Afraid of my voice

ContraltoLivesMatter

Im a lead guitarist like Steve Vai, or Jennifer batten. I found I felt the need to sing as I am Solo artist.
Being a "contralto" I've had thing like being called guy at some gigs etc, which discourage me to sing.
However; It feels So darn good I can't stop coming back to it...Then I get upset with my voice and quit singing, go back to intrumental guitar and back to Singing and playing lead. I feel like I am making some Tremendous progress especially yesterday at rehearsal where I really didnt do to bad it was more a stamina thing. I LOVE 80s hair metal and that' my thing, Even got a Poison Tattoo.

I'am I the only wanna be lead singer and lead guitarist that is critical of hating my own voice incase it just pisses everyone off at a gig or that???

Caroline

[Deleted User]

It depends on what types of gigs you are doing. If you are playing a more upscale club they will expect a certain level of professionalism, but if your playing some corner dive bar......just do your thing.

Peace, Tony

ContraltoLivesMatter

Im quite professional when I play..I was gigging some Hendrix stuff which isnt diva required singing.
However I'm feeling capable of some poison stuff, been practising and got more longer vowel sounds and getting some decent shape going on too.

ContraltoLivesMatter

I mainly get annoyed when some one accused me of being a dude.. during My performance. It like being a low alto or contralto is a bad thing.

Caroline

JanEarl

You know: Hendrix hated the sound of his own voice and didn't think he could sing. Joe Satriani admits that he isn't the world's best singer, but he works at it and does what he can do. And then there's Bob Dylan and the late Tom Petty. Neither of them would make it through the first round of American Idol, but the laughed all the way to the bank.

I'm in the same boat as you: in search of "My Own Voice". I guess it isn't a question of the voice; but rather a matter of song choice and style of delivery. Listen to Jimi Hendrix sing "The Wind Cries Mary". He is so into the lyric of the song that it creates his delivery and shapes his style. It's "HIS" because he wrote it and owned it through his delivery.

Ever hear Chrissie Hind singing her Christmas songs? Oh Dear! Compare those vocals to her hits like "Don't Get Me Wrong". Take her away from her style, and the magic fails. But let Chrissie be Chrissie and she nails it every time.

So like Simon Scowl puts it: "Song Choice, Song Choice, Song Choice". You can sing, Caroline. You've just been picking the wrong songs.