Originally Posted By: GHinCH
to enhance what Bob Norton says:

Tone is THE property to make YOU sound unique.

The better YOU are, the better the chance you might be copied.


(There are many sound-a-likes around, but they never came close to Elvis, Garth Brooks, Frank Sinatra... For some reason, some singers have a quality to outsing their copies on the long run.)


How true!

Back 'in the day' many wanted to sound like Elvis, and a few came close in tone. But they never quite got Elvis' expression. And those that finally came close came with too little and too late.

I suppose a number of people could cover the Dr. John gravel voice, but I doubt that they could copy his personal expression too.

The Knickerbockers released a song "Lies" that sounded quite a bit like The Beatles, and they did an excellent job at it as well, but they would never be as big as The Beatles.

Your voice is unique, and your expression should be the sum total of all who influenced you plus your own instincts all blended into something that comes out unique. You don't have to be a copy of someone else unless you want to be in a "Tribute Band".

Of course having a great voice helps, but it's the expression that counts. So don't sell yourself short by saying you have a bad voice.

Take at least fundamental vocal technique lessons, breath support, projection, pronunciation, etc. and then sing, sing, sing. Every day, out loud, holding nothing back. The muscles need to be toned.

I had days when I thought I could never be a singer. I started on easy songs and in time I got to be a very good singer. I'll never be an Elvis, Tom Jones or Sinatra, I don't have that fine of an instrument. But I am expressive, have good control of my voice, and the audience loves it.

Charlie Parker (a great, innovative sax player of the bebop days) had a drug problem (not recommended) and had his horn in pawn shops from time to time. He would play loaners, or el-cheapo horns to gig, and even played with a plastic sax. Nobody cared because out of the horn came Charlie Parker's expression.

Just remember, voice is an instrument and it requires learning the fundamentals and practice to get decent.

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Bob "Notes" Norton smile Norton Music
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