"Manning-Up" vocals - How do you do it?

I've been away for a while (poured water into my power amp) but I'm back on track. I'm having a problem getting a more manly tone on the vocals I've been doing. I'm not a singer so it's a challenge for me to just stay on pitch.

Does anyone have advise on this or the song (it's not done yet as I need help). Please see the link and THANKS

al

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_songInfo.cfm?bandID=805324&songID=7743922

I think the vocals sound great. Do you think anybody ever told Rush to "man-up" the vocals?

You might try a gentle EQ boost around 200Hz.

Consider adding distortion in parallel. This can be anything from a harmonic exciter to a guitar amp sim. That'll make the vocal edgier, which in subtle amounts might suit the song.

I listened to this track. It's really like "how to man-up the drums and bass". I think the vocals are killer, no need to change. So is the guitar.
I'd do something about those drums, and also, it sounds like a synth bass. Do you have a real bass? If available, please plug direct and re-record.

I mean is see what your saying, for balls out rock type of thing, the vocals aren't a Bon Scott or anything. But who cares. You have like this pink floyd, laid back, smoke a doob kind of vocal going. I think some better drums would defiinitely take this track to another level. It doesn't have to be a snare in your face type of sound, just a more natural, energetic drum.

I was wondering that too silvercn. I think he means having the distortion on the bus, and creating a send on the vocal track, to that bus. That way you still have your original non-distorted vocal. I've been reading about that, like putting a distortion in front of a reverb on that bus.
I use to use Revalver on vocals, but that's been replaced with the newer Sonar, with Guitar Rig. I would try Antares Tube. But there's a lot of distortion plugs. Just seach this forum and/or Google. Don't know what's best for vocals. Bit has a thread asking this in the software forum, I think.

ORIGINAL: j boy

ORIGINAL: bitflipper
Do you think anybody ever told Rush to "man-up" the vocals?

I know I did.

Add Maroon 5 to that list...

Hey PB,

Nothing wrong with the vocals from my prespective.

I've learned a long time ago to stop trying to make a part or a song be something it's not.

I think you voice fits the overall tone of the song.

I have only one thought. If you want something different, listen to some of the guys on the forum and if you hear "the voice" ask him to sing it for you.

Well, aren't you the Dickens, Byron?

<edit: you've prolly never heard that one, eh?>

just a follow...you music damn good...and your vocals are fine. If you want some lower end you might look to Melodyne to copy a track and then pitch shift it down....

Not sure if that helps...not sure if you really need it...

The correct term here, Pastiche would be parallel distortion (as suggested by Bitflipper)

Same technique, different effect.

But equally, one could also introduce parallel compression as a way to thicken the vocal.


Try 'em all and see which one you like - hell, blend the 2 [3] together and see what it sounds like.

It's been discussed that the drums/bass could be produced a bit more. I'll mention that one of my favorite FX for drums/bass is the Tape Simulator. For Cymbals I use it lightly or not at all as it can get harsh quickly (contrary to tape somehow...) For drums I drive the warmth and record level very high, and turn the output level down. Same with the bass. This gives them a lot more "meat." :-)

Picklebunker,

This World Apart is an excellent song, love the guitar riff, very well done.  I listened to it several times.  Your vocals are very good.  A little more separation of the vocals from the other instruments during the heavier parts is my only suggestion and maybe a wider stereo image for the main guitar part.  What guitar and effects are you using for this song?

picklebunker


I've been away for a while (poured water into my power amp) but I'm back on track. I'm having a problem getting a more manly tone on the vocals I've been doing. I'm not a singer so it's a challenge for me to just stay on pitch.

Does anyone have advise on this or the song (it's not done yet as I need help). Please see the link and THANKS

al

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_songInfo.cfm?bandID=805324&songID=7743922
 
George Martin, Slowed down Macca's voice to sound less mannly. Slowing it down may work a bit.
I think Bowie may have done that at times
 
SilverBeat (Terry Caroll)

 
　
　
　
　

 

This will certainly make you more "manley":
 
http://www.manleylabs.com/containerpages/voxbox99.html
 

The vocals are great.  Nice job.  No need to change anything.  Having said that, if you do want to progress more with your voice there are lot's of options.  For example, if you are looking to thicken up your voice you can do that.  One guy's DVD that really helped me is Ken Tamplin. 

Thanks for all the suggestions. I certainly didn't expect this to open up again after almost a year! The original question I had was for the song This World Apart but I think it applies to almost every song I sing.

Having listened to the song after almost a year, I would agree with almost all of the suggestions. You can hear almost all of the suggestions applied to one of the other songs on the page called I'm innocent. The biggest suggestion was actually a joke from Shadoh about the smokes and the scotch. The productions posted on Soundclick are basically the scratch tunes that I take to my band on Saturdays to listen to and work from. After a couple of runs through (and a couple of smokes and beers), the vocals get more aggressive. This ties into the suggestions to put more into the performance.

I have also had someone contact me and offer to put me out of my misery on the drums arrangements. I'm excited to send tracks to a drummer who is willing to perform on a couple of tunes

Hotjams - Wish I could afford Melodyne. I'd live in that software

Tom - Guitar effects in this tune are from a Zoom GFX 3 in my favourite "Stonerjam" setting.

No How - I think the artifacts might just be careless delay/reverb highs on my part. I have a tendancy to do this.


Thanks to all.

One question: Parallel compression? What is it?