D.P.S.

When I'm yours for the taking. Would very much love thoughts on this one.

This was a one take recording, testing out a louder kind of singing than I usually do. It sat around for a while, and I recently went in and added some 1-2 punch echo/reverb.

I'm fairly self-conscious about my voice, and I'm curious to hear thoughts on this new style, or thoughts about my voice in general.

(Get Flash to see the track player.)
posted by Corduroy (8 comments total)

Yes, yes, do this. It's always good to get as broad a dynamic range, and pitch range, as you can. It sounds like a Robin Hitchcock/Elephant 6 direction to me, which is a great thing. It'll really get people's attention if you have some moments in the whispery-er, mumbly-er style that you've been doing, and then launch into sections like this.

Despite the claim in your tags, this is not screaming, even if it may feel like it. It's stretching out and finding your range, and the more you do it, the more relaxed and solid you'll feel as you do.
posted by umbú at 1:47 AM on December 18, 2008

Yeah, this is good. (If it was me I'd probably be riding the fader harder or compressing the vocal but that's me.)

That sounds great when when you rasp (1:49), for instance.

I can see the Elephant 6 comparison.
posted by Karlos the Jackal at 3:25 AM on December 18, 2008

I like that rattling in the background. Cool song as well. The volume in your voice jumps a bit at the brief chorus at 45 seconds, you may want to even it with the verses.
posted by ageispolis at 5:12 PM on December 18, 2008

Sounds good to me. Keep doing it.
Also, I found for the first while after I got a good condenser mic that it terrified me and I hated my voice and didn't want to sing anymore, it was so real and in your face and bare naked, no hiding. But slowly I started to know my voice and like it more; slowly I started bringing it up in the mix and not drenching it in all kinds of 'verb and effects, which is what I always used to do, insisting it was an artistic choice.
I guess my point is that it's good you're doing this; keep trying all kinds of different stuff, get to know your voice and you'll probably start to like it more and be less self-conscious about it.
posted by chococat at 5:28 PM on December 18, 2008

Thanks so much for all your thoughts, people. I'll go back and work on the levels during the louder moments. I've been wary of compression, because I'm not entirely sure what it does or how to use it. I haven't tested it that much, though.

ageispolis: the rattling is the end of the strings on my guitar being super long and ringing.

chococat: I have to admit that I totally have used (and still, to a lesser amount) effects simply to cover my voice. I go through lots of ups and downs with my voice confidence. But it might be a good idea to do a lot of singing on quality recording stuff, so I can hear what I really sound like, and then improve from that.

umbu: I like that idea, and I'm definitely gonna work at that effect.

Thanks karlos! I think I like the rasping, too, as long as it's not all the time.
posted by Corduroy at 7:04 PM on December 19, 2008

You know, I just looked at your profile for the first time and holy shit if it's true then you are miles ahead of where I was at your age.
Keep going, man, you're on such a good path, your voice is already sounding great.
posted by chococat at 10:56 PM on December 19, 2008

Thanks a lot, chococat.
posted by Corduroy at 1:20 PM on December 21, 2008

Yeah, I didn't really start experimenting with my voice until a couple years ago, and even now I know that I have actually only scratched the surface of how to push myself, but for various reasons (comfort, not wanting to anger the neighbors, etc) haven't done.

Keep doing this, it can only lead to good things, I'll tell you that.
posted by ORthey at 6:52 PM on December 21, 2008