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Joe Bonamassa Forum → Joe's Guitars, Amps and Gear → Joe's singing excercises?
I've noticed Joe singing really well these last few years, and I was wondering what he does or what anybody would recommend doing everyday as vocal excercises? I want to make my singing better, but I don't really have money right now to hire a vocal coach.
Thanks,
Ryan
I remember Joe saying in an interview that he still take lessons.
I'd like to sing too but i'm less talented and have a weak voice. 
I match the notes but have not much power in my voice and some notes
are too high for me... Ok for some backings but no lead singing.
If you want to sing then sing whenever you can. In the car, under the shower,
and read about techniques. I heard its a lot about proper breathing and the
singing "from the stomach" and not pressing.
Maybe somebody who can sing chimes in. Im interested in that too.
Alex
I learned to "sing" from trying to match what I heard while in the car, ect. I didn't think I was worth a darn, but then I tried out for the campus singing competition here at Tech (Idol style) and got in the top 12 and everybody thought I did really good. Didn't win, but got a lot of praise. Now, at least I think I can sing good enough to do it public. lol There are some notes that are just too high for me, but I think the key is to find your range and stay in it while you're performing. Practice, but try to do it while practicing, not while on stage.
I read in Guitarist or Guitar Player that after losing weight Joe found it hard to sing as well.
Apparently the key is to sing from your stomach and not your vocal chords. They're just for slight changes as opposed to the whole note, because they don't have any strength.
I'm not a very good singer but I am trying hard. Best thing to do is just sing a lot.
The frontman in my band was just the rhythm guitarist for a while, we couldn't find a singer so he stepped up. Couldn't sing well at all at first, now, he's far better, not amazing, but way better than he was to start with. "Practice makes perfect" as they say.
I'm also trying to song - and my voice is really strong enough I think - BUT AT THE MOMENT I'm just singing for me, practising& learning. And as most guys here told, it's hard for mee to sing as high as e.g. Joe can, the highest I can barely reach is the "Blues-Deluxe-High".
And I love to sing the chorus of Takin The Hit!!!! Such a great thing... really rocks!
Thanks guys, I put together a little routine to do from different articles I've read, and I figure nothing can do me any harm as long as I don't strain my vocal chords or try to "force" notes out.
-Ryan
Here's a good exercise:
Grab a Folding Chair by the back legs, and hold it straight out in front of you. Arms straight out. Now sing while holding the chair like this. It helps to control your muscles, and to focus your voice.
Also, singing while laying flat on your back can help with this.
And remember, you can only really hold Vowels for long tones.
A E I O U
and
ahh eeh ih ooh eww
Can't sing the consonants. Try it!
For instance, R
"ahr"
You can hang on the lower case "a" part of "R". But, you can't hang on the rrrr part.
Notice how EVERY consonant will have a vowel-like sound inside it. And that's where you can stretch a note, to hold it a little longer.
P.S.
Found this on TGP:
http://www.speechlevelpodcast.com/
I think its important to set your levels right, Ive noticed alot of bands tend to shout alot to be heard above the mix.. Set your mic levels comfortably so you can sing at moderate volume and be heard without having to shout or sing loud to be heard. then use the distance to the mic as a volume control when your gonna go loud etc you move a little further away from the mic...
I'm no great singer but its just one of them things I've picked up on working with different people...
Personally I've found recording myself helps me see whats working and whats not working, If you like a song like blues deluxe but struggle singing it try taking it down or up a key (its a good way to find where you excel and what your limits are)
As for singing its self do it all the time you might look like a fool walking down the street singing but if you enjoy it who cares? also try stuff you wouldnt usually you might love rock and blues but theres some great jazz and country songs around.
^^Exactly. Joe does this very well. Notice a lot of the time his lips are on the mic. If he were singing really really loud while doing this it wouldn't sound great at all. But when he hits a big loud note he backs up.
Yeah, recording yourself is a great idea!
Listening back to it is vicious! 
But, still a great way to get better at singing or playing guitar. 
Also, singing through a mic allows you to hear yourself through the P.A. And this is also a great help.
Ive had a few people saying a wasnt bad at signing but if never been sure of myself.
I was thinking about going for siging lessons but didnt wanna turn up and make a fool of myself.
Are signing lessons expensive??
Thinking of going to at least hear from a professional singer if im any good or if i should be suppling ear plugs when i play rock band / guitar hero lol
Would love to sing in the style of Ronnie Van Zant.
AAHHH Jeff thats so funny
i have recorded the first part of Simple man on the accoustic and my girlfrind and me was listening to it.....
we have roar with laughter
but now it gets better and better you never belive
i try to post one tomorrow or this evening
but thats no garantie i still fight my self to do this .....looooool
Yeah, recording yourself is a great idea!
Listening back to it is vicious!
But, still a great way to get better at singing or playing guitar.
Also, singing through a mic allows you to hear yourself through the P.A. And this is also a great help.
sing along with scales on your guitar
first with ahhs, then o's, then hoos, then rolling r's on the tongue.
Then (without guitar) aahh the same note from very quiet to very loud, to very quiet again.
after that, go ooooh's at the lowest possible pitch you can muster and slowly get higher up to the highest pitch and and progress back down to the lowest again.
that's a great vocal warm up.
ok guy`s i have record a short part of Simple Man i dont Know the compleed song right now but i like that you judge my english and please say if the pronounce is right ? or does it sound silly in your american ears ???
that is a intrissting question ...lol
but please let me live
here is my little vid with singing ...llllloooolllll
AWWWWW .....im so Bad i know too .....No coment is a coment too
but what do you think where we can start again ?
i thought it would be cool if we Learn Compleed songs to perform
its just boring only play the guitar and allways there is that hole with you can build only a bridge if you give it a Melodie ....and make it short its Boring to play all the day licks and never have performed a song
please beat me up if you think that im not right , but what to do all Technics ,all sounds experiments without
listen to a Recording that you can realy listen to ?
i know im Far away from that but whats the trigger else?
greetz
exercise Geko
That was pretty good! Your guitar playing had a really nice, warm tone. And your singing is better than mine.
Yeah, keep it up! Now all you gotta do, is find a friend or two to get together and jam with. This will make it easier to play complete tunes. And it is also VERY IMPORTANT to your playing. It's the logical next step.
"G-Ko" huh? I was reading it as "ge-ko" all this time.
Seriously though, you sounded good. And I think you've been modest in describing your skills.
So, have you tried improvising on Simple Man yet? It would sound really cool, if you tried adding some Fills and short Phrases between vocal lines. Maybe over the 2 Bars of Am/Am7. There is a natural pause in the vocals in these spots. And it would help to "fill out" your solo performances.
Maybe try Am Pentatonic.
Talk to you soon!
G-ko...I was always pronouncing it like the lizard too!
Vocals sound pretty good, and the playing was good too. You have a nice tone to your voice, but I was waiting for you to let go and hit the big notes! Don't hold back, and keep on practicing the singing with the guitar playing. You are right, just guitar playing gets boring after a while, and you need the melody to go with it.
thanks Jeff & Ken that means a lot to me that you say its not senseless to go on and practice
you know that i only do it for fun but im thankfull for all conducive critic´s
you know that when you hear your self its very difficult to analyze blemish
i try to compleed the song and then i record a new vid.
it would be cool if others post there try´s also
thank´s mutcho
Geko
ps : Geko (Ge)org (Ko)slowsky = Geko but it was also ment the lizard 
but its up to you im ok with any pronunciation
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