How to handle bad singing

Gary Shepherd · Post by **Gary Shepherd** » 29 Feb 2012 6:34 pm

How do you handle it when a guy comes to your studio to record and he's, um, terrible?

Roger Kelly · Post by **Roger Kelly** » 29 Feb 2012 7:02 pm

It's called "Grin and bear it"....Cash up front!

John Macy · Post by **John Macy** » 29 Feb 2012 7:21 pm

That's what interns are for,,,

John Macy · Post by **John Macy** » 29 Feb 2012 7:21 pm

That's what interns are for,,,

Gary Shepherd · Post by **Gary Shepherd** » 29 Feb 2012 8:12 pm

And what if the guy is the lead singer in your band?

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 29 Feb 2012 8:26 pm

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 29 Feb 2012 8:27 pm

Oh. And the reason you are in a band with a terrible singer is because... ?

Gary Shepherd · Post by **Gary Shepherd** » 29 Feb 2012 8:47 pm

Nobody else here to play with that I know of. I don't want to drive 60 miles to practice with someone.

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 29 Feb 2012 9:08 pm

ok. got it.

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 1 Mar 2012 2:42 am

whats the purpose of the recordings ?

Is it a pitch issue or just a bad voice ?

Two different issues...

IF it's a pitch issue, does he know it , can he tell ?

IF it's just a crummy voice issue, hit the record button and be done with it...

IF it's a pitch issue you have bigger issues,, make that, he has bigger issues...

Playing in the band is one thing but why are you spending time recording ?

Gary Shepherd · Post by **Gary Shepherd** » 1 Mar 2012 5:34 am

He wrote some songs and wants them recorded. He's pitchy and he knows it. Maybe terrible is too strong. Um, what's bad but less strong than terrible?

(changed to he wrote some songs -- typo)

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 1 Mar 2012 8:27 am

Billy Ray Cyrus

Richard Tipple · Post by **Richard Tipple** » 1 Mar 2012 10:48 am

Sure makes for a long day in the studio

Howard Parker · Post by **Howard Parker** » 1 Mar 2012 12:30 pm

And that is why studios use Melodyne or Antares plugins..

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Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 1 Mar 2012 1:53 pm

Gary Shepherd wrote: terrible is too strong. Um, what's bad but less strong than terrible?

Painful ?

Gary Shepherd · Post by **Gary Shepherd** » 1 Mar 2012 3:46 pm

Well... he's a nice guy and he knows he's not a great singer. I suppose it's adequate for a bunch of winos in a bar. I'm not a great steel player either and I'm the new guy. I'm not going to complain but I am going to try to teach them something.

At least the drummer is.... well, let's not even stir that topic up yet.

Jeff Valentine · Post by **Jeff Valentine** » 1 Mar 2012 8:22 pm

Howard's right. Melodyne, Vocalign and every other expensive plugin...... Sometimes it all smoke and mirrors!

Ken Morgan · Post by **Ken Morgan** » 2 Mar 2012 5:13 am

Kris Kristofferson couldn't sing for squat, same for Bob Dylan - sometimes the song itself is more important (as it should be?). Perhaps focusing on the the 'stylings' of the singer may help?

John Macy · Post by **John Macy** » 2 Mar 2012 7:59 pm

All the autotune in the world only makes a sort of in tune bad singer...

Gary Shepherd · Post by **Gary Shepherd** » 2 Mar 2012 8:01 pm

I use Autotune and Melodyne. Hadn't heard of the other one.

Clyde Mattocks · Post by **Clyde Mattocks** » 5 Mar 2012 5:50 pm

Use one of those "very sensitive" mics that Andy made Barney use.

Gary Shepherd · Post by **Gary Shepherd** » 5 Mar 2012 6:02 pm

Guess I missed that one Clyde.

Bud Angelotti · Post by **Bud Angelotti** » 5 Mar 2012 7:00 pm

Well ask your self this question - If his name was Bob Dylan or Krissofferson whats his name, would you be complaining? I know I wouldn't. Let him sing. Let him pay you. Shake his hand. Invite him back as a gentleman. Be glad - not mad! Sorry to be snide but we can't all be Pavoratti whats his hame. Thats what you do with a "bad" singer.

Keith Davidson · Post by **Keith Davidson** » 11 Mar 2012 6:34 am

That's a tough one Gary, but I couldn't do it, that would drive me nuts if the guy was off pitch on every song.

You could always post an ad for a singer, lots of people can sing really well but are too shy to do it in public, there could be gems that would come out if there was a comfortable setting for them to get started.

Larry Waisner · Post by **Larry Waisner** » 12 Mar 2012 4:51 am

Hi Gary,

There are several "vocal pitch proccessor's" on the market. Some even have harmonizers along with the pitch correction. Anteres sell's a software package for 99 bucks. Digitech, TC Helicon, Boss, Korg and many more. I played in a band where the lead singer would start the night out okay and by the time we got to the third set he was way off key.
He bought the Digitech vocal correction proccessor and sang the whole night every night on key. It actually helped his vocal chords to stay in pitch that after about a year of using one he didn't need it any longer. His voice became stronger.
Best Regards,
Larry Waisner
From the Mountains of Northern New Mexico.