Neumann U87 Microphone: Studio Classic

All top notch and well known recording studio's use the Neumann U87 studio condenser microphone. The high quality microphone has been used in most of the classic songs ever recorded, from all genres of music. Since 1967 the Neumann U87 microphone has become an industry standard for all recording studios, films, public broadcasting and television studios.

The unique design and characteristics of the condenser microphone, make it the preferred choice of recording equipment.

The Neumann U87 condenser microphone is designed with three polar patterns, omni directional, cardioid, and figure-8, which gives the microphone its unique tone and recording versatility. 

The microphone has a A 10 dB attenuation switch that is located at the back, and can also handle sound pressure levels up to 127 dB without distortion.

With its unique design quality and polar patterns, the microphone  can be used for many applications in studio and broadcasting. The ability to change polar patterns and microphone angles, gives producers a wide range of sound recording options, since frequencies and be recorded at different angles, levels, and with clarity. 

Its used widely as a instrument recording microphone, but also a vocal mic, since it has flexibility and sensitivity in the  dynamics of its omni directional reception.

The microphone has the ability to be used close to its sound source, and maintain crystal clear clarity in its reception of frequencies. 

The response frequency of the cardioid and figure-8 directional characteristics are very flat for direct frontal sound reception. 

The Neumann U87 Ai condenser microphone is a one of a kind industry standard for quality recording and broadcasting. 

Microphones are the key part of any recording process, Shure microphones are the next best microphone on the market after the Neumann U87 microphone. Like all products available, you pay for the quality, if you are recording with a $49 dollar mic, you will not have a great recorded sound. If you record with a $350 microphone you will notice the difference in sound. 


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By George Luker (C) Copyright 2011 Krule Music

Tascam DR-05: Handheld Portable Recorder

Do you ever have a great idea for a song, like a melody, or guitar riff, and its in your head.? You want to record it, but your not near a studio, or takes too much time to go into your home studio, turn on the computer, set mics etc. You don't want to lose that idea, but it takes too much time just to record something real quick, before you forget it. This happens all the time to many musicians.

Mobile Recording Solution for Guitarists: Tascam DR-05
There is a solution to this problem, the Tascam DR-05 the most innovative mobile recording device on the market today. A Solid State recorder that lets you record in MP3 or WAV format to microSD or microSDHC media.

Tascam DR-05 Solid State Recorder

Simple and easy to use push button and menu, lets you record you're guitar parts or vocals on the spot within a minute.  Its as easy as plug in your guitar, turn it on, press record. That's it. The Tascam DR-05 is a handheld portable recorder, the perfect recording solution for musicians. Its battery operated, uses two AA batteries.

The fact that it is so small, it can go in your guitar case or nap sac is just simply amazing and brilliant. The cost of the unit is so affordable, versus what the handheld portable recorder can do, its just mind blowing.  A guitarist can record his parts in WAV format anywhere and then send it in a file to anyone or upload to a computer that has the actual recording software like Pro-Tools, Sonar and so on.  Do you see the true potential this handheld recorder has?

Benefits of a Mobile Handheld Recorder:

• Quick set-up and recording on the spot.
• Easy menu navigation.
• Record guitar parts or vocals in WAV or MP3 formats.
• Directly record to microSD or microSDHC media. 
• Record complete tracks anywhere. 
• Songwriting tool for guitarists and vocalists. 
• Built-in Chromatic Tuner.
• Variable Speed Audition (Slow down music without changing the pitch.)
• Level Align Function
• Built-in Speaker
• Battery Operated
• Compact Size 4.8 x 2.6 x 7.5 inches 
• Lightweight under 3 pounds. 

The Tascam DR-05 has a great feature, such as the variable speed audition, which lets you slow down the track, without changing the pitch. This is a great songwriting tool for guitarists to write and record lead guitar parts. Another benefit of the variable speed is the ability to transcribe music for tabs.

A handheld portable recorder is a must have for all musicians, the benefits to a guitarist are endless. No more lost songs or melodies, decrease studio time, write and record your guitar parts anywhere.

Do you have a Tascam DR-05 in your guitar case?

By George Luker (C) 2011 Copyright Krule Music

How to Build a Successful Singing Career

Are you a young hopeful singer looking to make your mark in the music business?

Whether you are a solo singer/songwriter , rehearsing your first band, singing karaoke, or just wondering about how to get it all going here is some advice that you might find useful.

Let's start with the central issue. How good you sound is much more important than how good you look. This will sound like crazy talk to some but it's essentially true. Singing is an aural art form and your success as an artist will rest mostly on how well you communicate with your listener. The best visual presentation in the business will not help you if you sound like crap. Or put another way, a blind person will not think you are a great singer no matter how well you are dressed!

Many wonderful singers started out with only the very basics of a good singing voice, perhaps just the raw ability to sing confidently and more or less in tune. Along the way they learned to bring out the best in their voice and to create a kind of vocal charisma, a unique musical identity that is instantly recognizable to the listener.

Firstly, don't think of yourself as a singer. Think of yourself as a MUSICIAN. The human voice is merely an instrument like many others and it takes dedication and skill to use it effectively. If you want the kind of voice that will stop traffic, the kind of vocal range that lets you sing in almost any key, the sort of voice that most people would die for then you have to build it yourself. Lots of raw talent is not enough in most cases and it can sometimes be a disadvantage.

Why? Because it can make you a complacent low achiever and lead you to believe that the world revolves around you and the greatness you are destined to enjoy if only the world would listen. A great natural singing voice is one thing but it's what you DO with it that counts.

As a singer you must develop your musical judgment. You will need to make good musical decisions every time you open your mouth to sing. Deciding how to sing a phrase, whether to build up a particular section or to lay back your timing into the bridge or if you should sing out the end chorus an octave higher with lots of licks all takes musical taste and judgment that nobody is born with. If you think of yourself as a musician first then you will be able to recognize these judgment skills in other musicians and be able to learn from them.

Singers should always be looking to push themselves. Expand your horizons by learning other instruments like guitar and keyboards or bass, drums or saxophone. The mere act of learning to play a bit on another instrument will teach you much about singing. It will also help immensely with your songwriting, but that is another rave.

Expand your horizons in other musical directions. If you sing hip hop then try singing a bit of country or jazz. Force yourself out of your comfort zone into areas you know nothing about. Throw yourself into the deep end of the pool until you feel the water flow over your head! Most musical styles borrow on the same vocal techniques but differ in how they are applied. For example, listening to how Michael Buble sings can give you an insight into phrasing and how to create tension and release in a vocal performance. Your understanding of this can be applied to almost any contemporary musical style you wish.

Don't fall for the old lazy argument that you are an original artist and you don't want to dilute your 'sound' with outside influences. The truth is that influences are what make you the singer you are and the great singer you will become. You must absorb all the information you can, pick as many brains as you can find, listen to the old players and try to figure out how they did what they did. If you have a favorite singer then learn everything you can from that person and then move on. Do not try to sound like them even if you can. You must learn to move beyond mere copying and into forming your own sound.
Above all, make this journey your passion. Leave no stone unturned in your quest to be a better musician and a great singer.

So, should you rush out and get singing lessons I hear you ask...
Initially no. What you should be doing is hanging out with other musicians, preferably better ones than you. Don't spend all your time with friends who are hacks with no intentions of doing anything meaningful with their music after the school holidays. This can be difficult if you have strong relationships with people you enjoy making music with but it is a necessary step in your musical education and growth. You must find great players to learn from. Most accomplished musicians actually enjoy mentoring young hopefuls with ability and drive. Finding some good players to learn from is the single most important thing you will ever do for your musical career.

Then, when you are ready, look to improve your vocal technique with some singing lessons. We can always use better technique but remember this. Vocal technique is important but it is a relatively small part of becoming a great singer. Most singing teachers teach similar techniques. They can correct technical problems and get you to sing exercises that help expand your range, improve your vocal control and agility which ultimately helps increase your confidence to sing. In an ideal world you will be able to find an excellent singing teacher right around the corner from where you live and you will be able to easily afford the lessons. This, unfortunately is not always the case.

Finding a singing teacher can be a difficult and time consuming problem. Don't forget that you are the one who decides if that teacher is right for you. It's important to have a rapport with that teacher. They need to be someone you can learn more from than just technique. Remember that 'musical judgment' I mentioned earlier? Find a singing teacher who can not only guide your vocal technique but can give you some insights into improving your musicianship, some advice in making those musical decisions.
Remember to be humble and realize that singing is an art that you can master with patience and great guidance. It's critical that this process brings out your own unique voice, not what your singing teacher wants, but the voice that you have inside of you.

If you cannot find a good singing teacher then consider doing an online singing course. Online singing lessons are more abundant now and there are a some good ones and some poor ones. Just steer clear of things like singing review sites - they usually recommend only the products they get commission for selling and are not to be trusted.

Above all, set your sights high but your expectations low. You must strive always to be better and not be afraid of change. Test yourself with new challenges and concepts, meet lots of like minded people and don't waste time. It's a precious thing that you cant recover and your willingness to set goals and achieve them will help create that singing career that you desire.

Michael Oliphant is a singer, keyboard player, studio engineer and producer based in Melbourne Australia. He is a co-founder of Explore Your Voice Online Singing Lessons, host of The Explore Your Voice Show Podcast and sings with the innovative Australian band Late For Breakfast.

How to Sing in Key

Have you ever told anyone you're tone deaf-or incapable of carrying a tune? Its usually the surest way of getting out of singing for someone, but is there such a thing as "tone deafness"? I doubt it. How can someone be born with the ability to hear, but not comprehend music?

In ten years of teaching voice I haven't been able to place a single person in that category, and yet here in Australia most people have serious inhibitions about their singing capabilities.Like many singing instructors, my own experience involves training people to hear themselves, hear music and to gain control over their instrument. I think with proper guidance, and the right encouragement, people can learn just about anything.

I would not have taken on students with serious difficulties in pitching their voice if I didn't begin with a simple premise: Most of the world's people sing. Music making and singing is common to most religions and indigenous cultures for example.These environments provide a supportive musical education for most children, who grow up regarding singing as natural a skill as speaking.

Having said that, there will always be people with strengths or talents in some areas and not in others. Being able to draw something in perspective does not necessarily make you an artist, just as learning how to sing in key doesn't necessarily make you a great singer, but its a very important start.

A common singing problem is simply not listening to yourself.

Put on one of your favorite songs and then ask your self ; how many voices are singing at any one time? What, if any are the different harmony lines? How many instruments can you hear? Can you separate them out? Can you really hear the bass line?

Tap out its rhythm and sing it in the comfortable part of your vocal range. You may be singing along to songs and either drowning out your voice by the sheer volume of the music, or ignoring your voice by focussing entirely on the lead vocal or the music in general.We've all heard people sing out of tune while listening to music through headphones. They're out of key primarily because they cant hear their own voice.

There are other classic reasons why people sing out of key.

Most music today is sung in high vocal ranges, for anyone with a low vocal range, especially most men, this is confusing. We all have a natural range of about 8-12 notes where it feels relatively easy to sing. Men's voices usually sit an octave (eight notes) below women's. Once you relax and get comfortable with that you will recognize that not all songs were meant for your voice, at least not in the original key that demands you strain out of tune to reach the melody.

Once you're comfortable with your natural range which tends to be in the speaking or "chest" register of your voice, you can start to expand your range to sing higher in what we call our head register. In the chest register the sound reverberates from the air in your chest and mouth. It also resonates from your throat where we often speak. Singing and speaking from the back of the throat strains the vocal chords which is why learning to sing or developing a professional speaking voice involves projecting the sound forward.

In our head register the sound reverberates around our sinus cavities, that is our nose, nasal passages and forehead. Children sing and speak naturally in this area. Unless you've never stopped, you'll have to rediscover this voice to properly extend your range,stop straining your vocal chords and singing out of key.

The best way to overcome difficulties with singing in key is to get singing lessons.

We dont all have the time or money to pay a full time professional singing teacher. For some people it can also be an intimidating process to sing in front of a complete stranger. Now there is another way to take singing lessons.

You can learn how to sing in the comfort of your own home with your pc on the internet. I have created Explore Your Voice especially for people who feel they need to take their time and get a feel for singing lessons. It's based on over 10 years as a professional vocal instructor and I use some highly effective and innovative methods to bring out your own unique voice.

Kate Slaney - exploreyourvoice.com

Free Tips For a Better Singing Voice

Surely, anyone can sing! Some people may posses a natural singing ability, but it doesn't mean to say that those people who aren't gifted with such talent would just leave their aspirations and dreams behind. And so, whether you're singing for fun or you hope to be recognized as an exceptional singer someday, it is crucial that you start your road to success today.

The points that follow are some of the best tips for a better singing voice. If you study and put into practice all these major keys, it would definitely be much easier for you to learn the art of singing.

Firstly, you need to discover the tonal texture of your voice. Remember, a male's timbre is different with that of females. Here's an overview of different tonal quality:

Male's tonal texture: Tenor - Has high-register male voice. Baritone - Has medium or average-register male voice. Bass - Has low-register male voice.

Female's tonal voice: Coloratura Soprano - Able to sing rapid runs, trills and definitely the highest voice of the Soprano family. Dramatic Soprano - Has a dramatic, heavy voice texture that is ideal for songs expressing intense emotions. Lyric Soprano - Characterized by beauty of tone and sweet melody. Soprano - Has high-register female tonal voice. Mezzo Soprano - Has medium or average tonal voice. Alto - Has low-register female voice.

Upon discovering your tonal texture, the next thing you need to learn are the two processes involved in breathing, which is deemed salient for a better singing voice.

* Inhalation - The process of taking in air. When you sing, observe the diaphragmatic action as the diaphragm contracts and the ribs lift up outwardly allowing the lungs to expand.

* Exhalation - The process of giving off air. When you sing, try to put one of your palms near the diaphragm. Feel your ribs move downward as it gently squeezes the air out of your lungs for better voice production.

There you have it, the two most important factors to consider for a better singing voice. There is still a lot of it, but these two aspects are considered the basic yet most powerful voice method of all.

If you want to learn how to sing, you should take a look through the impressive range of free tutorials on my site -I'll also show you an incredible learning system which will take you from beginner to professional level singing skills, from the comfort of your home. It really is possible to learn without a face-to-face teacher. Click here to go there now.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sophia_Perz

Improve Your Rockstar Voice With These 7 Singing Tips

If you're a beginner, intermediate, or hobby vocalist that wants to improve your voice, check out these 7 simple tips. You'll be swooning the crowd in no time.
Learning to sing is a difficult task if you don't know the proper way to go about practicing and performing. I'm sure that we've all encountered someone butchering "Shook Me All Night Long" at a local karaoke night and we laughed and laughed.

Well, we don't want people to laugh at us now do we? Of course we don't. For anyone that wants to improve their vocal skill and wow the crowd, here are 7 tips that can help you get a rockstar voice.

1. Know your vocal range.

A large portion of the time, vocalists have a hard time singing notes because they're simply out of their range. You can probably picture yourself the last time your voice cracked because of it.

Everyone's rockstar voice is different with a different vocal range. Know what notes you can hit before you try to hit them and maybe you can avoid your voice cracking in the future.

2. Get energized before a performance.

You're about to go on stage and all of sudden, you're getting nervous. If you feel jumpy and kind of nervous before a performance, you can use it to your advantage!

Do some quick jumping jacks or squats or push-ups backstage. Not only are you working off your stage fright, but your getting more air flowing through your body for a maximum performance with your rockstar voice.

3. Try to cut back or stop smoking.

Smoking can only hurt your chances of having a rockstar voice. I've heard a buddy of mine mention how he screams with so much more rasp since he starting smoking.

I hope he knows he'll be talking with more rasp for the rest of his life. Smoking will damage your lungs, constrict your air flow, and ruin your vocal chords. Try to quit if you can.

4. Be aware of how loud you speak before a performance.

If your band is playing next at the rock show, you're probably walking around mingling with fans and having a good time. Did you know you could be ruining your voice for the night?

Those places are loud! Next time you lean in to talk to someone, lean in and plug one of your ears with your finger. This way you can here the natural reverb in your skull and you won't feel you need to yell to be heard.

5. Lay off the vibrato.

There are lots of professionally trained singers that will argue with me on this. I completely understand that.

For Opera and other classically trained vocalists, vibrato is a tasteful addition to their vocal arsenal. If you're looking to sing rock, pop, metal, country, or any other radio-type genre, vibrato is your enemy.

Did you know that most untrained singers can't control vibrato? That means that most of the time the judges of American Idol hear someone sing in vibrato in the early auditions, they assume the person can't control it.

Vibrato just isn't necessary for contemporary music these days. Use it sparingly.

6. Get enough sleep.

College students are gonna go out and party. Adults with jobs fall asleep in their lazy boy watching Conan O' Brian late at night. We can't fight tradition.

However, when the night before the performance comes, you go to bed and get some sleep. Your rockstar voice is going to thank you graciously with audience applause.

7. Drink enough water.

Your body is mostly made of it and you need it. Carbonated beverages can slowly damage how well you perform. Water will always be your friend.

These tips on getting a rockstar voice may seem obvious and simple, but they're easy to overlook.

The most simple way to sum up these tips is to use common sense and take care of your body. If you take care of your rockstar voice, then it will take care of you.


About the Author
Original Post: Rockstar Voice

Hi, my name is Kyle and I've been the lead vocalist in 7 bands over 6 years. For more great tips on singing or screaming visit my page: For Vocal Singing