can vocal coaching improve your singing voice?

scruff321 · 20-08-2007 8:29pm #1

id love to be able to sing in a band but the old voice aint the best dont suppose its possible to improve upon if ur not very talented

estebancambias · 21-08-2007 1:44am

Yes it can. Also avoid dairy.

bluesman07 · 28-08-2007 1:05pm

everyone can sing if you get the right trainning.rest and practice is also important for singing.im a 21 yr old rock vocalist and can sing as much as for octaves.im studying to be a vocal coach.if you want to be serious about it its best if you you avoid alchol and smoking it just damages you vocal chords.although there might be a couple of singers out there who deny this the fact of the matter is they havent a clue what they are talking about.its the diffrence between making it big and failing.vocals are the most important thing in a band or what ever.go for it your never too old to get your voice trainned as i said earlier everybody can sing.

scruff321 · 28-08-2007 7:31pm

thanks man im defo going to look into it

judas101 · 28-08-2007 11:42pm

bluesman07 wrote:

avoid alchol

dang. guess i wasnt cut out for it

Steve_o · 29-08-2007 9:58am

bluesman07 wrote:

everyone can sing if you get the right trainning.rest and practice is also important for singing.im a 21 yr old rock vocalist and can sing as much as for octaves.im studying to be a vocal coach.if you want to be serious about it its best if you you avoid alchol and smoking it just damages you vocal chords.although there might be a couple of singers out there who deny this the fact of the matter is they havent a clue what they are talking about.its the diffrence between making it big and failing.vocals are the most important thing in a band or what ever.go for it your never too old to get your voice trainned as i said earlier everybody can sing.

Sorry mate but this isn't entirely true, its true to an certain extent i.e. if you go out and get blasted every night its bad for your voice, but i've received vocal coaching and have been singing with different bands for a long time now, and i drink....no problem.

To say that you wont make it if you drink it pure rubbish, look at some of the greatest rock stars...The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, The Who, Pink Floyd and so on...do you think they completely avoided alcohol and smoking??...pfffft,

I realise that smoking is definitely bad for your voice, but total avoidance of alcohol? Rubbish...

Ps...your fairly deluded to think that vocals are the most important thing in a band, i'm a vocalist and i know this!! A band can't function without all its members, if the guitar or bass or drums were taken out it'd sound equally as dodgy as if the vocals were taken out.

bluesman07 · 29-08-2007 11:43am

but are you a good vocalist?there are many out there who think they are good but are crap.if you drink alchol it swells up your vocal chords and its hard to sing high notes.thats why when the likes of some of those artists that you mentioned(while 1 or 2 arent great vocalist)go out and sing a lot of there songs are brought down a semitone or two or more so that they wont strain themselves and easier to sing,and besides steven tyler underwent a few operations (the most recent one last year) in order to help his vocals.what was the reason for that?alchol and drugs, and during their tour this year he didnt have alchol in many venues.i aint being smart of anything.i respect what you are believe in, but vocals is important.did you ever go and see a show where there was good muscians but bad vocalist?'you probably said that this fella is **** i can listin to them any longer....!'if you have good vocals it better for the band, because its the vocalist everybody goes to see.

Steve_o · 29-08-2007 11:50am

bluesman07 wrote:

but are you a good vocalist?there are many out there who think they are good but are crap.if you drink alchol it swells up your vocal chords and its hard to sing high notes.thats why when the likes of some of those artists that you mentioned(while 1 or 2 arent great vocalist)go out and sing a lot of there songs are brought down a semitone or two or more so that they wont strain themselves and easier to sing,and besides steven tyler underwent a few operations (the most recent one last year) in order to help his vocals.what was the reason for that?alchol and drugs, and during their tour this year he didnt have alchol in many venues.i aint being smart of anything.i respect what you are believe in, but vocals is important.did you ever go and see a show where there was good muscians but bad vocalist?'you probably said that this fella is **** i can listin to them any longer....!'if you have good vocals it better for the band, because its the vocalist everybody goes to see.

I'm a modest vocalist, so i can't really say, but hey check out for yourself My Band

red_ice · 19-09-2007 1:17pm

bluesman07 wrote:

vocals are the most important thing in a band or what ever.

*cough* my arse *cough*

Not in an instrumental band :] Vocals can be spoken, they are by no means the most vital part of a band. They simply tell a story and create a melody, which every other instrument in the band does.

Frankiestylee · 19-09-2007 4:29pm

Really everything in a great band should be in balance. I'd rather hear a band of average musicians playing well together then one bloke who thinks he's amazing and is all about showing off. Vocals don't HAVE to be perfect, look at Bob Dylan, Billy Corgan etc, not the definition of good vocals but their music is loved by millions.

If you're singing opera, then fair enough, take care of yourselves, but for balls to the wall rock n roll, grow up and get on with it. Do it how you want, but the best part of playing music is having fun... unless ye make it, then I'm sure the money is nice too.

People who tend to preach tend to be awfully pretensious with their music, and well, that's just not really something I'm into.

judas101 · 24-09-2007 7:38pm

bluesman07 wrote:

its the vocalist everybody goes to see.

that's the biggest pile of crap ever.

seriously dude.

jeez.

Parsley · 15-10-2007 10:34pm

judas101 wrote: »

that's the biggest pile of crap ever.

seriously dude.

jeez.

+1 Most of the bands I like, I'd go to see everyone EXCEPT the singer.

JimmyJazz · 28-11-2007 4:12pm

bluesman07 wrote: »

because its the vocalist everybody goes to see.

Sonuds like someone's got a bit of an ego problem.... Oh yeah that'd be the singer!

A bands about the sum of the parts - musicians, vocals, songwriting- sure you gotta have a vocalist people like to listen ...

It's childish, arrogant and smacks of underlying insecurity to come out with this kind of BS...

frobisher · 29-11-2007 2:30pm

JimmyJazz wrote: »

Sonuds like someone's got a bit of an ego problem.... Oh yeah that'd be the singer!

A bands about the sum of the parts - musicians, vocals, songwriting- sure you gotta have a vocalist people like to listen ...

It's childish, arrogant and smacks of underlying insecurity to come out with this kind of BS...

No need to be so rude JimmyJazz. Read the charter. Please put the personal attacks away.

Are you saying that the vast majority of people who make up the music buying public don't have more awareness and focus on the singer than the other members? Because you'd be wrong. Ask around. Of course there are exceptions, there are even whole genres where it doesn't apply.
Most of the bands that I like alot I know all the members names and as musician I'd take an intertest in the members of bands in general, but most people aren't like that.

Put to answer the OP's question, vocal traning can do alot for the majority of voices. More than most people seem to realise.

JimmyJazz · 29-11-2007 4:08pm

Fair Comment Frobisher... Reading what I wrote sounds like a personal dig. I was here to give some advice but I suppose I just read and saw red...

The point I'm making is that in any band all members contribute to the output - True, punters are more aware of a singer but there's a lot more going on than there seems...

It's a team effort and In my experience allowing Egos (...I'm more important than you...) leads to disaster... It's my opinion but to be honest shouldn't really be in the thread.

Shivz0708 · 03-12-2007 9:10pm

if i practise hitting hi notes i get better do yas think

JimmyJazz · 04-12-2007 11:33am

Vocal chords are a lot like most muscles in your body. You wouldn't go out to run the 100Mtrs without proper training!

I'd suggest working on yuor vocal range with some scales initially - you'll see where your natural range is (the notes you feel comfortable hitting!). After that you have a few options - keep up the scales and strengthen your voice and as you develop your voice your range will naturally improve (not drastically tho).

In addition you can look at other vocal techniques like falsetto to improve your range...

Strength and stamina are also important - these improve with practice. don't try too hard and be careful about abusing your chords. Don't do like i did - sing/play in a police tribute band while having a fondness for herbal roll-ups!!

Also warm-up them chords before you start, drink room temperature water for lubrication and as said above watch your dairy.

Most of this is fairly standard stuff - I tend to concentrat more on some pointrs than others. Our bodies are not all built the same and neither are the chords!!

Finally, don't listen to anyone who says you can't sing... have fun!!

Stompbox · 27-12-2007 11:45pm

bluesman07 wrote: »

but are you a good vocalist?there are many out there who think they are good but are crap.if you drink alchol it swells up your vocal chords and its hard to sing high notes.thats why when the likes of some of those artists that you mentioned(while 1 or 2 arent great vocalist)go out and sing a lot of there songs are brought down a semitone or two or more so that they wont strain themselves and easier to sing,and besides steven tyler underwent a few operations (the most recent one last year) in order to help his vocals.what was the reason for that?alchol and drugs, and during their tour this year he didnt have alchol in many venues.i aint being smart of anything.i respect what you are believe in, but vocals is important.did you ever go and see a show where there was good muscians but bad vocalist?'you probably said that this fella is **** i can listin to them any longer....!'if you have good vocals it better for the band, because its the vocalist everybody goes to see.

I'm sorry what?!

Everybody goes to see the vocalists?! Please tell that people go to an Arcade Fire gig just to hear him sing?! Good voice and all but their instrumentation is their selling point. And I wouldnt agree that people only leave if theres a bad singer. A bad singer I can stand, a excessively loud drummer or untuned guitarist I cannot.

harmacist · 12-01-2008 1:21pm

Maybe this merits a new thread, but does anyone have experience with any vocal coaches in dublin. I'm in desperate need of singing lessons but I'm worried if I pick a random from the golden pages I'll end up wasting an hour in some grannies "dining/music room" on a piano stool in sandyford... I don't mind payin a bit if anyone has a decent recommendation....
cheers

frobisher · 13-01-2008 12:00am

I've seen a few advertised over on gumtree. However be careful, different people want different things but I reckon there are people out there doing it that won't do a lot for you but will certainly take your cash. I did singing lessons with a variety of teachers, read every book, watched every video and practised like mental. Eventually I settled with a professional french opera singer who toured the world. She was amazing. I'm a rock/pop singer sonwriter and no warbbling genius but the lessons turned me from someone who only dreamed of singing in public with no abaility to someone who made a living from it and was on TV and radio (a little bit!). Although all those singing lessons were abroad so I can't recommend them for you here!

I spoke to someone giving singing lessons in Dublin recently and they said they were from the Bel Canto school. The things she said she would do sounded like nonsense and very unpractical. No mention of diaphragmatic breathing, support, pitching or relaxation what so ever. However, it doesn't mean they are all like that (just convering my ass there!).

I've often thought of giving them myself. I certainly took enough of them to learn about it. But then being a good singer and being a good teacher are of course different things. Let us know if you find anyone good. There are others out there looking for them too.

harmacist · 13-01-2008 10:21pm

Hey thanks man,
I'll have a look on gumtree and see what i can see.
Your lessons were very exotic by the way!

harmacist · 14-01-2008 8:48am

Found this bbc link. Seems like a good intro at least...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/onemusic/startingout/vocalp01.shtml

frobisher · 14-01-2008 2:22pm

harmacist wrote: »

Hey thanks man,
I'll have a look on gumtree and see what i can see.
Your lessons were very exotic by the way!

All bread and butter stuff really. It's an amzing feeling when you learn those things and they start clicking into place and you start hearing your voice really develop. Singing is one of the greatest pleasures I have ever encountered.

phil_w2@hotmail · 05-02-2008 6:01pm

i'd love to sing in a band but i dont have the balls

i'm good as far as i know as my girlfriend told me to go onto xfactor :P.... and i do manage a band..... hmmmm is the universe saying something to me??

maybe i'll read over all the songs i wrote and see if there are any messages there i should listen to....

Dave Clemo · 08-02-2008 8:56pm

Hi, I've been playing and singing for 40 years. I never had any lessons until about 10-12 years ago. I'd been playing in folk bands, rock, pop, country bands- every style including an Eagles tribute band. All without any vocal coaching.
Then I got a recording contract as a singer/songwriter and my vocal shortcomings were revealed to all and sundry. My experience under the microscopic conditions in the studio nearly destroyed me.
I saw an advert for vocal coaching by an opera singer and the exercises he taught me gave me confidence that I would hit the right note without straining, that my voice would last all night without blowing it out on the first number, and it also increased my range.
I watch and listen to many of my contemporaries like Paul Rogers (who sings with Queen) and I can assure you that he knows how to look after his voice and I'll bet you he sees a voice coach

MattKid · 14-02-2008 7:23pm

Recording can be one of the most depressing things in the world when you hear your vocals for what they are.

I bought Zen And The Art Of Screaming by Melissa Cross, which has helped but I'm on the look out for a decent singing teacher in Galway

gemmaS6988 · 07-01-2010 11:51pm

bluesman07 wrote: »

everyone can sing if you get the right trainning.rest and practice is also important for singing.im a 21 yr old rock vocalist and can sing as much as for octaves.im studying to be a vocal coach.if you want to be serious about it its best if you you avoid alchol and smoking it just damages you vocal chords.although there might be a couple of singers out there who deny this the fact of the matter is they havent a clue what they are talking about.its the diffrence between making it big and failing.vocals are the most important thing in a band or what ever.go for it your never too old to get your voice trainned as i said earlier everybody can sing.

hi im looking for singing lessons in the limerick area cant be too expensive just want to do something for myself i love to sing but sometimes find myself going off tune at times. also would love to be able to build up my confidents asi get so nervous singing in front of people and dont no how to prevent it from happening so if you are able to help me i much appreciate it

can vocal coaching improve your singing voice?

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