Singing Advice

LikeAWillow · #1 10-13-2005, 01:58 PM

I know that we have some absolute fabulous singers on here, so I thought I'd turn to you guys with my little problem. I've been singing since I was in elementary school, in various choirs, festivals, select groups, yada yada, and when it comes to singing melodies and lead vocals, I'm pretty good. But oh god harmonies are my downfall. If someone gives me just the first note of any harmony part, I can sing it perfectly in pitch the rest of the song, but without being given that note? Oh, you don't even want to know how bad I am. I'm just not able to hear the parts the way I'd like to be able to, and I was wondering if anyone here had some advice?

amber · #2 10-13-2005, 02:02 PM

practice listening for them constantly till you die, and even then you may not get it.

LikeAWillow · #3 10-13-2005, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amber

practice listening for them constantly till you die, and even then you may not get it.

Probably not

But hey, I'm going to try anyway...*breaks out Say You Love Me*

amber · #4 10-13-2005, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LikeAWillow

Probably not

But hey, I'm going to try anyway...*breaks out Say You Love Me*

Nah, you will. If you've been singing that much all the time, you just need more practice and listening. Especially if you can sing the harmonies, but not the first note? That's weird. Just feel it out. The first note is usually the same as some of the other notes.

How weird, when I first started practicing it was Say You Love Me a lot. That harmony is pretty easy to find. And no, I'm not saying I'm good at harmonies yet.

If you have a good ear, you'll totally get it with more practice.

LikeAWillow · #5 10-13-2005, 02:19 PM

It is really weird, like as soon as someone sings the first note, then I can hear it and be like "oh that's what it is! okay!", but I can't hear them on my own. Say You Love Me just seems like a really good song to learn off of for some reason, and I really hope I can learn because harmonies are what I find the most beautiful about a song.

ragandbone · #6 10-13-2005, 03:24 PM

I have seen some harmony singing instructive cds listed on Homespun
http://www.homespuntapes.com/

It's true, though that listening to good harmonies again and again will help the most. Drilling yourself on a keyboard isn't a bad idea either, or you could use a pitch pipe - it's dorky, but it works.

If I lose a harmony and someone sings a line of it for me, I often end up harmonizing with my own part instead of imitating it.

LikeAWillow · #7 10-13-2005, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ragandbone

I have seen some harmony singing instructive cds listed on Homespun
http://www.homespuntapes.com/

It's true, though that listening to good harmonies again and again will help the most. Drilling yourself on a keyboard isn't a bad idea either, or you could use a pitch pipe - it's dorky, but it works.

If I lose a harmony and someone sings aline of it for me, I often end up harmonizing with my own part instead of imitating it.

Oh thanks so much for that link! I'll have to check it out