Better Man - James Morrison

[guitarheaven]

Thoughts? Sorry for the recording quality. My mic isn't the best.

https://www.box.com/s/togqan8znhluw7n3fe8v

[ronws]

Technically, good. Aesthetically, I would have liked more dynamics. For example, there are just a few places where sing soft but those spots are money, to me.

So, take my comments with a grain of salt. I am not your producer, in charge of producing a salable recording. Was this "live"? As in, playing and singing at the same time? I don't know what you have to record on but you might separate it, that way you don't have to concentrate on both. Me? I am the opposite. On some stuff where I played guitar on one track and sang through playback, I get the advice to not sing and play guitar at the same time. On stuff where I sang and played guitar at the same time, I get compliments. Go figure ....

Anyway, you had good pitch. I just wanted to hear more variation in emotional delivery, which is a performance or style thing, rather than a technical singing thing.

And now and then, I think you were waiting to change chords, which can hamper legato, for some.

[guitarheaven]

Thanks for the feedback! I'm not too familiar with this song, which is probably why it sounded like I was waiting for some chords and also why there wasn't much emotional delivery. Also, I was trying to sing this song with good tone, which most probably interfered with the performance aspect. Which parts would you have sung more intensely rather quietly like I did? Were they in the chorus? This recording was live.

[joshual]

You need to fit in the character. Even if you are strungling with the guitar

Check my post in this section "me on stage mama said" for an example. It s far from perfect but i m really in the song.

Keep on workin ;-)

[MDEW]

I think most of the problems technical and otherwise are from you not being familier with the song. After you can can sing and play it without having to think about it then you can sing from the emotional standpoint. The dynamics will come through better.

As far as being a work in progress not bad.

Who originaly sings this? If it is an original that you wrote I like it alot.

[guitarheaven]

Its off of James Morrison's album Undiscovered. I really like him. He has a great voice. Unfortunately I had to lower the key of the song to be able to sing it decently.

[ronws]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with changing key to suit your voice. I do it, carte blanche, because no one can stop me. I usually raise the key. Which you can do as well. Whatever key you choose is to put the melody in a place comfortable and good with your voice.

Yeah, learning a new song, one can be kind of wooden. Until you get under the skin of the song and it gets under yours, which will solve the legato or flow of the song, right there.

I think there's a point in time where we've got to decide, is this a forum to critique each other's recording skills and equipment, or what. Where the singing can be fine, if a bit stiff, but still on pitch. And the advice we give is more toward the playing the instrument or how to record. Although, those things are important. I don't mind commenting on the other things. They can be ancilliary to singing and some of us do play a musical instrument.

The reason I bring this up is because it involves recording. Let's pretend this was a singing class and you have a weekly recital. And this was your recital. You would get a passing grade for technique, for you did everything, as far as my rubic ears can hear, quite well. No pitch wobbles no weak spots. As far as I am concerned, the only two things needed to be worried about are pitch and apparent strength of note.

But some famous songs have off pitches that I think should stay. "Highway to Hell" ends with Bon a few cents off pitch on the last word. I've been hearing that song since 1977, so, I hope I have experience in stating that. Producer Mutt Lange let it go. The whole point of the song is everything is rough, and not nice, and slightly off the antithesis. A few chords. One of the slowest guitar solos that even a beginner can play. Simple drums. And from Mutt Lange, a relatively understated mix, far less than he would do for other bands but it fit.

But I digress. If you are looking just technical critique, you won't find much from me. Just input as to what I would want to hear as an audience member. Which falls under performance, which might affect singing.