what are some good ways to better my voice, and get comfortable with the sound of it? what things have helped you?

I would like to play an open mic some night, some original instrumentals, and a cover, or two that would have some vocals.

how do you know if you have a bad voice? most people don't like the sound of their voice to begin with.

I'm talking like actually singing, not growling, or screaming.

Practice a lot with good loud monitors. The only thing that can make you get more used to hearing your voice is hearing it repeatedly, ideally in a live-type setting where youre playing and singing like you would be if you were playing a show. Recording is alright as a substitute for that kinda experience, but hearing your voice over headphones with a backing track isnt quite the same as hearing it loud through speakers while you try to play.

Recording is a good way of telling if you have a "good" voice however. Dont be too freaked out if things arent perfect right away -- it takes a while to learn how to play any instrument, and that's all your voice is in this context, another instrument youre learning to play.

Sing with others. Give yourself time. Practice.

Motor Boat Noise!!!

A good thing to do is put a peice of gum or a tic tack in front of bottom teeth. Doing this forces a reflex that opens up your wind pipe which in-turn forces you to sing better.

Make sure to concentrate on singing with your diaphram and not just your throat. You'll get more power.

I also second the practicing with good monitors in your practice space. Like you're on stage, with your whole setup. Do it as much as you can.

There also some books about proper singing technique you should be able to find in the local library. Even learning just a few of the tequniques will be helpful.

Whatever you do, don't try an imitate a singer's style in order to learn to sing better or something. Your voice obviously works differently, and you'll just make things harder and develop bad habits.

gideon wrote:A good thing to do is put a peice of gum or a tic tack in front of bottom teeth. Doing this forces a reflex that opens up your wind pipe which in-turn forces you to sing better.

really? I will have to try this. In the bottom lip?

Sing everywhere, car, shower, anytime you're alone.
I have always sung everywhere anytime I am alone and it is difficult for me to not do it! It makes you get used to your voice, especially more reverberant spaces like a bathroom.

Do karaoke; it is a great way to practice being in front of people singing. It is ok if you mess up because they are drunk and you don't know them!

Do the open mic thing. Also, see if you have any friends who like to hang out in the evenings and have beers and pass acoustic guitar around singing songs to each other. Maybe that is something that mostly just girls do, but whatever, do it anyway.

Ask a friend band if you could collaborate on a song with them and guest-sing on a song at a low key show.

You will know if you are a good singer if people are always saying you are a good singer or asking you to start bands with them. Don't worry, they will start doing this no matter what your voice is like as long as you are singing your own style in a confident way.

Frank Decent wrote:Whatever you do, don't try an imitate a singer's style in order to learn to sing better or something.

This is why we have thirty bands with singers sounding like Layne Staley.

I don't believe there is such a thing as a 'bad' voice. That's like saying there is a 'bad' color. What there is, is bad pitch. Record yourself singing in a situation where you are monitoring your voice in a way that is comfortable. How off are you? If you can't tell hearing it played back, you're either really close or you have bad pitch.

I hear pitch pretty well, except for when I'm singing. It is a constant battle, and every time I get a little better I think I can count on my new 'skills'. Not true, if you're not born with awesome pitch, you have to be at practice with it. Do covers. Slow them down a lot and focus on pitching every note just right. Then try the cover again with a capo on the second fret. After you feel like you found the key center, try it capo on the fourth fret, you're either singing a lot louder or you had to jump down an octave. Either way, you're listening.

Sit at a piano, hit a note for a few beats, right after it's done ringing, try and sing it. Keep doing different notes.

Take small breaths, not big. Hold the air in at the bottom of your gut expanding your rib cage outward. Release the air in a steady squeeze coming from your ab region. Try taking a smallish breath and see how long you can sing the note. If you're holding your air right it will be surprisingly long.

These are some of my tricks. I am not a good singer but sometimes I can sing good. I have gotten compliments on my skills, when I know how awful I can be, it's just being on top of your game. I've also made my band-mates cringe from the control room when I lay down a stinker of a vocal track and slowly found my way to a solid take. The voice is tricky, you gotta pay attention and practice.

If you completely slather it in chorus, distortion and echo you don't need to have a good voice. You don't even have to write words.