IntellectualMusician.com

Let’s get one thing straight before I get loads of complaints. Singers ARE musicians. We do a very good job at being musicians. The title is a bit pedantic, but I am trying to make a point here. I think it is about time that those of you who are not singers, need to understand our “ways”. Yes I know some of us throw tantrums, lash expensive mic’s to the floor, kick speakers, and walk out of rehearsals in disgust-never to be seen again, or in the nearest bar drowning our sorrows and saluting Freddy Mecury, et al: “why can’t I sing like them?”.

The first thing you need to remember my friends-is that the singers ego ,I am afraid, is pretty big.In fact it is huge. But I am going to tell you why this is so, and how to deal, in fact ,help your singer friends make themselves work better at their ‘art’ for the sake of the band. Oh yes-in my 24 years in teaching and performing I have seen them all.I have witnessed the tantrums, and seen bands fall apart. Very good bands at that, splitting up because of  heads being the size of Jupiter! ALL musicians have big ego’s, but the singers have the biggest, and occasionally they need a very good rubbing (if you get my meaning!). To be honest-the ego is always going to be there, and not going to go away, so, you just have to deal with it.

One thing I object to though, to be fair to the singer/front-man, the rest of the band don’t seem to understand the voice. At least that has been my experience of it. I recently heard from a heavy rock singer in a band that because he had a gig in two days they were going to rehearse for 8 hours the following day, as they had missed rehearsals for the past two weeks!! He is only 18. When I spoke to him over the phone his voice was gruff and hoarse, and I knew he had been rehearsing hard that very day.I asked him if he had a sore throat, he said no,which I doubted very much. This scenario is typical of bands,and most bands today ,who seem to take their front-men/women for granted. I have time and time again had to put right singers voices who have been wrecked due to over-singing in rehearsal and at the gig. The only way to help a singer whose voice has been totally wrecked is initially complete rest of the vocal chords (no singing) and in extreme cases no speakingfor two weeks. I had to help one person receive immediate treatment at hospital,simply because they ignored my advice.His vocal chords bled, and he coughed up blood, because of constant screaming and singing too loudly.Without a sound knowledge of vocal technique and how to help the voice not only is the singers career ruined,but burnt out. He/she may never sing again.Not only that-bands split up (also because of the thought of going through auditions again, is horrifying), the bass guitarist happens to be good mates with the singer,and if the singer goes so does he. Half the band gone.You are now looking for two new band members-a singer and bassist, and they are as rare as rocking-horse dung! Not only that-they both wrote the songs.Familiar? Then it is time to get real guys. You can save your singer and your band and probably your future success by simply helping yourselves out simply by understanding the singer, and a good vocal technique.

THE EGO. “Your singing was rubbish last night…..” Not the best of all comments, but these things are said. If your singer was not on form at the gig it is probably due to a lot of things-probably over worked due to too much rehearsal by the band!More often than not these types of singers do not have or have had singing lessons, because they think they can sing already! To get lessons would mean they were imperfect in the first place,or not good, so lessons are a no no. This is the singers ego. Having worked up the crowd for an hour and a half and given loads of energy, then to be told the next day by a band member how rubbish you are is just totally bad news.Well ,maybe you did hear people say how bad they sound, and maybe the singer did lose their voice half way through, or was out of tune.Simply due to a lack of technique or a good knowledge of vocal health. Singers need to be told they sang ok. It’s part of the psychology of it all, it’s part of how it is in the way ‘the world works’ sort of thing ,and they have to be encouraged, no matter how much it may hurt the rest of the band members. No singer.No band.You also have to remember that the voice is a very personal thing.You sing from your soul,it comes directly from you,from your own self, it is precious, and the hard work putting the energy in to “rip your soul out” at each gig takes a lot of doing. You are bare to the whole world, and you are judged by it. If your singer sings badly on the night of a gig  it may be due to personal reasons, ie: relationship problems, health problems, family problems,bereavement.Whatever the emotional frenzy, it can and will effect the voice, simply because your voice is so personal and physically demanding than any other instrument.If then,your singer feels he is in charge of the band, and your ego’s are hurt, well, tough ,he probably is in charge!! Especially when out front doing the gig. The gig is a huge emotional roller-coaster, and you are on an adrenalin flow for the next few hours.You are on a high. Even over the next few days. This all builds up and becomes part of the singers ego.The singer wants to do the best,if not more, for the band and for everyone.Be careful next time when you rubbish your singer,think of the emotional element involved.

THE REHEARSAL. It amazes me,even now, how professional musicians and singers still do not know how to practice and rehearse their band.Even more so when it comes to singers.As I said earlier: a band who rehearses their singer for eight hours in one day is asking for pure trouble. Even a long rehearsal such as three hours is too much. As band members you use your instruments:bass,kit,guitar constantly-it is an extension of you and your body. You can practise for hours on end with your instrument no problem. However the voice is part of you. It is your flesh and blood,muscle, and needs to be cared for.If,say,the guitar was attached to you body in the form of blood and muscle, you would need to rest,because it is physically part of you, and like any physical exercise: you can over do it. You don’t over do exercise in the gym do you? Or stretch a workout longer than your body can take-do you?!A damaged voice through over work in practise results in sore throats,dryness,hoarseness,loss of singing voice,loss of speaking voice, and in a worse case scenario cysts or nodules on the vocal chords that can ruin the career of any singer for life. Once you have nodules/cysts, and depending how bad they are you may have to have surgery, and it can in some serious cases take up to two years for the chords to become healthy again! If you are lucky you will get your wonderful sound back, if not, then you may have to retire early, and such bad news at the age of 18 years!!.So many good voices go this way.Please guys ,think of your singer, especially if they are good for the band and you do not want to lose them. Stagger your rehearsal time. Do an hours set, then break. If possible practise without your singer.It makes for a tighter band, because you have to rehearse and listen to each other without the voice.Suggest your practise sessions are no more than two hours with your singer. The rest of the time can be made up amongst yourselves. Your singer could also learn to ‘mark’ their voice, and ‘warm-up’ before doing a gig,or a rehearsal with the band. Lots of singers (rock and pop etc) never ‘warm-up’ their voice.To go straight in cold on a big song can cause damage. Marking the voice is when you practise with the band and reduce the effort involved.I will be discussing the benefits of marking and warm-up in my ‘Rough Guide’. I suggest you get your singers to read and learn. Also guys do not constantly go over the same song 12 or 15 times in one practise.The singer is not capable of this,even if you think they sound ‘ok’.The damage will be felt the next day, and the singers ego will not let them say “oh my voice is sore” ,or feels bad today. Especially for fear of your looking for another singer, or for fear of the singer getting sacked.They would much prefer not to say anything.Big mistake is to over rehearse.Take your singer into consideration. Ask them do they want to rest.Make them do so anyway-after an hour.The band can practise themselves without them. You do not need the singer to continuously rehearse every song or every set over and over again.Believe me you will be reducing the tantrums big time, and the usual rehearsal walk-outs if a little bit of thought is put into the way the singer works, and how much you appreciate them. You will get a lot back in return.Including dedication and hard work.

THE GIG. On the day of a gig do not practise.If by the day of your gig have not sorted a decent practise of songs then it won’t make your performance any better, but what it will give you is the chance to relax and save that energy you will need later on. A full practise on the day is about as much use as a chocolate tea-pot! Serves no purpose,tires you all out, and makes for a rubbishy gig. By all means have a sound check, using mic’s etc. But don’t over do it, and certainly do notlet your singer over do it the night before. I am of course talking about the alcohol and other things that make a ‘good gig’. You work better just goin it straight, and the voice works better. Saving yourself after the gig is always a good idea.The voice reacts badly to alcohol,especially wines and beer-just clogs the throat up,and serves no purpose except to get rid of the nerves. No excuse really as nerves can be controlled with good yoga or tai-chi.Water is ideal for the voice, it keeps the throat clear, and some herbal teas such as lemon and ginger,the lemon clears the throat and the ginger is good for the stomach and digestion.I suggest it to all my students, and the feedback is very good.Worth a try.

IN GENERAL.Be that as it may, however, you will get singers who are just not good singers,but they look fantastic out front.These people may have to be told (recommend singing lessons,tactically!). However,to save face is the future ALWAYS audition your singer first, even if you do know them,or they are a friend of a good friend. A singer is for life, not for Christmas! Pick the best. Ask them if they have had singing lessons.Ask a professional singer to sit on the auditions with you, I am sure they would only be too glad to help, and give good advice,but only those with knowledge of singing technique.If your singer has not had lessons then suggest that they find a good teacher.Get your own singers to have lessons now, you will save a lot of heartache in the future,and probably save your band. Learn how the singers technique works. Find out about breathing,support,diaphragm,resonance. You will learn a lot,and it’s a great help when writing songs, and you need to put in breathing,or collaborate with your singer.Learn your singers vocal range, so they don’t strain themselves vocally ,and feel comfortable in the songs you pick,and that includes covers too. Have the keys right too. It is so important and makes such a difference when you realise that the key of a song in G major, feels and sounds so much better down a tone to F major, or up a tone into A.I know this will open a can of worms,but having managed bands myself,and taught front-guys/singers of all types I know what there is to know about singers. The world my profession is in happens to be classical and opera. I expect when I go for a rehearsal that the MD or conductor knows something about his singers and is able to show that he or she has learnt sufficient of the voice to be considerate in attitude and respect. It is then mutual, and the respect is given back in a wonderful performance. It is unusual to find a MD who knows nothing about singing-and singers in the classical/opera world.So why shouldn’t rock/pop/r&b,whatever genre, as musicians, extend the knowledge a bit further to learning about your singer, and the singing voice. Please guys-have a little more respect for each other,you will reap huge rewards, and you will keep your band intact. HAPPY GIGGING!!!

more articles by Edward Hatton

• The ‘Rough’ Guide To Singing (Part 2-Vocal Range)
• The ‘Rough’ Guide To Singing! (Part 1- Intro)