[Emy]

I TRULY hope someone can give me a few tips and not ignore my question. ><

After reading through the full 28 pages available, I STILL did not find a way to create a smooth song!

I tried looking through google/program tutorials/soompi, but there doesn't seem to be a step by step instruction to mixing ur own songs!!

I downloaded Adobe Audition 1.5 AND Goldwave like ya'll suggested....and tried several different ways to remove the voice from songs and noise from my recording. They all turn out really unclear and scratchy, especially the "instrumental" that I make. I know that u can't completely remove the original voice after reading from the 28 pages, but when I try to make instrumentals, they turn out with the worst quality!!! >< Then, I add my recorded voice to it....and...it's a disaster. lol

Can ya'll give me steps to creating smooth songs/professional quality songs? Or...maybe let me know what settings on Adobe Audition 1.5 or Goldwave I'm supposed to use everytime I mix? Like, give me ur tricks or anything u learned from experiences to perfect a song...anything that made a HUGE difference in ur songs.

I'm really sorry if this has been asked or it is a dumb question....


Thanks!!!

[geneyoonit]

^ i'll try to help u... but im not exactly sure what the SOURCE of the problem is..

1) try checking ur mic, and see if its good quality.. (and not really really cheap)
2) do u hav alot of background noises in ur house? maybe its due to that...
3) try setting ur mic up, so ur mic volume isnt at its highest.. and fool aorund w/ the volume control of your MIC (and check if its BOOST is on)... if its on, then it could cause alot of hisses/scratchy noises)
-(to do that, go to your control panel, then SOUNDS & AUDIO DEVICES, and then look either in AUDIO or VOICE to find an image of ur mic, and click VOLUME and set it up right)
4) you can also smooth things out w/ ur programs using the hiss/crack/ or noise reduction.. but that should be ur last option, cuz it never works TOO well, and can cause ur song to sound funny...
5) try a little reverb too...

i donno.. im very amuture @ this sorta thing too, cuz iv only started this march.. there are probably alot more smarter and experienced people in this forum to help ya

[dark intuitions]

removing vox from songs generally suck, but i find in Audition, playing with the settings (i don't remember what they are called atm, but like the parts underneath the second slider, play with those settings, moving them up or down and stuff, can help to eliminate some of the noises, but you really need to just play with it a lot for each song, or find proper instrumentals. Most of the pro sounding singers on here do not rely on vocal remove, they find instrumentals or synth them themselve (like sb62345)

There's also hmaster's tutorials on the very first page, i hope that was your first stop, because it really is very informative!

[보석미남]

2 QUESTIONS~

1. I think I'm tone deaf? I used to be really horrible in singing because I just don't sing at all, so whenever I try to just sing a simple line it'll go all pitchy and stuff. Now it's slighttly better because I've been singing and practicing. But I can't sing with music, at all. NUH UH. If I sing with music I'd be REALLY REALLY off-pitch. Is this fixable by practicing? TT_TT.

2. I don't know why but everytime I sing, a different voice comes out. How do I distinguish my "real" singing voice? Because sometimes it's husky/low/chest voice/sorta-like-how-i-talk (pitchy) but when I try to sing with a higher pitch (slightly above average), a totally different voice is produce and it's less pitchy and sounds clearer/smoother/crisper? Help? It's not about hitting lower/higher notes, it's the pitch of my voice? TT_TT. I'd like the lower pitch but then it's really really really really really pitchy. eh, it sounds like I just answered my own question. O_O.

[dark intuitions]

practice practice practice!! Also, ask people to listen to you (choose nice people ehehehe ) and tell you when you are off pitch.

2. I don't know why but everytime I sing, a different voice comes out. How do I distinguish my "real" singing voice? Because sometimes it's husky/low/chest voice/sorta-like-how-i-talk (pitchy) but when I try to sing with a higher pitch (slightly above average), a totally different voice is produce and it's less pitchy and sounds clearer/smoother? Help? It's not about hitting lower/higher notes, it's the pitch of my voice? TT_TT.

Chest voice and head voice. Most people consider chest voice (the lower husky one) to be real voice. Head voice is clearer, smoother and usually softer. It's normal, and if you have difficulty in increasing the range of your chest voice, then work on blending them so that transitions are better.

[*Madison]

doing scales downwards instead of going up as we normal word. but why would you wanna sing lower? O.o are you a girl?

i'm a girl but i'd really like to be able to sing those low notes at the beginning of some songs. it sucks when i have to skip it coz i can't go so low

You can't really increase your range downwards. That's the thing. What you have is what you have, you can only improve those low notes you already have. You'd probably be able to use different techniques to go lower a bit, but you're not going to find a huge range increase you would find if you were working upwards.

eeeee really? :starts sobbing again: ok then.

[`faded]

^ actually it's not true..you can increase your range..by going low and by going up..it all takes practice really..and when you think you're comfortable singing that highest note or that lowest note then you can step it up a notch and maybe sing one more note..higher or lower =)..and then practice on that with the other ranges..that way you can expand your range =)

[Emy]

^ i'll try to help u... but im not exactly sure what the SOURCE of the problem is..

1) try checking ur mic, and see if its good quality.. (and not really really cheap)
2) do u hav alot of background noises in ur house? maybe its due to that...
3) try setting ur mic up, so ur mic volume isnt at its highest.. and fool aorund w/ the volume control of your MIC (and check if its BOOST is on)... if its on, then it could cause alot of hisses/scratchy noises)
-(to do that, go to your control panel, then SOUNDS & AUDIO DEVICES, and then look either in AUDIO or VOICE to find an image of ur mic, and click VOLUME and set it up right)
4) you can also smooth things out w/ ur programs using the hiss/crack/ or noise reduction.. but that should be ur last option, cuz it never works TOO well, and can cause ur song to sound funny...
5) try a little reverb too...

i donno.. im very amuture @ this sorta thing too, cuz iv only started this march.. there are probably alot more smarter and experienced people in this forum to help ya

Wow, thank you so much for the awesome advices!!!

Nope, no background noises in my house.

Sorry to sound stupid..but...where is the control panel u are talking about. Adobe audition seems to have so many control panels and stuff. haha

I tried the noise reduction stuff...and all they do is make the quality worse. yuck..

I'm not sure what reverb is.....

Also, I was amazed at ur beautiful songs!! Your voice is amazing, and ur mix always turns out so smooth and nice. ^_______^

removing vox from songs generally suck, but i find in Audition, playing with the settings (i don't remember what they are called atm, but like the parts underneath the second slider, play with those settings, moving them up or down and stuff, can help to eliminate some of the noises, but you really need to just play with it a lot for each song, or find proper instrumentals. Most of the pro sounding singers on here do not rely on vocal remove, they find instrumentals or synth them themselve (like sb62345)

There's also hmaster's tutorials on the very first page, i hope that was your first stop, because it really is very informative!

Yeah, I tried to play with the settings for over 5 hours, and nothing could make my song sound professional. --" I always hear u guys with those nice mix, I wonder how ya'll do it. lol
As for the slider...I'm not quite sure what u mean.....
I tried several times to download hmaster's tutorial..but, it kept on saying closed for the next 48 hours or something. O_o

[dark intuitions]

Yeah, I tried to play with the settings for over 5 hours, and nothing could make my song sound professional. --" I always hear u guys with those nice mix, I wonder how ya'll do it. lol
As for the slider...I'm not quite sure what u mean.....
I tried several times to download hmaster's tutorial..but, it kept on saying closed for the next 48 hours or something. O_o

When I'll get home I'll send it to you. If he doesn't mind, of course, I'll ask him.

[Emy]

When I'll get home I'll send it to you. If he doesn't mind, of course, I'll ask him.

Thanks so much!! That would be awesome if u could PM me the link or whichever way to get it my way. XD

Also....I have another question. lol

So when I'm using a instrumental without any vocals, is there a way I can get the original song with vocals to go along at the same time? OR...you guys that use instrumentals...how do u do it?

[geneyoonit]

^ actually it's not true..you can increase your range..by going low and by going up..it all takes practice really..and when you think you're comfortable singing that highest note or that lowest note then you can step it up a notch and maybe sing one more note..higher or lower =)..and then practice on that with the other ranges..that way you can expand your range =)

yea.. u CAN go lower, but.. its REALLY hard.. haha...

ur lower range (like ur higher range) has ur natural voice tied to it (i donno how THAT part works, probably genetics ) so, it DOES take alot of time and effort to help STRETCH that thing going...

[/size]

Wow, thank you so much for the awesome advices!!!

Sorry to sound stupid..but...where is the control panel u are talking about. Adobe audition seems to have so many control panels and stuff. haha

I tried the noise reduction stuff...and all they do is make the quality worse. yuck..

I'm not sure what reverb is.....

Also, I was amazed at ur beautiful songs!! Your voice is amazing, and ur mix always turns out so smooth and nice. ^_______^
[size=1]

haha your welcome

START > SETTINGS > CONTROL PANEL or u can get to it by going on MY COMPUTER and then CONTROL PANEL.. and i guess it depends on what version of windows ur using.. and i cant help u if ur using mac >.<

and thanx but both my singing AND mixing can improve >.< but thanx nonetheless

[sikkony]

^ actually it's not true..you can increase your range..by going low and by going up..it all takes practice really..and when you think you're comfortable singing that highest note or that lowest note then you can step it up a notch and maybe sing one more note..higher or lower =)..and then practice on that with the other ranges..that way you can expand your range =)

Well you can increase the range using techniques, but without techniques you can't. You're not going to get much trying to increase downwards. Plus the techniques to allow yourself to hit lower notes aren't as good as the ones used to increase upwards.

When we sing low in our chest voice, our cords are compressed. The only way you can go lower is to apply more cord compression, and probably more complete cord adduction (correct me if I'm wrong anyone!) which most likely will be closed to near maximum already. Once you apply so much compression, you will enter "vocal fry". Girls using vocal fries, I don't think is common. It is usually a technique male bass and probably baritones use to obtain lower notes at about C2ish and lower.

I'm not brick solid on how the vocal truely works on the bottom range, but what I said above should be at least 75% correct, although I'm willing to say it is 90% correct at least. Correct me if I'm wrong anyone.

yea.. u CAN go lower, but.. its REALLY hard.. haha...

ur lower range (like ur higher range) has ur natural voice tied to it (i donno how THAT part works, probably genetics ) so, it DOES take alot of time and effort to help STRETCH that thing going...
haha your welcome

Ok this topic I'm more sure of haha. Firstly, you don't stretch your vocal folds to try and obtain a larger range. You utilize singing techniques. Secondly, we are all born with uniquely sized vocal tracts and vocal fold thickness. The larger the vocal tract, the deeper your voice. The thicker your vocal folds, the heavier your timbre of your voice is. For example, males v.s females. Males obviously have a much larger vocal tract than females. This is why females have a higher chest voice than males. Another example = Baritone v.s Tenor. Baritone, larger vocal tract by nature, thicker cords. Tenor, thinner vocal folds, and smaller tract. Anyways, this is why we all sound different.
Hope this clears ups your confusion Geeny.

[sikkony]

2 QUESTIONS~

1. I think I'm tone deaf? I used to be really horrible in singing because I just don't sing at all, so whenever I try to just sing a simple line it'll go all pitchy and stuff. Now it's slighttly better because I've been singing and practicing. But I can't sing with music, at all. NUH UH. If I sing with music I'd be REALLY REALLY off-pitch. Is this fixable by practicing? TT_TT.

2. I don't know why but everytime I sing, a different voice comes out. How do I distinguish my "real" singing voice? Because sometimes it's husky/low/chest voice/sorta-like-how-i-talk (pitchy) but when I try to sing with a higher pitch (slightly above average), a totally different voice is produce and it's less pitchy and sounds clearer/smoother/crisper? Help? It's not about hitting lower/higher notes, it's the pitch of my voice? TT_TT. I'd like the lower pitch but then it's really really really really really pitchy. eh, it sounds like I just answered my own question. O_O.

Sorry mods! I'm going to do a double post More easier to read

1. I believe it all comes to practice. I've noticed something unique, not sure on the validity though. I noticed those who don't play a musical instrument or have any background in music whatsoever, seem to sing with pitch problems which of course, can be corrected!
Now I'm not a singing teacher, nor have I seen anyone have that problem being dealt with. So if I was to have such a problem I would address this issue by keeping a tape-recorder or if your comp does you good, next to you. Always record. Always playback. Listen, and correct. That's the only way I would approach this problem. It also depends on what you're practicing on. Make yourself excercises, that are suitable.
When you sing, do you hear yourself as pitchy or only when you are playing your recording back?

2. This question gets asked a lot. In my heart, I don't believe there is a right or wrong answer here. Whatever your style is, however you choose to convey yourself while singing is totally your choice. Just as long as you aren't doing anything wrong (ie, singing incorrectly), then any approach to singing should be all good. I think when people grow up, people shape themselves when singing to that of their favourite genre, or to their favourite artist. So I believe if the same person came from two absolute different singing background, ie pop v.s classical, they would sound totally different.

Look at Anjo, I remembered last time he had a 'pop'ish' voice, now he's all 'musically' sounding. Besides that, he's an excellent example of good singing technique in my eyes.

EDIT:

If it hurts to sing for more then 10 minutes, you're probably using your throat. Slightly different time for everyone, but you get the point.
Uhm, I have no microphones in my house, so I use my digital camera's camcording ability to record myself. The problem is, it absolutely sucks. It picks up every unnecessary noise so my voice sounds... just weird! It sounds echoey, static-y, you name it! I was trying really hard to get rid of it and produce something near to what my voice really sounds like. Playing around with Goldwave, I found that nothing really helped bring out my real voice. Does anyone have a suggestion?

Or even better: can anyone recommend me a good microphone, please???

Oh yeh, when singing correctly it should never hurt your voice.

Depends what mic you want. If you're just going to train and do small projects for fun, just get something modest, like that Behringer XMS something number eight. lol, it's the one Sou uses apparently. It's cheap, robust and good enough for training. If you were going to get something huge, you'd prolly need other stuff too (amplifiers etc).

[crazii_<33_yu]

a tiny tiny question...i think o.o, i had people listen to my singing and they all said that i was off pitch and some said that i need to try and not move from one note to another fast and to also work on my high notes..is it possible, if i really try really hard, that i can improved within 1 month? my mom said that it'll take at least 1-2 years before sounding great >< (:<3

[tvfxq]

^ depends on how good you want to sound but it's kind of hard for that to happen unless you practice really really hard.

some tips: you might want to practice with a piano for the pitch problems. start with the basics of memorizing a few notes and playing a few songs. it'll probably be a bit easier knowing what note you're supposed to sing and stuff.

[`faded]

well of course you need tons of practice and technique =P LOL..you can just GO LOW O_O hahaha..It takes lots of time =)..Actually going higher is easier than going lower in my opinion but you can still stretch out your lower vocal cords with technique and with practice..technique isn't just through practice..it's through lessons and having a good teacher as well =)

[the.elephant]

what kind of microphones do you guys use??
what kind do you recommend??

im just in a normal room not a studio or anything special... i tried using my webcam microphone and it was horrible... all the high notes were scratchy
and im not a "pro" singer like some people here with equipments and softwares but i want a decent mic with good quality for me to record for fun and to share with others

my budget is around 50 dollars??? is that too little?? i googled "good mic" and they were like 100 + dollars and i dont want to spend that much

thanks

[보석미남]

When you sing, do you hear yourself as pitchy or only when you are playing your recording back?

I think someone was explaining about this a few pages back? Anyway, when I sing I sound good but when I listen to what I've recorded it sounds like crap.

[sikkony]

I think someone was explaining about this a few pages back? Anyway, when I sing I sound good but when I listen to what I've recorded it sounds like crap.

Ah this is natural. What you hear internally isn't what the audience hears. Don't base your singing on what you hear internally, instead you should base it on the experience of what you hear when you sound to the audience.

[crazii_<33_yu]

what kind of microphones do you guys use??
what kind do you recommend??

im just in a normal room not a studio or anything special... i tried using my webcam microphone and it was horrible... all the high notes were scratchy
and im not a "pro" singer like some people here with equipments and softwares but i want a decent mic with good quality for me to record for fun and to share with others

my budget is around 50 dollars??? is that too little?? i googled "good mic" and they were like 100 + dollars and i dont want to spend that much

thanks

^^ that's what's bugging me too(: cause recently i recorded and posted my singing up..and the commentors said that the mic quality isn't so good(:<3