The importance of singing...

[Lupacante]

...is it really that important? I feel I've reached a not too bad level on the guitar, but can't sing very well at all....any advice? Any exercises I could try? I've not got the money to spend on lessons at the moment, so I'll be very grateful to any help.

Thank you
Lupacante

[Nick.Botfield]

I know you said you haven't got the money for lessons but I think even one lesson would do a world of good. It's no good doing exercises if you don't know what you're doing in the first place. A lesson with a good teacher will pay for itself many times over.

So, save up for a couple of weeks and get one or two lessons!

[Lupacante]

Ok thanks I'll give it a try, hope it helps.

[imported_timmyo]

Imho even an average guitarist who can also sing confidently is probably going to be more useful to a band.

I agree with Nick : take whatever you might spend on a book or DVD and get one or 2 lessons, then apply what you learn there to any exercises you manage to track down.

There are a couple of Youtube lessons that are supposed to be ok too, but still get a 1-on-1 if you can to start you off on the right foot. Look up Youtube users sbgalt and Eric Arceneaux : both were recently recommended in a recent thread on HC singing forum.

[MattANJH]

Originally Posted by imported_timmyo

Imho even an average guitarist who can also sing confidently is probably going to be more useful to a band.

And if you've got a range which is pretty useless anywhere outside of classical? (My range ends about half an octave below middle C, though does go down nearly to the low B on my 7 string )

[imported_timmyo]

Originally Posted by MattANJH

And if you've got a range which is pretty useless anywhere outside of classical? (My range ends about half an octave below middle C, though does go down nearly to the low B on my 7 string )

That's not a range that's a cold.

[MattANJH]

Originally Posted by imported_timmyo

That's not a range that's a cold.

Spans two damn octaves!!

[imported_timmyo]

Originally Posted by MattANJH

Spans two damn octaves!!

A formal Tenor (for example) can get away with a 2 octave range but your average rock/pop singer probably has more, and certainly not down there lol

You're probably stuck in chest voice - which if you are is probably fixed in 1 or 2 sessions with a teacher

[dafuzz]

Originally Posted by Lupacante

...is it really that important? I feel I've reached a not too bad level on the guitar, but can't sing very well at all....any advice? Any exercises I could try? I've not got the money to spend on lessons at the moment, so I'll be very grateful to any help.

Thank you
Lupacante

Sing along to the scales you practise on guitar, that will develop your voice and your ear. For example, play a major scale in 'thirds' (1, 3, 2, 4, 3, 5, etc) but sing the next note before playing it.

[RolandG]

Singing:
- make you more saleable as a guitarist, even if it's only backing vocals
- gives you a better understanding of what the lead vocalist is trying to do/having to cope with
- may end up with you being the lead vocalist, as Gary Moore found out

The audience (that's everyone except guitar anoraks like us) pays more attention to the singer than to the guitarist