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The Latest Mics for Vocalists -NEWS RELEASE

VoiceCouncil brings you the microphone highlights from the NAMM trade show.

NAMM is one of the largest music product trade shows of the year and a prime opportunity for manufactures to show off their latest gear. Going though some of the thousands of new and exciting products on display we have brought to you our top selection of mics which will soon be hitting the shops in 2012.

 

Sennheiser’s entry-level XS Wireless Series
Sennheiser have launched the XS Wireless Series, offering five new wireless solutions for musicians. Offering reliability and quality sound at an entry level price, the XS series offers > read more

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The Latest Gear for Vocalists -NEWS RELEASE

VoiceCouncil brings you product highlights from the NAMM trade show.

NAMM is one of the largest music product trade shows of the year and a prime opportunity for manufactures to show off their latest gear. Going though some of the thousands of new and exciting products on display we have brought to you our top selection of the gear which will soon be hitting the shops in 2012

 

The TC-Helicon VoiceLive Play
TC-Helicon have produced another great vocal processor pedal – the VoiceLive Play. It offers more than 200 song and artist presets designed to help you sound like your favourite singers and can also create backing harmonies. It includes their > read more

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Tips for Recording Your Vocals at Home

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Tips for Recording Your Vocals at Home

Wes Maebe, Studio and Live Sound Engineer, shares insights on recording your voice from the Engineer’s point of view.

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Introducing Recording Mics

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Introducing Recording Mics

Wes Maebe, Studio and Live Sound Engineer, Wesonator shares some basics about studio mics for vocalists using Neumann’s U 87.

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VC’s Brief Guide: The Mixing Board -Pt. I


Harness some technical know-how and advance your vocal work –says Wes Maebe.

In today’s article we’ll be looking at the mixing board’s “input strip”.

When you look at a mixing desk for the first time it can be quite a 
harrowing experience – all those buttons and knobs!

Not only that, sound engineering has its own language and there are many terms to get to know – and slang > read more

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Making Your Music Video

Is a polished & professional music video always worth making?

The hit a cappella group Basix has just completed production of their first dramatically themed music video.

We’ve caught up with their musical director John Kjøller ask him about the perils and opportunities of polished music videos.

Why this video? Why now?
Basically, we did this to help create some “buzz” prior to the release of our new album. The title of the featured song is “sommersang” = summer song – the idea is to help people get into the mood of the season.

Why make a music video rather than a less-expensive, less-produced YouYube performance?
A less produced video can be great as well! This polished video is really an experiment for us, to see if we can generate new/different interest in Basix. Honestly, it’s too early to tell if it will be a success.

How are you “pushing” this video?
So far just on YouTube. But we’re also going to send it to TV stations across the country – especially local stations, in each of our neighborhoods. Local “heros” are always interesting during summer, when there may be no “real” news. :-D

How much do you have to pay for a quality production?
A polished production is fairly expensive. Prices will vary from country to country, and will also be dependent on the kind of equipment you will need for your video. Our video was actually shot with one camera – not the most expensive one, but a good one.

Getting low for the perfect shot!

Is there any way to cut costs without cutting quality?
We also needed a live-video for promotional use / bookings – so we made sort of a “package-deal” with the video-guy, to make both live video and music video for an agreed price.

How do you find the people to help you do this?
Our video guy is a photographer as well, and he as taken pictures of us before, so we knew him and he knew us. :-) The “actors” in the video are actually “real” actors/performers -but they are also people that we know as friends (actually, the female lead is Christoffer’s girlfriend).

What have your learned through this experience?
That it is not a good idea to release a summer-song in late July! Everybody is away on vacation – or outside – not next to their computer. We should have released this in May. Other vocalists may want to think through the issue of release dates.

What kinds of things would you warn fellow vocalists about when making a music video?
If you choose to lip-sync, make sure to actually sing while you do it. Don’t “save your voice” or try to look “relaxed”. You can tell immediately when the amount of “power” doesn’t match the sound. Of course, you can choose the “relaxed” look – if you don’t want the clip to actually look like you are singing. Also: study the recording carefully, so you get your timing right.

The Director looking at the Storyboards with the Actors

How does having a more polished music video help you in your marketing?
A polished video doesn’t actually do much for the live-booking aspect of our PR. You see, bookers and promoters need to see what we look like, how we do things, how we sound for real, and how the audience responds to us – a live video is much more relevant. So, the polished video is for our fans, to give them something that they can share with others.

Should all singers try to make a polished video ‘production’?
I think VoiceCouncil readers should really think hard on this one. Don’t get me wrong, it has been a lot of fun to make this – and I love the result. I even think we may do it again! But I’m not sure how much we actually gain from this – the jury is still out. If you take this route, ensure you have a strong idea, a plan and a storyboard.

What should vocalists spend their money on?
If you are focusing on getting more live performance gigs, I would encourage you to spend your money on good live video material – rather than a polished “rock video”.

With a grand total of 4 international CARA awards, including “Best European Album” and “Best Holiday Album” the Danish vocal pop group Basix has proven themselves to be among the very best of a cappella groups worldwide. Follow the group on www.basix.dk or on www.facebook.com/basix

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VoiceCouncil’s Guide to Free Recording Software


Recording your voice on your computer has never been easier…or cheaper. -says Chris Kennedy

If you are a singer wanting to record yourself and your music at home, you may be interested in some of the several free pieces of software that allow you to make music on your home computer without the need of spending any money.

You’ll often hear > read more

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The Singer’s Smartphone


Your most important vocal tools might already be in your pocket –says Kathy Alexander.

If someone told me a few years ago that I’d be using a phone to improve my singing career, I would have been skeptical.

But now, every week, it’s switched on and helping me before during and after my gigs.

There are 3 apps in particular that I would recommend for any gigging vocalist.

I’ll be talking about my iPhone, but you can find similar apps for any smartphone.

The Piano App

Practicing your music in the correct key not only saves your voice from strain due to singing out of range, but it strengthens your “muscle memory”.

This “muscle memory” serves you well when you are rapidly switching between many songs on a gig.

That’s why I use my piano app constantly when I practice –if there isn’t a pitched instrument around.

This means I can capitalize on any chance I have to practice, even in the car.

I use IYProduct’s MiniPiano 1.5 – this app has a range of one octave and you can quickly grab a few notes and sing.

This kind of app is better than a pitch pipe for me because instead of just getting a starting pitch I can easily give myself the first few pitches—or a whole chord.

The Metronome App

Contrary to what some might think, a sense of timing doesn’t magically descend from heaven; it is a quality that can be learned…

…through the metronome.

The metronome makes you aware of the spots where you unconsciously are slowing down and speeding up.

Changing tempo deliberately is not a mistake, but changing tempo subconsciously diminishes one’s vocal artistry.

I use Frozen Ape Tempo 1.4.5; I just turn it on at home or on the road when I am practicing to keep me consistent with my tempo.

But whatever metronome app you use, make sure it does not have a pitch – a “click” or drum sound is always better than a “beep” or “ding”.

The Recording App

Often great ideas happen in rehearsal, but they are forgotten by the next day.

So, every time you or your group has a great idea, get out your smartphone and record it.

I use the FiRe – Field Recorder 1.5.1 and find that the quality is “good enough” for me.

But there’s another, even more important reason to record.

I really believe that what separates the “good” from the “great” is not necessarily innate talent, but the courage to evaluate one’s performances and make changes.

Recording at home or in rehearsals is probably the best way to evaluate what changes you can make in your next performance.

It’s Always There…

I’m finding that a lot of people are like me: their phone is their watch – it’s always in constant use.

Now these devices have a wealth of tools for us vocalists.

And there’s so much more than I’ve mentioned: tuner apps for singer-guitarists, getting lyrics via the internet and being able to listen to all your mp3’s for inspiration.

So, the next time you reach for your smartphone, remember you just might have all everything you need to push your vocal work ahead.

Kathy Alexander completed a B.Mus. at the University of Victoria and is a certified k-12 music teacher. She has taught voice lessons, choirs and classroom music in her home town, Victoria BC. She is currently a stay-at-home mom who performs locally in musical theatre productions and as a vocalist with a jazz trio.

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Support Your Voice II – Technology


Don’t put up with a mix that leaves you up in the air with rhythm and pitch.

By the time I’m involved with a singer, its usually too late to say, “support your tone” or, “sing from your diaphragm” or other such vocal-coach stuff.

There are some singers and some situations where I can recommend those fixes to help a singer in the heat of battle, but I’m always trying to support them in a way that inspires them to sing better and helps them unleash a great performance that’s hidden within their soul.

So, I support a vocalist who should > read more

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An Inspiring Mix


Great vocalists do their best work when they feel comfortable and inspired on stage or in studio.

I learned early in my career that I can get a lot more out of a singer by providing an intelligent and inspiring mix than I can by trying to get them to adjust their technique in the middle of a gig or recording session.

My goal when I act as a sound operator is to create a mix and an acoustic environment that will inspire the vocalist to sing beautifully with his or her best tone and most emotional performance.

Each singer is unique and a mix that is inspiring will be unique to him or her. There are, though, some things that I’ve found in common among vocalists:

The sound should be > read more

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