Let her Cry – Hootie and the Blowfish

[Quincy]

I have been working to add a little more emotional character to my voice from the clean singing I normally use. I’m not sure exactly what I am doing in this clip, but my guess is it is probably creaking or grit. I always think of those two as being pretty much the same thing. I definitely have more constrictions in my throat in some of the parts, but it is not really an unpleasant feeling. Maybe I will learn to do it with a little more openness.

Any type critiques are welcome, including tastes of what sounds good or bad to your ears. I have little feel for people’s preferences as I don’t sing much in front of people.

http://www.box.net/shared/0y9p992vu2

[devaitis]

A little bit of country style i can hear. Nice, i like it.

[Quincy]

Thanks for your input. I think the original (Darius Rucker) does have somewhat of a country vibe to it.

[ronws]

I think you achieved the same vocal tone that Darius does, yet it is still your own voice. And that's magic. Does that make sense? That is, you had the same rasp and same feeling and intent without sounding like a copy of him. I think that's a good thing.

[Quincy]

Thanks for your comments Ron. Yes that makes perfect sense. He has those massively resonant lower overtones and anybody that hears him recognizes his voice immediately. A great singer with an infectious style. I’m not qualified to judge his fach, but would guess he is some sort of powerful deep baritone.

So you say I was using some rasp? How is rasp created? Is that the same as grit?

[ronws]

Well, it may be just a matter of semantics but rasp has probably had different meanings. Image-wise, I think of rasp as having a "dusty" sound. For example, I think Rod Stewart has rasp. I think Klaus Meine has rasp. I think John Bush from Anthrax has rattle. And the closest I think I have ever sounded like Axl Rose was when I would do what I thought of as rasp, or what I call "leaky air." Wide open throat, slight relaxation on fold compression, slight reduction in air pressure from below. I may not be describing it right. But I do find myself in total agreement with Geoff Tate about singing a note how you feel it. In his own words, he doesn't think about technical stuff or what he "has to do to prepare for a note." He just feels what it should be and does it.

[jonpall]

I liked it. You should sing more and also sing more in front of people, Quincy. I personally use rasp or grit as words to describe any type of distorted sounds and then if I want to be more specific, I'd use distortion, creaking, creak, growl, rattle or grunt. But another school of thought, which I often like a lot, is to not really categorize those distorted sounds at all and not worry to much about the exact details of how they are produced but rather just focus on having a relaxed throat while your doing them and let your emotion produce the distortion. If you THINK intense or angry, while having a relaxed throat, that's often the best way to create rasp. Btw. this is what Mark Baxter, former vocal coach of Steven Tyler, preaches the most about rasp.

[ronws]

I liked it. You should sing more and also sing more in front of people, Quincy. I personally use rasp or grit as words to describe any type of distorted sounds and then if I want to be more specific, I'd use distortion, creaking, creak, growl, rattle or grunt. But another school of thought, which I often like a lot, is to not really categorize those distorted sounds at all and not worry to much about the exact details of how they are produced but rather just focus on having a relaxed throat while your doing them and let your emotion produce the distortion. If you THINK intense or angry, while having a relaxed throat, that's often the best way to create rasp. Btw. this is what Mark Baxter, former vocal coach of Steven Tyler, preaches the most about rasp.

Amen to that.

[Quincy]

Thanks for your input jonpall. I’m working towards getting out in front of people. I need to get a handful of songs and start making the time and practicing with my guitar; where I can do it without thinking. But that is my goal over the coming year.

I believe I understand what you mean about “thinking” the emotion and letting it out with a relaxed throat. Every once in a while that will happen, and it is noticeable in the difference in ease and has a better sound. Just need to keep working at letting that intensity happen but relaxed, without tightening up in the throat.

Great stuff! For now, I’ll just work at this before getting too involved with all the different sub flavors.