Vocals - Singing at your best!

[whoatherechunk]

For all you bassists that sing....how do you get your voice to getting to its prime tip top shape before recording or doing a gig?

Honey, tea, relaxing, doing vocal warm ups?

Thanks!

[RTL]

I usually get primed by first yelling at the children who keep trespassing on my lawn. Then I drink tea - made with honey, some mint leaves, and children's tears. Do this on a regular basis, and you'll increase your vocal range by at least a 3rd.

[Nick Kay]

Green tea at a moderate temperature and room-temperature water. Cold liquids can cause your cords to seize up. Acids (like citric acid in pop/soda, lemon or milk in tea, and coffee acids) and heavy sugars (such as those in pop/soda or honey in tea) cause mucus buildup. Alcohol dries you out, so that's definitely a no-no.

Warm up before vocal performances - just some light stretching and interval jumps should get you going. I like to do full-range glissandos, followed by jumping 3rds, 5ths and octaves, then some diaphragmatic exercises adapted from Zen of Screaming by Melissa Cross. You shouldn't need more than half an hour, assuming you practice your singing a couple of times per week. It doesn't even have to be right before you hit the stage - your cords should stay loose for a good 6 hours after a warm-up.

[phatbass]

I try to make sure I have a bit of a sing during the week, even if it's only three or four songs. No tea/coffee/coke/alchohol just before or during a gig - just plain water. Foldback up plenty loud enough to hear myself clearly so I'm not screaming my nurries off.

I don't have any warm-up routine, but I try to make sure the first song is one that's in my comfortably easy range.

[Blueszilla]

I always sing some tunes at home before heading out. Chain smoking always helps right before you start, and having a cold is good too...

Or you could try the tea and lemon/honey thing, that works too. I've done of few musicals in my time and that is what the choral director always gave the cast.

She was a chainsmoker too....

[Greyvagabond]

Clove cigarettes and tuberculosis.

[Blueszilla]

Originally Posted by Greyvagabond

Clove cigarettes and tuberculosis.

[Craig_S]

I just do a few basic exercises, for about ten to fifteen minutes, a couple hours before the gig. Do a search on YouTube for vocal exercises. I sing about 85% of our songs and do backups on the ones I don't sing lead on.

[DeluxeRed]

Avoid dairy: milk, ice cream, McDonald's shakes all coat your throat and give you that good, phlemgmy sound.

[Greyvagabond]

+1 on avoiding dairy! Its something you wouldn't really think of, but can mess you up good!

[mcm]

More important than any of this IMO, is to be in decent or great physical shape. Playing bass and singing is an athletic undertaking, especially at a 3 hour gig. Other than that, singing in a band setting once to twice a week will help your voice stay limbered.

[whoatherechunk]

cigarettes and milk....big no no's!