should we get a new vocalist?

[~pop]

I need to get some honest opinions.
Should we get a new vocalist?
www.mp3.com/pswk
I am not doing this to advertise.
I am trying to record good music.
It is impossible to form a good judgement with
your music.
Before we go further with recording,
I was wondering we should start auditoning for new
vocalist.
Thanks....

[~Provision]

i listened to two songs Morning Prayer and let it go
music sounded good,
the singing was ok nothing that good..but nothing that bad kinda average,

[~KissTheStar]

I think the vocals work well with the music personally. I don't see an urgent driving need for a new vocalist, unless you are going for a lighter feeling ... I personally enjoy the current vocals.


~Craig

[~chriswdc]

I only listened to portions of the first two tracks. The current vocalist sounds capable of solid vocal performance. I think the vocals were good.

[Avil]

To be totally honest.
The singer you have now is good, very good, but it totally depends on how he sings. He sang very good in Let it go, and the same in morning prayer, but in this one there were parts where it sounded a bit weak...
If he stays with the dark tones or whatever, he is a nice singer.

[~Bornslippy]

I thought you were the singer Kev. It's sounds good to me.

[~pop]

Originally posted by Bornslippy
I thought you were the singer Kev. It's sounds good to me.

Alright... I have been caught... I am the singer for the band, but I wasn't sure my voice has what it takes to stand out. I am trying to come up with best possible music I can write. I have been toying with the idea of getting a singer and write all the songs. Vocal is most important part of pop music. If my vocal sound made my song less listenable, I was about to audition a new singer.... Thanks for all your inputs...

[~interface2x]

Okay, I've only listened to "Let it Go" and here is what I think - I think your vocals sound really good and smooth when you are singing in your natural register. At one point in the track, you sing considerably higher and it sounds like you are straining the hell out of your voice and it sounds pretty weak. As long as you stay within your natural range, I think the vocals kick ass, actually.

[Synthpopalooza]

No way Kev ... keep your vocals in it. :) It just wouldn't be the same otherwise. You're fine. I do have to say I have noticed a definite improvement in the past year in your material as well. (Not that the old stuff was bad mind you) ...

[Avil]

Aha!
LOL, didn´t know that you were the singer.
Pop, who is it you have on your avatar? That woman has made me believe that you are a female for a very long time, until just a few days ago.

But you sing very well, but just as someone said, stay with your natural voice ;)

[~pop]

That's picture of me.... I need to change it...
I am trying to figure out a new look for our band....
I am tired of looking like a woman.
We are going to do some photoshoots at end of the month.
I am thinking Dark GQ look.

[~pop]

Originally posted by Synthpopalooza
No way Kev ... keep your vocals in it. :) It just wouldn't be the same otherwise. You're fine. I do have to say I have noticed a definite improvement in the past year in your material as well. (Not that the old stuff was bad mind you) ...

did i ever said, how cool you are?
how much you mean to this scene?
play the funky music white boy!!!

[~pop]

I am going to take some of your suggestions and rerecord them.
I should try to make the vocal stay in my normal range...
crackles, crispy, and pop are not pleasant sound.
Thanks for your inputs. I will keep on practicing my voice.
I am sure it will get better with practice.

[Avil]

Originally posted by pop
That's picture of me.... I need to change it...
.

You´re kidding me? It´s you? heh??!

[~cliffwalk]

For startes, I love the vocals on the tracks of yours I've listened to. Always very solid and unique. I could only wish to have such a unique sound.

I guess I'll play devils advocate since you're trying to put a live act together:

How much processing are you doing on your vocals? CAN YOU pull that sound off through a Dynamic MIC and limited effects processing which you may have little control over?

I love the end-result of the sound you get. I think it's dark.

Also, how much live experience do you have?

The reason I ask is endurance.

Can you sustain a healthy tone for a couple hours?

If it's yes to everything then why change, you're the voice of your sound?

Just make sure that you revisit some books on singing technique and keep them handy to remind yourself of proper singing technique from time to time.

The voice is a delicate instrument and you don't wanna lose it.

Dave

[~interface2x]

And to add to what Cliffwalk just said - I've done live vocals and was consistently amazed at how damn LOUD you have to sing for it even to be audible. From what I can tell, that is why Tom Shear (Assemblage 23) sings much higher live than on his albums - he can't hit those low notes loud enough for it to even register live. I had to practically yell everything because I'm pretty soft-spoken, myself - I just couldn't project enough on the lower notes to be heard.

[~pop]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by cliffwalk
>>For startes, I love the vocals on the tracks of yours I've listened to. Always very solid and unique. I could only wish to have such a unique sound. <<

Damn... Thanks!!!

>>I guess I'll play devils advocate since you're trying to put a live act together:

It's ok. Devil wears cooler clothes...

>How much processing are you doing on your vocals?
It depends on the song. Let it go lead vocal was
slap delay 50ms/left 40ms/right and i used gate reverb
and bounced to wet reverb.
Backup was Boss overdrive pedal with reverb.

> CAN YOU pull that sound off through a Dynamic MIC and limited effects processing which you may have little control over?
Easily... Long as sound man is good and feeding right signal to
the monitors.

> I love the end-result of the sound you get. I think it's dark.
It's 1.5packs of ciggies a day... it is killing my health and finacially...
Damn tobbaco Taxes!!! Either, I will eventually get cancer, go mute, or keep certain tone in my voice...
Things we sacrifice for art...
hehehe

>Also, how much live experience do you have?

Let's see... Played over 100 shows with over ten bands?

> The reason I ask is endurance.
Can you sustain a healthy tone for a couple hours?
Couple hours?!!!!
No unknown band plays for couple hours.
You will be lucky if you get a 40minutes set.
Answer to the question, yes....
Water is my best friend, I don't mind sweating,
taking my shirt off, and showing my bra....
I mean.... never mind....
hehehe....
I was kidding about the bra joke...


> If it's yes to everything then why change, you're the voice of your sound?
Perfection..... Magnificient Engineers, Producers, & Musicians
make a big difference in sound. I heard some demo songs that
were pure crap. After it was touched my greatest players,
it was singing the different tunes....
I was thinking about the improvement...
I lost my ego long time ago.....
I have been so many freaking bands since I was 15....
I just care about the best interest for the music.

> Just make sure that you revisit some books on singing technique and keep them handy to remind yourself of proper singing technique from time to time.

I will..... I ususally sing drunk....

>The voice is a delicate instrument and you don't wanna lose it.
true

[~cliffwalk]

I was thinking about the improvement...
I lost my ego long time ago.....
I have been so many freaking bands since I was 15....
I just care about the best interest for the music.
----
Well... sounds to me like you've hired yourself as your lead singer to me... really, you seem to have a grasp on what you want your songs to sound like...

As for 1.5 packs of smokes a day, eeks..

I used to smoke that much in the summers, it took WEEKS for my voice to come back when school started and I had to sing opera again.. I still smoke some, I think at 31 it's safe to assume that I can blame the fact that my upper range sounds so thin on those cancer sticks... damn they are addicting however.

My wife, the nurse, LOVES IT!!! It's such an appealing habit too...

She hasn't actually witnessed me smoking since we were married in September of last year... It needs to stay that way and she really doesn't even want to smell it on me.

It's either that way or I sleep in our spare bedroom.

The sacrifices you make for love :)

Actually cutting down on smoking has given me some range back. When I was totally off for a while I had almost gotten back to the way I could sing in college. Frustrating.

Either way... as far as TONE goes, smoking has done NOTHING positive for my voice. It just makes it harder to resonate and wears out quicker because my chords aren't healthy.

My college voice teacher caught me smoking once. That was pleasant. I had to sign an agreement that I wouldn't smoke during the semester <OR> I'd lose my talent grant. Yet I still managed to keep the habit.

AMAZINGLY EVIL HABIT!

Peace

dave

[Synthpopalooza]

Originally posted by pop


did i ever said, how cool you are?
how much you mean to this scene?
play the funky music white boy!!!

WOw ... good to know.

The only thing I can say is, it's actually the scene which means a whole lot to me, ever since I first found out about it over a year and a half ago. :) Prior to that I was convinced that all modern music was nothing but a sonic wasteland polluted by NSynC and the Backstreet Boys.

[Synthpopalooza]

Originally posted by pop
That's picture of me.... I need to change it...
I am trying to figure out a new look for our band....
I am tired of looking like a woman.
We are going to do some photoshoots at end of the month.
I am thinking Dark GQ look.

Also ... nothing wrong with the look. I think it kinda gives you a bit of a Japan aura myself ... probably one of the original bands to kick off the new romantic look. :)

[~draxijn]

if you mean x-japan (same band maybe?) then i totally agree. he reminded me of their 'look' right away. anyways back to what's truly important...i really like the darkness in your voice and would definately continue to do the singing.