(Part 2) Best products from r/singing

Disclaimer: I'm not an expert

You can always use something like this:

1. XLR-to-USB Signal Adapter If you already have a mic
   
2. PG42 If you don't have a mic, this one sounds amazing and can be used on a studio setting directly later on
   
3. Budgeting down a bit the AT2020 sounds really good and you can find it under-ish 100USD on Amazon
   
4. The C01U has a good sound but it needs some EQ magic to sound good on vocals as it's a general purpose mic! But it's 60USD on Amazon so it's cheap and still good enough for production
   
   All of these Mics have good sound or can achieve good sound, make sure to study about the proximity effect and mic positioning in order to get the best possible result out of those! Also buy a mic stand and a pop filter... Seriously buy a pop filter!
   
   As for plugins and real time processing I'd recommend using Studio One 2 for recording instead of a physical effects rack (if you're going for cheap... This beats everything), there is a free version that is fully functional for recording and quite functional as a DAW, Presonus is pretty good making it free, honestly!
   
   You can plug in a USB mic and make it work with super low latency + FX in order to monitor! Or you can use a USB interface and use XLR mics on it, regardless I recommend using Studio One 2 because of it's loop recording system (you can loop a part of a song and record multiple takes without having to fiddle around with anything else, and it's free so...)
   
   For FX I'd have to know what exactly you're looking for, but a general vocal FX plugin that is quite literally designed for real time monitoring is Nectar 2 It's not super expansive and it was design for low latency, as long as you turn on the feature that says monitoring otherwise it's bit of a resource hog... So keep that in mind
   
   You may also need one of these iLok, The bane of a lot of people's existence... I mean, huh, authorization software/hardware!
   
   If you want specific plugins types feel free to reply, also look on KVR for free plugins that may help you!
   
   The setup I'm talking about goes:
   
   Mic > PC > Studio one 2 > Plugins > Feedback
   
   or
   
   Mic > Interface > PC > Studio one 2 > Plugins > Feedback
   
   The delay is usually between 8-12ms with a few plugins, you do need a PC/laptop/mac that is somewhat recent or it won't make much of a difference and there will be delay regardless!
   
   I hope this helps a bit and good luck!

I don't hear anything wrong. :-). Sounds normal for everyone our age and it ^sounds like you need to warm up your regular singing voice more so it wouldn't do that popping stuff in the second clip. You need to put some energy in it the same way you'd sing a song in the voice you want to sing to someone! It sounds too low volume! Maybe a little louder and open throat would help but a falsetto really needs to be controlled. Try do a character voice like mickey mouse to find it. Notice how mickey mouse sounds all energetic and happy? It shouldn't hurt either. A girlfriend wouldn't want to hear low energy singing because she wouldn't be persuaded you really mean what you're singing to her. I ^think you should upload a clip of you talking regularly or anything speech-like then everyone here can help you better! falsetto is typically difficult to control at first since guys typically don't like using that sound since it takes away their masculinity. So you have keep using it to get stronger. If we know how you sound regularly and it doesn't sounds like there's a problem, you're probably fine but it's always okay to check with a doctor just to be sure.
> Record yourself speaking softly like you're talking to a baby
> Record yourself speaking like you're totally confident in front of a classroom.
> Record yourself saying "HEY!" like your friend is across the street and you're trying to catch their attention.
^And I wouldn't classify as anything right now since baritones are more than capable of singing anything a tenor does. Although, it may take more work to train to be like a mighty tenor. It doesn't really matter what voice type you are unless you want to do a musical or take some operatic role. Take Tom Jones, John Legend, Elvis Presley for example. They're baritones but are more than capable (and maybe even better but that's debatable) of reaching the standard notes of tenor pop songs. I feel that range only classifies a vocal part mainly for choirs because they need to have more people fill in certain parts but there's a lack of it-- so if you can't sing that high note, they'll put you into bass section even though you're probably a tenor. for acid reflux/gerd you should take a lozenge like Thayers Slippery Elm, though drinking peppermint tea would most likely help. :-)

I'm not a singer, per se, but I've been playing guitar for a while and I have a small home-recording set-up, and I use microphones to record my instruments.

A question: how are you planning on recording yourself? Using a stand-alone device, like a this Zoom H2, or are you going to be using a computer with an audio interface? An example would be something like this PreSonus interface in conjunction with a microphone. I'd recommend a large cardioid condenser microphone, as they generally sound the best with vocals.

If you're using a computer to record and want to use something free and relatively easy to use, I recommend trying Audacity; or if you want something much more robust, Reaper. It has a free and unlimited trial, or at least it was when I used it a few years ago, so it's kind of like donation-ware. It is extremely powerful, though much more complex.

If you're going to be recording with a stand-alone device, then you'll probably want to use one of these, or something similar, on your computer for editing and whatnot.

The nice thing about using a computer to record is that it's pretty simple to sync up your backing track to your recording track. Or rather, you simply don't have to do anything other than have one track recording at the same time you're playing the other in the same program. Pretty easy to do. You will need some headphones in order to prevent your microphone from picking up your backing track while you're recording, unless you're using a dynamic microphone (these are not nearly as sensitive as condenser mics).

With a stand-alone recorder it will be more difficult because you'll have to move your vocal track until it lines up just right with your backing track. Not hard to do, but it is something you'll have to fiddle with a little to get just right.

Hey :) Choral is a great direction to go, so just props for moving in that direction.

One of the best resources you'll want to look into is the 24 Italian Art Songs and Arias book. I've linked the medium low which I imagine will be the best place to start for a baritone. I think picking just about any piece from that book would be a really good start for an undergraduate audition.

In English, especially for male voices, I think Aaron Copland's Americana works are another really great find. The tunes will probably be at least passingly familiar, and they work really well with baritone voices. Here's a link to one collection - I've never used that one, but it's worth looking into. Besides that, Gerald Finzi is another composer that does English language pieces that sound great for male voices.

As far as German, Schubert, Schumann, and Brahms are kind of the biggies in German lieder. I honestly don't have that much experience with German music (it's a bit of a failing of mine, personally), but I sang Schubert's Lachen und Weinen in high school, and I'd say it would be a good level for an audition. Actually, come to think of it, I think I auditioned for my undergrad on that piece. So yeah.

French-wise is a little harder. Fauré's Lydia (the second in this set) is a pretty popular choice that is not too hard. I would stay away from later Fauré, though, unless you're very comfortable with French artsong, because it can be deceptively tricky. Debussy's Mandoline is another popular French choice. It has some challenges, but it's relatively tame as far as that genre goes. I am sure there is other Debussy, Fauré, or Ravel out there that would work if you are willing to dig around a bit.

Afraid I don't know much Spanish repertoire, so hopefully someone else will help you out there.

Good luck with your audition! :)

He's 16, so this advice is probably somewhat less relevant to him than it is for most people who ask this kind of question, but I'll give the advice anyways because everyone else seems to be suggesting normal things a singer wants.

When buying a gift for a hobbyist, one of the riskiest decisions you can make is buying them something they might need for their hobby. First of all, odds are they already own it or something like it that they prefer (singing/being 16 doesn't fit very well with this advice, but bear with me). Second of all, even if they don't, it's better to let them pick it out. Consider a grandparent buying a Lego set for a grandkid. Odds are, the grandkid knows exactly what they want, so the best possible scenario for a grandparent guessing and choosing has the same outcome as the normal scenario for just giving the money straight to the kid.

Obviously, gift-giving is usually more sentimental than that, so there's an art and a nuance to it better than just "take some cash, go see a Star War", but I'd say actually buying them something you think they might need is categorically worse than either giving them something personal that will affect them in other ways (unrelated to the hobby -- something you know as much or more about than they do) or just a gift card or cash or similar.

In this case, 40 € probably won't go far. A microphone might be the obvious choice (assuming he doesn't already have one), but it will either be sufficiently low quality it will be worse than his phone or a computer, or it will require other equipment (speakers and/or an audio interface) which he probably doesn't have and will cost more than that. It's probably safest to look outside of the realm of music-making, but if you do want to get him something related to singing, your gift could be taking him to the music shop and buying something he wants, or just giving him a gift card to an online store so he can save up for something bigger like an audio interface and microphone combo.

Just my two cents as a hobbyist who sees a lot of well-intentioned but practically guaranteed-to-misfire advice out there. =)

If I had to give an exact product (or product type) recommendation and if he's technically inclined and wants to record, I might recommend a cheap MIDI piano. Something like this, maybe. This will allow him to plug the keyboard into his computer and use GarageBand or another DAW to actively create recorded music.

I bought a small PA and one good mic. I bought / downloaded the best real orchestrated arrangements and backing tracks I could find. Examples:

• Lush and Lovely Standards
  
• Michael Buble Moondance
  
• The Best of Broadway Volume 1
  
  I worked up a set of music. Initially I targeted 45 minutes, which works out to about 9 songs, assuming approximately 3 minutes each and leaving time for talking time between songs.
  
  I wrote out and rehearsed some filler using historical song notes, light topical commentary and a few tame jokes. Listen to live versions of the Rat Pack and other Vegas club acts for ideas, but I don't suggest totally ripping them off. Also don't talk too much unless you are going to be a comedian + musician. :)
  
  I tried my first set out for free on some friends, and then again at a church dinner to practice getting the timing down live. I recorded those shows and mixed down a short excerpt of a few songs and banter to use as promotional examples and burned it to CDs. You need a mechanical license for the backing tracks if you want to make a CD, so don't use more than about 15 seconds from each song (fair use rules). I printed out a few color flyers with the same theme as my website to use as well.
  
  I started by trolling for work at smaller independent restaurants. Since I had my own small PA, I could just set up in a corner with a stool and go for an hour. Never work for free, even when you are just starting out. Make the owner pay something to avoid them viewing what you do as worthless.
  
  Try to have a calendar of future gigs you've lined up when you sing so you can invite people to come hear you again. That can sometimes be a problem if you are inviting patrons of one restaurant to go somewhere else, but you can always ask first. Most owners understand and are cool about it.
  
  Once you start getting people coming out specifically to see you, you can raise your rates with the venues. For the record, I never got more than about $50 an hour (Orlando, FL, US) doing that kind of gig.
  
  People will start hitting you up to sing church services, weddings and funerals, which may be hit and miss, but generally pays much better than playing out. I usually charge $150 for those kinds of gigs.
  
  I was able to play out a few times a week doing this, at least until we had kids and I didn't have as much time for it. By itself, it doesn't earn very much, but it was totally worth it to get into other gigs and keeps you practicing to improve your craft.
  
  Hope this helps!

Thanks for the gold - my first!

I learned SO MUCH in my undergrad and master's degrees in jazz performance. I'm not sure what style you're really going for here (although I had your melody stuck in my head in a Latin jazz style), but one of the most useful resources was this book:

https://www.amazon.ca/Jazz-Language-Theory-Composition-Improvisation/dp/0760400148

It's not a giant text so it's very affordable and digestible. But there wasn't a lot of reliance on texts or reading in my program (when it comes to jazz theory). We got a thorough understanding of music theory and jazz theory through practical application in private lessons and participatory courses like Improvisation or Jazz Styles.

Also I think I'm pretty smart about this stuff in general :)

Wish I had more concrete resources to offer you! Feel free to PM with Qs any time.

I have a debut neo-soul single coming out in May :) I'll send you my social media stuff if you're interested in hearing it!

Don't get a USB-Condenser Microphone. Yeah they are easy to handle, but you will need a XLR-Interface if you get any Type of "better" Mic in the Future.
A USB-XLR Interface is not really expensive, and is a one-time buy. If you know you'll only do Vocals, just get something like the Scarlett Solo or similar.

For Mics: the Rode NT1-A is an absolute classic for Voice/Vocals, because it offers a lot of Value for the Money and you can Record basically everything with it. Also, it's cheap. If it's not cheap enough, the AKG P120 is even cheaper, but imho the NT1a is worth the money.

And: don't forget a stand and a pop-filter (you can build one yourself, just google diy-popfilter)

If you care about audio quality and your room sounds good, I'd recommend either the Blue Yeti or the Audio-Technica AT2020. The Blue Yeti has more features, but the AT2020 sounds significantly smoother than the Yeti.

The AT2020 was also designed for more of a "studio-level" purpose than the Yeti, which was designed mainly for on-the-go podcasters and radio personalities. The Yeti will bring out the bass more than the AT2020, which isn't as good for singing (it makes the singing voice sound muddy and unclear).

Do bear in mind that these are condenser microphones, which means they will be quite sensitive to room noise, as they pick up basically everything. But if you're not planning on doing any studio-level work, or if you record in a room that has decent acoustic treatment, these will be great. I use my AT2020 for recording demos when I'm away from home, and I love it to death.

There's no replacement for lessons... but here's a book that has aided me in my studies

http://www.amazon.com/Vocal-Yoga-Breathing-Singing-Sounding/dp/0982615094/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1413936509&sr=1-1&keywords=heather+lyle

there are some other resources on youtube as well. Also, record yourself often, don't push too hard, start small and let it be easy. be easy on yourself and take it slow... because it will take time

Hey, my amp has a quarter inch input for a mic. If I had a miic like the shure sm58 which has xlr output, could I use a cable like https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stagg-Quality-Phono-Microphone-Cable/dp/B00824HCAM?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_1 to connect the two , or is it not that simple?

Thanks

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EDIT: From my brief research it seems I would need a transformer (e.g https://www.gear4music.com/PA-DJ-and-Lighting/Audix-T50K-Impedance-Matching-Transformer/ST8 ) to change the impedance of the signal - is this correct?

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Good audio interfaces (like the Scarlett Solo) have a switch to directly monitor the audio from the mic (aka, it would feed it directly back to the headphones with 0 latency). Other than that, it's 100% your mic's quality.

If you're going microphone shopping, look for condenser mics instead of dynamic ones. Dynamic mics are more suitable for live performances (on stage) since they're vastly more durable than condenser mics but they're nowhere near as accurate as condensers.

You should pick up a diction book! If you only sing in English, get this one, and if you're a classical singer, get this one. I'm not sure about other languages.

If you're isolating vowels and learning how to properly shape them, do it right and learn what the books say. They can help you think about vowels in different terms that you're used to.

Depending on where you live you could just rent a studio for a little time and then record that way. You could also buy a condenser mic and record at home. I use the blue yet and it works fine:

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https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Yeti-USB-Microphone-Blackout/dp/B00N1YPXW2/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=Blue+Yeti&qid=1558732635&s=gateway&sr=8-3

I have the [Blue Yeti USB Microphone] (https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Yeti-USB-Microphone-Blackout/dp/B00N1YPXW2/)

You can also look at the cheaper [Blue Snowball] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002OO18NS)

The Blue Yeti has a built in monitor, so you can hear exactly what you are singing in real time.