I’ve really enjoyed watching videos of other community members singing and playing, and I always felt a little bad that my uploads were audio only, but my multi-track/multi-take approach to recording doesn’t lend itself to easy video recording.
I’m also pretty new to singing, and I had never tried singing and playing at the same time.
So… I spent a good chunk of time this summer learning some songs on the acoustic that I could sing along to with the objective of getting to the point where I could record some videos of me playing and singing to share here.
Here’s the first one I’ve completed - Norwegian Wood - mostly based on Justin’s tutorial, but I did change things around just a little bit.
Hopefully I’ll keep the momentum going and post more of these soon. Thanks for watching, all feedback is very welcome.
Installment number two: Ain’t No Sunshine When She’s Gone. I really wanted to learn this one because it’s one of my wife’s favorites. I can’t really do it justice, but I gave it my best effort!
Thoroughly enjoyed that, David. Keep working on this and it will just get better and better, largely in the feel. The thing I always struggle with is maintaing the rhythm and beat of the music and allowing the vocal to flow smoothly over the top, rather than the syllables fitting neatly to the rhythm of the music. Loved your improvised ending
I’m not a big fan of The Beatles (gasp!), but Norwegian Wood is one of my favorite songs. I also have it in my ‘repertoire’, but I come not even close to the stuff you do with the guitar! Great stuff. Really liking the sound of it.
I like the haunting feel you gave to the song. It plain works for me.
I like your hybrid picking. Again well done.
imho, your vocals were spot on.
Lastly, I enjoyed your embellishments. They work perfect into the song. Especially the ending. A good end to the song.
Can ya tell us about the gear in use for your version? Perhaps about your settings to get that haunting feel to your cover?
I see ya got two mics. Is that part of your secret?
You should be real happy with the way that turned out.
Lastly, I play this song too. Your version is better than mine I think. I don’t sing it though. Perhaps your version will inspire me to give the vocals a try too. See where that leads me.
More please…
ps
And I get that 100%.
That, keeps me from sharing more of what I do.
How’d ya end up working it out between the video and the audio?
I really enjoyed your version of a great Beatles song. I’m learning how to play this song, but only basic strumming and picking out the melody, so I liked how you are using a hybrid picking strumming method. I also like your improvised ending. Great job!!
That’s a huge struggle right now, just doesn’t feel natural… but it does feel better than it did when I first tried, so I’ll keep working on it!
That’s really funny, I used to say the exact same thing. Then the list of “exceptions” for Beatles songs that I really like got too long, and I finally just had to admit that I’m not a super-fan, but I do like them
I think it’s actually the “tuning” I’m using. Its hard to see in the video, but I have the capo on upside down, and its not barring the 6th string - so its sort of like playing in “Drop E” I can’t take credit for the idea, I learned it from a country tune (can’t remember which one just now), but I wanted to use it here to try and mimic the drone sound of the sitar from the original.
I recorded the video in Quicktime just using the built-in camera on my iMac and simultaneously recorded audio in Logic Pro. Then used DaVinci Resolve to combine the audio and video into one.
It’s actually just one mic. The guitar was recorded with an instrument cable, going through a Kemper set to simulate a Baldringer preamp and also with a little reverb and delay. The voice has EQ/compression/Reverb/Delay - the mic was also capturing bleed from the guitar, which ended up giving it an additional reverb effect.
Wow, that was really good, David! Great picking and you’re doing just fine with singing, too. Incredibly you only started this year with playing and singing at the same time. This in itself is a skill to get down and then tackling a tune like Norwegian Wood - much respect to you.
Sounds awesome Dave! I didn’t know this song (strange coming from a guy from Merseyside ) but great job on the guitar and on the vocals (some very tricky intervals to sing in the verse)
Super guitar play there David. Your strum/pick style worked really well.
You’ve got a good voice but the flow of the song would be improved by not fitting the vocal syllables into the beat of the rhythm.
Well done.
Thanks, Gordon. I appreciate the feedback. I do find it difficult to have my voice follow a different rhythm from what my hands are doing with the guitar, but I’ll keep working on it.
I can’t take credit for the idea, I learned it from a country tune (can’t remember which one just now), but I wanted to use it here to try and mimic the drone sound of the sitar from the original.
) but great job on the guitar and on the vocals (some very tricky intervals to sing in the verse)