, without worrying about key or modes (major vs minor). However, I never been able to do this way so far. But maybe I was lacking the vocal skills, better pitch control, or who knows. Anyways, very nice work, and thank you for sharing your techniques. Cheers and keep on rocking

9 hours ago, Collin571 said:

Thanks bro! I was putting on a slight punk rock accent for the fun of it.  Please tell me how do you record songs usually?  With headphones on and the track playing?  Or if I have a nice enough mic can I isolate the sound of my singing while playing music in the background to sing along to?

I think everyone has his own way of recording, but I do what most of people do: get a backing track (instrumental with no vocals, or with backing vocals for harmonies) load it on your DAW as a track; create a track for lead vocals; set to record; use headphones to listen to the track (and maybe your vocals); and record. After that you can go back and re-record parts that you were not happy with, record other vocals to thicken the lead vocals (double/triple tracking); use EQ and effects; mix down everything; Master the song (more effects); and convert to mp3 and upload the song. I know that some people record vocals without the headphones, using monitors, but I think the volume must be low to not be recorded with the vocals or generate feedback, which can also be avoided turning off the output signal of the vocals. There are a few nice tutorials on home recording in the General Vocal Gear page. Good luck and keep on rocking!

I liked it man! The INTRO reminds me of the Fab 4, and you are really good with the guitar parts. The general vocal melody is nice for the verses, but I think the CHORUS should sound a bit different, with more energy (or higher pitched vocals). Now that I know your creative/recording process I have even more respect for your recordings. I just think it is too bad you never go back and polish/improve your songs. I would like to know how you come up with the vocal melody. I mean, do you start with chords and then try to fit the melody? I'm asking this because that is the way I've done so far, but I would love to start with the vocal melody and then fit the chords. Keep on rocking man!

Hey JonJon, this is only the 2nd original song I listened from you, and I got to tell you that I really dig your songs man! I could get the Jagger feel you mentioned, but I don't think it sounded as an imitation, more like a little influence. Well done. Regarding the sung melody, I had a feeling that you were singing a mix of lead and harmony vocals. Maybe because my brain was tricked to expect higher pitched vocals when you started to go higher. But then you went back down. I understand that you just recently managed to bridge registers, and it was probably the reason why you didn't stay higher. If I may humbly suggest (or request) you to play around with higher harmonies, at least as backing vocals. Nevertheless, it sounds really good already. You just got another fan...

Hi Collin, I think your voice suits this song well. However, it would sound much better, and also be easier for the guys to analyze it, if you recorded with a backing track. I think there is a link to a website where you can purchase backing tracks with a great variety of songs and styles. Cheers and keep on rocking!

Hi JonJon, I really liked your song man! The INTRO, the guitar work, the VERSES with the low energy vibe and nice guitar arpeggios. Considering it took you one whole day to do it, I would say it is AWESOME. However, now that you had a great start you can improve it, take it to the next level. I agree with MDEW regarding the PRE-CHORUS sounding a bit out of key, BTW good job on setting the mood for the CHORUS by increasing the energy level. It could be the apparent complexity of this section that it is making us project a different melody, or just wanting a different melody. Now, in my opinion, after you done an excellent job with the dynamics of the PRE-CHORUS when you get to the most important part, the CHORUS, it lacks energy. Maybe I'm missing a stronger bass, or vocals sung a bit different, I don't know. I thought the lyrics were suitable for this style of music. Great job overall.

Regarding the Coverdale sound, if I may suggest, you could try to add a bit of cry, especially in the higher parts. You already started adding the creaking/vocal fry. You just need the cry, and some lows too. Keep rocking!

On March 16, 2016 at 5:55 PM, aravindmadis said:

Hi Folks, 
It has been a while since my last post.  This time I wanted to do something that is quite different from my last song(s).  I have always wanted to do distortion at lower ranges.  I just could not find the right support mechanism and way to do this without hurting myself.  I have understood how to do this safely without injuring myself.  

Sometimes when I am not yet sufficiently warmed up I get a itchy feeling when I try to distort.  If I am careful, it goes away after a while.  I am assuming that I am not doing anything wrong because I can sing like this for more than an hour and I don't feel any effects later in the day or the next day.  

All in all, quite a fun song to sing with an epic sounding F#5 to finish it.  I wish I could get some grit on this note, but for the time being happy with where I am!  

 

Holly Cheese Aravind!!! I am speechless my friend! Your voice sounded so professional, that I could swear you were all this time pretending to be a vocal student, and you actually wrote this song! But the video needs to be synced with audio. Other than that, A.W.E.S.O.M.E. timbre!

8 hours ago, reisbro said:

 

Thanks a lot guys! I do play the instruments but I am new to this whole recording world haha, I created an youtube channel and will start posting covers as soon as I figure out how to properly record everything and acquire good equipment. I just hope I sound as good as you haha, that was an awesome cover! Thanks again!

So, if you need help to get the equipments you should check the The Vocal Gear Store http://astore.amazon.com/thevocastudin-20

And if you need more technical info (it seems that you do) on how to put everything together you should check this post about Home Recording 

Good luck man!

13 minutes ago, Xamedhi said:

Yeah! Indeed it is very interesting. In my voice, from D#5 to E5 I feel a bit of thinning, in E5 it feels like its starting to become pure headvoice and the chest voice that was present dissappears making the sound less round and brighter. I have not experienced much from E5 to F5, only some brute full voice I did for a couple recordings and some falsetto fast and short slides having a sustained E5 as base, so I don't really know exactly what I feel, but there may be some kind of bridge idk, lol.

There is definitely a bridge there, and I think it was confirmed by Daniel in another thread. So, we just may need to "crack the code" and cross that bridge too... 

I liked it Jeremy. You have a very nice soothing tone that matches the song. I never heard the original, but I think you did a good job. It is a work in progress, as you can still fix pitch and intonation in some areas. In some times your voice reminded me of Roy Orbinson. I think you could give this song a Roy feel if you just raised more your soft palate. How many steps did you lower the song, and why? You sound as if you could sing it higher. Additionally, I felt like you sounded a bit unsure/shy. Cheers

1 hour ago, Xamedhi said:

 

What makes the folds be able to stretch so much up to F5 and above? No idea. I think CT strength is the first factor. Then the stretching of the folds, and I think that is trained by going to those notes again and again and sustaining them, stretching the folds just like any other muscle or ligament.
 

I am not sure if it is only the stretching of the folds or resonance changes because there is another bridge right there between E5-G5.

1 hour ago, Xamedhi said:

Funny thing I have noticed is that I have an easier time singing ( and actually singing, not just phonating ) in the D#5-F5 range when my chest voice is more tired and I can't sing as low or dark as before.  It's like the "weight" of the chest voice is shed, but the closure of full voice is kept, so I can go high and sing a lot more comfortable in that area.  Does it happen to you Gnee? Or anyone else?

I think I know what you mean. Something similar happens to me when I'm tired of singing. The range between C5-E5 is more easily accessible, but with less weight. Interesting...

3 minutes ago, Xamedhi said:

Hahahah, yeah I know.... Most of the material i like to sing, have choruses that move a lot on the F5-G5 even G#5 lmao   But I'm happy if I can sing the majority of it, up to a D#5- E5.  I can't even go in falsetto that high, hahah.

Yeah man, gotcha! Heavy Metal songs... Same here, but my falsetto doesn't go higher than my head voice. So, for now I'm happy just being able to sing up to E5. Do you think it just takes strengthening of the voice to break this E5-G5 barrier or something else, such as changing resonance or vowels? Cheers

3 minutes ago, Xamedhi said:

Hahah.don'try, man. I can sing up to an E5 and I'm doing fine I think. I've done some occasional F-F#5 but mostly only recordings. The most important thing I think, is to master where the bulk of your singing will be   
 

I agree on getting a solid tone and being consistent in the most used range, but still, some very popular songs have those E5-F5-G5s, such as Stairway to Heaven ands many others. What to do then? he he