onewilyfool Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 Today's gig.....was "interesting"......lol.....Six moms sat in front of me, ALL talking about shoe shopping and their kids AT THE SAME TIME......lol. I thought I was sitting in the audience of a taping of the show "The View". I have never heard so much cackling in my life......lol.....HOWEVER, I just played, and treated it as a practice session. I must say, each time I go out and do this, I learn something new....Today it was this, because of all the "noise", I was straining my voice. I have learned a couple of things in the last years, I can no longer sing in the key I used to sing at when I was 20....lol. AND, when I strain my voice, that the key I usually sing in, is too high when I'm doing these gigs. I tend to NOT like using a capo, but I'm going to have to break down and bring it along. Also, part of my prep work in learning songs will be to experiment more with the capo to find a key where I don't strain my voice. Any advice by guys and gals in the forum about this voice strain phenomenon, and using a capo, and finding the right key, will be GREATLY appreciated. For example, I tried to find a key where I could sing the song, "Ain't no Sunshine when she's gone" and after moving the capo up to the 7th fret, I just couldn't find a range where my voice felt comfortable......lol.....of course this points to "limited vocal range", but still......lol....anyway, that's what happened, and I'm sticking to my story. I was SURE that no one heard a note of what I played, or a word of what I sang, but when the brood was leaving, the "alpha hen" came over and said, I really enjoyed your playing????? I was stunned.....lol.....you just never know.....lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ol fred Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 Through the years I've learned that women as a rule have remarkable hearing and process numerous auditory inputs and retain a great deal most of that input. The learning process was at time a bit painful for me. I don't even mumble to myself anymore. I'm sure that you'll find your voice, if you think you lost it. Your last vid looked and sounded great! Kinda remind me of "The Voice" Vern Gosdin. Practice in front of a "relaxed" audience is cool, if they don't hear you...Their loss. The ones that do will come back to see you again, and again. They will hear an improvement and not even notice it, as you grow more comfortable in front of that intimate audience your voice will find YOU. A capo is just a tool, lot's of "pros" use em. I do. Key: Have fun my friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larryp58 Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 A capo is a MUST HAVE piece of equipment in your musical arsenal! Not just to change the key to suit your voice, but to keep the same key and use different chord positions which sometimes make all the world of difference in the way a song sounds. For example, a song played in D, C, and G.(regular open chords) Now place the capo on the 2nd fret, strike a C chord configuration: there's your D chord with a more "enhanced" sound. With the capo on the 2nd fret still, hit an F and G configuration. there's your Open C and G. Here's a link to a capo chart that I printed out and keep in my guitar case. It's VERY handy! http://www.i-love-guitar.com/guitar-capo.html Also, if you remember, I mentioned that you might consider a small acoustic amp. This really does help you to keep your voice and not strain it. It's a lot easier to crank up a volume control knob than it is to sing loud! Keep on, keepin' on Wiley! (and don't forget that Zoom Q3hd next cafe gig!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onewilyfool Posted January 28, 2011 Author Share Posted January 28, 2011 A capo is a MUST HAVE piece of equipment in your musical arsenal! Not just to change the key to suit your voice, but to keep the same key and use different chord positions which sometimes make all the world of difference in the way a song sounds. For example, a song played in D, C, and G.(regular open chords) Now place the capo on the 2nd fret, strike a C chord configuration: there's your D chord with a more "enhanced" sound. With the capo on the 2nd fret still, hit an F and G configuration. there's your Open C and G. Here's a link to a capo chart that I printed out and keep in my guitar case. It's VERY handy! http://www.i-love-guitar.com/guitar-capo.html Also, if you remember, I mentioned that you might consider a small acoustic amp. This really does help you to keep your voice and not strain it. It's a lot easier to crank up a volume control knob than it is to sing loud! Keep on, keepin' on Wiley! (and don't forget that Zoom Q3hd next cafe gig!) Larry....thanks for those charts....I printed them out right away.....lol....Don't know if I'm ready for amp just yet.....it really magnifies the MISTAKES too.....lol.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vincentw Posted January 29, 2011 Share Posted January 29, 2011 two rules: practice makes perfect, and play shows as much as possible. pretty soon the latter takes care of the former. go! go! go! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrorod Posted January 29, 2011 Share Posted January 29, 2011 Larry....thanks for those charts....I printed them out right away.....lol....Don't know if I'm ready for amp just yet.....it really magnifies the MISTAKES too.....lol.... From what I heard, a small amp won,t hurt you a bit. ...Unless its heavy to carry and hurts your back . I can just picture your coffee shop gig...clucking hens and all.... And the Alpha Hen....Toooo Funny I have a buddy that does a trio in a local coffee shop. Or at least did..last season. Had similar stories...Too Funny! I have a small 2X8 Behringer combo Ultra acoustic ACH 900 With Instrument and Mic inputs That cost me maybe $225 that is pretty decent. NOT the ultimate for sure...but may save your voice and back...Jes Sayin'... RRod Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted January 29, 2011 Share Posted January 29, 2011 Sounds like you are having yerself some fun which is what in the end it is all about. I never cottoned much to capos - so just work out the stuff in whatever key works for the singer. I like having the whole board to play on and do love me those wide open cowboy chords. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stubee Posted January 29, 2011 Share Posted January 29, 2011 after moving the capo up to the 7th fret I use a capo--Shubb!--but don't like to move it that high in most songs. Capos are great if you are doing picking/arpeggios within the chord structure. Tough to transpose those quickly! The coffee shop gig does sound familiar. Glad you're having fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nodehopper Posted January 29, 2011 Share Posted January 29, 2011 Wily....you are very inspiring and you have my complete respect for going out and (devil be damned..I am gonna do it) just doing it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onewilyfool Posted January 29, 2011 Author Share Posted January 29, 2011 Wily....you are very inspiring and you have my complete respect for going out and (devil be damned..I am gonna do it) just doing it! Thanks Node and others for all the support!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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