Guitar Tricks - Our singer has a girly voice (hes a he)

cjpwood

10-26-2005, 04:26 PM

Willdridge

10-26-2005, 05:00 PM

Three options spring to mind:

1) Get a new vocalist (helpful, eh?)

2) There are tablet's, (over the counter type things) the like's of Wayne Static (Static-X) take to loosen their vocal chords - although I'm not a huge fan of popping any kind of pill for anything other than legitimate reasons.

3) Get the guy to try taking vocal lessons to try and expand he's vocal range and abilities.

Ultimately, if he's natuarally got a "feminate" voice, there might not be much you can actually do, but it's worth exploring avenues.

On a side note: Placebo, The Bee Gee's and Boy George have all made a fortune out of such a voice...(perhaps not what you're going for, but if it work's, it works).

HDJ

10-26-2005, 05:01 PM

Uhhh, I'd find another singer if your not happy with his voice.

It's not common practice to alter a voice that much on a recording, b/c then your screwed when it comes to playing live.

Jolly McJollyson

10-26-2005, 05:08 PM

Guys, can anyone help us out..we are a newish band and play indie rock...but the problem is our singer has a very feminite voice....we want it a big gruffer.

Are there any tools that we can use to make it a bit more manly.. a bit like a guitar processor......but not a guitar processor. is this a normal problem for bands?
Umm...you play indie rock. I thought you'd want a girly lead man.

Tools to make it more manly...puberty perhaps...testicles?

Seriously though, I'd just make do with what you have. Simon and Garfunkle never had any trouble.

Willdridge

10-26-2005, 05:10 PM

It's not common practice to alter a voice that much on a recording, b/c then your screwed when it comes to playing live.

I didn't pick up on this point, but JFRICK's right...

And to pick up on Jolly's post - what's the average age of the band? If you're still (can't believe I'm about to say this) "going through that stage", then maybe you've just got to stick with it and see what happens when things do start dropping...

magicninja

10-26-2005, 06:18 PM

There are vocal processers out there but let the buyer beware with those things.

3fingeredblues

10-26-2005, 06:23 PM

Umm...you play indie rock. I thought you'd want a girly lead man.

Tools to make it more manly...puberty perhaps...testicles?

Seriously though, I'd just make do with what you have. Simon and Garfunkle never had any trouble.

How rude can you be, Jolly? How about offering real advice rather than a crude statement like "puberty perhaps...testicles?" Good grief.

DOD make a multi effects processor called the VoTech, I beleive discontinued though, dedicated to vocals that can also be used during live performance.

Digitech also makes some vocal processors such as the VX 300, and the VX400.

These are only masking what the problem is though....voice lessons may help, but he just plain might be "wrong" for your band, and fit in extremely well in another band.

Now that I think of it, I seem to remember seeing a band years ago where the singer used an octave pedal, meant for guitar, on his vocals and he sounded like an ogre when using it. Of course you would want something that added a lower octave....like the old BOSS OC-2 which has two lower octaves that can be combined or used individually. Just cause it was made for a guitar doesn't mean that it can't be used for vocals as well. Be creative.

Good luck.

Jolly McJollyson

10-26-2005, 08:24 PM

How rude can you be, Jolly? How about offering real advice rather than a crude statement like "puberty perhaps...testicles?" Good grief.
Not everything has to be so serious, sometimes I like to say things in jest.

3fingeredblues

10-26-2005, 08:36 PM

Not everything has to be so serious, sometimes I like to say things in jest.

Maybe not everything is as funny to other's as they are to you. I know I would be offended if you had said those things about me or one of my friends. Your comments were not helpfull.

Jolly McJollyson

10-26-2005, 08:38 PM

Maybe not everything is as funny to other's as they are to you. I know I would be offended if you had said those things about me or one of my friends. Your comments were not helpfull.
I then added that they should try and work around it. Perhaps you should work on not being offended so easily.

3fingeredblues

10-26-2005, 08:47 PM

Umm...you play indie rock. I thought you'd want a girly lead man.

Tools to make it more manly...puberty perhaps...testicles?

Seriously though, I'd just make do with what you have. Simon and Garfunkle never had any trouble.

This is what you actually said...not "you can work around it.."
This guy wants to do indie-rock, not folk music.
Again, you offered nothing but sarcasm.

Perhaps you should think of what you are saying a little more carefully. Ask yourself "Am I being helpfull, or am I being a wise guy?"

Jolly McJollyson

10-26-2005, 08:51 PM

This is what you actually said...not "you can work around it.."
This guy wants to do indie-rock, not folk music.
Again, you offered nothing but sarcasm.

Perhaps you should think of what you are saying a little more carefully. Ask yourself "Am I being helpfull, or am I being a wise guy?"
The Simon and Garfunkle thing wasn't sarcastic, neither was "you can make do" (forgive me for not memorizing every post I write). And indie rock has worked with singers with such voices as well. I pointed out Simon and Garfunkle to show that a guy with a high voice could still make a great frontman, and was in no way suggesting they start singing folk music. I guess I could have mentioned Belle and Sebastian, Iron and Wine, The Decemberists, or another of the various indie bands that have such a vocalist. I chose Simon and Garfunkle because, unlike those bands, I like them.

3fingeredblues

10-26-2005, 09:25 PM

This isn't a personal debate, and I will not respond to you again on this thread.

you have offered no help here...Simon and Garfunkel are not offering any help, as they do not relate to the style of indie-rock, and he has allready said that the high voice is not appealing to his band.
If you aren't gonna help, then why be a wise guy?

Saying things like "puberty...grow testicles" is just plain rude, not funny.

ok, maybe it is a little funny, but it is all the way rude, and again, offers no help.

magicninja

10-26-2005, 11:45 PM

Jolly shame on you you naughty boy ;)

Bluesman Hang around a while and get used to people Jolly is very helpful when he wants to be and is by and large a good guy.

The testicles thing was harsh but if the guy cared he would have told jolly to go screw his self. He probably laughed too.

the bad thing is in this post it's just been you two guys going at it and the poor guy never got help from either of you. Come on guys I know your both better than that. :)

CW14

10-27-2005, 05:26 AM

Does he sound like the guys from Hanson? They rock!

BTW, it's not a good idea to take Jolly seriously. And theres nothing wrong with a joke... I laughed (although it was a little harsh).

How old is the singer? If he's young, then just give him time.

Shredda_42

10-27-2005, 05:34 AM

maybe you could dress him up as a girl if his voice sounds like one...and if it breaks then he can suddenly get a sex change

Jolly McJollyson

10-27-2005, 11:25 AM

maybe you could dress him up as a girl if his voice sounds like one...and if it breaks then he can suddenly get a sex change
Hey, that is totally not cool. Such sarcastic comments are rude and unnecessary. :D ;)

HDJ

10-27-2005, 01:04 PM

Hmmm, Jolly is known for stirring up trouble.... :D

We all know he's just joking around, don't get all worked up over that.

I thought about asking the same thing, whether the singer had hit puberty yet....That is a legitimate comment since there was no age specified..

6strngs_2hmbkrs

10-27-2005, 02:25 PM

ahh, 3fingeredblues, perhaps you have not been around long enough to notice that Jolly very rarely says anything with any actual meaning in it (no offense jolly) and reading his posts is almost always quite comical.

other then that, yeah, they make rack mount voice processors if you want to give that a try.

equator

10-27-2005, 02:46 PM

Vocal lessons would be the way to go.
Or Just take a keyboard and play the low pitch notes and help him do vocal excercises.
Finally if that doesn`t work; you guys could add another member to band who has a lower range of voice, instead of getting rid off the singer you have right now.
Maybe the guy is a perfect Tenor.
and adding another singer or backing him up with vocals will do it.

magicninja

10-27-2005, 03:08 PM

Good one with the dual singers could add a whole new quality.

3fingeredblues

10-28-2005, 07:54 PM

How rude can you be, Jolly? How about offering real advice rather than a crude statement like "puberty perhaps...testicles?" Good grief.

DOD make a multi effects processor called the VoTech, I beleive discontinued though, dedicated to vocals that can also be used during live performance.

Digitech also makes some vocal processors such as the VX 300, and the VX400.

These are only masking what the problem is though....voice lessons may help, but he just plain might be "wrong" for your band, and fit in extremely well in another band.

Now that I think of it, I seem to remember seeing a band years ago where the singer used an octave pedal, meant for guitar, on his vocals and he sounded like an ogre when using it. Of course you would want something that added a lower octave....like the old BOSS OC-2 which has two lower octaves that can be combined or used individually. Just cause it was made for a guitar doesn't mean that it can't be used for vocals as well. Be creative.

Good luck.

I did offer some real ideas to help. Jolly only offered sarcasm.

Jolly McJollyson

10-30-2005, 03:54 AM

I did offer some real ideas to help. Jolly only offered sarcasm.
Look, could you not point out every time I'm sarcastic? People know I'm being sarcastic. If you're gonna point it out to me, do it in a pm so we don't clog any more threads.

Lordathestrings

10-30-2005, 10:06 AM

Look, could you not point out every time I'm sarcastic? People know I'm being sarcastic. If you're gonna point it out to me, do it in a pm so we don't clog any more threads.Mr. 3fingeredblues will be absent from this assembly....

Permanently.

He sent some unacceptably caustic e-mails to a couple of our moderators.

Jolly McJollyson

10-30-2005, 12:10 PM

Mr. 3fingeredblues will be absent from this assembly....

Permanently.

He sent some unacceptably caustic e-mails to a couple of our moderators.
So far everyone I've wanted to be banned has been banned. I think I have magic, psychic powers.

Willdridge

10-30-2005, 12:11 PM

So far everyone I've wanted to be banned has been banned. I think I have magic, psychic powers.

Remind me not to get on the wrong side of you Jolly... ;)

Jolly McJollyson

10-30-2005, 07:37 PM

Remind me not to get on the wrong side of you Jolly... ;)
Don't worry, so far you're not. BUT BEWARE MY MAGIC, PSYCHIC BANNING POWERS!

Lordathestrings

10-30-2005, 08:47 PM

Don't worry, so far you're not. BUT BEWARE MY MAGIC, PSYCHIC BANNING POWERS!hmmm...

Have you heard the tale of the rooster who thought he made the sun rise? :(

Jolly McJollyson

10-30-2005, 09:09 PM

hmmm...

Have you heard the tale of the rooster who thought he made the sun rise? :(
Hahaha, yeah, but the rooster wasn't being fascicious.

6strngs_2hmbkrs

10-30-2005, 11:24 PM

Mr. 3fingeredblues will be absent from this assembly....

Permanently.

He sent some unacceptably caustic e-mails to a couple of our moderators.
you banned him :eek:

he was actually a really cool guy. and he was a luthier, he gave me lots of tips through PM's on how to get into luthiery, what schools would be good etc. it was very helpful as I'm looking at becoming a luthier.

he was actually really cool most of the time, and this thread just goes to show you how eager he was to help people... he just did it in the wrong way I guess... :(

Jolly McJollyson

10-30-2005, 11:49 PM

you banned him :eek:

he was actually a really cool guy. and he was a luthier, he gave me lots of tips through PM's on how to get into luthiery, what schools would be good etc. it was very helpful as I'm looking at becoming a luthier.

he was actually really cool most of the time, and this thread just goes to show you how eager he was to help people... he just did it in the wrong way I guess... :(
I hated him. He was eager to do nothing but be a jerk.

6strngs_2hmbkrs

10-31-2005, 12:23 AM

I hated him. He was eager to do nothing but be a jerk.
well, yeah, I guess he wasn't the nicest all the time... well he was to me... but I guess not to everyone else on here... so perhaps it's better this way... I didn't get to ask him about painting guitars though... *sigh* oh well

Jolly McJollyson

10-31-2005, 12:37 AM

well, yeah, I guess he wasn't the nicest all the time... well he was to me... but I guess not to everyone else on here... so perhaps it's better this way... I didn't get to ask him about painting guitars though... *sigh* oh well
Haha, well, he was fairly nice, he just had it out for me because he didn't like me.

CW14

10-31-2005, 01:46 AM

Haha, well, he was fairly nice, he just had it out for me because he didn't like me.
I don't like you either.

http://www.travelwithkatie.com/blog/btk.jpg

Akira

10-31-2005, 04:32 AM

I think he was quite cool, he offered some good tech tips and the like. Just seems like he was a bit too argumentative sometimes.

6strngs_2hmbkrs

10-31-2005, 10:16 AM

Haha, well, he was fairly nice, he just had it out for me because he didn't like me.
tis true I suppose... and an enemy of jolly's is an enemy of mine... why? cause I love people like you who don't take everything in life so serioulsy, that's how I try to live, and there aren't enough people like that nowadays...

Jolly McJollyson

10-31-2005, 10:28 AM

tis true I suppose... and an enemy of jolly's is an enemy of mine... why? cause I love people like you who don't take everything in life so serioulsy, that's how I try to live, and there aren't enough people like that nowadays...
Good to hear that, man. People care too much (people care too little, too) and then everybody's stressed out. Forget that, when I die, I don't want it to be stress-related.

Willdridge

10-31-2005, 03:07 PM

Good to hear that, man. People care too much (people care too little, too) and then everybody's stressed out. Forget that, when I die, I don't want it to be stress-related.

Life's too short to worry, too long to regret - but just right for living.

6strngs_2hmbkrs

10-31-2005, 03:11 PM

Life's too short to worry, too long to regret - but just right for living.
and just right for porking around... right? lol

Willdridge

10-31-2005, 03:14 PM

and just right for porking around... right? lol

Did I miss porking?...damn - there's always room for porking... ;)

Akira

10-31-2005, 03:39 PM

Recently I've changed my attitude to life.

Before I was spending too much time thinking about all the crap things in life, and getting depressed over them.

But this past week i've decided I should spend more time thinking about the good things in life, and forget the bad. I decided that i'm going to pursue some sort of career that is related to music, and that nothing is holding me back, I know the chances are slim, but so what? I want to do it so i'll give it a damn good shot.

I'm liking the idea of being an optimist rather than a pesimist, yes, I know about the crap things in life (having studied Sociology), and about how we get screwed by the "system", but I figured that I shouldn't let this get me down; there isn't going to be a revolution of any sort so I might aswell start enjoying my life, and forgetting anything else that wants to stand in my way.

Atleast I'm gonna try do that, i'll have to see how it goes.

Anyone else made a transition in their views of life? Or want to share their views on life?

Girly singers to life views, hmm, can tell i'm at GT! :D

Willdridge

10-31-2005, 04:10 PM

Anyone else made a transition in their views of life? Or want to share their views on life?

Girly singers to life views, hmm, can tell i'm at GT! :D

I've made several over the last five years or so...I've been to some very dark places in the past, but coming through those has made me realise how fun it can be just doing what you do; not getting caught up or consumed by trivial things. For me, I realised that all you've got, when it really comes down it, is what you make of life - not what you're told your life should be.

I'm in the process of going through another transistion...I'm considering emergrating (or returning seeing as I was born there) to New Zealand...I've realised there's nothing here that I'm actually tied to, and I'm bored and tired of all the nonsense that goes on in the UK, (I'm not daft enough to think NZ is without its own issues, "a change is as good as a holiday" type thing I guess). (God, I gone a bit, don't I?)...Anyway, enough!

Anyone else gone through or going through transistion they'd care to share?

And, yeah - you're definately at GT! ;)

Danny C.

10-31-2005, 04:41 PM

Well one thing is everyone around me is pressuring me to go to college and get a good high paying job all the time. Since I am a senior this year, everyone is freaking out about graduation and any time anyone talks to me, it always starts out, whatcha gonna do when you graduate. I dont know, there are so many options out there now. I have decided to not worry so much about the future, plan for it, but not stress out over it, which I used to do. I enjoy coasting through high school and goofing off all the time, I don't take life as serious as most and it makes life more enjoyable.

Akira

10-31-2005, 05:32 PM

If anyone wants to read more on my optimism spurt thingy, here's the link to my online journal:

>>clicky<< (www.xanga.com/sonitude)

CW14

10-31-2005, 07:43 PM

I kinda just realised recently the things in our lives that we take for granted, especially living conditions. We're all damn lucky to be living in wealthy countries, and having access to luxuries like a decent house, food, computers, even guitars, and not struggling to survive. Our problems are so trivial compared to someone else's.

I also dislike people who take everything seriously, and don't understand light-hearted randomness. That said, here is a picture of a potato:

http://www.physics.mcgill.ca/~stoica/potato.jpg

Danny C.

10-31-2005, 09:08 PM

Haha, thats a heck of a spud :)

6strngs_2hmbkrs

11-01-2005, 03:45 AM

I'm going through one heck of a transition in my life right now... I couldn't even explain where it's leading me to, as I don't quite know yet. but there are definate changes going on.

Akira

11-01-2005, 10:12 AM

I'm going through one heck of a transition in my life right now... I couldn't even explain where it's leading me to, as I don't quite know yet. but there are definate changes going on.

Keep your f'in chin up!

6strngs_2hmbkrs

11-01-2005, 12:53 PM

Keep your f'in chin up!
I'm trying!!! every time I almost get back to normal some other **** happens in my life...

Akira

11-01-2005, 04:57 PM

I'm trying!!! every time I almost get back to normal some other **** happens in my life...

Give it a swift kick in the nads and walk away.

rockonn91

11-13-2005, 08:49 PM

That said, here is a picture of a potato:

mannnnnn that cracked me upppp. :D

Andrew Sa

11-20-2005, 10:00 AM

Maybe not everything is as funny to other's as they are to you. I know I would be offended if you had said those things about me or one of my friends. Your comments were not helpfull.

but we love you anyway...

as for the voice, I say, either try work with it (have you heard Coheed and Cambria? it WORKS!!!) or replace him...you dont wanna have him rely on effects etc...that doesnt work, and is the bane of sound guys the world over...every venue will hate you.

Andrew Sa

11-20-2005, 10:07 AM

I too have a girly voice. This, I find, goes well with my girly hands, girly feet, and very girly habit of whining incessantly when things dont go my way.

I too, in short, find myself to be very, very girly.

Akira

11-20-2005, 11:14 AM

Lordathestrings

11-20-2005, 11:16 AM