20 tips for tightening up your harmony vocals.
Video of a country-rock band playing in a small club flickers in
my voice studio. One of my students is the lead singer, and she
projects surprisingly well over the noise of the bar. The fiddler
sounds a bit screechy, and the bass player looks bored, but the
crowd claps enthusiastically between numbers.
Then the guitarist takes a turn singing lead while the rest of
the group attempts a three-part harmony backup. I see lots of
mouths moving, but it takes a while for the soundman to catch up.
When he does, they sound like a different band — nervous and
uncoordinated, with muffled lyrics and an unfocused sound. I
scribble notes for our next coaching session, sympathetic to the
problems faced by instrumentalists who want to sing but are having
trouble getting their harmonies to sound as good as they'd
like.
GENESIS
The most crucial skill for band vocals is the ability to sing in
tune. Staying on pitch doesn't come naturally to everyone, but in a
group performance it is ultimately more important than the quality
of your voice. From Take 6 to the Jackson Five, group vocals sung
brilliantly in tune are guaranteed to please.
During early rehearsals, turn down the monitors and lay off the
drums to let everyone hear all the voices. Determine the pitch cues
needed in each section of the song and which instruments are
highlighted each time, so that every singer knows where to listen
for his or her note.
Even experienced instrumental musicians might sing easily in a
solo or unison setting but stumble on a harmony line. So be
realistic as you work out multiple parts. If one band member can't
hold on to a harmony, give him or her a turn singing lead or find
places where the melody can be doubled effectively. And if someone
consistently has trouble singing on key, offer that person an
alternative showcase, such as introducing the songs or band
members.
For those who can hit their notes pretty well but then have
trouble sustaining them, the problem is usually one of breath
support. Good breathing depends on good posture — the
second-biggest problem for the untrained singer.
SPINAL TAP
Have you ever rehearsed in a mirrored studio or seen your band
on video? Most instrumental players tend to slump forward around
their axe or lean intently over their keyboard. (Drummers might be
more conscious of posture than the rest of us, because they reach
for toys in every direction.) Unfortunately, a body position that's
tolerable for playing your main instrument can restrict your
breathing, misalign your neck, and set you up for a wimpy, rough,
or easily strained singing voice. You're playing two instruments
now, and a compromise is required.
To give yourself more breathing space, you need to sit or stand
tall and aim for an open feeling in your chest and upper back. A
physical therapist I know offers this quick posture rule: Keep your
ears, shoulders, and hips in a straight vertical line. This might
mean shortening your guitar strap, changing the height of your
keyboard, or otherwise adjusting the standard setup to support your
vocal performance. The goal is to have a long neck, relaxed
shoulders, and as much freedom around your rib cage and midsection
as possible (see Figs. 1 and 2).
Another problem for multitasking singer-musicians is microphone
placement. If the mic is at the wrong height or too far away,
you'll end up hunching forward or straining to reach it, which also
puts your voice mechanism in an awkward position. Headset mics
solve this problem very well but tend to be more expensive than
other types, and wireless models can be a hassle for group use.
The next-best solution is to always use a boom stand, so the mic
can be placed close to your mouth without interfering with the
instrument you play. First get into position to play and sing, then
have someone else position your vocal mic (see Fig. 3);
after a while you'll get used to the visual and physical
coordination required. All this preparation will pay off in a
better sound and a healthier voice.
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.
