Agreeing with Dikis assesment no need to repeat....Larry no disrespect but as you say you play 500 gigs a year.....hasn't anyone ever said anything about the pitch problems on your vocals on gigs or as shown in these demos? Maybe a vocal coach would be of some help.

Larry-

Congrats on a nice website, and an obviously successful reputation in the Chicago area. As a similar performer in the Dayton/Cincy/Cbus area, we share a lot of similarities.

I just went and listened to all your vocal demos. You have a nice voice...very pleasant. I've noticed two things that relate to issues the other guys have already raised.

1) To be clear, with out trying to be harsh, I think you're fearful of higher notes. In all your vocal demos, I couldn't find one instance where you nailed a nice strong high note and just let it hang out. You kind of "excuse me" sing them in my opinion.

...Two ways to handle this. Either transpose a tune down a tad and then sing the higher notes with more confidence like other notes OR refine your vocal technique and don't drop the keys...

Another thing I noticed was you seem to have one basic vocal style, regardless of the song style.

I was trying to figure out why I liked your My space stuff better than these demos and it has all to do with your singing. In the stuff you write, you tend to write vocal lines in your lower and mid registers, which jives with what I heard on your website demos.

I know you didn't ask for a critique of your website demos, and since you're doing 500 shows a year, you can tell me to go take a hike.

If you can go back and listen to your demo recordings with just the vocal...pretty sure you'll hear the discrepancies we do...

Regardless, you're obviously kicking ass in Chitown...good job...

Go Hawks!

Cheers...

------------------
Bill in Dayton

Donny ... ??? ...I just clicked on the link in Larry's post and got right to the tunes ... I'm not a member either...
t.

Learning better vocal technique is high on my agenda - after I pay for all of the recording equipment I just purchased.

I actually get a lot of compliments on my voice - not every show. I have never had anyone complain to me about my voice during a show. I have had other complaints from seniors. They complain a lot. Like they've asked me to take a bath once in a while. I tell them to go to hell. I'm joking.

Has anyone ever heard of Brett Manning "Singing Success"? Do you think it's a rip-off. Google it. He guarantees an octave of improved range. Sounds like bullshit.

I will take out the fills on the song, turn up the guitar, bring it up an interval, do guitar fills instead of whoa whoa whoa. Maybe it will be a decent song then. I think it's a good simple song.

I checked out Harmony Central songwriter forum. I got more consistent positive feedback from them, but the few songwriters I heard were decidedly amateurish.

Beakybird

Not me T I need to click a few links trackspin to get to hear the songs....not many reviews posted for some reason so I wonder if others are having the same problems also?



[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 02-02-2009).]

I went to listen to this song fully expecting something really terrible after reading the comments.
I thought it was rather nice. I can hear the things some of the others mentioned, but they aren't that bad. If the song is done for a songwriting demo, it works for me.
However, constructive criticism is what makes us better, and they had some valid points.
I constantly have to remind myself to "Sing with confidence".
Keep on writin' and singin'!
DonM