Lesson learned trying to sing

Hi, I’m in middle of writing my first song. It’s sort of a Tool style sound. I’m doing all the parts, keys, drums, bass, guitar, vocals etc

Vocal has been the last journey for me and a few things occurred to me I thought I’d share.

Knowing that others may hear the song or even if it’s just myself. It seems all the writing, lyrics and instruments, needed a focus to manifest where everything is channeling a desired vibe, atmosphere or experience. Something quite cohesive. Like a good movie does.

Instruments seem a little easier to fudge or slack than vocals. There’s this thing that seems quite important. Something like ‘intent’. A voice seems to reflect intent or lack of; confidence, presence, and a belief in the words you’re delivering. (I’m not saying instruments don’t reflect intent, they do, just seems much more with vocal delivery.)

If you don’t believe what you’re saying for example, no one else will either. As a result for a new singer, there can be this disconnect that you can’t put your finger on sometimes. I’m sure pros can fake it but I’m far from a pro still.

I’m saying, it’s quite hard to fake believable oration. It seems important to the process of song writing, and that’s new to me. Skill of telling a story maybe?

Technical skill is its own thing, but until I tried to track a verse and listen back, I immediately knew something was off with my voice. It wasn’t a technical thing. The notes were correct, pitch was fine, timing ok.

I didn’t feel what was being said. It lacked ownership or conviction or something like that. If I’m there to ‘channel’ something, it got left behind.

Like good actors and bad actors, I have to understand intent of the lines and perform that, yikes!

Hopefully this will be useful to someone else.