My only real passion in life is music. I love to sing all the time and I love old music like Electric Light Orchestra, The Beatles, Aerosmith, and Guns N’ Roses. I’ll be heading off to college in about a year and while I’m expected to go the normal route and become a doctor teacher lawyer etc. I really want to be a singer in like a classic rock inspired band. My family has told me that my voice is about a 7 on a scale from 1 to 10. It’s on pitch and everything but nothing special. But if it’s something I feel in my heart and I’m so passionate about do you think with vocal training I could realistically make it a career or does a person really need amazing chops? Any opinions are appreciated because I’m from a small town where careers like that aren’t really supported and it’s kind of my secret. Thanks.
Sorry I don’t get what I want in life by demoralizing myself. And I love music. I don’t just want to be some rock star for the fame. I want to be a musican and sing in front of crowds for the love of performing music.
Luckily the genre you love is wide open to all kinds of vocals. So as long as you can stay on key and have at least some talent you can create music tailored to your voice and range and sound good.
Vocal lessons do help and I would advise you to take some. In a Rock band the singer is the ONLY person I suggest lessons too.
Key thing is customizing the music you do to your voice. Bon Scott would have never made it trying to sing Journey type songs for example. Yet with what AC/DC was doing he worked out quite well.
Forget the record labels. They are only interested in fads. Record companies want only the latest greatest fad so they can sign one hit wonders that make tons of money for the label but don’t get paid jack. The old record company model is collapsing fast and for the artists this is a really good thing. Remember even platinium selling artists don’t make a dime off record sales on their first contract. In fact the record companies send them a BILL. Most artists have to file bankruptcy at least once from bad record contracts. If you sign a record deal they own you, your name, your works and tell you exactly how they want you to sing and often force you to do covers you don’t want to do.
Instead stay indie. Lots of outlets and people LOVE classic Rock and are starving for new music in the genre. MySpace, Betarecords, and a thousand other such places are there to help get some recognition. Amazon.com and Itunes are your eventual commercial outlet. Make enough noise there you can get a distrabution deal which gets you on mainstream radio without having to sell your soul to the record company in a recording contract.
DO invest in a high end recording mic and a good stage mic. You can’t take cardiroids out on stage unless your rich enough to replace them every few gigs. They are too sensitive for live stuff anyway. Most bands expect the singer to take care of PA gear. That means your own mic stand, mixer (I recomend the Beheringer good as a Mackie but a tenth the price) amp and speakers. Build it a little at a time, the mics first, mixer, break out box (generally you don’t want to use the mixer as a break out box but combining the two to lower costs might be necessary. If so go with the Behringer model. It has performance no other brand will and at a very good price).
If you go too low end on the live mic you’ll get feedback that will drive you nuts.
If you want, send me a note, we can exchange email addies and I can give you my appraisal on your voice and ideas for what styles you might like. I am also looking for vocals on some tunes, might turn out we do some collabortive efforts.
Don’t drop out of college. Being a musician is an expensive proposition. Gear eats you out of house and home. So does promotional expenses. So the better a job you get for a day gig while your putting in your hours with a succession of failed bands to learn your craft the better you eat, the better gear you have and the better chances you have of making it long term in Music. College is also a great place to meet other musicians and form up into a band.
honey, just get breast implants, dress like a whore and give a little head to the right people in charge of the music industry, thats all it takes these days
There is no way we can tell you anything without hearing you sing.
You could always try out for American Idol and find out from Cowell.
Now let me give you a SERIOUS answer since I’m pretty sure that is what you were seeking. From one aspiring musician (for the same reasons) to another-I’ll tell you this.
Record a demo and send it into music labels and be VERY persistent. Also, create a Myspace Music page for bands and vocalists and find a way to upload your own singing to your page. Trust me, scouts look on Myspace for new artists ALL the time. That’s how a lot of people get discovered these days. It’s all about networking. Once you’re able to set up the page, just randomly message people and tell them you’re a new artist hoping to break into the music industry and if they like what they hear on your profile, you’d much appreciate it if they’d tell their friends.
In the mean time, don’t give up love! Continue with your college education (once you get there) and be persistent. If it’s meant to be, it’ll happen!
The best-kept secret? Almost all of the stars had/and have a vocal coach and a smart A&R guy will make you get one too if they’re interested.
True, some people do have "a gift", but like anything else (you mentioned becoming a doctor) you have to study with a teacher. See if you can be a vocal minor, or at least take some lessons. Don’t be afraid of Classical training. In spite of the myths, it IS the best training.