Adding Vocal Effects/Techniques to Enhance Singing

[Stringmaster]

I'm not sure if there is a technical term for this, but I'd love to hear some input and experiences. I know that many singers create an "artificial" sound to their voices to get a particular "sound". That is, they don't sing solely in their natural voice. I'm aware of some techniques and more subtle effects such as growling, whispering, and so on to add color and interest. I've observed that some singers are "chameleons" in that they can sound different depending on the song--some subtly so, others drastically. Often singers will change their voice to fit a style of music, such as something more "vintage" like Leon Redbone might do, or adding a little southern accent to sound more country.
I ask this as I'm more recently focusing on my vocals for a solo project. Sometimes my voice sounds "bland" for a song, and I look for ways to alter the way I sing it to get the "sound" I want. Granted at the end of the day I still sound mostly like me, but looking for ways to enhance the presentation.
Thoughts?

[Paddy1951]

Originally Posted by Stringmaster

I'm not sure if there is a technical term for this, but I'd love to hear some input and experiences. I know that many singers create an "artificial" sound to their voices to get a particular "sound". That is, they don't sing solely in their natural voice. I'm aware of some techniques and more subtle effects such as growling, whispering, and so on to add color and interest. I've observed that some singers are "chameleons" in that they can sound different depending on the song--some subtly so, others drastically. Often singers will change their voice to fit a style of music, such as something more "vintage" like Leon Redbone might do, or adding a little southern accent to sound more country.

I ask this as I'm more recently focusing on my vocals for a solo project. Sometimes my voice sounds "bland" for a song, and I look for ways to alter the way I sing it to get the "sound" I want. Granted at the end of the day I still sound mostly like me, but looking for ways to enhance the presentation.

Thoughts?

BE YOURSELF!!!

If you have a reasonably good voice work on getting the best from it. Phrasing, dynamics, best use of keys, etc.

There is waaaay to much technical garbage being used by those that have minimal talent. I would rather hear you hit an occasional off note than sound like a robot.
If you feel a song is too bland, find a way to do it to improve it.
Some songs may not be good ones for you. It is OK to accept that.

There are too many people trying to get a sound that they think they should have.

It is one thing to add a little vocal spice to enhance a particular style of music. But do it sparingly.
If you were raised in New Jersey, forget the corn pone accent.
Sing the song in your voice. Be you!

[Stringmaster]

Thanks for the input--yes, it's kind of hard to explain what I mean--I agree totally fake is a mistake, but speaking more of adding spice as you say, or even exploring different "voices" within one's self. Like McCartney has that sugary sweet "It's Just Another Day" voice, and his screaming "Oh Darling" deal--you still know it's Paul, but he changes it up to fit the vibe of the song. I notice Merle H. will at times add a more powerful "chest" type sound on certain tunes, and a bit more "twang" at times--he can sound like he's channeling Jimmy Rodgers, Lefty Frizzell, or Tommy Duncan, yet it's still instantly recognizable as Merle.

[Nymuso]

At the end of the day ( I know, another phrase that must die ) it is important that you sound professional. Many don't and do well with that. I could name names but that would only start a storm of arguments. Do you sing in your "Happy Birthday" voice when you sing for an audience? I don't. If you do, it's time to go to work.

Simplest, easiest, cheapest - record yourself. Not for anyone but you to listen to. Ask yourself - does it sound professional? If not, why not. What am I not hearing that I would expect to hear from a pro; or, what am I hearing that I don't expect from a pro. Your job: correct it. Trial and error.

The most important thing to achieve is control, and, as someone above said, be yourself.

[Dog Shape Cloud]

Verbal singing is direct speech. Saying what? To whom? What do you want them to feel? Why? Forget "effects," feel sincerity of expression (not as easy as it sounds) and your voice will start teaching you where you can start building (then you start refining your method). It's not like you're choosing from a range of pedals here--ok, sure, with practice pretty much anyone can develop some kind of falsetto, vibrato, death metal growl, or whatever, which is fine--but if it's not what's true for what you're saying, you'll never really be happy with it. Just my two cents.

[Davis Webb]

Let me try to address it.

All successful artists use a manufactured, crafted stage voice. You have a ton of control of what that voice might be. Let me break some styles down for you to start to think about.

1. Broadway musical voice...this uses a ton of legato (google the term if not familiar), careful phrasing and strong enunciation on consonants to shape words..think of Raoul from Phantom of the Opera. Its an almost pre operatic style of vocals with tons of air intake and long passages, where you need to control when and how you are going to push air out. It uses some vibrato, some good sustain and will really take your listeners into a story. It uses a ton of emotion and is often a tricky balance of finding enough air to make a string of vowels work and not forcing it.

2. Close mic technique...think Leslie Fiest. Here you bring the mic volume way up and sing close to it, then do not make your words sound like the normally do, each word becomes a musical phrase. Randy Travis was a master of this, singing softly but decisively. This requires a ton of "staying with the note", each phrase is sung with total emotionality. Its intimate and often you twist the words so they are pleasant to hear, not accurate in pronuniciation. Sade singing Smooth Operator, listen to what she does with each word. Its close, intimate, vulnerable, sensitive, everything a bellowing blues rocker is not.

3. Rock vocal method...think Aerosmith, think Tom Petty. This is straight from the heart with a kind of edge, sometimes you get that with volume, sometimes you get it with a bit of grit "Rod Stewart style", or late Ian Anderson. Rock has attitude so you belt out the lyrics, but its using percussion more, your voice is on the way to being a rhythm instrument, taking occasional leads. Study Foreigner's old work, study Steppenwolf for this. Every line in a rock song is loaded with aggression, whether soft or hard.

4. Country Twang. Its a vocal technique honed for over a hundred years where we bring the voice forward into the nasal cavity for SOME notes, not all. It uses pentatonic scales, sometimes within a single word like George Jones. If you listen to the first line of "The Race is On", it is a blues scale. And thats just the line, a whole scale in a few words! This is why George Jones is still seen as one of the greatest. Country is about feeling every word singing from the heart but using one or two tricks, see ahead, to personalize the style. Willie Nelson said country was 3 chords and a ton of heart. Listen to early Merle Haggard, or Sturgill Simpson.

5. Special Effects; These are taught by singing instructors as was to spice up delivery. No special effects leads to a campfire song. Unless you can write songs like Gary Stapleton, you have to use them. Here are a few, look em up..

a. legato
b. ostinato
c. vibrato
d. chest tones
e. head tones
f. octave jumps
g. pentatonic scale runs (gospel, gospel gospel)
h. sing-talking
i. rapping and speaking over chords


And a ton of others, from trills to breathiness (George Michael used breathiness a lot....leading to part of his massive appeal with women..its intimate)....to harsh, powerful growls (listen to early John Martyn).

Just singing "being natural" is for awesome song writers, like Bob Dylan, but not many are...

Hope this helps. My fingers hurt. This was a long post. But its a GREAT question.

[Stringmaster]

^^
Thanks Davis—I appreciate you sacrificing your fingers to add this great input! It was hard to really describe what I was seeking in my OP but this hits it. It’s clear when I listen to many artists that they have created a “sound”. It’s obvious when their sound has changed over time. I’ve messed with a couple of the techniques that you mentioned—but now you’ve given me much more to ponder, research, and practice! And thanks to others who have chimed in—

[Gordon Currie]

To follow up on Davis Webb's great post, you might consider finding a good vocal coach who has experience with matching your voice to the material. I've heard from many artists that they have worked with someone like this before producing a recording so that their vocal delivery is not holding back the recording's potential.

I'm working with a vocal coach to help me go beyond 40 years of untrained singing. I'm seeing some excellent results in my delivery.

[Stringmaster]

Originally Posted by Gordon Currie

To follow up on Davis Webb's great post, you might consider finding a good vocal coach who has experience with matching your voice to the material. I've heard from many artists that they have worked with someone like this before producing a recording so that their vocal delivery is not holding back the recording's potential.

I'm working with a vocal coach to help me go beyond 40 years of untrained singing. I'm seeing some excellent results in my delivery.

I'm right with you Gordon--many years of singing in bands (never as the main singer), with little training. Singing solo acoustic is a new ballgame! I probably should have mentioned that I am in fact working with a coach. She's helped/is helping me quite a bit. It's nice to get feedback from a coach as I'm very hard on myself, and at times I'm ready to chuck it out the window lol. She's very supportive, helps me fine tune things, and gives feedback re where my voice sounds best, as well as matching the material to my delivery.
That said, I'm always looking for things that I can explore and work on, other opinions, etc., and as I dig deeper new questions come up. I've also found Livingston Taylor's book helpful from a performance standpoint. Thanks again!

[Andy Howell]

This is a very interesting topic! I shall, indulge myself in an effort to help.

Firstly, your voice needs to sound authentically yours. Yes, you can give it a different flavour depending on the material but it has to be yours. If you record some of your performances you will see what I mean — some things might sound good to you when singing but don't sound so good when you are listening!

My first priority would be clarity and diction. Can people understand the lyrics? How far can you use it before you just get a sound rather than a lyric?

My second priority would be to work on phrasing and timing. These bring real character and life to the performance.

There is no substitute for practice and rehearsal. Just having a good acoustic amp at home can help a lot, helping you to understand who to use restraint and how to use power.

Finally, a lot depends on your voice. I have a strong and powerful voice and have had to learn real restraint. It is good to go off the wall occasionally but its a bit lie those power ballad singers — its OK for a minute or two and then dreadful. If you have a quiet voice then learning how to phrase when amplified is pretty much a necessity.

And finally finally, what really makes the difference is when you can accept your voice for what it is and when you're happy to listen to it.

As ever, trust your ears!

[CASD57]

I like the feel of my Country..Chest Voice... But I like capo'ing up where I start to get into my mid-Head voice but I'm not sure if I sound good in that thinning voice. I need to record both ways
And I'm pretty sure I don't sound good in my falsetto voice but need to hit it in songs like "Wicked World"
Moral of this is I'm going to do some recording this weekend...

[CASD57]

Originally Posted by Stringmaster

I'm right with you Gordon--many years of singing in bands (never as the main singer), with little training. Singing solo acoustic is a new ballgame! I probably should have mentioned that I am in fact working with a coach. She's helped/is helping me quite a bit. It's nice to get feedback from a coach as I'm very hard on myself, and at times I'm ready to chuck it out the window lol. She's very supportive, helps me fine tune things, and gives feedback re where my voice sounds best, as well as matching the material to my delivery.
That said, I'm always looking for things that I can explore and work on, other opinions, etc., and as I dig deeper new questions come up. I've also found Livingston Taylor's book helpful from a performance standpoint. Thanks again!

My Background is like yours, other than I sang about 12 songs each night in the Band but never the Lead... So I've been doing Solo for a few years now but mainly in my garage or music room, So I'm getting used to it. recording..listening adjusting, finding my voice but now I'm experimenting with capo'ing and different keys farther up the neck which helps me get out of my chest voice all the time..