Today, I had to inform another facility that I would no longer be performing for them. It was a difficult decision, but one that had to be made.

I waited until the last moment of the performance to tell the audience, which consisted of about 75 to 85 ladies and gentlemen who were residents at an assisted living facility located in western Baltimore County.

In finished with a rendition of My Way, got a standing ovation from those that were not wheel chair bound, and lots of hugs and kisses from both the staff and residents.

The irony of this, and most performances, is that there were lots of ladies and gentlemen that said "You have a beautiful voice." However, no one, no matter how well you play, ever makes any comments about your playing ability. This has always been the case with me, and a lot of really great players that I know.

I've always worked very hard at perfecting my playing ability, both with the keyboard, and when I was younger, with a 12-string guitar. However, I've always considered myself as a mediocre player at best. My wife, and a few musicians, have told me I play quite well, both with my left and right hand. But most of the time, my voice has become my right hand. Sure, I might provide some right-hand enhancement to the song with various instruments, but overall, it's my vocals that seem to hold the audiences.

At the end of the performance, the AD and some of the other staffers asked to have their picture taken with me. After a half-dozen photos, they asked if I would at least consider doing next year's Christmas party for them, to which I agreed. (It's hard to say no to such wonderful people.)

During the drive home I thought about the comments about my singing. I guess I'm fortunate in that I can still carry a tune fairly well, even at 69 years of age. In my case, my vocal ability, at least from what I can discern, is the most important component of my performances.

The question that comes to mind is how many forum members that perform for a living depend heavily upon their vocal ability?

Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year,

Gary

Gary ... Like you, vocals are a MAJOR part of my performances ... and, not to pay myself on the back, but I too have often been complimented on my voice ...
What I have noticed, is that people will not often say "You PLAY well", but rather, when it comes to the music part, at the end of an instrumental they might say "you have a nice sound" or "that was very pretty", or words to that affect ...
But I have said here many times, for the most part, the kb is there to back up my vocals ... while I can do a good job on instrumentals, I am not a 'piano player' and do not 'sell' myself as one ...
t.

It's funny, but the comment we (as a Duo) most often get after a show is:

(To my Wife) You have a fantastic (etc) Voice.

(To Me) You....(pause) play so great!

The reality there is :

1. My wife indeed DOES have a great Voice - she is a natural.

2. I'm actually a decent singer too, but My missus is THAT good, she regularly puts my good vocals in the shade.

Therefore I still sing as well as I possibly can, but "play up" my playing (trills, runs, Chromatics, fast triplets etc etc etc) to hold up my end, if you know what I mean.

So what I'm saying in a nutshell is - we get BOTH kinds of comments - great singing, great playing, just not from the same person...lol


Oh well

Played a big Christmas dinner last night. Got 3 compliments on the "volume level". These folks said they could hear the music easily, yet talk comfortably across the table.

Karen? Richard?

Taike

------------------
Bo pen nyang.

[This message has been edited by Taike (edited 12-09-2009).]

I have gone through most of my life working on my instruments. Never gave singing a thought. About a year ago it ocurred to me that I can and should sing- not to say I'm anything special but I think most players at the very least have a functional voice (sing in tune) I've been doing vocal exercises in the car, singing more with CD's and trying to make an efort to sing everything that I practice on the keyboard including Hanon, Bach, scales, apregios, bebop heads, montunos, whatever... I starting to sing some easy stuff in public and so far know has thrown any rotten vegtables at me. In fact I'm surprised at how well people have reacted. Some tunes people will sing along. What I'm tyring to say is that you can sing! Maybe not like Nat King Cole or Sinatra but you have your own voice. I'm sure we all could come with a big list of poor singers who are rich!

I started singing because the singer didn't show up and I wanted to keep getting paid.
I was pretty bad. Over the next 20 or 30 years I got a lot better, but I suppose I'll never consider myself a great singer.
However, that is more and more how I'm conceived by the public.
I get compliments on my playing from other PLAYERS, but the audience generally compliments the voice.
As long as nobody boos and I get paid, I'm a happy camper.
DonM

If there are vocals, you will get judged by your vocals, its the main reason i never picked up performing as a OMB.

Its not about what we think but its about the crowd, and they will not hear the difference between A) who uses his keyboard as a midiplayer and sings along with his midi files or MP3's B) A truely great player that only uses a minimal style as backup or just drums and piano..

They will however hear the diferences in the vocal performance as that is where their ears are trained for.

I do very little vocals. It's always my playing that gets the attention anyway, even when I am singing. Of course, when I was singing more, I'd get lots of remarks about my voice and certain songs, etc, but even then, nobody thinks of me as a vocalist, I'm always thought of as a musician. Which is how I like it.

Years ago I played 10 instrumentals and 2 vocals. Today it is it�s 20 vocals and few instrumentals. Most vocals allow for some solo instrumental work.

People understand a voice, for the most part, they do not understand the instrument, especially the OMB keyboards. Some comments would come if they to played an instrument also.

John C.

A second thought;

Gary, You seem to always do the right thing, good thinking. The places you are leaving are showing their appreciation, they enjoyed you and your music -- not luck but talent. And you are not leaving the music scene just cutting back, another piece of good thinking. (Wisdom)

What comes to mind is what a good friend once said, �Quit them before they quit you�.

Two great wisdom�s; Know when to stop playing out and know when to stop driving.

John C.

"I started singing because the singer didn't show up and I wanted to keep getting paid.
I was pretty bad. Over the next 20 or 30 years I got a lot better, but I suppose I'll never consider myself a great singer."

That's great to hear Don and is quite inspiring.

Just wondering what you gus think: assuming someone can sing is tune, is there much that can be done to improve the voice - voice lessons, exercises and such. Or is singing a natural talent?

If I'm booked on a gig where I don't sing, but play the piano, such as a jazz gig, etc. then I enjoy comments on the piano playing.

However, if I am booked on a gig that requires me to sing, as well as play, then the comments are always all about the singing.

I think this is a matter of audience perception.

Actually, I think -- no, I KNOW -- that all of music performance is a matter of audience perception.

An older and wiser man once told me to never pay attention to what the critics are saying or writing.

"No pubilicity is bad publicity"

It is just publicity.


--Mac

A good vocal coach or teacher can always help you on the way to improvement, no matter your present level of accomplishment!

If you are serious about it, at ANY age, by all means go for it!

Because you don't know what it is that you don't know...


--Mac

I'm primarily a singer...

I get a lot of compliments on my vocals, but I do hear consistent praise on my kb ability as well.

Usually I do a few instrumentals every set to add to the variety.



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

Voice lessons, and a good vocal coach, are paramount to improving vocal quality. I've always been fortunate in that I've had a good voice and could sing in tune, but to stand out from the crowd you need those lessons.

I picked up a magazine in Nashville, TN several years ago that had a feature story pertaining to what many, great singers did to improve the vocals. The vast majority took voice lessons and had vocal coaches. Additionally, the best singers also took lessons on diction. The list included Elvis, Sinatra, Strisan, and a host of others. When you sing clear, crisp words, and pronounce them properly, it really adds a lot to your vocal quality. (Hmmm. Guess that's why drunks don't sing well at Karaoke bars. )

I took vocal lessons from a very gifted and talented jazz singer at the local community college. It was an 8-week course 2 nights a week, that culminated with a performance in front of the entire college faculty, music instructors and a couple hundred guests. The audience was given the task of providing a portion of the final grade. Though I have been performing in front of audiences since I was a teenager, I can attest first hand that this was quite intimidating. Between the written exam and the performance I managed to pull off an "A".

John, good points about the retirement process. Fortunately, all of the jobs I've cut out are those that require lots of drive time. This not only reduces the chances of being involved in a serious or fatal accident, but it also cuts a huge chunk out of the operating expense by eliminating a couple $2 tolls each way, and not burning copious amounts of gasoline.

Cheers,

Gary

I'm a bit like DonM in that I never sang until one night when our guitarist/lead singer didn't show up for a gig and it was like, "Hey, can you sing?", "er, no", "okay, here's the words". LOL! That was many years ago and I've sang ever since.

I'm also a bit like Hellboy in that my wife and I are a duo. We're both pretty decent singers, certainly no Karen and Richard, and I consider myself a good keyboard player and our audiences have never complained. We don't use midis or mp3's, just style playing and I think that as long as people recognise the song and you do a competent job of it, they really don't care much if it's not exactly like the record. To counter that, I think that younger audiences are less tolerant of 'loose' covers since they've been brought up on having ready access to the original recordings via ipod's and such.

montunoman: The voice is like any other instrument, practicing always improves it. Here's a link to a BBC website that has some handy hints, etc. on singing. Hope you find it useful.

Oops, forgot the link. A senior moment.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sing/learning/

Hi Bill

I think you hit the nail on the head. The variety of using, in your case, instrumentals I think is very important and yet overlooked by most. It will make the vocal songs shine better and instrumentals are a pleasant change.

In my case, I don't sing. I have heard all kinds of stuff that you have to sing to make it. Not in my case. I get all kinds of compliments doing instrumental whether solo, or with a singer or band.

Interesting thing that has happened with me, one of the duos that I work with that is primarily ballroom dance work, the singer is as good as any I've heard, and yet I'm getting referals to play gigs without him with people saying I do better alone and I am usually paid what the two of us get together. Go figure. A major surprize for me after all the talk of needing to sing.

Like one of my clients told me, "do what you do well." In my case then, there is no point to try to learn to sing. I really don't have it.

Like lots of others, I would prefer to just play, and did that for years, until about 1968, when the instrumental R&R songs started to fade (think the Ventures, Booker T, etc.)

Then, someone had to sing. I was the "baby" of the group and got the "nomination".

Now, because of my daytime gig, I do lots of voice-overs and jingles, including some national ones.

I've gotten awards as the best male jazz vocalist in the area from the union and from a regional arts publication over the years.

I was always ambivalent about doing vocals and really resented taking the focus off my musicianship. Now, as a result of injuries
to my left arm and hand, I'm relying more on vocals and an arranger; something I have always been on the "fence" on.

Funny how things work out.


Russ

I get compliments on my voice, but not every show.

I get a lot of compliments about how good I make that machine sound. I get a ton of compliments on how funny my jokes are, because I have incorporated some funny patter into my show inbetween songs.

But I recognize that singing is very important.

For the last six months, I have been practicing in the car to and from gigs to CDs from Singing Success. www.singingsuccess.com.

While I haven't made as much progress as I would like at hitting those highs, I have made some. I am often comfortably hitting a G below high C and on "Build Me Up Buttercup" I'm doing it well just one half step down, hitting a B below high C.

My singing is much more in tune, and my voice is richer. I can tell that I am commanding more presence and that people are more impressed overall with my show (The S910 helps a lot too).

Singing Success just came out with a new program called Mastering Mix that I just started on. It is systematic and comprehensive. It is for people who can sing in chest register, get into head voice, but who have trouble bringing the two together. I just love the program, and I'm starting to see results after a week.

It's on Xmas sale at their website. Normally $299, and now $239 or something.

I figure that if I'm going to be stuck in the car so much driving to gigs, I might as well do something productive.

Beakybird

Gary great topic and you offer hope with that comment at 69 years of age.

Gary you and others suggested a few years back when I asked advice about increasing the number of gigs I play here that I should work with voice coach and not just be playing instrumentals on the senior circuit. Shortly after I did and have worked with a couple of voice coaches, one better than the other. I'm back with the original coach who has a better handle on teaching proper technique. All I can say is singing is a lot more difficult to do a good job on than I thought. And I mean a lot more...... I'm coming along but not happy with where I'm at. At times I have illusions that I could be Mel Torme WRONG!! All I have to do is listen to my recordings.

I have found vocals have opened up more doors, my voice coach in a conversation last week said, you're coming along, but you have your age againist you. ( late 50s) He said you'll do OK, emphasis on OK. I'm working hard at improving, but it's not coming easy. But I'm having some fun along the way, if I had to do this full time the reality is I'd have to panhandle to make ends meet. Some people got the goods other's do not, I'm in the latter class. But hell I'm having some fun with it all.

Sunday morning I woke up with an infection that has affected my lip and right section of my jaw. Even though I'm taking meds for it my face is still swollen and it makes doing vocals more difficult. At last night's Christmas gig in a regular upscale assisted living facility I play I told the audience who already could see my face was swollen that I would not be singing as much this evening.

Short story is I spent more time on the grand piano, playing Christmas piano solo arrangements I've been playing the last 35 years. It was those solos that got the more applause that the arranger vocal pieces. Just my 2 cents.

For a medicore singer like myself, how much can a device like the "voice pro 2" help in live performances? Between the pitch correction and all the cool harmonies, I'd think it could make anyone sound better.

Coming from a players background and not really a singer's past...
I can appreciate and enjoy good instrumental music ..absent
from vocals..

I also enjoy great vocal deliveries...
and I agree most audiences can relate to the vocals more so than the instrumental aspect..

I have seen and know several "pros" that use their vocal ability to mask less stellar playing skills...
a lot more than the reverse..

I know many technically skilled vocalist..
trained and capable of vibrato at any time..and most audiences can see this...
but for me they leave me uninterested..

The vocal skill is how we "sell the song"..

I know and rather listen to a less polished vocalist..
that knows how to sell the song..Expressiveness, and the ability to tell the story..

The real "pro" singer knows how to make a song personal,
via eye contact and phrasing of the song with emotional inflections..
I know far more "pros" that do this and are less skilled technically..
they have developed through experience..They know what the song is trying to say..thus
able to deliver...rather than the singer that wants to show how skilled a singer they are..

Other singers like to mimic a certain artists....to a fault..
.and usually this comes across flat too..because they fail to tell the story..

It is fine to use a certain artists traits in your voice,
but don't forget to be expressive and sell the song..

Back to preference..There are many that rather hear instruments..
great players that can deliver..some music genres..instrumental is all that is needed..

I also think that it is harder to find good players..
where as singers are "a dime a dozen"..and for the most part the average singer can get over on a crowd..
especially the good looking ones..

Well,, I said my opinion..what do you think of my views?

I was gettin' pumped until you mentioned good-looking.
Must agree though.
DonM

Me too, Don. Fran always comes up with a zinger, though. At my age "good lookin'" is tough to come by, and that's if I worked all day trying to look that way.

I also agree that a GOOD singer is one that can sell the song. Those that just go through the motions don't cut it.

Cheers,

Gary

I would have to say that I get at least 4 or 5 compliments on my vocals every job. I might get 1 compliment on my playing every now and then. As much as I'd like to think that I set up and play a song pretty well, I agree that my vocals are my hallmark.

Good post Fran
I have been playing for 45 years but, singing solo only four. I consider my self fairly good but, not excellent on keyboards. The funny thing is that people consider me a good singer, eventhough I can't always command vibrato when I want. I, like Fran says, try to make eye contact and, above all, make the story very personal with gestures and facial expressions.

Good topic, guys.

Eye contact is important. Just remember to romance the male audience as well. Don't want to come across as a sexist vocalist, do you?

Regards

Taike

------------------
Bo pen nyang.

Look, Taike, you're my friend and all, BUT I'M NOT FLIRTING WITH DON MASON if he ever comes to see me on a gig!

(He is kinda cute, though (LOL)!


Russ

I had an interesting experience yesterday.
I have never sung without a band or a keyboard to hide behind, but I was asked by the Sheriff to sing Silent Night at the end of a big Christmas party. I was a guest, and not performing this year.
It's a really big banquet hall and there were maybe 300 people there, all from 50 to 90 years old. They have an in-house sound system with wireless mics.
I recorded the background on the E80, because it was at home. I transferred it to a CD and had the sound person play it as I sang.
It is a totally different experience to stand there on a stage "naked" with only a mic while 300 people stare at you. It did go well. I did three verses, and repeated the first verse and invited everyone to stand up and sing along. It gave me chills as they all joined robustly in. Then I got a standing ovation.
Of course I made sure they were already standing.
It was a confidence booster for sure!
It's hard to go wrong with old people and Christmas songs though.
DonM

Watch that old stuff--I resemble that remark!

Gary

Quite a few are "guests" of the Sheriff this time of year, Don. Some by choice, others would rather be elsewhere. Especially the "cute" ones.

Taike

(Russ made me do it)

------------------
Bo pen nyang.

You could probably count me in that group. I haven't improved my playing ability in decades, but I do note that my vocals have been carrying me - and getting me work. Cheez Fran, you didn�t have to tell everyone about my less than stellar playing �
Ciao,
Jerry

I played horns for years in bands and never sang a note. I ultimately evolved into piano bar work where the drunks sang all the songs and I never sang a note.
I still don't sing a note. I just play and play and play
I do a gig they don't listen they jitterbug
Bebop

It�s always the singer ( in my case my Wife) who get the credit for a very nice voice, the player (on Audya) never hear anything like, oh you have a new kb. what a good sound, but to me it does�nt matter because the lead vocal is the most important person and if I can play and use the vocalizer to make it even more beautiful, than I be satisfied. I know that the sound from Audya has made our music much better at least in my ears.

------------------

I've always been known as a singer. But my keyboard skills are good as well. I studied piano in college and have held many a solo piano job. The compliments are alwasy much greater for the singing. I think people today take music for granted, like it's just supposed to be there. Take for example, American Idol. Everyone is going ga ga over the singer, but what about that elite cadre of musicians that a backing all the up? Just my thoughts.

Joe

------------------
Songman55
Joe Ayala

... no more than I do ...

Don... you are absolutely right ... I have had a number of occasions when I have gone to hear other musicians - such as YOURSELF!!! - and have been asked to just 'sing' ... it is definitely a different experience .. I had the added value of you or Hank on the kb which made life simple for me, but at least you had a backing track you were familiar with ...

Back to the subject, at last night's gig at a really nice CC, I had a couple of ladies tell me that my music sounded wonderful, and I have a beautiful voice ...
nothing like that 'liquid Christmas spirit' ...
Actually, a number of the wait staff also complimented me, which is always an 'extra' boost, and more importantly, the Manager asked me to check my calendar for St. Valentine's Day ...

t.