Need help with vocal pitch...

[NicJimBass]

Not sure if this is the correct forum, but all the others seemed like the wrong ones.

I'm having trouble with my vocal pitch. Mainly, I can't seem to hit alot of notes dead on... seems like I'm usually slightly flat. When I sing along with stuff in the car, it sounds close, but in my band, anytime I sing with my drummer, I (and everyone else) can here a slight "wobbly-ness" that happens when 2 slightly different pitches collide. I want to sing in this band, and I feel that other than the pitch issue, I'm okay.

So the question is- what can I do on my own to get my pitch to improve? I've thought about using a keyboard as a guide, and singing pitches until I can nail them, but want to see if there is a better/ more productive way of fixing this.

[5StringBlues]

Well,I don't know if this will actually work for you.........


When I was in band,playing tuba,my band director noticed that I played a little flat when trying to hit high notes.He told me to open my eyes wide and raise my eyebrows.This did in fact,somehow,work for me.

Recently,when my band that I play with on the side did a C.D.,we were having problems with me singing flat.I figured I'd try the raising my eyebrows bit again.Sure enough,for me,it worked again.


I'm sure it's just something mental on my part,as far as singing goes.Maybe in tuba playing it made a difference in the way my facial muscles were being used.....

The idea of using the keyboard as a guide is a good one for sure.

But what the hell,right? Couldn't hurt to try the old eyebrow raise............

[stflbn]

Train yourself to start hearing the pitch a bit high in your head. Unfortunately it's normal to start low and slide up to the note.

Hearing the note is the biggest hurdle, then hitting it on pitch without sliding into it.

The biggest part though is the confidence that you're going to hit that note when sang rather than slide into it. That's why so many people slide up into the note.

[need4mospd]

Originally Posted by NicJimBass

So the question is- what can I do on my own to get my pitch to improve? I've thought about using a keyboard as a guide, and singing pitches until I can nail them, but want to see if there is a better/ more productive way of fixing this.

These two statements seem to contradict each other, as the best way of fixing this would be to find a good vocal teacher. Not some guy that sings and teaches also, but someone that actually understands the art of vocal teaching. This will give you the greatest improvement at the greatest speed, and you shouldn't pick up any new bad habits in the process. If you have trouble hitting the right pitch, that might be a symptom of other poor singing techniques. How you're breathing, where you place your tongue, your posture, etc.... Something a vocal teacher could quickly identify, and you sitting by a keyboard, may never be able to identify in your entire lifetime.

I know lessons cost money, but to me, if you want to improve at something, the best way to do it is through personal interaction with someone that is much better at it than yourself. Perhaps joining a choir or hounding the local university vocal students for cheap lessons might do you just enough good to improve.

Hope that helps. My wife is a vocal instructor/choir teacher so that qualifies me to give advice. But seriously, two or three lessons can make a big difference, I've heard it firsthand.

[Brubass]

I also tend to sing flat. For me it's mostly mental. I have to think the pitch ahead of time and think about overshooting the pitch slightly to not slide up into it. It also helps to relax on the high notes even though the tendency is to tense up. Finally, lots of breath support - sing out! As others have said, there is something about lifting the eye brows. Maybe it's mental, maybe it has something to do with posture...

[scottbass]

Lessons will indeed correct whatever you are doing wrong and teach you how to do it right / better / more efficiently. Lessons will not make you more consistent, however. Only practice will make you more consistent.

The more you practice, the more consistent you'll be.

The more you practice with a keyboard, the more accurate you'll be.

Also, make sure you can hear yourself, the other singer(s) and the reference pitch equally well. Very often the monitor mix that works for someone else is NOT the monitor mix that will work for you.

$0.02 only.

[NicJimBass]

All great points so far, thanks guys!

I figured finding a vocal coach would be the best option. I'll put that on my list for sure.

As far as monitors go, my band recently went IEM, so it becomes glaringly apparent when I need to stay away from the mic...lol. It seemed that when we first started with them, it would be a big help, but unfortunately, my drummer is wildly inconsistent with staying the same distance from the mic at all times, so sometimes I hear him, sometimes not, regardless of the mix.

[Bofee]

I can't sing well either and often sing flat. What I do is record myself singing the song or parts with a guitar or ukulele back up. I then listen (without singing along) very closely to what I'm hitting and missing. I typically find things like I'm missing pitch on a passing note of not quite reaching an interval. This way I can work on specifics to make the part work.
The other thing that really helped me was good monitoring. I bought a spot monitor (TC Helicon VSM300) for just my vocal. It sits on a short mic stand about waist high, pointed right at my face when I'm on the mic. I can crank my vocal level without bothering anybody else. I usually mix a little guitar in there as well.

[scottbass]

Originally Posted by NicJimBass

my drummer is wildly inconsistent with staying the same distance from the mic at all times, so sometimes I hear him, sometimes not, regardless of the mix.

Well, then he needs a headset mic!

[NicJimBass]

Originally Posted by scottbass

Well, then he needs a headset mic!

I agree, but Britney Spears has ruined the headset as a viable option... shallow, I know, but I think the whole band is opposed to the idea.

[scottbass]

So...your band is more concerned with appearance than with vocal quality?

They make clear and flesh-colored headset mic's. No one would see them on a drummer from more than 5 feet away. Just about every professional band with a singing drummer uses one.

Doesn't your band want to be professional?

[Stumbo]

~Ear training (and lots of it)
Goodear.com
Test your ear
Free downloadable ear trainer (basic/advanced) Solfege. Xlnt program
Trainers/tutorials. Music theory, ear training, read music, chords, intervals, etc.
Online Visual Beginning Theory, ear trainer
Discussion of Solfege

Or maybe a vocal coach?

[Nick Kay]

I find I'm always tighter on pitch when I'm wearing earplugs or IEMs. The occlusion effect sounds weird, but it seems to really help me nail notes down.

Originally Posted by scottbass

So...your band is more concerned with appearance than with vocal quality?

They make clear and flesh-colored headset mic's. No one would see them on a drummer from more than 5 feet away. Just about every professional band with a singing drummer uses one.

Doesn't your band want to be professional?

Well, minus Foo Fighters, Dream Theater and Them Crooked Vultures. Not like they're playing stadiums or anything, though...

Seriously, the problem isn't how the mic is mounted. It's a question of placement and technique. The drummer has poor mic technique and needs to practice. Giving him a headset mic just means you're going to have breathing noises in the PA constantly, and he'll still manage to be inconsistent somehow.

[NicJimBass]

Originally Posted by scottbass

So...your band is more concerned with appearance than with vocal quality?

They make clear and flesh-colored headset mic's. No one would see them on a drummer from more than 5 feet away. Just about every professional band with a singing drummer uses one.

Doesn't your band want to be professional?

On the contrary, we're very professional. We know our market, and know that, as shallow as it is, we need to present a certain image, be it dress, action, whatever. Part of that, again, as goofy and shallow as it is, includes the use (or non-use) of a headset mic.

He has his mic mounted correctly for proper use, but sometimes gets into the music quite a bit, and fails to get as close to the mic as he needs. It's more an issue of training him to do what's necessary than it is a hardware issue.

[NicJimBass]

Originally Posted by Stumbo

~Ear training (and lots of it)
Goodear.com
Test your ear
Free downloadable ear trainer (basic/advanced) Solfege. Xlnt program
Trainers/tutorials. Music theory, ear training, read music, chords, intervals, etc.
Online Visual Beginning Theory, ear trainer
Discussion of Solfege

Or maybe a vocal coach?

These look promising... thank you!

[ggunn]

Originally Posted by stflbn

Train yourself to start hearing the pitch a bit high in your head. Unfortunately it's normal to start low and slide up to the note.

Hearing the note is the biggest hurdle, then hitting it on pitch without sliding into it.

The biggest part though is the confidence that you're going to hit that note when sang rather than slide into it. That's why so many people slide up into the note.

Patsy Cline made a career of it.

[rfclef]

Originally Posted by scottbass

Also, make sure you can hear yourself, the other singer(s) and the reference pitch equally well. Very often the monitor mix that works for someone else is NOT the monitor mix that will work for you.

$0.02 only.

Yeah. We opened for a band Saturday and used their rig... I could not hear myself at all, no matter what. Some people can sing that way, but if I cannot hear me, no telling what comes out. Luckily, the guitarist does most of our singing... oy.

[Rockman]

Originally Posted by 5StringBlues

Well,I don't know if this will actually work for you.........


When I was in band,playing tuba,my band director noticed that I played a little flat when trying to hit high notes.He told me to open my eyes wide and raise my eyebrows.This did in fact,somehow,work for me.

This is only a shortcut. Doing this does not fix your intonation, because then your really playing sharp. Having to physically move your face to change pitch with any brass instrument or voice is just something a lot of people say as a quick fix because the real solution is much harder. That is getting control of your air flow. Singing takes a whole lot of breath support, so use more air. This does not mean sing louder.