Yep...reverb, echo, and chorus is what it sounds like in the tails in the top video.

So, the secret, if there is one, to getting good vocals......

I would say that most people treat their vocals as "also ran".... yeah, the song needs a vocal and one take and we're done, maybe two. The only time they sing is when they have a track to record. Heck, we all do this to some degree. The only time I really spent several hours a day practicing singing and playing guitar was when I was a full time musician for a living. Life intrudes on those of us who have to work 8 to 10 hrs a day. If you have the time to sing a few hrs a day, you will notice a change in your voice. Kinda like exercising.... you see results when you do it right and for long enough.

Real singers, the pros, the ones who sound good, are the folks who also study singing. And in particular, their singing. They rehearse and practice singing. They treat it like it's an instrument, which it is. They work in their studios on not only the vocal itself..... tone, inflection, phrasing, projection, strength, characteristics, qualities, but on the actual process of recording. How much reverb makes the vox sound good and how much is too much? Echo? Chorus? And the big ones, EQ & Compression.

For those who are curious and want to sing better vocals, I would recommend getting Melodyne.... not because it can fix stuff but because you can SEE stuff. Most folks don't realize the bad habits they have in their vocals until either a vocal coach points it out or they can look at a Melodyne blob and see it for themselves. Using this ME method helped make me aware of several bad habits I had and was subsequently then, able to fix. If you're pulling a note or holding back.... you can see it on the screen.

The key to getting good with anything whether it's playing guitar, piano, or singing, is to practice perfectly. Lots of people practice, but if you're practicing mistakes, you will make those mistakes perfectly every time.

So.... set up a mic, set down.... no, actually, standup, fire up the DAW and work on just singing with no background instruments. The goal is to learn how to make it sound full and present.

Vocal quality, or what you think you sound like doesn't matter. Unless you are in the very small percentage of people who actually can not carry a tune and honestly sound like a croaking bullfrog trying to court the frog on the next lily pad....... you can learn to sing decently. There are a number of professional singers whose voices are questionable at best, but they are out there singing for a living.

Just do it.


You can find my music at:
www.herbhartley.com
Add nothing that adds nothing to the music.
You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both.

The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.