hows my distortion? (video, Shure SM7b, Stone Temple Pilots - Creep)

[everdrone]

any comments or constructive criticism is much appreciated,

I might be my own worst critic and I put my comments below. Here is my cover of Stone Temple Pilots "Creep":

https://youtu.be/reekoRjxelE

GOOD STUFF:

-I equalized and mixed in the singing so it is not super on top of the mix, but still vocals are loud as I am trying to improve them
-pitchiness is a little better, that will come with time
-no hoarseness or pain from the distortion, and I did the full advanced third level 3 KTVA warmup just prior to this song
-I only worked on this song one day prior, pretty good
-mouth open "Ah" sound was very open for the distortion parts

STUFF I NEED TO WORK ON:
-maybe more open throat technique
-I saw my shoulders move some, I get carried away. I have a static 3/4 full chest but I want more, and that detracts and could lead to tenseness
-maybe too much distortion for this cover
-less hitting the consonants for glottal stop would be good. I do that all the compression that makes the consonants pop out a little more.

[JOLLY]

Re: hows my distortion? (video, Shure SM7b, Stone Temple Pilots - Creep)

It sounds like it's more in your vocal range than others that you've done.

[Kamanda~SD]

Re: hows my distortion? (video, Shure SM7b, Stone Temple Pilots - Creep)

Agreed...this sounds much better. My only criticism would be to match up with the harmonies a bit better (more of a timing issue).

Like you said, vocals are still a little loud, but what you did the vocals certainly complimented (i.e. dist, eq etc.).

[Shooter.556]

Re: hows my distortion? (video, Shure SM7b, Stone Temple Pilots - Creep)

I notice on all of your performances you try to be that guy.. You have a good voice, you stay in key pretty well.
Be YOU! Yeah, it's covers but sing em like YOU sing em.. Don't be Ozzy or Scott Weiland.
I see you're from Texas but I don't know your accent, I have a big southern accent, like molasses in winter slow..
That makes the consonants in rock are to sing, you almost have to sing rock with zero accent..
Thats why I do country blues and southern rock.. If I sing anything newer rock I have to really pay mind to how I speak..

Thats my criticisms, be more you and sing in your voice and know that in rock if you have an accent or regional dialect your need to not have a regional dialect..
This one band I was in when we were trying to get signed wouldn't let me talk to the A&R rep because I was too much of a hillbilly..
They were all hillbillies too, they just didn't wanna admit it.. Be YOU! It's music, it's from your heart and soul no one elses, sing like that you'll be good to go..

[everdrone]

Re: hows my distortion? (video, Shure SM7b, Stone Temple Pilots - Creep)

It sounds like it's more in your vocal range than others that you've done.

thanks brutha, thanks for the listen

Agreed...this sounds much better. My only criticism would be to match up with the harmonies a bit better (more of a timing issue). Like you said, vocals are still a little loud, but what you did the vocals certainly complimented (i.e. dist, eq etc.).

Thanks again for the listen Kamanda, I hear ya on the harmony thing as it sounds a bit off, I did not respect what that singer was doing as much as I should have and in that split second ignored his singing and in retrospect ya I need to listen closer and he did a good job for that style really

I notice on all of your performances you try to be that guy.. You have a good voice, you stay in key pretty well.
Be YOU! Yeah, it's covers but sing em like YOU sing em.. Don't be Ozzy or Scott Weiland.
I see you're from Texas but I don't know your accent, I have a big southern accent, like molasses in winter slow..
That makes the consonants in rock are to sing, you almost have to sing rock with zero accent..
Thats why I do country blues and southern rock.. If I sing anything newer rock I have to really pay mind to how I speak..

Thats my criticisms, be more you and sing in your voice and know that in rock if you have an accent or regional dialect your need to not have a regional dialect..
This one band I was in when we were trying to get signed wouldn't let me talk to the A&R rep because I was too much of a hillbilly..
They were all hillbillies too, they just didn't wanna admit it.. Be YOU! It's music, it's from your heart and soul no one elses, sing like that you'll be good to go..

Thanks friend, I have never really thought about that at all, Im thinking now that I do kinda copy a bit. Im from Los Angeles, and moved to North Dakota, and then to Texas. so I copy accents a bit here and there. I never really thought about that. Im working on getting proficient in technique in singing, and copying other singers can result in copying their bad techniques that can really cause harm to the voice, I need to relax on consonants for sure.

thanks brutha, I might start back working on original stuff since I do have a huge catalog of originals with no vocals and have a lot of ideas for new songs as well.

thanks for the encouragement, cheers

[Shooter.556]

Re: hows my distortion? (video, Shure SM7b, Stone Temple Pilots - Creep)

If you work on the no accent thing, the consonants issue will take care of itself. Some of the best vocalists I have ever heard have no accent.
Like they talk and you're like WTF? Where is this cat from? It's okay to learn from your influences, vocals are like any other instrument, we learn from those we like.
Just like in guitar, you take those influences and make them yours.

Good job and keep posting! I love your videos and enjoy listening to you improve, that is what it takes to be a better musician. Put your soul out on a platter and be fine with folks picking you apart.
That's why working with producers is so hard, egos get in the way and you have removed that from the equation..

[BurningShrine]

Re: hows my distortion? (video, Shure SM7b, Stone Temple Pilots - Creep)

Hey!

There's always something that bothers me when I play your videos.
Somewhere around 200 - 300Hz things seem unbalanced, though I don't think it's your voice.
Might be the room or even the mic.

Would you mind sending me a vocal part without any music?
I'd like to sweep through it with an eq.

It would be great to hear other Mics too.
Although the sm7b is a great mic it might be a good thing to try a condenser for reference purposes.

[everdrone]

Re: hows my distortion? (video, Shure SM7b, Stone Temple Pilots - Creep)

lol ya I figure audiophiles would be bothered by the mix, I have equalizer presets on top of each other in ezmix plugins and have not adjusted any of them since they are automatic, so its pretty messed up equalization. also I am singing through a voicelive 3 that has auto-equalizing going on. I only have shure sm58 and no purchases in the near future for condenser. I could send you a track, but you would just confirm that you are correct that the equalizers are unbalancing everything.

thanks Shooter.556, I agree! I dont think much about copying the singer I am covering but it comes through that way I suppose. I do like STP sounds (RIP), I recorded another song last night: