Audiotuts+ Updates - Workshop #127: Smoke Stacks by Kyle Lampert

Workshop #127: Smoke Stacks by Kyle Lampert
Improve Your Singing With Daily Vocal Exercises
Open Mic: Do You Gig?

Workshop #127: Smoke Stacks by Kyle Lampert

Posted: 13 Oct 2010 04:56 PM PDT

At Audiotuts+ we regularly put up a reader track for workshopping and critique (find out how to submit a track). This is how it works: you upload your song, and every week or so we’ll publish one here and step away from the podium. The floor is yours to talk about the track and how the artist can fix problems in and improve upon the mix and the song.

This track has been submitted for your friendly, constructive criticism. They have put their track (and their heart and soul) in your hands to learn and get useful feedback.

Do you enjoy the song or track itself? Does it have potential?
Can the arrangement be improved?
How did you find the mix? What would you do differently?
What do you enjoy about the rhythm track? What can be done to improve it?
Is the choice of instruments relevant and effective for the style/song?
Are the lyrics (if any) effective? Does the style, arrangement and genre of the song suit them?
Can you suggest any specific techniques that might improve the track?
Do you have any other constructive feedback?

Smoke Stacks by Kyle Lampert

Artist’s website: thenorthernlights.bandcamp.com

Description of the track:

An equal blend of organic recordings and electronic elements come together in this climbing, yet ambient track.

Download audio file (b2smokestacks.mp3)

Have a listen to the track and offer your constructive criticism for this Workshop in the comments section.

Submit Your Tracks for Workshopping

Need constructive criticism on your own tracks? Submit them using this form.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Improve Your Singing With Daily Vocal Exercises

Posted: 13 Oct 2010 05:07 AM PDT

If you ever use your own voice in your productions – either as lead or backup vocals – you’ll want to get the most you can out of your instrument. The best way to improve the pitch, diction and tone of your voice is to practice daily vocal exercises. Here are a bunch of places to get you started

Amateur Dramatic

http://www.amateurdramatic.co.uk/VocalExercises.html

“Whether you're an actor or singer, it's crucial to ‘warm up’ your voice before heading out onto stage. Think of yourself as an athlete—would you run a marathon without getting your leg muscles ‘in the groove’ beforehand? In fact, you should make it a part of your rehearsal process, too.”

This article covers three main types of vocal exercises:
1. Animal Noises – “ma-may-me-mow-moo”
2. Tongue Twisters – including “Peter Piper”
3. Laughing – “ha-ha-has” belly laugh

The Ultimate Voice Training for Singers

http://www.voicetraining.com/online.htm

“Stand or sit in an upright position and place your hands against your diaphragm; your stomach area, just below the ribs. Shout the word hut like a football quarterback, and feel the pulsing there. Now practice slowly pushing your stomach out while taking a deep breath in; as you continue through the inhale, your chest will begin to lift and expand.”

Extended samples of the commercial program are available on the website. You’ll find five vocal exercises, including multiple MP3 demonstrations for men and women.

The five vocal exercises are:

1. Opening Up
2. Support and Relaxation
3. The Lip Roll
4. Bridges; Increasing Usable Range
5. Sustains

Vocalist.org.uk

http://www.vocalist.org.uk/singing_exercises.html

“Free vocal singing exercises online complete with midi scales to help you practice, plus singers articles and links to sites offering vocal exercises. When you have mastered your breathing, the following free singing exercises will help you on the path to improving and understanding your voice.”

The page includes instructions about posture, breathing etc., and phrases to sing that improve diction.

eHow.com – Vocal Exercises 101

http://www.ehow.com/topic_3699_vocal-exercises-101.html

eHow have quite a few courses on vocal exercises and singing. Click the link above to explore them. Here are samples of a few of them.

Introduction to Vocal Exercises

http://www.ehow.com/video_2374202_introduction-vocal-exercises.html

“Learn the basics of exercising the vocal chords in this free how-to video clip on voice training exercises.”

Introduction to Vocal Exercises — powered by eHow.com

eHow.com Effective Exercises for Vocal Training

http://www.ehow.com/video_5113322_effective-exercises-vocal-training.html

“When doing vocal training, it’s important to warm up the singing muscles properly by doing exercises that fit one’s own voice type. Find out how humming can be used to warm up for vocal training with help from a vocal coach in this free video on vocal training.”

Effective Exercises for Vocal Training — powered by eHow.com

eHow.com Lip Bubble Vocal Exercises

http://www.ehow.com/video_2378839_lip-bubble-vocal-exercises.html

“Learn lip bubble vocal exercises to avoid vocal cord damage from bad technique with singing and vocal training tips in this free online vocal coaching video clip.”

Lip Bubble Vocal Exercises — powered by eHow.com

Kristin Chenoweth – vocal exercises

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3NT1I0zS64

“Kristin Chenoweth demonstrating her various vocal exercises” on various talk shows.

Paramore – Hayley Williams Vocal Warm Up

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZ8DGCjjPx0

Sing along with Hayley as she warms up.

Vocal Training – Part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZTgZZXHyi8

Brett Manning gives Mary-Kathryn a vocal checkup. You get to see some funny faces, and hear bird noises and lip rolls.

Do you use an exercise program to warm up your voice or improve your singing. Did you find any of these videos helpful? Let us know in the comments.

Open Mic: Do You Gig?

Posted: 12 Oct 2010 08:19 PM PDT

Over the next few open mics we’ll be exploring your involvement in music production and performance. Hopefully we’ll hear a few good stories along the way! Here’s this week’s question: Do you do gigs?

Each week we open our mic to readers and lurkers alike to come out of the woodwork and tell us your thoughts and opinion, your experiences and mistakes, what you love and what you hate. We want to hear from you, and here’s your chance.

Reading the responses to last week’s Open Mic, it seems most of you don’t busk. At least two of you do, and I enjoyed reading Cameron and Mary’s stories. Thanks! This week I’m wondering if you do gigs.

Have you ever played publicly at a concert or other live event? Do you do this regularly, from time to time, or as a one-time event?

What equipment do you use when gigging? How does it differ from what you use in your studio? Do you have any equipment tips for us?

How did you get your gig? Where do you play? How often? Do you enjoy playing in public? What do you enjoy most about it? Do you have any interesting stories to share?