Home VOCAL DEMONSTRATIONS for the Bold!

Girls/Girls/Boys Cover

DiegoDiego Moderator, 2.0 PRO, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 1,157

@highmtn @doc_ramadani @HuduVudu @victortang @Vocality @Klaus_T @Sophia @Gaston_Jauregui @Furious_Phil @blondiewales @juanmarivley @Wigs @Michael4000 @LoneWolfRogue @iking @DevonMoore @cwcw @tinaalcorace @Ken Tamplin @Giraffy @Spyk
Here it is.
Tell me what you think.
I used reverb, delay and distortion for some parts.
I couldn't fix some clipping so please excuse me.

Comments

  • cwcwcwcw 2.0 PRO Posts: 412
    @Diego, man do you crank out the tunes. I'm not familiar with the song, but for the first time hearing it, I'd think you were the artist. Well done! I really like the tune.

    My only (minor) critiques are the on the chorus, "girls And boys". Where the "And" is higher, your vocals pop through a little harshly (midrange). Now, that could be a recording issue (maybe that's where you're clipping) or a technique issue. Minor, but it jumped out at me.

    And, the other critique is on the chorus as well, and this is a recording thing...or perhaps a style thing...it almost sounds as if the song went to low bit rate MP3 - maybe that's where you kicked in the distortion (perhaps a little too much). That swooshy, swirly sound caught me off guard in this age of "pristine" audio. Take the comments for what they're worth (probably not much). Again, well done!

    Thanks for sharing. I have no problems listening to the recording as is. :)
  • DiegoDiego Moderator, 2.0 PRO, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 1,157
    edited February 2019
    @cwcw Thanks so much for the feedback man!
    Yeah the '' And'' in the chorus was a recording mistake. Because when I sang the note it was pretty open and resonant didn't feel forced at all. Idk why, but I was recording at - 18dB and still clipped the note -_- and yes, sorry it was mp3 I should make it WAV. I did add the distortion in for fun though. @Klaus_T is gonna help me edit this tomorrow.
  • DiegoDiego Moderator, 2.0 PRO, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 1,157
  • cwcwcwcw 2.0 PRO Posts: 412
    @Diego . Whoa, clipped while recording at -18dB (I record there as well). Weird, though I've had weird things like that happen for no apparent reason. MP3 is mostly fine at a high enough bit-rate. FWIW, the samples I've been putting on the weekly assignments have been 384 kbps target vbr, settling in at around 244 kbps (if I'm reading the lame settings correctly). So, no biggie there. Amazon's are 256 kbps.

    Looking forward to hear what Klaus does for it. :)
  • HuduVuduHuduVudu 2.0 PRO Posts: 1,818
    @Diego I think you are good singer. I think you have solid potential. I also think that you're seriously struggling with your chest voice and I think that it is holding you back from your full potential. I shake my head because I can't understand why you won't work to correct it.

    In some ways I am jealous of you. You have solid tone and pitch your youth allows you to recover quickly. Your mind is still malleable and you can learn quickly without distraction. You don't even know how much it means to be healthy and you take it for granted. I shake my head knowing that even if you spend five solid years doing nothing but working on scales and building your voice you will still be many many many years younger than I am, and will have a solid skill and bright future ahead.

    But then I remember ... I remember what it's like to be your age, and that reminds me that you have big hurdles to overcome and the worst part is that you can't even see them. People will tell you about them, like people told me about mine and you will do most likely what I did and nod your head in agreement and continue doing what you have always done. Not really knowing what they are talking about and not really curious to understand further, because what they say you must do is hard, and really why bother. Until one day you wake up and you are my age.

    Diego you are very fortunate in singing and if you solidly apply yourself your singing will take you places you could never imagine, but the key is to solidly apply yourself, and where you are right now that is going to be one of the hardest things you ever do.

    I don't mean to be down on you Diego, but the songs are a distraction for you right now and I don't want to be a scolding father. So I will leave it that.
  • Gaston_JaureguiGaston_Jauregui Moderator, Enrolled, 2.0 PRO, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 1,004
    edited February 2019
    @diego good job!

    the chorus sounds great, the verse could be brighter, I know you try to emulate the singers, but still is something worth to mention technique wise, other wise you could get stuck when getting to the chorus, so be conscious of that, make sure you anticipate the highest note of every melody in every breath, this will get you brighter easier

    the chorus feels kind of "da (low note) DArararara" (high notes)
    in order to make this more elastic, visualize the high note from the start, breathe in it , this will make the space thinner but at the same time you can pull chest there with more ease and will sound more even the whole spectrum of the melody

    details on the mixing (recording) try to automate the volume, as much as you can and check it on a very low volume, and i mean really low
    cut at least the 80 hz for the rumble on the eq and with the high pass filter, this will help the track sit better in the mix if you have more doubts, try a vocal eq preset, it could help

    put a compressor to the vocals
    4:1 ratio fast attack slow release and the threshold, make sure the its at least showing you some dbs in the gain reduction every now and then

    this will make your vocals sound waaaay better pretty quick

    hope this helps
  • DiegoDiego Moderator, 2.0 PRO, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 1,157
    HuduVudu said:

    @Diego I think you are good singer. I think you have solid potential. I also think that you're seriously struggling with your chest voice and I think that it is holding you back from your full potential. I shake my head because I can't understand why you won't work to correct it.

    In some ways I am jealous of you. You have solid tone and pitch your youth allows you to recover quickly. Your mind is still malleable and you can learn quickly without distraction. You don't even know how much it means to be healthy and you take it for granted. I shake my head knowing that even if you spend five solid years doing nothing but working on scales and building your voice you will still be many many many years younger than I am, and will have a solid skill and bright future ahead.

    But then I remember ... I remember what it's like to be your age, and that reminds me that you have big hurdles to overcome and the worst part is that you can't even see them. People will tell you about them, like people told me about mine and you will do most likely what I did and nod your head in agreement and continue doing what you have always done. Not really knowing what they are talking about and not really curious to understand further, because what they say you must do is hard, and really why bother. Until one day you wake up and you are my age.

    Diego you are very fortunate in singing and if you solidly apply yourself your singing will take you places you could never imagine, but the key is to solidly apply yourself, and where you are right now that is going to be one of the hardest things you ever do.

    I don't mean to be down on you Diego, but the songs are a distraction for you right now and I don't want to be a scolding father. So I will leave it that.

    What should I be doing to correct my chest voice? The thing is, since everyone's voice is different. I don't really know how my chest voice should sound. If I'm doing it right or not.

    And I'm really working hard right now. I feel like I'm going all over the place right now.
    I feel like I need some guidance lmao.

    It's okay. I appreciate your advice.
  • DiegoDiego Moderator, 2.0 PRO, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 1,157

    @diego good job!

    the chorus sounds great, the verse could be brighter, I know you try to emulate the singers, but still is something worth to mention technique wise, other wise you could get stuck when getting to the chorus, so be conscious of that, make sure you anticipate the highest note of every melody in every breath, this will get you brighter easier

    the chorus feels kind of "da (low note) DArararara" (high notes)
    in order to make this more elastic, visualize the high note from the start, breathe in it , this will make the space thinner but at the same time you can pull chest there with more ease and will sound more even the whole spectrum of the melody

    details on the mixing (recording) try to automate the volume, as much as you can and check it on a very low volume, and i mean really low
    cut at least the 80 hz for the rumble on the eq and with the high pass filter, this will help the track sit better in the mix if you have more doubts, try a vocal eq preset, it could help

    put a compressor to the vocals
    4:1 ratio fast attack slow release and the threshold, make sure the its at least showing you some dbs in the gain reduction every now and then

    this will make your vocals sound waaaay better pretty quick

    hope this helps

    @Gaston_Jauregui Should I compress ALL the vocals?
    Or just the main ones?
  • Gaston_JaureguiGaston_Jauregui Moderator, Enrolled, 2.0 PRO, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 1,004
    @diego, all the vocals, but I would automate the volume of all first, before any compressing the recording
  • WigsWigs Moderator, 2.0 PRO, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 5,042
    I'm not sure if I'm right in this but the 2 main things that stood out around 1:54 the "you" sounded like u could modify a bit more to OH and the "love" in the chorus could be a touch more rounded as well.
    Still well done over all for sure!
  • Furious_PhilFurious_Phil Moderator, Pro, 2.0 PRO, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 1,421
    @Gaston_Jauregui , Do you use an outboard compressor as well as the one in your DAW?
    I ask as this was suggested to be by a veteran rock singer to help keep the original signal from getting slammed even before it reaches the DAW.
  • HuduVuduHuduVudu 2.0 PRO Posts: 1,818
    What should I be doing to correct my chest voice?
    By doing the chest stretching exercises ... A LOT. You like to sing songs that require a solid head voice, but inevitably those singers will pull high chest and you struggle when they do that.
    I don't really know how my chest voice should sound. If I'm doing it right or not.
    Post scales. Ask questions. Pay attention to your voice, listen to your scales. Work to understand.
  • doc_ramadanidoc_ramadani Administrator, 2.0 PRO, Facility Management Posts: 3,978
    edited March 2019
    Hi @Diego,

    again a very good rendition. I like how you worked on the mix. But I guess that you will be soon at a point where you have to learn how to use your DAW (Presonus) to get more out of your recordings. To avoid clipping you should try to track your vocals at around -18dB. You can always make your track louder at the end, after you finished your mix.

    The better you get the harder the critique (you deserve) will be. You are now 2,5 months on the course and your voice grew tremendously in this short period. You did a good job. But the guys are right. Your chest voice and head voice are not connected, yet. They sound like 2 different voices. I agree with Shane that it would be good to demo the basic LAH scale in the familiar versions (stretching + bridging). Probably you are already good to go to Volume 2.

    BTW, I loved the vibe you put into the lyrics. The emotions translate very well. Good job, wonderboy.

    Doc

    PS.: And the critique will get even harder the better you get - for your own good.
  • doc_ramadanidoc_ramadani Administrator, 2.0 PRO, Facility Management Posts: 3,978
    Definitely much better. Sounds very consistent now.
  • cwcwcwcw 2.0 PRO Posts: 412
    Much better - groovin'. Nice work Diego and @Klaus_T
    Anything you can do with the sibilance starting around 2:30?
  • Klaus_TKlaus_T Moderator, 2.0 PRO Posts: 2,439
    @cwcw, glad you like it! yeah I can, I did actually not use de-essing at all. I just had the vocal track and @Diego mixed the two together. so we have to see if Diego wants to do it again :) I would have also liked the echoes in the chorus to be a bit less prominent after hearing it on the backing track.

    Diego, if you want me to do anything else on this track or on any other upcoming ones, let me know, I'll squeeze it in if possible. it was fun

    I am very busy this weekend though, so it might not be possible before Monday/Tuesday
  • doc_ramadanidoc_ramadani Administrator, 2.0 PRO, Facility Management Posts: 3,978
    edited March 2019
    Klaus_T said:


    I am very busy this weekend though, so it might not be possible before Monday/Tuesday

    And don't miss to post recordings / videos of the gig. :smile:

    Marco

  • WigsWigs Moderator, 2.0 PRO, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 5,042
    So this was just the mix that was redone right? No new vocals? It did sound better!
  • Klaus_TKlaus_T Moderator, 2.0 PRO Posts: 2,439
    edited March 2019
    @Wigs it was a bit of leveling/volume automation, compression, EQ, reverb, delay and a bit of distortion/saturation. I think it was the exact same vocals as in the first one
  • doc_ramadanidoc_ramadani Administrator, 2.0 PRO, Facility Management Posts: 3,978
    Well done, Klaus.
  • WigsWigs Moderator, 2.0 PRO, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 5,042
    I guess the word I'd use is it's more polished? I really have no idea how all that affects the sound yet, I'm gonna delve into it a bit this week.
  • Klaus_TKlaus_T Moderator, 2.0 PRO Posts: 2,439
    @Wigs , if you want to learn about mixing / vocal processing, you could check out Warren Huart's YT channel "Produce Like A Pro", it has tons of great and very easy to follow tips for anything production-related.
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