Earmuffs Required - First attempt at singing!

Hey Yash

Excellent. Well Done. Big round of applause because playing and singing for the first time - and probably second, third etc etc is not as easy as some people make it look..

From my experience (which is very little) the strumming patterns tend to take over the singing patterns which is something that will be overcome - I have a problem with having to stop singing when I'm trying to remember a particular chord change - it's great fun though.

Well done and keep it up. I think my first song will be shrouded in loud chords until I'm confident to do a song like you've just done..

Rock on!

D 8)

Thanks Dylan. :D

Well like I said this is intended to be a benchmark for me to guage my progress by. I know what you mean with the strumming patterns etc. though, if I really concentrate I can seperate the two but if I drift concentration I'll end up just doing plain downstrokes at strange timings.

Yes I'll second what Dylan said nice job, especially for your first time. Keep it up. do you do the intro or was that a BT? Just wondering.

Rob

Hey, way to go, that was very good. You are doing the right thing learning how to sing when you play. The more you do it, the easier (and better) it gets. But it was very good.

Now for some brutally honest, but constructive criticism.

1)Smile :D Your audience will always pick up on your personal attitude. If you are having fun, they will too.

2) Stand up. Sitting in a chair is not a good way to sing, when you slouch over it will cut your breath significantly. You could sit on a stool, but make sure you sit straight up with good posture, very important for good singing.

3) The lead guitar is way too loud in the mix, put it just over the rhythm guitar, but under the vocals.

That's it, it was a very good performance overall.

Keep up the good work.

Wes

Thanks for the feedback. Yeah you're right about sitting down, but I find the acoustic hard work to play standing up. Maybe I'll have a look around for a stool. I shall try and smile more . . I was stuggling to keep back the cringing. :lol:

I did the intro myself, just layered the lead part over the rythym. It was recorded slightly different hence the volume difference and I didn't slow down enough in the video processing to notice and correct it. :oops: Point noted for next time though!

Congrats, Yashi
One of my favorite programs is "American Idol" at the beginning stages.
It shows the wide range of people's singing abilities and it's amazing how some people are totally unaware of how awful they are.
You weren't awful.
You picked a beautiful song, and carried the melody pretty well.
You are really talented. And you're making music!

My suggestion:
Don't smile
Nothing worse than someone forcing a smile.
It looks phony.
I'm trying to picture Eric Clapton smiling while he's playing the guitar and it just doesn't work.
I see him concentrating on the song (rhythm, words, pitch, chords, etc)
And I'm even more wrapped up in the song when I see the effort he's putting into it.
I'm also trying to picture other guitarists smiling while they're playing, like even John Denver who permanently wore a smile but not while he was playing the guitar. Johnny Cash - no David Gilmour - no Bob Dylan - no . . . can't think of anyone.
But that's just me.

I beg to differ. :D

It's true that Eric Clapton tends to be rather rigid when he plays, this has been written about. But even EC smiles at times. Here is a video that even shows him laughing, very rare.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frqKePAeXhw

Check out the background singers, it is obvious they are having fun.

Smile (not a big stupid smile). Look like you are enjoying yourself.

And even Bob Dylan almost (almost) manages to smile in this old video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRbeUnn-AUA&feature=related

Thanks for the feedback Ken. :)

I shall keep practicing. I recall reading about how we often try to emulate the original singers / artists of the song. I think that I was *trying* to do here.

I was also very aware that my timing was out badly at the start, so when I went back to record the lead part seperately the timing was inconsistant. I also seem to have problems with the range of my voice, it was touching the roof quite a few times, but maybe that will change with time too. I find it quite hard to work out what pitch to sing at. I guess that comes with time too!

I am going to sing when I practice my guitar on acoustic songs and so on to improve. Also considering singing lessons.

One of new years resolutions was to do a live performance (at an open mic or acoustic night at a pub/bar) this year so I'm building up to that! I know I've a long way to go yet and wasn't going to put that video on youtube but I thought "to hell with it" and did it anyway. If I don't start biting the bullet now then I won't get anywhere was my reasoning. :lol:

"To hell with it" is the right attitude.
Ultimately, you are doing this for you, not others.
But with the hope that others will eventually enjoy what you are doing of course.
And they will.
Affirmation is always appreciated and indeed necessary especially at the early stages.
First, you locked in on one of the (underrated IMHO) songs "Comfortably Numb"
And you are sooooo far ahead of where a 1 year guitar player should be.
There's no way you should be able to play that song (Comfortably Numb) as well as you did after one year - no way.
Yet you did. That's why I stated you are talented. No doubt.
I bow to the advice of others in regards to guitar playing and singing since I'm a newbie to guitaring and wouldn't torture you with my singing non-ability.
But I'm old enough to know I'm right when I am right.
And again, consider "The Allman Brothers" "Blue Sky" (again IMHO another underrated song)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=7lj8-FZfp8w
The audio and visuals are poor (please close your eyes as you listen) on the YouTube version but the riffs in this song I keep going back to again and again (everything after 1:08) from the original album.
Anyone who can duplicate that has reached the pinnacle of guitaring as far as I'm concerned but then again I'm a newbie.

Well, I'm going to ramble a bit in my jingle jangle way.....

Y'know, to smile or not to smile... I reckon we're all concentrating so much on the chords, the strumming pattern, the words, the timing...how the heck can we smile as well... :roll:

I enjoyed watching the Dylan video - all 5 minutes of it waiting for a smile... I think it was when he was changing the shape of his mouth to blow his mouth organ or maybe when a force nine blew up during his song... only joking Wes... :wink:

I agree entirely that you need to keep a straight back, preferably stand to sing, but I'm still having trouble playing when sitting. I've tried playing standing like a real rock star, but the guitar slips down and points at the floor after a while so I need to master it - yet another thing to think about ... as well as singing...

As we progress with our singing and playing, we'll look more relaxed and happy with our new environment so our face shape will change and look less stressed. I tried to think of people that I can honestly say I remember smiling when singing and playing guitar - Bruce Springsteen comes to mind - he does enjoy himself...

I suppose the bottom line is we can all hope to play like Eric Clapton, Dave Gilmour - and yes, even John Denver... :oops: but we are who we are and that makes music different from artist to artist. Just got to be yourself. Way to go Yash...

Rock on!

D 8)

you are a brave dude to sing for the first time and post on youtube. props.
I pretty much agree with everyone. once I took up singing again I learned there were two areas of the body
that are of prime importance. the head and abdomen.
I noticed you sorta grimaced when you went for the high notes. that is very normal
when singing from high up in your chest, neck and head.
when singing from the abdomen those upper body parts become relaxed.
the singing sounds better..
so exhale from down deeper down when singing is what they say.

Thanks for the continued feedback everyone! Ken, that track is superb! The video looks like it was filmed very near to where I live believe it or not! :shock:

I shall keep at it! :)

That should tell you something. :wink:
Notice how the song is passed from one guitar player to the other?
Let me know (in a PM) if you want an audio version with better quality.

Nice job . Just loosen up a bit :D I scored lots of points with the wife a few weeks ago at my nephews wedding by requesting this song from the DJ. It got lots of couples up up on the dance floor :D