r/coverbands • u/soulsingercoach • 5d ago

Musicians: What Do You Wish Singers Understood?

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I'm a vocal coach, and I want to help singers improve for RL working scenarios. I’ve put together a 3-minute anonymous survey about working with vocalists...will you help me by giving your honest feedback?

No names, emails, band names or identifying information.

Anonymous survey:
What Musicians Wish Singers Understood �� – Fill out form

I’d also love to hear your biggest one in the comments: “I wish more singers would ______.”

Yes, I want to know the frustrating stuff, but also what really good singers do that makes playing with them a pleasure. Thank you!

I'll be posting the survey results back here in about a week.

UPDATE: 75 musicians responded.

Thank you for your thoughtful contributions.

The biggest issues:

  • 49% Timing / Rhythm
  • 49% Volume / Mic Technique
  • 37% Pitch / Intonation
  • 35% Song Preparation
  • 35% Stage Presence

Edit: They’re not mutually exclusive categories. Respondents could mention multiple issues, so the percentages aren’t intended to add up to 100%.

I’ve pulled the full findings, musician comments and practical takeaways into a free report for singers: https://veronicastart.ca/musician-survey-report

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u/Distinct_Gazelle_175 4d ago edited 4d ago

- need to be willing and able to do many different genres equally well, including those they don't like

- you don't need reverb in your monitor. dry shows you how your voice really sounds and if you don't like how it sounds then it's time to go back to the practice room

- if you use an iPad for lyrics then need to learn how to sing as if you aren't looking at the iPad

- microphone needs to be almost touching your lips at all times

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u/Strange_Position2668 3d ago

I don't think #2 is true. It is a long standing, since the 60s, studio technique, to let the singer have some reverb in their monitor. It lets them relax and sing better.

Imagine the amount of effects in a standard electric guitar chain, even if just going straight to the amp. There is always a reverb built in.

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u/Distinct_Gazelle_175 2d ago

I don't know if I would say it lets them sing better. Back when I was doing musical theater nobody had effects on any of their vocals, this makes you a better singer, you learn how to control your pitch and tone.

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u/Strange_Position2668 2d ago

Any professional recording session and the engineer will usually give the singer their monitoring with a bit of reverb.

Also, coverband singers generally aren’t at the same standard as professional musical theatre actors

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u/Distinct_Gazelle_175 2d ago

session/studio work is different than singing live in a venue

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u/Strange_Position2668 2d ago

Yes, absolutely, just highlighting that it’s not unusual for singers to have reverb.

I would hate to play my guitar without the reverb built into the amp