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Ask HN: I'd like to learn vocals, any suggestion on how I can do this?

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Re: Ask HN: I'd like to learn vocals, any suggestion on how I can do this?

#11

Post by neltnerb »

MrGando wrote: post #9

I've been playing Piano for ~28 years, almost went professional (Jazz) but ended up doing engineering. My advice would be to find a teacher, if you know nothing about it you need a teacher that corrects you so that you don't develop bad habits. Once you're no longer a novice, you can start learning other things on your own. When looking for a teacher, I wouldn't try to find "the best" or "most virtuoso" around, but w…

I agree, I'd been singing a lot since I was 7, including touring Europe when I was 11. I didn't stop practicing at any point in there but also never had access to professional voice teachers because of the cost.

Taking a single course in college that got me a little one-on-one attention (just one in a class of ten or so) improved my technique so significantly that I can compare recordings of myself from before and after that class and it's night and day. I don't think I'd have figured out what I was doing wrong without that attention, but they were able to hear it instantly and recommend solutions.

And that's with a solid decade plus of experience in choirs prior to taking that class, it's not like I was a true novice. It's just really not as easy or obvious as it looks.

Re: Ask HN: I'd like to learn vocals, any suggestion on how I can do this?

#12

Post by breakingcups »

There are a thousand different techniques to learn how to sing and many people stick to their "tribe". If you're smart, you'll look beyond whoever teaches you first and stay open to other techniques with different approaches or opinions. Stick with what feels good for your body. If your throat hurts, stop.

Now, having said all that. I have had really positive experiences with a teacher who teaches CVT (Complete Vocal Technique). I'm sure a huge part of this was the individual teacher I found, but every lesson I walked away feeling like I had learned something new and had improved my technique. If there's a licensed CVT teacher near you, I'd highly recommend trying them.

Re: Ask HN: I'd like to learn vocals, any suggestion on how I can do this?

#13

Post by aczerepinski »

Get a teacher for sure so that you can learn to sing without damaging your vocal chords. I’m not a singer but my impression as an outsider is that opera singers are particularly likely to know the physical/anatomical concerns, since they learn to project without microphones.

Re: Ask HN: I'd like to learn vocals, any suggestion on how I can do this?

#14

Post by JshWright »

shams93 wrote: post #2

Get a tuner app like you'd use to tune guitar then try singing something and check how close is your C, using a tuner as a cheat can shave years of agony compared to guessing.

I'm not sure I understand your suggestion. Are you saying that someone should be able to sing a particular note, with no other frame of reference? That's a fun parlor trick, but doesn't really benefit you when it comes to singing actual songs (where the pitch is all relative).

Re: Ask HN: I'd like to learn vocals, any suggestion on how I can do this?

#16

Post by pen2l »

MrGando wrote: post #9

I've been playing Piano for ~28 years, almost went professional (Jazz) but ended up doing engineering. My advice would be to find a teacher, if you know nothing about it you need a teacher that corrects you so that you don't develop bad habits. Once you're no longer a novice, you can start learning other things on your own. When looking for a teacher, I wouldn't try to find "the best" or "most virtuoso" around, but w…

Where does one even begin to look for a teacher? Where do these guys publicize their services?

For context, I'm an amateur guitarist with an interest in singing Sufjan Stevens songs.

Re: Ask HN: I'd like to learn vocals, any suggestion on how I can do this?

#17

Post by im3w1l »

JshWright wrote: post #14
shams93 wrote: post #2

Get a tuner app like you'd use to tune guitar then try singing something and check how close is your C, using a tuner as a cheat can shave years of agony compared to guessing.

I'm not sure I understand your suggestion. Are you saying that someone should be able to sing a particular note, with no other frame of reference? That's a fun parlor trick, but doesn't really benefit you when it comes to singing actual songs (where the pitch is all relative).

Yeah you should give yourself a reference, then after that sing various stuff and check how close you are.

Re: Ask HN: I'd like to learn vocals, any suggestion on how I can do this?

#18

Post by CSSer »

pen2l wrote: post #16
MrGando wrote: post #9

I've been playing Piano for ~28 years, almost went professional (Jazz) but ended up doing engineering. My advice would be to find a teacher, if you know nothing about it you need a teacher that corrects you so that you don't develop bad habits. Once you're no longer a novice, you can start learning other things on your own. When looking for a teacher, I wouldn't try to find "the best" or "most virtuoso" around, but w…

Where does one even begin to look for a teacher? Where do these guys publicize their services? For context, I'm an amateur guitarist with an interest in singing Sufjan Stevens songs.

Usually local music shops or chains that sell gear also employ or rent space to instructors. Qualifications can vary a lot, which is why I strongly support the suggestion others have made to try out multiple teachers.

For lessons particularly, err on the side of thinking you’re not the problem. You’re paying hourly for this, and if you don’t click with the teacher it could be fairly expensive to “make it work”. Some people are also great artists but terrible instructors. That wouldn’t be so bad if it weren’t for the fact that they are also often completely ignorant of that fact.

Re: Ask HN: I'd like to learn vocals, any suggestion on how I can do this?

#19

Post by mrxd »

Getting a voice teacher made a huge difference for me. I wouldn't have been able to make anywhere close to the same progress on my own.

Having tried it, I think singing is poorly suited to self-learning. In my experience, vocal lessons are designed around identifying and overcoming problems and habits that are unique to each person. Identifying problems is done by ear or by observing subtleties in body posture, which require experience and training.

Re: Ask HN: I'd like to learn vocals, any suggestion on how I can do this?

#20

Post by logram »

JshWright wrote: post #14
shams93 wrote: post #2

Get a tuner app like you'd use to tune guitar then try singing something and check how close is your C, using a tuner as a cheat can shave years of agony compared to guessing.

I'm not sure I understand your suggestion. Are you saying that someone should be able to sing a particular note, with no other frame of reference? That's a fun parlor trick, but doesn't really benefit you when it comes to singing actual songs (where the pitch is all relative).

No, I think he means using the tuner to tell how well you sing intervals, etc. Find a center pitch, sing relative to that and keep track of how off you go from the correct notes.
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