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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 163
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Apprentice
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Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 22
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Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 22 |
Sandra, I've listened to your sample 4 times now. And it's so obvious that you can carry a tune, so that's good -- but don't fear that your voice lacks a certain "perfection" of sorts. You might just need to embrace the "Übung macht den Meister" concept when it comes to honing your voice, and the impression you want to make, vocal coach or not. I retrieved some youtube examples of female singers who you might want to listen to. (I hope this is okay with the rules & regs?) Karen Carpenter's lone-ish vocal for "Masquerade" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKy77tpT_doThe full album version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljWyIKyua8cFiona Apple, Extraordinary machine recorded https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T14ux2k7rk0Fiona singing it live: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsMZkCLxfkM&feature=relatedPhoebe Snow singing Harpo's Blues https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SESmndcKI0Janis Ian has a higher register than you, but this might be illustrative: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMUz2TNMvL0&feature=relatedBasia sings higher & lower, instructive vocals https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMmY70RPI24Tracy Chapman sings Fast Car live https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Orv_F2HV4gkNorah Jones' Cold Cold Heart, live https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g35zS1tVO3o... and Come Away with Me https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1V5Wk9gb4U These female singers may not represent your style, but hearing their takes on those tunes might offer something in the way of practice. Cheers, Christa
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 8,987
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Veteran
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 8,987 |
Sandra, you have a very unique voice (don't read great) and it might be best and easiest to capitalize on that uniqueness rather than to concentrate on a major voice make-over. I heard Janis Joplin (as well as Louis Armstrong) in your voice and they did passably well, commercially speaking.
I, too, sensed you "poop out" toward the end. Correcting that will only come with time and breath/diaphragm control. You always have your voice with you so sing constantly. You likely have music going through your mind constantly judging from your mastery of the guitar. Now just "voice" those mental melodies any time of day or night.
Breath/diaphragm control can be practiced by singing into a lighted candle. You can see cause and effect of various diaphragm controls. Great practice for any singer. Try different volumes without blowing out the candle. Also excellent for controlling plosives.
All the best to you.
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,061
Expert
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Expert
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,061 |
Sandra, I have a bit of a different take on your voice. I think it's great but for different reasons. I also think you have something that others have lost in their quest for recording contracts and all that pwerfection. It's hard to express but you have the soul that comes out in your singing.Very few ever have that.
Look back on the different groups like the Kinks and you find singers that wanted to create something new. There was a freshness in their voices that can't be found today.
Look at Janis Joplin's career. You can hear the pain in her songs, same with Joe Cocker,and 99% of the early rock & roll as well as the Blues singers of the Southern USA.
I would PAY to see you sing, but the plane tickets a bit of an issue.
My advice is let it all out, you have something to say, push your way to the front and say it. It's about you creating images with your voice that we all experience and you can voice those feeling for us, you have it, use it.
Do it, I would but I can't.
Wyndham
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 8,987
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 8,987 |
I have listened then re-listened. I think that I have identified that voice...Marlene Dietrich. She sang cabaret-style during the 1940s war years. That is something worthy of striving to attain.
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,913
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,913 |
Sandra,
As most have stated - sing away. Tune down 1/2 to a full step, it will make a world of difference particularly on those higher 'afternoon' phrase enders. Right now, you are straining to hit the last note on 'noon' - Ask your coach how to 'open up' on those notes - right now, I picture your chin extending and your head tipping back on that note. Try to practice keeping the chin in lower.
For the purpose of the couple of songs either live or on a CD, it will not bring down the quality - it will be something that will entertain and break up the monotony of a solid show of wordless gypsy jazz. I once got to hear John Jorgensn live, about 15 meters from the stage, and even though he is a master, it got to be quite boring after 4 or 5 songs. The singing and lyrics put an entirely different feeling into gypsy jazz. Make sure the lyrics tell a story. The history of popular music is ripe with examples of singers much much worse than your voice, but they were great storytellers. One could argue that nearly the whole of country music singers, with some rare exceptions, actually have terrible technique, but again they are great storytellers. Work on your facial expressions, gestures, interaction with the nearby audience members, etc. just as much as you work on what little is left for vocal technique. Your audience will love it. Most of all, have fun - that will shine through above all.
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 8,987
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 8,987 |
What Scott said! Develop your image. I tell about Streisand's nose job. That minor flaw was "Barbara" and gave her "character!" Don't polish ALL the rough edges.
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Anonymous
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You know, Don, I told her that very thing in a private message. Marlene Dietrich was SMOOOOOOKIN' hot in her time. The sultry, seductive kind of voice....
I think she sings just fine. All about picking music that suits the voice rather than trying to make a voice fit the music.
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 8,987
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 8,987 |
Eddie, GMTA! Great Minds Think Alike.
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Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.
ChatPG's knowledge base includes the full Band-in-a-Box User Manual and sales information from the website.
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Introducing XPro Styles PAK 11 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2026 and Higher!
XPro Styles PAK 11 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box® version 2026 (and higher) is here with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 31 RealTracks/RealDrums!
Guess who’s back again? That’s right! It’s our XPro Styles PAK’s triumphant return with the 11th edition in this series! 100 new styles are coming your way spread across the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres. And this edition's wildcard genre explores the immense and far-reaching catalogue of electronic music! The included 31 RealTracks and RealDrums can be used with any Band-in-a-Box® 2026 (and higher) package.
Special offers available until August 31st, 2026!
All the XPro Styles PAKs 1-11 are on sale for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of XPro Styles PAKs.
Video: XPro Styles PAK 11 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2026 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
Introducing Xtra Styles PAK 22 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2026 and Higher!
Xtra Styles PAK 22 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2026 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
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No Xtra Styles PAK is complete without the classic rock & pop, jazz, and country volumes you know and love, and we’ve got plenty to share, with 150 styles spread across too many genres to list! Of course, it also wouldn’t be complete with our special wildcard volume to add a little spice and pizzazz to the mix. This year, because we loved it so much the first time, we’ve decided to make the second iteration of our SynthMaster volume, full of new sounds, interesting genres, and 50 engaging styles, all making use of the diverse SynthMaster plugin! Here you can find genres such as airy yacht rock, sultry electrotango, and even some synth soca funk. Don’t wait, pickup up Xtra Styles PAK 22 today!
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Special offers available until August 31st, 2026!
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Video: Xtra Styles PAK 22 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 22 requires the 2026 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Introducing XPro Styles PAK 11 – Now Available for Mac Band-in-a-Box 2026 and Higher!
XPro Styles PAK 11 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box® version 2026 (and higher) is here with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 31 RealTracks/RealDrums!
Guess who’s back again? That’s right! It’s our XPro Styles PAK’s triumphant return with the 11th edition in this series! 100 new styles are coming your way spread across the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres. And this edition's wildcard genre explores the immense and far-reaching catalogue of electronic music! The included 31 RealTracks and RealDrums can be used with any Band-in-a-Box® 2026 (and higher) package.
Special offers available until August 31st, 2026!
All the XPro Styles PAKs 1-11 are on sale for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of XPro Styles PAKs.
Video: XPro Styles PAK 11 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2026 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
Introducing Xtra Styles PAK 22 – Now Available for Mac Band-in-a-Box 2026 and Higher!
Xtra Styles PAK 22 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2026 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
It’s time to celebrate! Xtra Styles PAK 22 for Band-in-a-Box® is here, and we've got 200 brand-new styles coming your way!
No Xtra Styles PAK is complete without the classic rock & pop, jazz, and country volumes you know and love, and we’ve got plenty to share, with 150 styles spread across too many genres to list! Of course, it also wouldn’t be complete with our special wildcard volume to add a little spice and pizzazz to the mix. This year, because we loved it so much the first time, we’ve decided to make the second iteration of our SynthMaster volume, full of new sounds, interesting genres, and 50 engaging styles, all making use of the diverse SynthMaster plugin! Here you can find genres such as airy yacht rock, sultry electrotango, and even some synth soca funk. Don’t wait, pickup up Xtra Styles PAK 22 today!
In this PAK you can find: dulcet folk ballads, funky gospel country, Brazilian jazz fusion, upbeat 1980s pop, classic Americana, a plethora of breezy bossa novas, indie singer-songwriter, scintillating synthwave, exuberant electronica, and many, many more!
Special offers available until August 31st, 2026!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1-22 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 22 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of the Xtra Styles PAK 22.
Video: Xtra Styles PAK 22 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 22 requires the 2026 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Peter Gannon Talks Band-in-a-Box with zplane
zplane recently interviewed Peter Gannon, the founder and creator of Band-in-a-Box, about the software's early days, what sets it apart from AI, how zplane's audio algorithms are used in Band-in-a-Box, and more!
Special thanks to the team at zplane for their continued support.
Check out the full interview here: https://products.zplane.de/blog/peter-gannon-interview-pg-music
Last Chance! The Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® Special Ends Today (May 31, 2026) at 11:59pm PDT!
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Another exciting new addition is the amazing new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. View the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to transcribe an entire track or transcribe specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.
There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, and much more!
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Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Special Offers Extended Until May 31st!
Good news- we've extended our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® special offers until May 31, 2026!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 is packed with major new features, enhancements, and an incredible lineup of new content! The program now sports a sleek, modern GUI redesign across the entire interface, including updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, a new dark mode option, and more. The brand-new side toolbar provides quicker access to key windows, while the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, creating a flexible, clutter-free workspace. We have an amazing new “AI-Notes” feature. This transcribes polyphonic audio into MIDI so you can view it in notation or play it back as MIDI. You can transcribe an entire track (all pitched instruments and drums) or focus on individual parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, and much more!
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