Sustaining notes

kamikaze

Hey everyone!

My band just released our very first EP yesterday, and were very happy with how things turned out. However, being the incredible self-critic that I am, I feel like vocally I could have done much better. I sing on the first two songs of the 3 song EP, and I feel a little down in the dumps that I may have dropped the ball a bit. That said, we’re hoping to start recording a second release in a few months, so I’m completely open to any and all feedback and advice on how to improve myself for the next time around. I’ll copy and paste the YouTube links to the tracks. Thank you so much!

Side note: I’m also finding that I’m having trouble sustaining a long, powerful note without it sounding dry and kinda weird. I’ll record a demo and post it in the comments, but I feel like I’m also struggling to convey my whole emotion in my phrases, probably due in part to my tenchnique. I’d just really like to fix this up, as we plan on recording some louder, more emotional material next time around.

Thank you!!

https://youtu.be/yNAY1Ds39CE

https://youtu.be/-wpRH7GJDoM

https://youtu.be/bFMI8GPkNv8 (this is the one I don’t sing on, more of an example of the kind of material we’re working on)

Maybe I’m just in my own head, but I feel as though my songs didn’t turn out as well as they could have due to my vocal performance and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to improve for the future.

Thanks again!

[Deleted User]

The vocals, and the songs as a whole sounded good even though I'm really not into the Greenday/Offspring type sound, but if that WAS my thing, I would be proud of that.

It's good work.

Peace, Tony

kamikaze

> @videoace said:
> The vocals, and the songs as a whole sounded good even though I'm really not into the Greenday/Offspring type sound, but if that WAS my thing, I would be proud of that.
>
> It's good work.
>
> Peace, Tony


Thanks Tony! We spent a lot of time working on em, I guess I’m just very overly self-critical. We’ve gotten very good reception on them, but I think maybe not quite the reaction I subconsciously expected so maybe I’m just in my own head about it? Any feedback I dig though, thanks!

highmtn

This is good stuff, @kamikaze! Don't beat yourself up. It sounds good. Everybody cringes a little bit getting used to the sound of their own voice. We're not cringing. Good songs, good music!

kamikaze

> @highmtn said:
> This is good stuff, @kamikaze! Don't beat yourself up. It sounds good. Everybody cringes a little bit getting used to the sound of their own voice. We're not cringing. Good songs, good music!

Thanks a ton Bob! You always find my posts and make me feel better :-) Any honest feedback for me? I can take it, just trying to see what to improve on for the future. I always worry I may not have enough emotion/maybe go off here and there. But again, you’re your own biggest critic. Let me know what ya think, I appreciate you always being so helpful man, hope all is well!

Diego

Why don't these videos load for me? "This video is not available"
lol Damn it, I want to hear!

kamikaze

> @Diego said:
> Why don't these videos load for me? "This video is not available"
> lol Damn it, I want to hear!

Hey dude, if these won’t work try Spotify if you have it!

https://open.spotify.com/album/7iko28yTveJgfScNy4krH4

Or it’s on Apple Music as well, I just am not sure how to link lol

highmtn

@kamikaze,

You're singing with a straight tone, no vibrato. That's fine, that's a style. But you might want to consider vibrato when it comes to sustaining longer notes. Vibrato can be a way to "relax into the sound" and when you do that, there can be more length in your sustained notes. I think what you are doing is fine, as-is. But if you want to add it to your tools in your vocal toolbox, then vibrato might be one strategy for holding longer notes with less difficulty.

kamikaze

> @highmtn said:
> @kamikaze,
>
> You're singing with a straight tone, no vibrato. That's fine, that's a style. But you might want to consider vibrato when it comes to sustaining longer notes. Vibrato can be a way to "relax into the sound" and when you do that, there can be more length in your sustained notes. I think what you are doing is fine, as-is. But if you want to add it to your tools in your vocal toolbox, then vibrato might be one strategy for holding longer notes with less difficulty.

Ya know Bob, you’re absolutely right! I actually used to be super overkill on vibrato, I think singing this style of music so much got me a bit out of the mix of vibrato. I think it’s be kinda neat to use vibrato and mix it up a bit though. I think you’re right, I’m used to holding notes with vibrato, usually when I try to hold a note straight my voice kinda autopilots itself to vibrato, but I guess since I’m fighting it it comes off shaky? I think I’m still getting used to putting all the elements together (open throat, closure, compression, timbre, etc.) and I feel like when I focus super hard on getting one down, I lose sight of another. That’s awesome advice though, I was wondering why the notes weren’t coming out right!

You’re the man Bob thanks

Diego

@kamikaze ,

It's it pretty good,
Like Bob said, you want to relax into the sound with vibrato to hold notes for even longer time.
It's all in your support, so I would practice sustaining that note.
And the vibrato adds that nice feel to it.

Anyways,
All the best

-Diego

kamikaze

Thank you Diego!!

Question for you all, if I were to start adding more vibrato to my style and the other singers in the band didn’t, would that effect our harmonies if they weren’t using the same vibrato as I was?

Thanks!!

Diego

It all depends on what harmonies you are doing.
Are they all doing harmonies with you? The harmonies are usually subtle (depends on the song), and should not overpower the main vocalist.
You could send a link to the song you are trying to do, and that'll make it easier for me to know haha. Believe me, I love doing harmonies.

-Diego

highmtn

Harmonies tend to work best on straight tones. You can synchronize your vibratos, but that's not easy to work well. If each person has their own vibrato speed, even if only slightly different, that can add confusion or conflict to the sound. Harmonies are about a blend and synchronized singing. There are some exceptions to this, the Bee Gees being one and Vanilla Fudge being another, but those were exaggerated and gimmicky. Not everybody will be able to come up with synchronized vibratos that become popular. It's pretty common for the lead voice to have vibrato and the backups to be mostly straight tones.

Also, just to go back to sustaining notes, the best way to do that in modern music is on a sustained straight tone that eventually blends into a light vibrato, rather than a continuous operatic vibrato. You hold onto the straight tone for a few seconds and then subtly blend into a nice vibrato.

Diego

What Bob said, is a perfect explanation of what I meant. Far better than mine haha.

All the best,

-Diego

JeddaDo

I actually love these songs - great sound. I like the first two best. Try to be kind to yourself, because (for some reason) there will be people lining up to be harsh. I hope you share more.

kamikaze

Thanks guys so much for your feedback and advice! Bob, I've been working on emplaying a bit of vibrato on the tail of longer notes like you said. The flat note seems to be in for this tyle, so I'll see where that takes me.

Thanks guys!