Vocal coaching - any use? (1 Viewer)

egg_

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Anyone here ever taken lessons with a vocal coach? Planning some vocal recording in April, and I'm really out of practice singing, so my usual problems of dodgy pitching and a honky voice are worse than they ever were. Anyone reckon a few sessions with a vocal coach would help? (actually practising singing in the house is not easy, with the kids and all)
 
I did some classical vocal training as a kid, and I wish I could undo tbh. It really depends what you're after though, I think a few lessons with a driven purpose and a teacher that understands what you want is a great ieda.
 
I'm interested in this too egg_ wouldnt mid getting a few lessons to try improve on a few things. I have a fear that they would say i'm shite and doing it all wrong too though
 
I'd like to do it too, to try and get a bit of control over my voice. Pitching is terrible and it all falls apart if I try to put any power into it. Soft poncey indie singing is the best I could hope for as things stand.
 
I took a few lessons a while back. It's all very common sense stuff. Stand properly, sing from your lungs rather than your throat, over pronounce (you'll find that you're not actually over pronouncing). Worth doing.
Also, practice in the car, alone.
 
I imagine everyone leaving the training sounding like Colm C T Wilkinson or a Billy Barry kid
 
I imagine everyone leaving the training sounding like Colm C T Wilkinson or a Billy Barry kid
This is a fear too! I just want to kind of loose bad habits and get techniques to improve my singing (if possible).

Stand properly...

Thats a issue straight away i'm sure as i'd have guitar in hand giving it some stupid (sexy) pose
 
Anyone here ever taken lessons with a vocal coach? Planning some vocal recording in April, and I'm really out of practice singing, so my usual problems of dodgy pitching and a honky voice are worse than they ever were. Anyone reckon a few sessions with a vocal coach would help? (actually practising singing in the house is not easy, with the kids and all)

Worked with a few singers on my new record. one of them is classically trained like bordering on opera, its pretty enviable what they can do and what control they have, and they can still roll off blues and sortof 'organic' style stuff no problem. The choir i play with obviously everyone is coached and it brings the weaker singers up to a decent level.

I also know bono/jedwards vocal coach. Most acts that are charting bigshtyles are working with coaches these days. It depends what you want to achieve - Like if you are out there three nights a week you are going to be working on more efficiency and breathing.

Warm ups are everything, if you ever happen to spot my choir at fest, come near backstage before the show and you'll hear some really crazy sounding 20 person warm up exercises.

There is an interesting thing to look for in freddie mercury's live work. His album versions he'll be going high octave nailing stuff. Live he starts the note high but does the sustain an octave lower.

If you go to a coach it'll all be about a breathing and projection and warm ups, maybe youtube could be your friend for that.
 
It depends what you want to achieve
I just want my voice to sound nice on a song is all. I can do a passable job of imitating other people (like Nick Cave, say) but once I'm singing as me then ... meh.

I see @snakybus has been reading this thread ... I think I asked you about this before dude, but anyway - did you doing special for the vocals on Marriage, cos you don't have a conventionally handsome voice but it sounds awesome on that?
 
I did on my arse

I just belted it out. Some of it was late at night so maybe that makes a difference?

Actually I prefer my vocalising on subsequent recordings, but there you go.
 
I think vocal training is a waste of money to be honest, if you're singing in a rock band. Unless it's like, death metal or whatever where you have to sound like a monster. Most rock music and indie is basically an extension of the folk idiom and as such it's more about individuality than anything, and finding your own voice that works in different situations and with different mic types. I think the plain truth is that some people have good voices and some don't. But you do what you can with what you've got. Lots of practice and experience is what it's all about and sure you have that! I know you're classically trained but really, who wants to end up sounding like a choirboy? Especially at your age.
 
I went to Frank Merriman back in the 90s, and learned a huge amount.
His approach is very simple and straightforward. He teaches you technique without ever using that word or any silly methods.
He really puts you through your paces, but in a very enjoyable way. I found I was always getting sore throats and things prior to taking lessons, so I'd recommend it. Yes a lot of it is common sense stuff, but with practice I found it helped improve my vocal strength and stamina overall.
It looks like he's still around too.

Bel Canto | Home
 
I know you're classically trained but really, who wants to end up sounding like a choirboy? Especially at your age.
Classically trained on piano back in the day, not at the singing. I've more of a sound-effects voice than a singing voice and there's nothing I can about that, but I'd like the singing not to be distracting from the songs, y'know?
 
Yeah gotcha. As I said a really good mic that works for you is half the battle. I've been singing into a Rode K2 for a good while now and I love it for the kind of thing I do.
 
I've never had a lesson, but just found that singing like fuck all the time is the only thing that opens up your voice and tone. And not singing in the car, or along to records, because then you're shadowing your voice. Just get some time on your own, and sing full pelt, fuck the neighbours.

And, if you want to really sound like you, then don't don't don't practice along to records of someone else
 
@travispickle is that you on the Acton Bell record? Ooh you do have a pretty nice voice. Yer man Frank Merriman is pretty dear though - EUR150 just for a "assessment" :eek:
Yep that's me @egg_ , thanks!
I guessed he might be pretty pricey alright; it was years ago when i went.
You'd probably get what you need from Youtube for warm up exercises and the like, for what you want to do. As has been said, practice and experience count for a lot, so you probably just want to get "voice fit" for recording; I'm sure you already have lots of experience. Just try singing whenever/wherever you can, you don't have to be belting it out; anything to keep the voice limber will help!
 

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