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My question is for Leontine Hass:

I have been singing for a little over a year now, and although I have good tone and decent range, my sound seems to be “flat”. Is there a way I could “brighten” my sound without sounding like most other singers?

I don´t know whether this question should go to Mrs. Hass or to Mr. Jahn, but here it goes hoping you can help. In the following months I will be loosing my right hearing because of an illness. I have already assumed that this is as it is and I am not particularly feeling down. My questions: Is it possible to sing in tune with one ear hearing only? Will the lack of stereo 3D dinamics trick me when trying to find key and tone? Do you know any pro singer with this problem? If I could sign no more not only half my hearing would have gone, but half my soul too!!!

TO EVERYBODY: MAKE SURE TO PROTECT YOUR HEARING.

Hearing question?? My hearing seems to be fine at age 58. Is there a good way to check you own hearing without going to specialist. I do wear earplugs at loud concerts now and use TC Helicon monitors to keep stage volume way down when playing out.

Thanks

Kim Butler

Paco!

I feel for you brother…I've been having a horrible go of it concerning this for a lil' over a month now. It's driving me nutz!!! I experience this when flying. My ears are finally starting to regulate but sometimes it can be a good while before they do.

As you well know, the show must go on. The answer though to your question is YES, you can sing on key/tune with one ear working. It would be the same as using one ear plug, in-ear monitor, putting your finger in your ear when ya' can't hear so well due to noise…etc!

Still, it's always best when both radars work. Sorry you're going through this. Get to the doctor right away for some relief and let him/her know what you're up against in the way of challenges being a singer and all. The hardest part I find, concerning this, is keeping one's spirits up when half your wits are about you. Stay strong and focused and rest as much as possible. Try to give your ears a break during the day :)

Namaste,

Brian

Ok Bill,

I've got one for you :) Close to two decades ago, I remember skimming one of my favorite rags (Keyboard Magazine). They had a special issue on Odd Tech that never quite made it. One enticing item, was a MIDI Voice Collar. The general premise was that it had 3 nodes, which responded to pitch and vibration, against the voice box. It was worn as a collar. I'm extremely explorative when it comes to voice technology and would actually use something like this to compose if it existed. Could this really even be worked out? I know that voice reconition, auto tuning, and pitch recognition are light years beyond where they were in the early 80s.

TO: ARTISTS ON THE ROAD:

Question: Please offer some guidance on what I can do, before travel (flight) for ears that do not regulate well? How can I better prepare for something that I know is going to effect me in a negative way? Everytime I fly, I'm unable to release the pressure in my ears, I then get sick, and suffer with a clogged head for weeks on end. I've been asking for remedies post this process…what about preventing this in the first place? Is there a holistic resolve?

Namaste,

Brian

This is question about the voice live 2. If you sing,play guitar and keyboards can you plug the guitar in as usual and plug the keyboard into the midi input, will the voice live let you go between instruments without unplugging one of them? Another question, if you dont play an instrument is there any way to convert a live vocal into midi data and then plug the vocal into the midi input? Thanks, Jon

Unfortunately, some of this is the fault of the sound man/company. You're right, it is a let down when this happens. I've met fewer good engineers than I have singers or musicians. One way to help yourself out is to perhaps control the voice mix that you send him…make sure it's punchy and clean and then give him a feed.

Here's what I do. I MIDI the Voice Live 2 and 1 together – 2 is Master, 1 is slave. I run all of the singers direct into a Mackie board, which is solid state, and then run the VL1 into Aux Input 1 and the VL2 into Aux input 2, in order to apply the fx boxes to the four, independent vocal channels. I get a good, solid mix of our natural singing voices.

Then, I apply as much effect as is needed to each singer until we all agree that we've got a good mix. Lastly, I assign the Aux sends to the Backing vox and the Main Outs to the Lead Vocal. On stage, I hand the soundman a stereo pair of XLR Lead Vox, and stereo pair for Backing Vox. They usually say something smart…but remember that you get more bees with honey. Being kewl about it and having food form will open up their Jurrasic Approach!!!

A special note: The engineer will want your hottest signal. Leave yourself some headroom though and just tell him that's all you've got…this way, if it gets tough to hear, you can always raise the overall vocal volume a bit. EQ shelving is paramount and I also use a TC Electronic C300, Compressor, gate, limiter on the backing vox, since the Voice Live 2 already comes with these features pretty much in check.

Namaste,

Brian

I do appreciate your simpathy. And I find some relief in your answer. I've already gone to the doctor and I will be taking cobalt in a few weeks. I'll have to treat my remaining ear with a lot of care.

Regarding your trouble, I once asked Jaime Vendera for a solution for pressurized ears, which I have also suffered, and what he strongly recommended was lots of lip bubbles. This is a kind of barotrauma. Sometimes I can open my ears imitating a wide open yawning. But others, it stays for days. Never for such a long period as yours, though. Take care.

If you have a COSTCO membership, some of their stores have audiology centers next to their eye care. You can get an in-depth battery of tests (about 30 minutes of testing) done by professionals and they are free. You need an appointment.

I have searched and searched but I can't find any local stockists of the Voicelive2. I use a Bose L1 mkII and Tonematch system with backing tracks on a laptop for my solo performances and I'd like to try the pedal out with my equipment before I shell out that kind of money. Does anyone know of a good stockist where this could be done in the Liverpool/Wirral area? So far the nearest place is Leeds and the london and I don't fancy a 4-600 mile round trip incase it's not all that I want!

This question is for Leontine Hass.

Hi Leontine,
I am in the studio doing demo's on a musician's a tune that lives in another state.
He had the original key for males (first note e below middle c–for me the only sound I can get out on that pitch is fog horn) I am trying to figure out what keys to put the tune in.
The problem is they have three modulations and are very rangey.
The producer wants me to sing them strong. I am just having the toughest time figuring out which key to place them in because if it is too high after the modulations they start to sound operatic.
In some keys its belt and mix/head but right at the break. I really don't know where to place this tune in my voice.
What is the criteria that you use when picking keys for a particular tune?

Dr Jahn

Out of college in 1973 I played many bars. Lots of smoke in those days. Thank goodness smoking is banned in many cities now. How much do you think smoke affects singers health even if they donot smoke.

Thanks

Kim Butler Wheeling WV
I teach exercise physiology at Ohio University so ask if you ever have any fitness questions I could help with.

Firstly great site
I am a singer/ guitarist and am starting to lose the timbre of my lower range
my throat is constantly going dry. spending lots of time in a/c and more prone to throat infections than ever before
any suggestions

As a vocalist i often found this was the case and searched for why
So i spoke to alot of sound guys and discovered nobody was giving them ant idea of what the mix should be
I always supply them with an mp3 prior to the gig of what i want my sound to be
They are greatfull and 99.9% of the time i get great sound with clear and punchy vocals
It comes down to giving them a sample of what you want, they can then build the mix around it, Also plenty of praise and appreciation when they get it right provides these guys with the boost to really practise thier art and make your live performance even better

Bill Gibson> I would like to know your opinion on singers using pitch correction devices such as the Antares Vocal Producer? Do they really do the job, or just add strange sounding modulations to the voice? Which, if any, do you think offer the most “natural” sounding pitch-correction?

Hello Mr. Jahn….
I have been a professional vocalist for 37 years….
Recently I was diagnosed with LPRD…a reflux disorder….
My voice had become increasingly hoarse for the last 5 or 6
years, and it got so bad that I could only sing 1 or 2 songs
before I would have to shout to get any sound out….
I am now on medication, testing revealed that I have no
esophageal cancer, but my vocal cords, along with voice box
& throat are still raw and irritated….
I don't have nodes, and aside from the L.P.R.D. everything is still
in order….
My question: Could you suggest a gentle exercise program for
my voice, that won't put a strain on it?
I don't want to lose all my “chops”, but I am very scared of damaging
my vocal cords, voice box etc….and don't want to push myself too hard….
Could you suggest a specific diet for this condition ?
Thank you!

Are there any vocal techniques you would recommend to combat nerves during a singing performance (apart from practice, practice, practice!!).

This is a nice oportunity. I think that this one should go to Mr. Bill Gibson:

I really like the voice “in your ears” of Zappa/Beefheart's “Bongo Fury”, Madonna's “Beautiful Stranger” and some of the solo recordings of Daniel Lanois.

Besides using super close miking (I use a SM58) do you have any tips to focus the sound of the voice in that style? How to EQ the recording to exploit the proximity effect? And since the voice sounds already saturated how to balance volume, with a compressor, a limiter or with volume fades?

Cheers!

You're awesome Paco – always fun and insightful! Rawk on w/ yer' bad self!!!

Peace,

b

My question is for Bill. I'm a singer in a rock and roll band. We play out at bars and it's always difficult to get the soundman to dial in my vocals. Either they are too dry, too low, or the eq is off. I bought a tube pre-amp and eq, which sounds great through our studio PA, but seems to overdrive the house PA, even after adjusting the trim.

What is the most reliable way to set up good clean vocals with effective reverb? Should I bring my own equipment and deal with the overload/hum issues or leave it up to the soundman and take my changes?

To Anthony F. Jahn
In what way can/will the pig flu effect a persons vocal performance?

Tinnitus is something very serious. If you suffer it in a permanent way you need to go to an ENT (ear, nose and throat doctor) inmediately. Tinnitus is not a decease in itself, but rather a symptom of different disorders, some of them really serious (as mine, for instance). You will need to be diagnosed correctly. But if you suffer it from time to time, for example a ringing after rehearsing or after a show, you must start taking care of it and low down your volume or protect your ears with ear plugs. In ear monitors can be a solution but you must be sure to adjust your volume at a healthy level.

I have permanent tinnitus in my right ear and it is not a confortable thing to have. Do not let it be. Preventing is a MUST, but if you already have it don´t think it will dissapear by itself with no treatment. Please take care and make sure you have that tinnitus examined.

to leontine Hass
Hi I am a vocalist/Guitarist working in brisbane australia for the last 25 years
I Have picked up both good and bad vocal technique over the years and through carefull research and practise have been able to correct most problems
Recently I have found my throat drying out about half way through a perforance
and don't seem to be able to rectify the situation, I tried sipping water with little success, then i read about Water, lemon and Honey with varios amounts of success, But alas I am back to my old problem. Air conditioning seems to have a major affect on it, But the rooms I play are airconditioned

Can you offer some advise as to what is going on and how to rectify it,
Because of this I have cut my gigs back to 1 per week (not enough to pay the bills)
I would appreciate any assistance you can offer
Regards Brett

I realize that after I sing for even a short period, my voice gets tired and cracks easily. A lot of phlegm is also produced. Am I using the wrong part of my throat to sing? Where should I feel the sound projecting from?

Thanks!!

i sing in a metal band and just got the voicelive 2, but i dont know what settings are good to use. What would be the one setting that would be most popular.

I'm guessing you sing from your throat and maybe upper chest. Its ok for certain sounds but not good as a mainstay for your voice. Ya' sing best from your belly and your bum. I know it sounds a lil' yucky but it's almost the same sensation as when using the bathroom. Sing as you naturally breathe. Lie down on the floor, relax and breathe…your belly will fill with air…we often cut our breath off at the chest…those big robust sounds come from your lower extremities!

Namaste,

Brian

Hi Steve,

Is it the front of house that's feeding back or your monitors? This is a very basic process for any “good” soundman to overcome, as one would think they do it on a regular basis. I know that often stage monitor mixers get a set and forget approach to the way they sound and probably has a different EQ setting that front of house does.

How vocal are you with your engineers? Do ya' let them know what ya' need? If the soundmen in these bars can't get a handle on vocal feedback then something's up with their skill set, which I kind of doubt is the case in every club that you perform at.

If this happens every time you jack your gear into the equation then you'll need to reset your equipment per the venue. Understand that every room is different. A setting in a smaller controlled studio environment is much different than a booming concert hall. I'd start with gain staging. You’re probably overdriving that tube preamp, which is overdriving everything else in the chain. I imagine you're also clipping the soundman's rig, causing him to shave off half of your sound to get your voice heard.

I think you need to describe your equipment chain so that we can decipher how you have things set up, in order to better assess what’s really going on here.

1) Is it the Mains or the Monitors that are feeding back?
2) Describe how your gear is connected…where does the signal chain begin and where does it end?
3) Set up your EQ so that it only enhances vocal frequencies = anything above or below that is moot and just ads garbage to the signal chain.
4) Are you singing with a soft voice…often softer singers need more gain, which also introduces higher end feedback. Thus, the engineer will dry up the mix and reign back the higher eq settings to keep you loud n proud without the feedback.
5) There also has to be something you’re doing wrong…take the common denominator, which is Steve. You say it happens in a lot of bars and it's always difficult. Sorry, but it's gotta have something to do with what you're giving them to work with if it happens frequently at different venues.
6) I could be wrong but I'm guessing much of your issue here has to do with gain staging. Try this:
a) Plug Mic into Tube Preamp
b) Leave preamp volume down
c) Sing loud until the clipping light stays orange. Red is bad.
d) Make sure the mixer is muted and pots are all the way off for your mic channel. With volume still down, run a cable from the preamp to a channel in the board. If the EQ is part of the preamp leave it all flat lined.
e) Now, Bring the volume knob of your preamp up to center detent and the mains on the mixer to center detent. Once this is done, gradually bring up the volume knob for your channel, while vocalizing. You should have a crisp, controlled sound if your gain staging is right. For your EQ, pull down everything under 80 and give a lil' boost around 2400. See if that gives ya' enough?
f) If you're having troubles live hearing yourself over the guitars and tend to overcompensate by boosting your highs on the eq…there's a different problem…your guitarist may need to turn down. I know it feels cool to turn them all the way up and all but it always makes for a shoddy mix out front cause the band's competing with the soundman’s PA instead of both complementing each other. Guitars and Voices ride similar frequencies…My axe man and I actually sit together and shelve our frequencies so that both are audible and stay out of the other's way. Hope this helps my friend – happy rawking!

Namaste,

Brian

Check out the TC-Electronics C300 Compressor, Gate, Limiter…works great for beefing up the vox, while gating the feedback…used it all the time when I sang metal. It'a great unit and really cheap but not cheaply built – plus, it has presets to boot, which makes dialing it in really easy :)

Namaste,

Brian

Lose the lemon my friend…it's a common misconseption about lubricating the voice…lemon is meant to dry up the goo in the back of your throat when you're sick. Otherwise, lemon will just make you even more dry throated.

Honey is great lube – I just drink room temp water when I perform and suck the honey right out of the lil' bear container…don't really need to mix 'em unless ya' like to. Honey is also one of the very few foods on Earth that bacteria can't grow in.

You could also try royal jelly, although it can be expensive. You live in an arid part of the world + the A/C and possibly mold in these old bars could be getting at ya,' especially if they're smoke filled. You might want to stay out of the club, on breaks, don a dust mask and hang out until your next set.

Keep some alcohol wipes handy for your mic and maybe go see a doctor…it could be that you have some allergies you're unaware of…or, if you are aware and take meds for that…most anti-allergy meds totally dry up the throat and nasal passages…terrible for singers.

Namaste,

Brian

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