Seasons of the Ukulele

A weekly song challenge for ukulele players - all welcome. Find out more here

Hi again - and question about singing

MikeM

Hey all, I posted on UU under username BaconSalad but am just using Mike here. Some of my seasons contributions had me singing, and I sang during the open mic two weeks ago and people were really kind about it, but I know I do not have a good singing voice. Is this a skill that can be learned with lessons at a late age or is it something you have to be born with or practising from a young age? Sample:

johnpoole

I’m no expert but I think vocals can definitely be improved even at a later age. You are already at a good starting point ie you sing in tune. From there I think more strength and confidence is something that can be coached by the right teacher.

I was on a guitar forum and there was a guy who started from a really low base…ie almost always sharp or flat. He took lessons over an extended period and improved heaps. There are probably free online resources that may be useful too. I’m no great vocalist either so my advice is just friendly thoughts out loud. Cheers mate..good to see you here.

chris667

Yes you can.

The truth is, if you can tell you are out of tune, you can tell you're wrong. It's the people that hear nothing wrong that are hardest to teach.

I would try and get a lesson somewhere. You don't have to keep going.

bobjking

Hi, Mike.

I'm really just echoing what John and Chris have said here but, yes, I think it's definitely something that can be taught/learnt.

Singing in key is the important bit and, as Chris said, knowing when you aren't! You've got no problem there, mate! You can definitely sing in tune. All the other stuff, confidence, projection, breathing etc is something that you can get lessons in or will get better the more you do it. My boy asked me about this the other day (he's started a band with a couple of friends - he can sing in tune but isn't confident) He basically asked, "how do I sing?"

A tough question! The only advice I could give is just to go for it. Quite often I'vefound it's easier to sing if you give it everything, if you hold back it sounds like you're holding back if that makes sense?

(I think you sing fine, btw! Good to have you here!)

MsBean

There are a couple of vocal coaches on YouTube who have free lessons and exercises to train the muscles. Don't forget breath support and singing from your diaphragm. I found Madeleine Harvey quite useful. She also addressed accepting and developing your own voice.

DelGriff

To sing better, there’s no substitute for… regular singing! Before my voice broke in my early teens, I had a lovely boy soprano voice. When my voice broke it sounded awful. What I didn’t know at the time, and nobody told me, was that it needed building up again. I just assumed that I’d lost it - that I’d never be able to sing well again. It was only fortyish years on, when I took up uke 5 or 6 years ago, that I gave it another try. Gradually, with each song I learned and played and sang along to, I noticed my voice gradually getting stronger and better. Another thing to be grateful to the Seasons for!

So, it comes back to that old adage: practice makes perfect!

EDIT: Ooh - not suggesting my voice is anywhere near perfect 😳 - just a good deal better than it was a few years ago!

Renaissance-Man

I'm actually a fan, Mike. Your instrumentals are top shelf. Voice training and ear training go hand in hand. It's just practice, like with any instrument. Explore your strength, and understand your weaknesses.

MikeM

I really appreciate the advice and feedback everyone! The Seasons community was pivotal in my advancement as a uke player and I'm really glad we have a comfy new place to hang out!

Mezcalero

Hi Mike,

I consider myself a singer first and strummer second. I have no training, but what I have discovered is that the greatest key to singing well for me is this:

Don't try to copy others voices, try to develop your own voice. Confidence is far more impactful than proper technique. By confidence I mean knowing exactly how you want to sing a song. Practicing it over and over until you come up with a style and phrasing that you feel good about. Then practice it some more, and more and more, until you feel you know exactly how you sing the song, and feel confident you can pull it off. I think Bob Dylan is a great singer. If you isolate the quality of his voice, it can be argued he's not gifted in that area 🙂 But he sings his songs, his way, and they sound great to me !

Others comments about taking a lesson, certainly are valid and worth looking into. The hardest thing for me to get over was playing and singing at the same time. And that looks me years to get comfortable with.

Keep bringing your videos whether instrumental or singing. I love your mix of picking strumming and even chord melody.

BigKingVelour

I agree with Kev - it's all about confidence. I think I sing OK, but it was only after I sang with my uke for about 5 years and, more importantly, married a wonderful person who likes my singing, that I began to believe that I was OK at singing. Which led me to trust what I did, which helped me to get better. Just do it. Don't worry about if it is what you classify as 'good'. If you can develop the pathways from your heart and soul to your voice, you will be as great as you ever need to be.

Oh, and when you stop trying to sound like someone else, look for a key that seems to fit in with your range. The capo (and the baritone) is your friend.

MikeM

Well, today at the seasons open mic I learned a new tip about singing, but I'm not so sure I should post about it🤣

TCK

MikeM clench that butt!!!!

TCK

MikeM seriously though, for me finding my voice took years of making videos and watching them. Been doing seasons since my 30’s and now I am in my 50’s. I really think recording yourself is the path to singing better. Keep doing that.

redpaul1

@MikeM Is this a skill that can be learned with lessons at a late age?

When I first took up the ukulele, at the age of 54, I very quickly realised that what I really needed to learn was not how to play, but how to sing. I discovered - & paid for - these two online programmes

Rae Henry - Singing Solutions

Eric Arceneaux - The Arceneaux Approach

and while I did (& do) find them very beneficial (Rae Henry initially caught my attention with her statement that "Singing is simply extended speech," - & I actually ended up recoding for her, her entire programme for Mac and UNIX O/S's! - with Eric Arceneaux, it was his tips on vocal fry and breath control), there's no doubt that, as Arceneaux tells you straight off, and as I can attest, there's no substitute for personal one-on-one tuition.

I was lucky enough to find two really good vocal coaches over the years, one Australian and one Italian, each with their own personal style, bringing out different aspects of what I needed to work on.

So I would definitely say, yes this a skill that can be learned with lessons at a late age. And If you can find a personal tutor, you'll realise your potential so much quicker.

dr_mitch

I’m keenly reading this thread. I can hear that my own singing is pretty bad - but I’d basically had no practice until I took up the ukulele. It’s definitely less bad than it was though, even a year ago.