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The truth please Do I sound 74 years old?
Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2023 9:50 am
by feaker66
Wrote a song this week about teens that may never leave the nest. I do all the guitars and sing. No midi. No Compression. My voice can't sustain a note and keep it. Bad allergies don't help.Also the clicks are dry mouth. Afterall I am nearly dead. Will you still be laying down track at 74?
https://soundcloud.com/feaker66/why-did-i-end-up-me
Why did I end up me
Oh mommy dear..did you not hear…won’t you close the door and let me be
I like it here…but do not fear.. I’ll be ok
I know you’ve tried…I know you’ve given..all your life..and so much more
I’m grateful..it’s not your fault…I am this way
I am smart I am nice but none of them could ever see
That I do have a different kind of personality…why did I end up me break
Graduation… I hear em talkin..everybody’s going somewhere
away from home on their own…they’ll be alone
But mommy dear….was I not clear.. I can’t leave …you have to know
I am afraid ..a choice I’ve made …to stay with you
I am smart I am nice but none of them could ever see
That I do have a different kind of personality… Why did I end up me
Re: The truth please Do I sound 74 years old?
Posted: Sun Apr 02, 2023 8:19 pm
by VanderBoegh
Good to hear you still making music! You know, the only thing that gives away your age with this song is the chord choices, as I'm gonna go out on a limb and say these types of progressions and chords haven't been used much since the 70's (I could be wrong, of course, but these chords instantly put me in a 70's vibe). Voice sounds great though!
~~Matt
Re: The truth please Do I sound 74 years old?
Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2023 5:17 am
by feaker66
VanderBoegh wrote: ↑Sun Apr 02, 2023 8:19 pm
Good to hear you still making music! You know, the only thing that gives away your age with this song is the chord choices, as I'm gonna go out on a limb and say these types of progressions and chords haven't been used much since the 70's (I could be wrong, of course, but these chords instantly put me in a 70's vibe). Voice sounds great though!
~~Matt
Hi Matt Last week I was messing with an A progression and when I got to the fifth chord, I found this chord by accident. It wasn't paying attention trying to write accompanying lyrics and by mistake I fingered a D chord in the second fret but one string up. ha ha I looked it up and it was a D dim7 cord. It sorta worked so i stayed with it. I didn't hit the G3 on the first string tho. Yes, most likely 70's. I have a friend that plays strings who just offered to play a cello on it.
Got hundreds of songs now with nowhere to go, but it's all good. Wait, there might be a song there?
Thanks for listening and comments. peace to you
Re: The truth please Do I sound 74 years old?
Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2023 7:09 am
by cosmicdolphin
No I don't think you sound 74 - but then again there are some great singers still going strong at that age. So what does a 74yr old sing like ?
It's a very delicate vocal co-ordination - quite breathy. It's not unpleasant and has a certain charm. Your songs are always quite retro sounding and work for the vocal style.
If you want to strengthen your voice and be able to sustain a note then a good vocal coach will help.
Mark
Re: The truth please Do I sound 74 years old?
Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2023 7:49 am
by feaker66
cosmicdolphin wrote: ↑Mon Apr 03, 2023 7:09 am
No I don't think you sound 74 - but then again there are some great singers still going strong at that age. So what does a 74yr old sing like ?
It's a very delicate vocal co-ordination - quite breathy. It's not unpleasant and has a certain charm. Your songs are always quite retro sounding and work for the vocal style.
If you want to strengthen your voice and be able to sustain a note then a good vocal coach will help.
Mark
Hi Mark. The problem as of late is I have to force and there is no breath left to carry it far enough. I can minimize the gasps between lyrics for sure. I have tried using two tracks and only sing partials. Then try to fuse those. The timing just doesn't work. I am in Texas where the allergies are sky high. I will be home in MIchigan next week with a few feet of snow on the ground, so allergies won't be the excuse. I will now go back and reduce those breathy parts. Thanks very much for your valuable input.
Re: The truth please Do I sound 74 years old?
Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2023 8:52 am
by cosmicdolphin
feaker66 wrote: ↑Mon Apr 03, 2023 7:49 am
cosmicdolphin wrote: ↑Mon Apr 03, 2023 7:09 am
No I don't think you sound 74 - but then again there are some great singers still going strong at that age. So what does a 74yr old sing like ?
It's a very delicate vocal co-ordination - quite breathy. It's not unpleasant and has a certain charm. Your songs are always quite retro sounding and work for the vocal style.
If you want to strengthen your voice and be able to sustain a note then a good vocal coach will help.
Mark
Hi Mark. The problem as of late is I have to force and there is no breath left to carry it far enough. I can minimize the gasps between lyrics for sure. I have tried using two tracks and only sing partials. Then try to fuse those. The timing just doesn't work. I am in Texas where the allergies are sky high. I will be home in MIchigan next week with a few feet of snow on the ground, so allergies won't be the excuse. I will now go back and reduce those breathy parts. Thanks very much for your valuable input.
Sounds like you need some Bel Canto style training ( on the breath ) where you learn how to breathe from the diaphragm so there is enough air to power the notes. Also improved vocal cord connection can be trained.
It was explained to me like when you play with a balloon and pinch the top to make a sound as the air escapes. When there isn't enough air in the ballon, the sound is weak and you have to squeeze/force to get any sound. When you don't pinch the top of the ballon tightly enough the air escapes too quickly and sound isn't produced properly. When you have a full balloon and an optimal pinch at the top the air escapes slowly and makes a purer more steady sound which can be sustained for longer.
It's all a matter of technique and that can be learned. Takes regular practive over time but it will improve.
Re: The truth please Do I sound 74 years old?
Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2023 1:37 pm
by superblonde
feaker66 wrote: ↑Thu Mar 30, 2023 9:50 am
I do all the guitars and sing. No midi. No Compression. My voice can't sustain a note and keep it. Bad allergies don't help.Also the clicks are dry mouth. Afterall I am nearly dead. Will you still be laying down track at 74?
Use the newest Johnny Cash albums (ex. "Americana VI") as a sound reference.
I bet improved mic technique and vocal prep would overcome problems.
Re: The truth please Do I sound 74 years old?
Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2023 2:30 pm
by feaker66
superblonde wrote: ↑Tue Apr 04, 2023 1:37 pm
feaker66 wrote: ↑Thu Mar 30, 2023 9:50 am
I do all the guitars and sing. No midi. No Compression. My voice can't sustain a note and keep it. Bad allergies don't help.Also the clicks are dry mouth. Afterall I am nearly dead. Will you still be laying down track at 74?
Use the newest Johnny Cash albums (ex. "Americana VI") as a sound reference.
I bet improved mic technique and vocal prep would overcome problems.
Hi SB I think one problem is I have switched mic's from a 414 to a shure 58. the 414 you can be two feet away and not get all those problems. I have been singing a little off key lately and have found the only way (with damaged hearing) is to let the monitor speakers play and myself get my lips right on the 58. I know that is so improper, but it did work. With that said the breathing, mouth clicks, and volume changes are evident.
AND then if I try to reduce noise in-between lyric notes it is tooooo noticeable. I am no pro and do some rather unorthodox recording things just to get by. Thanks MS SB
Re: The truth please Do I sound 74 years old?
Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2023 2:44 pm
by superblonde
feaker66 wrote: ↑Tue Apr 04, 2023 2:30 pm
have found the only way (with damaged hearing) is to let the monitor speakers play and myself get my lips right on the 58.
I can't speak for hearing challenges or hearing-related intonation difficulties etc but I have found through practice that I can sing a track very repeatably well by using only a metronome click and
everything muted, and that my vocal lines up perfectly with the instruments (and also with prior vocal takes; very exactly). With more practice it is possible to turn off the metronome completely (except for the count-in and key note), and beat time on my leg with a finger or palm, and thus keep perfect time as long as I can see the recording waveform in the DAW (so I can see the bars scrolling by, as well as keeping time for myself). So, in theory, it should be possible to turn your monitors off completely as well for recording vocals.
Practicing pitch prior to vocalizing (i.e. imagining the note) is something I did when performing in acapella chorus, it is called 'audiation'. Over time (weeks/months of practice) it can become much better. Daily warmup (ie sing a scale along to a piano track) is probably still best before recording.
Also just offering as a suggestion, the mouth clicks etc, it is probably/hopefully a fixable mic technique. For some tracks I record with my mouth open the entire time: never close your mouth. etc, there are many techniques like that. When you need to breathe, you can play with the axis of the microphone, by moving sideways to inhale (even tiny amounts) which will significantly decrease the mic sensitivity: most vocalist habit is to move
backwards to breathe which is "wrong" because it does not reduce mic's pickup by that much.
Re: The truth please Do I sound 74 years old?
Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2023 4:24 pm
by feaker66
superblonde wrote: ↑Tue Apr 04, 2023 2:44 pm
feaker66 wrote: ↑Tue Apr 04, 2023 2:30 pm
have found the only way (with damaged hearing) is to let the monitor speakers play and myself get my lips right on the 58.
I can't speak for hearing challenges or hearing-related intonation difficulties etc but I have found through practice that I can sing a track very repeatably well by using only a metronome click and
everything muted, and that my vocal lines up perfectly with the instruments (and also with prior vocal takes; very exactly). With more practice it is possible to turn off the metronome completely (except for the count-in and key note), and beat time on my leg with a finger or palm, and thus keep perfect time as long as I can see the recording waveform in the DAW (so I can see the bars scrolling by, as well as keeping time for myself). So, in theory, it should be possible to turn your monitors off completely as well for recording vocals.
Practicing pitch prior to vocalizing (i.e. imagining the note) is something I did when performing in acapella chorus, it is called 'audiation'. Over time (weeks/months of practice) it can become much better. Daily warmup (ie sing a scale along to a piano track) is probably still best before recording.
Also just offering as a suggestion, the mouth clicks etc, it is probably/hopefully a fixable mic technique. For some tracks I record with my mouth open the entire time: never close your mouth. etc, there are many techniques like that. When you need to breathe, you can play with the axis of the microphone, by moving sideways to inhale (even tiny amounts) which will significantly decrease the mic sensitivity: most vocalist habit is to move
backwards to breathe which is "wrong" because it does not reduce mic's pickup by that much.
Great advice super. I have severe allergies. Right now I can't hardly swallow. Maybe only a couple of days month can be decently clear (even with drugs) I use a click track and an acoustic track only when recording the main vocals. I do harmonies usually without the click and just watching the main vox line. Yup it works good.
I also usually sing a little too out front and simply slide the track to sound good. A little late is better than too soon.
I have this thing called dry mouth. At night I have to spray a couple of times every few hours. It causes both cavities and clicks when you are singing. old age thangy
I like the idea of off axis for breathing. I am going to try that. Very nice of you taking the time to share yur experiences. Now I have to track down your music and take a listen. ha ha the best to you