Glad you were able to get back in time to edit that post. Maybe you could try "Preview" and save some time (and I can stop trying to figure out how to "look in the micro".

BTW, what does Gaga making 90M have to do with her being on my list? You can't equate everything to money (although you seem to keep trying to). In fact, it just proves my point, that you CAN be 'less than pretty' and still be sucessfull. Here's a test for you; would you like me any better if I made 90 million? I didn't think so.

Fran, you know I was just pulling your chain. EVERY guy in our age group is a male chauvinist pig .

chas

I am not a Gaga fan at all, although some of her stuff is good, just wouldn't catch me at a concert. Kylie is more up my street. Now there is a nice lass, she writes good songs, sings live (sometimes to backing tracks), keeps her nose clean and has AMAZING legs

Speaking of GaGa, the Lady ... have any of you seen this ? ...



I have looked at a number of the Duet vids from this CD ... regardless of what the OTHER performer is wearing, Tony ALWAYS is the picture of CLASS ...

After a few drinks...the listener could care less what the music sounds like......but that sexy looking girl keeps getting better with each drink...even the ugly ones..

I have to tell you.....you guys really saved my life this time around! You reminded me of all the bad experiences I ever had attempting to work with a female vocalist.

Bill Lewis: “The gigs too far, my boyfriend/fiance/ex/husband, I'm tired from work, my voice isn't right tonight, etc. etc.”

Russ: “Boyfriend problems...money problems...."no shows"...being unhappy with the sound system, material, number of songs she sang or stage....the list goes on and on.”

Don M: “I've worked with several and they were mostly a pain in the butt. Had a couple who were really good, but there is always some sort of baggage.”

I forgot I went through most of the above myself. I really need to eat more brain food so I remember these horrific scenarios!

The common denominator with many of them was “they didn’t want to practice or learn songs...just sing what they knew and start making money!” Then there were the ones, like Fran said, who were anxious to get on the gravy train, but I would have had to spend the rest of my life training them about the business. Then they'd probably open up their own pizza joint and quit the business anyway!

The good singers were prima donna’s and the “not-so-good” were only useful as live poster boards to be sprayed with exotic perfume to stand on the stage looking like Geisha girls.

But Eddie came up with a great idea: “I found my last one by going to Karaoke venues and keeping and eye and ear out for one who would like to join me and who would bring added value to what I was doing.”

I think I might go that route for a while and see what I come up with.

My second choice, to get a female voice in the act, was to buy a sampler, have a lady friend I know with a legit voice, sing 2-3 second snippets of different parts of a song, record them into a sampler, and sing duets with myself. But that would involve split-second timing. I’d have to hit that sampler button exactly when I want her to “come in”....to the millisecond! Easier to keep any given thread in the SynthZone on topic!

There was a song a few years back, I can’t remember the title. But it had this message in it:

I’d like to fall in love, but I can’t afford the price. I’m sure you get my analogy!

Mark

Mark, I actually do sing duets with myself, as a gag. There is a preset on the vocal processor on the PA3X that instantly transforms my voice up an octave, and it sounds just like a girl. I can switch from my real voice to the girl and back with one push of a button, or assign it to a foot switch.
Sometimes I "introduce" my female singer guest artist for the night, and then sing "Crazy" (because that's the song EVERY girl that ever sat in with anybody wants to sing). It IS really funny. You'd have to be there. Or not.
I also use that setting when working with my friend Dean Mathis because we have to do his famous hit "I Like Bread and Butter".
DonM

Tony.......what's a contract?

Don,

I know you said you do "Crazy" as a “joke," but I’m wondering if the “female voice” done through the Helicon comes anywhere near close to a “passable” female voice. If so, that would save me the “discomfort” of trying to find a live vocalist.

What do you think? With the money I save, I can contribute to the Arranger Player's Retirement Fund.

Mark

No need to save for that. Most get shot on stage trying to play a jazz venue. Send that extra cash to the Starving Jazz Musicians Fund instead.



chas

LOL! As DonM says, that sort of thing is good for a laugh for a one-off number, but Mark, do yourself, and your audiences, a favour; please don't use that feature on a regular basis, it'll get real old real quick. I think that if I had to resort to that, I save the money and buy a gun myself.