Karaoke Forums

Ok folks, it's your turn!

I finally got brave enough to record and upload one of my 'serious' songs. Magic Man by Heart. Now, I know I'm no Ann Wilson, far from it... but I'm trying to figure out what it is exactly my voice is lacking.

I already know I have a couple of pitchy spots (not too bad thank God), and the mixdown really lost quality to fit into the small file size requirement, but my voice just doesn't seem "there" to me. Can anyone pinpoint where I'm going wrong?

Oh, and I'm sitting down to record this, not standing (yeah.. I know).
Lay it on me folks! Be HONEST!! thanks

Argh!!! Apparently my headphones SUCK!!!

Gilly just told me that my vocals are BLASTING and my music track was way low. I'm having it remixed on a computer with speakers!! (mine only has headphones) Gah!!

Thanks Gilly!! Be back in a minute!

Dont kill me:) IT may be just me. I am listening with my ipod headphones, which have an amazing sound quality. For the little things they are, they are the best headphones I have ever owned.

Anyways, my problem, is that your voice simply didn't lay well with the backing... I always like it to sound like it was meant to be together, and not.. well, like you are simply singing to a backing. Does this make sense? Anyways, I got justy to listen as well, and the spots that I pointed out to him, he agreed with, and had to turn the volume WAY down to listen.. on some of the sustained notes, it is hitting, this painful frequency. Again, it could be my headphones... I am too lazy to plug the laptop into the stereo to listen... (plus, I have dial up speeds). Anyways, I can't explain to you what I mean.. I could mix it and show you, but, can't explain it without showing. I am not a smart person:) I just do things until they sound right:) No clue what I am doing:)

I htought you had a beautiful voice, and kind of liked the lazy feeling you gave it... like, drifting from note to note. I didn't think there were many "pitchy" areas, exactly, unless I listened with an INTENT to pick them out, it wasn't bothersome...



Still, a great submission. I was just sharing;)

No problem Gilly! I'm sorry to have blown your ears out!

No, it wasn't just you. My husband played it for me through his speakers and I know what you're talking about. How embarrassing!! The problem is, (like many other folks on here) I'm using a really cheapo mic to record with and I was overpowering in a bad way. Unfortunately, the headphones I'm using wouldn't pick it up. I don't know if I have automatic regulator somewhere or what... but anyway, I think we've got it fixed now. Sheesh!! Now if I can just get the bad version to delete and get the good one uploaded we can start over. :p



Thank you!!! ah the 'pitchy' spots stand out like a 'sore thumb' to me but I really appreciate what you're saying. I don't really like my voice, but it's interesting to hear what other folks have to say about it.

Thanks so much Gilly.

I don't use a microphone. I basically had to play with things, and where I have to be, etc etc, to get the sound right, without clipping. Esp. on my laptop mic.... great mics are wonderful, but, you don't NEED them, to put out good stuff. (not that my stuff is amazing, but, I think I do alright for having NOTHING to work with).

Anyways, glad you weren't upset, I usually never say anything, to anyone, unless I know them well. Am looking forward to hearing the new one, when you can post again. Sorry for focussing SO much on the mix.... i guess, to me, a voice is a voice, and nothing I say, or pick out is going to help you FIX anything... but, maybe if I point out somehting wrong with the actual RECORDING, i can be handy.

Have a good one.

Hey no problem I hope the mix is more tolerable when I am able to upload the fixed version.. ! But you know you're more than welcome to critique THE VOICE... after all, I'm trying to improve too!! (at least, I like to BELIEVE I can improve my voice!!)

Hi Ya chickie..

I am by no means a pro at all... but one thing I noticed (I listened on headset and the mix was ok) but... it sounded kind of flat and I don't mean note wise... ya needed a bit more OMMMPH (not sure how to spell it)
Ya know what I mean? More feeling more Heart (no pun intended but was a good one ha ha)
By all means I will listen again! This is one of My Fave Heart Songs!
Other than that, and the few glitches ya spoke of I think you are on the right track anyway.... Hope it helps maybe?

Bubba

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You can choose to be an Actor in your own life... or a Reactor in someone elses.

hiya darlin! I managed to fit my INCREDIBLY PROFESSIONAL critique into the comments box, so take a look.

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Crystal wrote...


I thought thats where we are all supposed to make our comments ?

Or are we starting are own threads now for our songs we post ?

Im so confused these days ....

Thanks Bubba Well, I seem to be getting an all around (different variations of) not enough power in my voice. I'm guessing that would improve if I were standing up so I could better engage my diaphragm.

I can also try to put more 'emotion' in the mix (now wouldn't that be something? An 'emotion' button. ). Maybe I was trying too hard the emotion didn't come through. *shrugs*

Thanks for the listen

hehehe Thanks Crystal - it means a lot.

Well, some of us are starting threads when we want a particular critique of a song... as I did with this one. There often isn't enough room in the 'comment' box for a thorough critique. Thanks for listening though.

Rob,

I agree, some of the things that we have to say for those of us looking for a critique can fit in the comments area.

I personally like these forums for the REAL critique. Ongoing discussions can be much easier...

Not saying this would apply to everyone, but to those ASKING for detailed analysis...

I don't think I have one... at least I can't find it. Where is yours located? I think the problem is that it's a headset mic. Maybe I just need to pull it farther away from me MOUTH. heh I thought I had it at a good distance, but apparently my headphones don't give me a very good idea of the sound level I should be hearing, so it's really hard for me to tell. The vocals sounded too SOFT to me!!

I would like to address the comment you made on the sub though:



I'm not sure how you meant that, but it really is becoming a 'pet peeve' of mine to hear people say 'just a karaoke singer'. If you meant that you don't believe I sing in a live band, well I do. That's not saying much in itself of course, I've heard some really horrid 'lead singers' in bands that were getting gigs, making money and doing fairly well. I'm NOT the 'lead singer' in our band, my husband and I kind of take turns.

To me, the only category that really fits the 'just a karaoke singer' label, are those who really just get up and sing karaoke once in while, purely for fun, not caring if they slaughter a song and not trying to improve. Quite a few folks in the SS are like that, they're just having fun. Not me! I'm NOT 'having fun' when I record something. I enjoy singing, but to me it's work. I'm seldom happy enough with anything I do to even keep it, much less submit it. BUT, I'm really trying to improve and that's why I asked for critiques. It's very difficult to know what you need to work on without an objective person listening.

But, I would be the last one to jump on someone for sharing their opinion. Honestly, I wouldn't have even been irritated if you had simply said 'it sucked' (although I would have hoped you would expand on that a little), but the 'just a karaoke singer' thing got to me.

Well, I DO appreciate your taking time to listen (even though I tried to let people know it was a bad mix - ugh) and I appreciate your taking the time to comment. If you really feel I am so hopelessly bad that I fit into the second category above... perhaps you are the only one being truly honest with me. You are certainly entitled to your perceptions and I don't necessarily disagree with them. I DONT LIKE my own voice.

Thanks again.

Just a note on mixing. I used to mix with headphones or the computer speakers. Then I finally got my act together and connected a pair of hifi bookshelf speakers.

Boy, what a difference that made. Using the computer speakers (emphasized midrange) the vocals were too far back. Using the headphones the vocals were too far in front. When I listened to some of my old mixes on the hifi speakers I was appalled. I then listened to a lot of the old subs from others that I had saved and it was also clear that they had mixed using headphones.

So, headphones should be used for tracking, but mixing should be done on nearfield monitors/hifi speakers.

Morten

BTW. the issue is that using headphones bypass the outer ear and that effect is very individual. Try mixing on your headphones and then listen to it on hifi speakers.

syberchick said on Reply from comment...



not the recording but just the vocal on one or two words, like you was to close to the mic, its really no biggy, it was fine,

I think im understanding this thread now, all thoe if you want a very in depth critique, i for one knows that im not that qualified to be giving detailed critiques .. its either a good song or bad to me, I think it all just depends on my taste in music and the mood im in at the time, like I couldnt listen to Dumbdrums at 7am saturday morning after a long hard Friday night ... but that dosent mean to say he isnt good, anyhow im babbiling now,

I'm uploading the (hopefully) better mix now, so if you want to go give it a listen I would appreciate your comments. And be honest!!

Unfortunately there is still some 'buzz' in the louder portions... I'm going to have to turn that mic WAY down I guess. I was singing much softer before, so it was fine. But we've taken the decibles way down so hopefully I won't be blasting people anymore (crossing fingers).

Thanks Matt

Thanks Morten! I should be getting at least a decent pair of computer speakers soon.. we don't have any really GOOD speakers anymore, aside from the big Peavey Cabinets we use for our band, and those are in the garage way out of reach But it's very good advice and I appreciate it.

If nothing else, I'm sure getting some good computer speakers will help a great deal! Very interesting about the 'outer ear' thing... never knew that! Thanks

Ok, thanks! That was helpful. The mic probably WAS set too close. I was singing really soft before and now I'm starting to get louder.

Still not 'belting' like I should though apparently! I'm going to have to put the mic on the other side of the room before it's over. hehehh