A New Vocal Performance Technique (new for me, that is...) (12/5/2007 3:42:49 AM)
I had a performance (with my darling wife Jodie) on 1 December 2007, at the CD launch for SASSY. Amongst other things, I did two covers, "With or Without You" by U2, and "As the years go passing by" by Gary Moore. Well, that's not so interesting, I hear you thinking in the future...
However, what is interesting is the technique I used. I used a microphone, a laptop, and an audio module called a Mobile Pre, plus Ableton Live 6, to allow me to perform these songs solo. The general technique was to build a full sound (many tracks) by layering up loops of sound one after the other.
With or Without You is a song based on a repeated 4-chord pattern. I was able to create the four chords by successive loops, or layers, of single vocal lines, each doing a "voice" (in the technical musical sense) of the harmony. In fact, some of these were doubled up, I ended up doing 7 seperate vocal lines to make up the chord, starting from the lowest in pitch, and rising to the highest.
As the Years Go Passing By is a blues number, which I orchestrated with a simple "drum" track, "bass guitar", "lead guitar", and lead vocal. All these instruments were actually my voice, with real time effects applied, which I layered up one line at a time. I started with pre-recorded "drums" (need the timing to be there beforehand), then sang in the bass, then the guitar, then started the main vocal from there.
I've recorded the actual live performances of both songs, have a listen. There are tuning issues and whatnot (this was the first live performance, a proof of concept, not super polished), but if you can listen through those, see if you can hear how I've built these songs up one line at a time.
With or Without You: http://www.emlynoregan.com/Music.aspx?code=24540553
As The Years Go Passing By: http://www.emlynoregan.com/Music.aspx?code=50829551
As The Years Go Passing By: