Singing along with solos

[Bryan T]

I've noticed a lot of players like to sing along with their solos. Perhaps it is to show that the sounds coming from their hands are the same as the ideas in their mind. Or maybe they just like to sing. Anyhow, it happens.

What is driving me crazy is an album I borrowed where they mixed the 'singing' nearly as loud as the guitar playing. The real issue here is that the guitarist doesn't really sing in tune with his playing. It makes it nearly unlistenable for me. :jo

Bryan

[Wildwind]

Yeah, that would about ruin my day! But I agree that solos should be singable most of the time. I would not be inclined to record it that way, though. I do know a guy who did that routinely (live), a very good guitarist AND singer. He pulled it off in spades, but I'd never dare try it myself.

[Aaron Cheney]

I love it when Taj does that. Others, not so much.

ac

[H_V_C]

It's a great ear training exercise that I try and do as much as I can at home (and some times on stage) I find I play with less "muscle memory" when I do that, which I like, however I would never want that on a studio recording.

[daddyo]

George Benson does a great job of this and really is the hallmark of the style.

[axehunter]

Not that it's guitar, but you should check out Keith Jarrett on any of his improvisational jazz piano albums (eg: The Koln Concert); he sings his piano lines loudly (as well as stomping his feet, etc)....I think with Jarrett it's kinda cool, and a lot of jazz guys do it.

[kwaves99]

Not that it's guitar, but you should check out Keith Jarrett on any of his improvisational jazz piano albums (eg: The Koln Concert); he sings his piano lines loudly (as well as stomping his feet, etc)....I think with Jarrett it's kinda cool, and a lot of jazz guys do it.

i thought of jarrett also. However, Jarrett's vocalizing annoys the crap out of me!

[Scott Miller]

Some are just grunters. Glenn Gould and Mose Allison come to mind.

[musicofanatic5]

Keith Jarrett?!?! You call that singing?!?!?
Yes, solos should be singable, but you don't have to prove it. The astute listener will know, so SHUT UP AND PLAY YER GUITAR.

[Bryan T]

Here's an interview I found with Kurt Rosenwinkel. He sings a lot of his solos:

KR: It started as a natural thing, like lots of players do, as you said. But I'’d go into the studio and come away with the feeling that my sound had not been captured. For a long time I felt that I never got my sound on records. Then I realized that the vocal is actually part of the sound. I needed to discover that. So I began to be more conscious of it and bring it out more. I started using a microphone on gigs, really exploring it as a possibility. In the last several years I'’ve started to work with it in the studio. So it'’s very deliberate. It'’s miked in the studio and very carefully mixed, because it has to be at that point between conscious and subconscious.
AAJ: Do you work on your singing, or is it something that you just allow to develop, as your improvising on the guitar develops?
KR: Sometimes I try to exercise my voice a little bit if I know I'’m going to be singing. I might focus on my voice just a bit, to warm up. I don'’t know any singer-type warm-ups. I just try to sing more strongly and go from the bottom register of the guitar to the top, going chromatically.
AAJ: The most famous example of simultaneous playing and singing is George Benson, but he'’s coming more from a traditional scat-singing concept. Your style is very different, no?
KR: He'’s an actual vocalist, and I'’m not. With Benson there'’s actually two things going on, voice and guitar, both totally central. With me the vocal is more just a part of the guitar sound I'’m going for.

[axehunter]

Keith Jarrett?!?! You call that singing?!?!?


Hee hee....indeed!

[cram]

it's a great excercize for sure. but with anything to be performed, competence is rewarded. if it's good it's good and if it aint it aint!