How hard to replace/find a singer?

[LemonCello]

So the deal is that our current singer is not cutting the mustard. He's a good bloke and all that but sings flat probably 50%+ of the time. After our gig last nite, we asked for some feedback and it wasn't positive, so things are coming to a head. This was only our second gig so no reputational harm done hopefully.

The thing is that the band is really tight and we get lots of favourable comments about our playing which is great, just not so about the singer. He has said, on more than one occasion, with some pride, that he hasn't had a singing lesson in his life? We have tried collectively to gently steer him toward some without success.

So just wondering, is the singer the most difficult band member to replace or find?

LC

[Blademan_98]

[quote name='LemonCello' timestamp='1345380968' post='1776831']

So just wondering, is the singer the most difficult band member to replace or find?

[/quote]

Yes, yes they are.
See other threads on here!

Most people say 'get a current band member to learn to sing'.
Not always easy.

Good luck with finding the right person for the job!

[JTUK]

no, ...but the singer is the most important..
As you have found, everything goes thru the singer and you live or die thru their performance.
Crap singer = crap band and this may just about be rescued to a tiny degree if they have charisma and energy
but that is no real substitute.

Everyone remembers a bad vocal...more than the gtr killing a solo.
You are only as good as the main vox..no way round that, IMO

[LemonCello]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1345382808' post='1776872']
no, ...but the singer is the most important..
As you have found, everything goes thru the singer and you live or die thru their performance.
Crap singer = crap band and this may just about be rescued to a tiny degree if they have charisma and energy
but that is no real substitute.

Everyone remembers a bad vocal...more than the gtr killing a solo.
You are only as good as the main vox..no way round that, IMO
[/quote]

Yeah, I agree with that. The search is on....

[stefBclef]

It's even harder to replace a singer if it is their band and they've written all the songs etc...then you really can't go anywhere!

[steve-bbb]

would he very upset if you tactfully introduced one of these between his mic and the mixing desk?



[url="http://www.bossus.com/gear/productdetails.php?ProductId=1043"]http://www.bossus.com/gear/productdetails.php?ProductId=1043[/url]

[LemonCello]

[quote name='steve-bbb' timestamp='1345383804' post='1776898']
would he very upset if you tactfully introduced one of these between his mic and the mixing desk?



[url="http://www.bossus.com/gear/productdetails.php?ProductId=1043"]http://www.bossus.co...?ProductId=1043[/url]
[/quote]
We have suggested one of these, but not sure how good the auto tune function is?

[steve-bbb]

loads of demos on that there youchewb - the parameters can be adjusted so it doenst necessairly need to make you sound like Cher

went to try out with a new band last week and the singer had one - although she didnt need it for pitch correction, the harmony and loop settings are pretty useable - i was impressed anyways

if it will do the trick of getting the punters to come and compliment rather than criticise its 200 notes well spent imho

[LemonCello]

[quote name='steve-bbb' timestamp='1345389543' post='1776954']
loads of demos on that there youchewb - the parameters can be adjusted so it doenst necessairly need to make you sound like Cher

went to try out with a new band last week and the singer had one - although she didnt need it for pitch correction, the harmony and loop settings are pretty useable - i was impressed anyways

if it will do the trick of getting the punters to come and compliment rather than criticise its 200 notes well spent imho
[/quote]

Checked out the tube. Seems like a useful bit of kit and there's one on here for sale for £150! The trick is to get him to try the medicine!

[RhysP]

The amount of people who think they can sing but can't is astonishing.
A few years ago I tried to start a band with a couple of other people & we advertised for a vocalist. We had quite a few replies, and every last one of them was bloody awful.

[LemonCello]

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1345392207' post='1776988']
The amount of people who think they can sing but can't is astonishing.
A few years ago I tried to start a band with a couple of other people & we advertised for a vocalist. We had quite a few replies, and every last one of them was bloody awful.
[/quote][quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1345392207' post='1776988']
The amount of people who think they can sing but can't is astonishing.
A few years ago I tried to start a band with a couple of other people & we advertised for a vocalist. We had quite a few replies, and every last one of them was bloody awful.
[/quote]

Ha...yeah, ain't that the truth!

[Lozz196]

Many people can sing in tune - I`m one of them. Not many have a voice that is good enough to be an actual lead singer - I`m not one of them.

A world of difference, in my view. The singer is essentially the salesperson for the band - they can make or break you. No matter how well the rest of the band play, with a bad singer, they just get known as the band with the sh*te singer.

[molan]

I read the headline of this thread to be:


[b] [b][size=4]How hard to replace/find a finger?[/size][/b][/b]


Was just about to say this was one of the 'odder' questions I'd seen asked on BC & that the only person I knew who'd, partially done this was Tony Iommi, luckily I re-read the title before posting[b] [/b]

[Bilbo]

If I am honest, my passion for instrumental music came from the frustration of not being able to find any decent singers. It depends what genre you are working in and rock singers that are good are like gold dust (that was what I was looking for in the mid 1980s). I have been lucky occasionally to work with great singers but think that finding them is a bit of a lottery.

[mrtcat]

[url="http://www.tc-helicon.com/products/voicetone-mic-mechanic/"]http://www.tc-helicon.com/products/voicetone-mic-mechanic/[/url]

This will help if he's close to the mark. If he's way off then it will sound un natural. TCHelicon stuff is beautifully made and really works.

[swanbrook]

Loads of famous bands out there with crap singers, but they are great performers and get away with it, there is a huge amount to pick from but you tube Tom petty the waiting to see a clip of him talk about and at a bit of "the waiting" worst vocal ever.

What you got to do is ask your self can he out preform his lack of vocal technique ?

[skankdelvar]

Tell him.

Tell him: 'Sorry, mate. You're a lovely bloke but you sing flat. Sort some lessons and get it right in the next 4 weeks or we'll look elsewhere. We don't want to, but we will if we have to. It's in your hands."

Immediately you've told him this, start looking anyway. Then you've got a choice.

[bobbass4k]

I've found one good singer in 8 years of looking, and she was completely insane, we had to kick her out after she brought a dead squirrel to a practice. She could sing though, man and those legs! I fear I'm getting sidetracked.

I think singers need natural talent more than any other instrument, there's no safety net. We have frets (except fretless, obviously), so as long it's tuned properly, we know we're hitting the right notes, singers have to hit notes with just their ears to guide them.

Edited August 20, 2012 by bobbass4k

[Judo Chop]

[quote name='bobbass4k' timestamp='1345426392' post='1777432']
I've found one good singer in 8 years of looking, and she was completely insane, we had to kick her out after she brought a dead sq
[/quote]

Looks like she came back to bump you off

[bobbass4k]

[quote name='Jack Cahalane' timestamp='1345426711' post='1777433']
Looks like she came back to bump you off
[/quote]

Luckily no, that was due to my complete lack of hand-eye coordination and accidentally hitting enter.

We were all looking over our shoulders for a few days though, none of us had the nerve to tell her in person, we wussed out and sent her an email. She was seriously crazy, not charming "you're wearing a top hat and carrying a cane, that's so kooky!" crazy, more "what smells weir...OH GOD WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH THAT CHEESE?!?!" sort of crazy.

Edited August 20, 2012 by bobbass4k

[skidder652003]

[quote name='swanbrook' timestamp='1345422667' post='1777424']
Loads of famous bands out there with crap singers, but they are great performers and get away with it, there is a huge amount to pick from but you tube Tom petty the waiting to see a clip of him talk about and at a bit of "the waiting" worst vocal ever.

What you got to do is ask your self can he out preform his lack of vocal technique ?
[/quote]
[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0OYQm0pNI8"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0OYQm0pNI8[/url]


god its awful, gives us all hope....

[rogerstodge]

[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1345423046' post='1777427']
Tell him.

Tell him: 'Sorry, mate. You're a lovely bloke but you sing flat. Sort some lessons and get it right in the next 4 weeks or we'll look elsewhere. We don't want to, but we will if we have to. It's in your hands."

Immediately you've told him this, start looking anyway. Then you've got a choice.
[/quote]its the only way to do it

[swanbrook]

[quote name='skidder652003' timestamp='1345445348' post='1777451']

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0OYQm0pNI8"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0OYQm0pNI8[/url]


god its awful, gives us all hope....
[/quote]

Ah yup that's the one ! Cheers for that

[BassTractor]

[quote name='steve-bbb' timestamp='1345383804' post='1776898']

[/quote]


Nice 'n' all, but how does it do on my fretless? I mean, one can always look for a better singer, but buying a better fretless doesn't help!

Desperately,
bert

[KevB]

[quote name='swanbrook' timestamp='1345449623' post='1777495']
Ah yup that's the one ! Cheers for that
[/quote]

Did you watch it until the end? The final product of 'The Waiting' shows that actually he's not that bad a singer at all, no autotuning when that was made IIRC.