The Wagtunes Corner

[el-bo (formerly ebow)]

Oh, one last thing. Novelty shit like this I can sing. Because it doesn't matter how bad my voice is. But try to suffer through me singing a ballad. It's painful to listen to. And power ballads? Forget it. Hard rock I wouldn't even attempt. I could probably do rap but I hate rap. So there's really very little I could do well enough that I wouldn't be embarrassed to play it for somebody. Plus, forget about doing any songs from a female point of view.

I'm sure I've made my point, so I'll leave it at that.

I’ve said it before, but there is nothing wrong with your voice. You sound a lot like the lead singer from Mercury Rev, and I LOVE them!

https://youtu.be/Y_2c_E_c-U0

Such a great song

[wagtunes]

For those who think my voice is fine, this was the last song I've sung. Catchy tune that I absolutely destroyed. If you think my voice sounds fine on this, then you're tone deaf. I can't even listen to this one without cringing.

From my CD "Six Guns And A Chaser"

You Can't Dance (And It's Too Wet To Plow)

What you gonna do
When they coming after you
Will you stand there stuck like glue
When all hell breaks loose

What you gonna say
When the blues won't go away
And they've wrecked another day
When hell comes what may

You can't dance and it's too wet to plow
You should know that by now
You can't dance and the music's all gone
And bedlam just goes on and on
You can't dance and it's too wet to plow
Yet you have to go on somehow
You can't dance and you've run out of time
But somehow my love I'm gonna make you mine

How'd it go so wrong?
Like a big bad country song
Like a lousy rainy day
When hell comes what may

When you gonna learn
That you'll always just get burned
Patiently you wait your turn
Cause hell's like a blazing fern

Repeat Chorus

https://soundcloud.com/steven-wagenheim ... d-a-chaser

[wagtunes]

Oh, one last thing. Novelty shit like this I can sing. Because it doesn't matter how bad my voice is. But try to suffer through me singing a ballad. It's painful to listen to. And power ballads? Forget it. Hard rock I wouldn't even attempt. I could probably do rap but I hate rap. So there's really very little I could do well enough that I wouldn't be embarrassed to play it for somebody. Plus, forget about doing any songs from a female point of view.

I'm sure I've made my point, so I'll leave it at that.

I’ve said it before, but there is nothing wrong with your voice. You sound a lot like the lead singer from Mercury Rev, and I LOVE them!

https://youtu.be/Y_2c_E_c-U0

First of all, what a GREAT song. Never heard of these guys. Thank you for sharing this.

I could absolutely do his voice. It's not really all that similar to mine but it's in my "wheelhouse." Funny thing is, if this song had been sung by somebody with a technically "good" voice (his is not, sorry) it wouldn't have worked. There is something about his voice that just fits this style. I'd like to hear more by these guys.

You notice that there is very little range in this song. He knows and understands his limitations as a singer

Probably the worst singer I've ever heard on record and yet, I could listen to this stuff all day long.

That's what they call magic.

[Bodhisan]

I do really like your voice, because it's not mainstream - like Mercury Rev, or even Richard Lloyd (you don't sound like him, but he's not mainstream). But that's probably why you don't sing the majority of your songs, because you write mainstream tunes. You should get into some alternative stuff, dude, and don't think about "standard" templates when you write/compose. By the way, I don't think I've knowingly heard the pedal steel plugins before (I've been playing pedal steel/lap steel for 20 years), and it sounds pretty good!

[wagtunes]

I do really like your voice, because it's not mainstream - like Mercury Rev, or even Richard Lloyd (you don't sound like him, but he's not mainstream). But that's probably why you don't sing the majority of your songs, because you write mainstream tunes. You should get into some alternative stuff, dude, and don't think about "standard" templates when you write/compose. By the way, I don't think I've knowingly heard the pedal steel plugins before (I've been playing pedal steel/lap steel for 20 years), and it sounds pretty good!

The country sounds that are available today are excellent.

What I use

RealiBanjo
8Dio Misfits Package
Wavelore Pedal Steel
Wavelore Glide

I did a whole country CD with this and some other stuff that, instrumentally anyway, sounded really good in spite of the Vocaloid vocals.

I'll be posting some more stuff from that CD over time.

[el-bo (formerly ebow)]

For those who think my voice is fine, this was the last song I've sung. Catchy tune that I absolutely destroyed. If you think my voice sounds fine on this, then you're tone deaf. I can't even listen to this one without cringing.

There's a range where your voice is fine. Just stop writing outside your range

[wagtunes]

For those who think my voice is fine, this was the last song I've sung. Catchy tune that I absolutely destroyed. If you think my voice sounds fine on this, then you're tone deaf. I can't even listen to this one without cringing.

There's a range where your voice is fine. Just stop writing outside your range

The problem is, my range is 5 notes. I have no range.

That's why I say I CAN'T SING.

Amazing how people can't get that through their thick skulls.

** EDIT ** Just for the hell of it, I checked. The range of "You Can't Dance" is 17 semitones. There isn't a key I could have written that song in that would have been within my range. It would have either been too high or too low. There is no way I can pull off singing this song. And please don't tell me "Then don't write that song" because then 90% of the songs I've written wouldn't have got written.

I can't sing. Is it THAT hard to understand?

[el-bo (formerly ebow)]

Amazing how people can't get that through their thick skulls.

f**k Off

[skipscada]

Amazing how people can't get that through their thick skulls.

Alternatively, you could ask yourself why someone who's a friendly, knowledgeable person and demonstrably NOT a "thick skull" would encourage you to explore your own voice despite knowing that you insist that you can't sing.

[Bodhisan]

Amazing how people can't get that through their thick skulls.

Alternatively, you could ask yourself why someone who's a friendly, knowledgeable person and demonstrably NOT a "thick skull" would encourage you to explore your own voice despite knowing that you insist that you can't sing.

This is a counseling issue. I’ve noticed Wags pushing away (stunningly stingingly) those who try to help...

[vurt]

Oh, one last thing. Novelty shit like this I can sing. Because it doesn't matter how bad my voice is. But try to suffer through me singing a ballad. It's painful to listen to. And power ballads? Forget it. Hard rock I wouldn't even attempt. I could probably do rap but I hate rap. So there's really very little I could do well enough that I wouldn't be embarrassed to play it for somebody. Plus, forget about doing any songs from a female point of view.

I'm sure I've made my point, so I'll leave it at that.

I’ve said it before, but there is nothing wrong with your voice. You sound a lot like the lead singer from Mercury Rev, and I LOVE them!

https://youtu.be/Y_2c_E_c-U0

First of all, what a GREAT song. Never heard of these guys. Thank you for sharing this.

I could absolutely do his voice. It's not really all that similar to mine but it's in my "wheelhouse." Funny thing is, if this song had been sung by somebody with a technically "good" voice (his is not, sorry) it wouldn't have worked. There is something about his voice that just fits this style. I'd like to hear more by these guys.

You notice that there is very little range in this song. He knows and understands his limitations as a singer

Probably the worst singer I've ever heard on record and yet, I could listen to this stuff all day long.

That's what they call magic.

thats what weve all been saying, there are so many vocalists who are not the best from a technical point but are both well known and loved by many.

mercury rev have some beautiful music, have fun down that rabbit hole

[el-bo (formerly ebow)]

Amazing how people can't get that through their thick skulls.

Alternatively, you could ask yourself why someone who's a friendly, knowledgeable person and demonstrably NOT a "thick skull" would encourage you to explore your own voice despite knowing that you insist that you can't sing.

So I'm not going mad?

[deastman]

Oh, one last thing. Novelty shit like this I can sing. Because it doesn't matter how bad my voice is. But try to suffer through me singing a ballad. It's painful to listen to. And power ballads? Forget it. Hard rock I wouldn't even attempt. I could probably do rap but I hate rap. So there's really very little I could do well enough that I wouldn't be embarrassed to play it for somebody. Plus, forget about doing any songs from a female point of view.

I'm sure I've made my point, so I'll leave it at that.

I’ve said it before, but there is nothing wrong with your voice. You sound a lot like the lead singer from Mercury Rev, and I LOVE them!

https://youtu.be/Y_2c_E_c-U0

First of all, what a GREAT song. Never heard of these guys. Thank you for sharing this.

I could absolutely do his voice. It's not really all that similar to mine but it's in my "wheelhouse." Funny thing is, if this song had been sung by somebody with a technically "good" voice (his is not, sorry) it wouldn't have worked. There is something about his voice that just fits this style. I'd like to hear more by these guys.

You notice that there is very little range in this song. He knows and understands his limitations as a singer

Probably the worst singer I've ever heard on record and yet, I could listen to this stuff all day long.

That's what they call magic.

His voice sounds atypically hoarse on that particular song. No idea how or why. Here’s one more, and then I’ll leave you in peace.

https://youtu.be/okjb1ilLask

Neil Tennant from Pet Shop Boys doesn’t have a particularly versatile voice, but that hasn’t stopped him from doing tremendous things with it.

Tom Waits? Lou Reed? Robert Smith?

Okay, I’ll stop. I liked that last song you posted!

[wagtunes]

Oh, one last thing. Novelty shit like this I can sing. Because it doesn't matter how bad my voice is. But try to suffer through me singing a ballad. It's painful to listen to. And power ballads? Forget it. Hard rock I wouldn't even attempt. I could probably do rap but I hate rap. So there's really very little I could do well enough that I wouldn't be embarrassed to play it for somebody. Plus, forget about doing any songs from a female point of view.

I'm sure I've made my point, so I'll leave it at that.

I’ve said it before, but there is nothing wrong with your voice. You sound a lot like the lead singer from Mercury Rev, and I LOVE them!

https://youtu.be/Y_2c_E_c-U0

First of all, what a GREAT song. Never heard of these guys. Thank you for sharing this.

I could absolutely do his voice. It's not really all that similar to mine but it's in my "wheelhouse." Funny thing is, if this song had been sung by somebody with a technically "good" voice (his is not, sorry) it wouldn't have worked. There is something about his voice that just fits this style. I'd like to hear more by these guys.

You notice that there is very little range in this song. He knows and understands his limitations as a singer

Probably the worst singer I've ever heard on record and yet, I could listen to this stuff all day long.

That's what they call magic.

His voice sounds atypically hoarse on that particular song. No idea how or why. Here’s one more, and then I’ll leave you in peace.

https://youtu.be/okjb1ilLask

Neil Tennant from Pet Shop Boys doesn’t have a particularly versatile voice, but that hasn’t stopped him from doing tremendous things with it.

Tom Waits? Lou Reed? Robert Smith?

Okay, I’ll stop. I liked that last song you posted!

Tom Waits has one of the most wretched voices in existence. But you know what his voice oozes with? Character. When he sings,you KNOW it's Tom Waits. Lou Reed? He doesn't even really sing. He kind of talk sings. But Lou Reed's music is just slick as hell. I mean if you look up cool in the dictionary, there'll be a picture of him next to the definition. Robert Smith? I don't know him so I can't comment. Rod Stewart's another one. Bonnie Tyler. Kim Carnes. all these people have a style that is just awesome.

I am nothing close to being in the category of these people because my voice, aside from not being powerful or overly beautiful, has very little character, if any at all. I sound like a high school kid in music class who hates singing but has to for a grade.

Now maybe part of the reason why my voice has no style is because my songs are all over the place. I don't have any particular style, like a Rod Stewart or a Lou Reed. So many times I'll sing a song that is obviously written for somebody with a much different kind of voice and mine just doesn't fit. That's going to happen with many songwriters who write multiple genres. That's why Dianne Warren, one of the greatest pop song writers of our time, doesn't sing. This was, she can write for Cher one minute and Aerosmith the next. The woman is my songwriting idol. Well, her and Jim Steinman.

I am no Dianne Warren. I wouldn't even try to pretend I'm a Dianne Warren. I'm an above average songwriter at best. I need all the help I can get in getting my songs to sound as good as possible. My singing them doesn't help. Can I carry a tune? Yeah. Is it somewhat listenable? Yeah. But I'm no singer.

So unless I make a conscientious decision to find a style of singing that I can pull off and write ONLY for that style, my songs with me singing are going to range from decent to horrible simply because of my voice. And I don't want to make that conscientious decision to limit myself to one style, like Lou Reed does. I want to be able to write anything that comes to my mind, from pop to rock to goth to Broadway to whatever.

Otherwise, I don't need to write at all because then all the fun of writing is taken out of it.

My songs are for the proper person to sing. In too many cases, that proper person is NOT me.

At least I can be objective enough about the quality of my voice to admit that.

Or do you REALLY want to hear me sing this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4d67riim5g

[deastman]

Well, in that case I think we’re actually in agreement. Your voice is interesting and does have character and you can carry a tune. If you were to play to your strengths and develop a style that works well with your voice, it would serve you well. But if you want to explore many different styles which demand an accomplished and versatile singer, that is going to be hit or miss.

Oh, and Robert Smith is the singer from The Cure.