Am I any good?

[TheNewGuy]

Is my voice any good?

[TheNewGuy]

I guess not.

[ronws]

You didn't get a response in less than 24 hours and that is reason to throw a fit?

Anyway, it's hard to hear if your voice is good or not when we can hardly hear your voice. Try standing closer to the microphone or singing a little louder than if you were whispering in someone's ear. You want people to hear you sing? Then sing. What's the worst that is going to happen? Someone is going to say you need work on this or that?

Welcome to the club. Some have told me I need to start from scratch and learn how to sing, all over again. So, I have been through whatever you think you are going through. Step up to the plate and take a swing. Re-record this where people can actually hear you.

[Keith]

Obviously you are a beginner. All beginners are timid at first. There are some basics you need to work on. My suggestion is to get a coach. I will write some things.to get you started when I have more time.

[MDEW]

You are singing quiet an airy. Even professionals have trouble if they are singing quiet and airy.

Do not let that get you down. When I first posted here I made the same mistake. And the people here were right.

Two things work against you when you sing quiet and airy. You're not using enough air to control the sound and you let what air you have escape faster and you run out of breath quick.

Find a song that you can really get into. Belt it out and send that clip. Maybe sing along to a backing track or any prerecorded song. Just so long as we hear you over the original singer. Then maybe some will be able to give better tips.

Good luck and welcome to the forum. :)

[Felipe Carvalho]

Relative pitch perception is ok but other than that, a lot of things to develop.

The answer is not yet, the results will depend on you and what you do to achieve it.

GL!

[ronws]

Felipe is right. Relative pitch is really about intervals and a number of people can do the intervals of a favored song, it may be even what drew them to that song. However, true or perfect pitch can be achieved to where you don't have to always sing a capella just because you weren't able to match the key of the instruments.

Either you need very good ears or need a few lessons with some kind of teacher or coach who can hear you and raise you up or down until you are on pitch. And then, you must memorize what it "feels" like. For you sing by feel, not by ear.

[RHan]

are you a guy? you sounds like Kellin Quin. anyway if you're new, just continue singing and stop with "is my voice any good?".. because to me everyone has own unique good voice. with experience and technique will surely make even most ugly voice sounds good with suitable music and genre. just my opinion, and im a beginner too. :P

[ronws]

R has a good answer. "Is my voice good?" Well, compared to what? Rather, state what it is you are looking for, if we have not scared you off, already. So, man up, or woman up, whatever the case may be, and respond to the questions. We really do want to help you, in whatever way is possible.

[TheNewGuy]

Thanks everybody for your responses.

@ronws- I'm just kinda impatient at times, whatever. I don't what to do about the quality, I have a shitty Laptop mic, i think it sounds better on headphones though. Thanks for your input!

@MDEW- I'll try to upload one asap

@kickingtone- Thank you

@FelipeCarvalho- How can I learn more about pitch and how to listen for it?

@RHan- Yea, I'm a guy, and I have no idea who that is, lol, but thanks for the comment.

[Felipe Carvalho]

TheNewGuy - Mostly with careful listening, recording yourself is one awesome idea too.

[ronws]

"Her name is Rio and she dances on the sand ..." hiccup.

Sorry, that image came to mind. Along with nose-picking and furtive glances about ...

[Xamedhi]

I thought of another thing...

"Sitting on a park bench... eyeing little girls with bad intent. Snot! Running down his nose..."

[TheNewGuy]

Find a song that you can really get into. Belt it out and send that clip. Maybe sing along to a backing track or any prerecorded song. Just so long as we hear you over the original singer. Then maybe some will be able to give better tips.

[ronws]

Okay, so, now I can hear you can match pitch to some music. Barely can I hear you. You need to step closer to the mic. What are you afraid of? If you are going to always sing this soft, then you need to get closer to the mic. Unless you don't want people to hear you sing. Which presents a dichotomy. You are in a singer's forum but you don't want others to hear you sing?

And for what? What kind of respect or admiration do you think you will earn singing so low and soft people can barely hear you? Are you waiting for someone to say what an awesome singer you are? Well, they actually have to hear you. Unfair, I know, too bad. STEP UP TO THE MIC. Sorry to holler but maybe you respond to that.

What are you ashamed of? Are you already sure that you have nothing to contribute? If I could, I would bottle up some of my "shamelessness" and ship it to you. Sing like you mean it, like you are the star.

[TheNewGuy]

The mic on my pc wasn't set- up properly and wasn't picking up the sounds, this one is louder.

[ronws]

So, I could hear your voice better. Some pitchy spots, slightly flat. I couldn't hear the music or were you singing this a capella? And judging by the lyrical content, is this a rap song? Because you have more a Michael Jackson vibe going on.

Your original question was "am I any good?" As good as any beginning singer. Spend some time learning to control the exhale, which will get rid of most of the flat spots. You have some basic relative pitch as it seems you can do some intervals but you come back to the same root note and I don't know the song. And, judging by the lyrics, I don't want to know the song but that is merely my personal preference.

Also, you need to think about singing the song, not speaking it. it's a different mindset.

On the whole, you are off to a good start and with some training and practice, you can do astounding things. It just takes work.

[TheNewGuy]

The artist who sings it has a MJ, Prince, R Kelly style. And it wasn't a capella, the sound was just very low. And it's and R&B song.

Also, you need to think about singing the song, not speaking it. it's a different mindset.

What does this mean exactly?

You have some basic relative pitch as it seems you can do some intervals but you come back to the same root note and I don't know the song.

And this?

Thanks for all your help so far!

[MDEW]

For one thing think of the mood of the song. Listening to the words and the story of the song, it seems that the person is frustrated and fed up with the situation. If you were actually fed up with someone to the point of having to cuss at them and at the situation would you whisper it or speak lightly? Put the kind of energy into singing that you would if you were being emotional.

Singing is usually on the vowels, The vowels carry the sound and tone.

In this thread ,which is in the vocal technique section, Listen to Al Green talk. He is light almost whispering. This is how you were singing. Then listen to him sing. Even though he is singing light and quiet there is power and energy. He is singing louder and stronger than when he speaks.

http://themodernvocalist.punbb-hosting.com/viewtopic.php?id=8169

[David]

You're not that good right now bro..

Hold back more air, increase your volume, open your mouth more, sing from the diaphragm, and project your voice as if you are singing to someone across the room without a Mic..

Sing with gusto.. Remember to pay attention to mono-toned tendencies and sharp abrasive endings to words, which makes you sound like you are just talking with a bit of vibrato at the end of the sentence..

CAN YOU LEARN TO SING? Absolutely... get a coach, learn the basics (breathing, projection, posture, expression), and you'll rock it...

[TheNewGuy]

Also, you need to think about singing the song, not speaking it. it's a different mindset.

And thank you everyone for your very helpful feedback!

[ronws]

And thank you everyone for your very helpful feedback!

Now, that's what I am talking about. The song flows.

Notice how your voice felt more like a musical instrument and not just a means of reciting poetry? That is what I meant by singing instead of speaking. In this, I can hear you holding the note. And when you do that, like a musical instrument, your pitch control gets better.

So, remember that. The singing voice is a musical instrument, first, like any other instrument, guitar, flute, piano, whatever. As opposed to how you speak normally. Did you notice, when you were holding notes longer, that your exhale was different? Keep that in mind, because that is how you sing. Allow the belly to relax to inhale but control the exhale. How fast or how much pressure. It's subtle. You ever take karate or other martial arts? The kiai? It's like a slowed-down or modified version of that.

And, with the way that you did this recording, I can hear the R&B in it, rather than a chanting rap. So, you came so much closer to expressing the feeling and rhythm of this song.

Crazy how one change in perspective changes everything, huh?

Singing is mental (perspective.)

[TheNewGuy]

Thank you very much for the advice! What should I work on first to get the basics down? I am starting to look for a good Skype vocal coach, but in the meantime what should I practice?

[TheNewGuy]

I sent you over an email, hopefully I'll start taking your lessons soon!