All Together Now

Mar 13, 2008 2:47 PM, By Joanna Cazden

           

20 TIPS FOR TIGHTENING UP YOUR HARMONY VOCALS

Bone Thugs 'N' Harmony

Now that you've got everything set up, it's time to rehearse some real music. The vocal arrangement depends on the musical style. Close harmonies in a high register work well for bluegrass or the Bee Gees; staggered rhythms, open voicings, and complex harmonies are great for gospel, doo-wop, and R&B; and minimal vibrato and open fifths or octave doublings are best for spacey or avant-garde effects.

If the band members aren't sure who should sing what part, use the relative pitch levels of your speaking voices as a rough guide, or choose the lines that seem easiest for each member to hear. (For instance, a bass player might have the quickest ear for singing roots and fifths.) Don't be afraid to mix up the parts — say, using a female voice in the middle of the stack, and putting a male voice on top — if it feels comfortable and sounds good.

It's important, though, to respect the built-in limitations of each person's voice (see “At Home in Your Range” in the Jam supplement section of the February 1999 issue of Electronic Musician). If a note that you really want someone to hit is at the rock bottom or screaming top of his or her vocal range, trade parts for a better fit. Or consider transposing the whole song so that no members have to strain their voices gig after gig.

Spend some serious practice time nailing down your vocals. And don't just listen for pitch. Learn to match one another's vowels, phrasings, and even vibrato. Pay attention to the ends of words, where consonants can get sloppy. Try a variety of textures, using backup vocals to emphasize the most important or emotional lyrics without being completely predictable.

Keep the amps turned down during these “sectional” rehearsals so that you can get the parts in tune and the timings clean without shredding everyone's vocal cords. Run the vocals a cappella once in a while to increase your focus. You might even find one or two spots in your performance set to showcase some a cappella vocals for a truly dramatic effect. (Think of “Carry On” by Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young.) If possible, invite a friend with some choral experience to give you feedback and rehearsal tips.

When the band cranks back up to full strength, stay coordinated by watching one another as you sing. Visual cues are especially important when singing backup to an individual lead. There's a great scene in the film of Bob Dylan's “Rolling Thunder” tour, when singer Joan Baez harmonizes with the star. Her voice is smooth and controlled, while his is rough, thin, and idiosyncratic. But it's Dylan's gig, and as they share the center mic Baez looks sideways, carefully watching his mouth to match every nuance, every vowel. It's a great technique, especially when you're performing a live show and the band has little time to rehearse.

Muddy Waters

As you add more vocals, you may need to tweak the instrumental arrangements so the parts stay separated and clean. For instance, that great new high-ranging vocal trio might step on the keyboard player's favorite treble riff or need to be balanced by a stronger low end in the rhythm guitar.

In musical practice, beefing up the vocals can make a song shine — or it can turn the midrange to mud. So be ready to thin out the instrumentation as needed, and back off on distortion or other broadband effects to keep your new sound in balance.

Don't forget that if you belong to a musicians' union, singing while playing an instrument entitles you to be paid as a “double.”

N'Sync

Tighter pitch control, better breathing and mic positioning, and more skillful arrangements would all benefit the group whose video I critiqued. When I mentioned these points to my student, she doubted that the rest of the band would be interested. “They think that singing just comes naturally,” she said. “I'm the main vocalist, so they're cool that I take lessons. But they don't want to practice singing — they just want to play through stuff.”

Singing doesn't always come naturally, but it does usually feel more instinctive — more private somehow — than playing an instrument at arm's length. So if singing in harmony is a new and possibly nerve-wracking area of expression for the members of your band, give yourselves time to get used to it.

My student finally decided that mic placement would be a safe topic to raise with her bandmates, along with watching one another more closely during entrances and harmony choruses. Making a stronger effort to hear and see their fellow band members could lead them to further improvements in their vocal technique.

The singing or chanting of multiple voices has held an honored place since the earliest days of human history. A solo voice carries the power of the individual, but group singing carries the power of a tribe, giving people a strong sense of inspiration and belonging.

So if you want to try singing with your band, spend some time to make it right. Your efforts will be rewarded, and your audience will sing your praises — or at least they'll sing along.

Joanna Cazden is a singer-songwriter and voice specialist in Southern California. Visit her on the Web at www.voiceofyourlife.com.