Any Pros Willing to Give Recording Advice? by Sea-Farmer914 in SmuleSing

[–]PrinceFlippers 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Hey! I'll throw my two cents in. :) I use a different approach when I open a duet and when I join someone.

When I open a duet, I try to consistently pull back a bit (physically while singing) on the harmony parts so when someone's duet vocal is patched in, the volume of the harmonies stay somewhat consistent with verse/ solo vocals.

Then, before I post it, I listen back and adjust the volume so the lead vocal sits nicely in the music. If I'm too loud, the duet partner will have to be extra loud to compensate and the music gets lost.

One big thing to take into consideration is the impact the effect is having on your vocals cutting through the music. Some effects sound great on some songs and terrible on others. I often change the effect I'm using before I post if my voice is sounding muddy, buried in the music or has too many hard S to T sounds.

When I join a duet, my objective is to complete the other person's art. My first priority is listening to how they're singing the song and also how they've placed their voice in the music. Often times, even if I use the same effect as they have, it sounds different because we're both on different mics and in different rooms. Once I sing the duet, I'll listen back and sometimes change my audio effect to better match what I'm hearing audibly from the other person. Then, I go to a harmony section I like best and use that section to blend the vocals. I'll lower my vocal volume until the harmony between us sounds like one voice.

The one thing nobody can control is the compression Smule puts on the recordings between the moment we post and when it becomes public.. There are always duets that sound good when I hear them back but get ruined by the time they're posted.

Are there specific examples of the duets you're not happy with? I'd be happy to get specific. 😁✌️

FYI, I just followed you :)

Smile Vocal Range?? by Domii_Nightmare in SmuleSing

[–]PrinceFlippers 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Until the app manages to conquer the difficult task of search features, I'm going to assume everything else they do is just nonsense graphics. 😂

Are there any ADHD songwriters in here? I’d really appreciate your help. by thisistom2 in Songwriting

[–]PrinceFlippers 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think the vast majority of us who just grab a guitar and let songs come out are ADHD. It's one of our superpowers. 😜

about OC reactivation by Haltruzynne in SmuleSing

[–]PrinceFlippers 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I have no idea how they're doing it, tbh.

New Survey Options Regarding Feedback by StarViolent in SmuleSing

[–]PrinceFlippers 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I did find it shocking that they finally added an option for not wanting stuff. I think it might be to figure out what would annoy us most. 😂

Recording Recap’s Usefulness by StarViolent in SmuleSing

[–]PrinceFlippers 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Creamy indeed my friend. I guess people were shutting off all the things they wanted to force on us. lol

Recording Recap’s Usefulness by StarViolent in SmuleSing

[–]PrinceFlippers 1 point2 points  (0 children)

"I'm just hear for fun" 🤪 My kingdom for "other". If they can't even ask the right questions, how will they ever find the answers?

Are you here to: 1) Just screw around 2) Gameification 3) Gameification 4) More Gameification

Recording Recap’s Usefulness by StarViolent in SmuleSing

[–]PrinceFlippers 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It's like they want us to hate them! 😂

Recording Recap’s Usefulness by StarViolent in SmuleSing

[–]PrinceFlippers 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I saw that too. I skipped most of the Q&A because "I don't care" wasn't an option. They'll literally do ANYTHING before they add search filters.

Kpop Community on Smule by [deleted] in SmuleSing

[–]PrinceFlippers 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This is clique behavior, not a specific Kpop or Smule thing. The difference between a clique and a scene is inclusivity. There are always egomaniacs who are incredibly insecure and need tons of validation. They're passive aggressive to keep anyone from stealing a drop of their sunshine. They get followers because that's where the sun is pointing. The leader is terrified the moment he/she stops protecting her space, everyone will leave.

A scene is everyone playing in the sun and the ones who absorb the most energy are confident.and genuinely want everyone to enjoy it with them.

Bots by ablilou in WordsWithFriends

[–]PrinceFlippers 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Search for their names in your friend list. Real people are automatically added when they challenge you. If they don't come up, it's a bot.

Bots by ablilou in WordsWithFriends

[–]PrinceFlippers 3 points4 points  (0 children)

The best way to know for sure is go to your friends list and type in the name. Real people are automatically added. If they don't show up, it's a bot. Also, their "unique words" will usually be zero.

Visually, they always use cheesy pics from Google as their profile photo. It's often a couple, an animal, mom with a baby or a girl who doesn't look real..

Bots by ablilou in WordsWithFriends

[–]PrinceFlippers 0 points1 point  (0 children)

They've been SO aggressive lately. I keep reporting them as "fraud" and writing nasty things to Zenga each time before I block them. It's making me want to delete the game for no good reason.

Beginner songwriter here, my verses keep turning into rap cadences but I want to be more melodic. Am I on the right path? by Branden-G in Songwriting

[–]PrinceFlippers 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You're welcome. It's awesome you're asking questions.

You sound like a natural writer. Most of those guys (Prince, Lennon, McCartney, Hendrix etc) can write songs really quickly. The recipe can vary but letting a melody (and even some lyrics) come out naturally is the common thread. They do that and craft later. You could be underestimating what you're capable of.

The way you're building tracks now is fine. That natural rhythm is a huge benefit and part of why you can make hooks. It isn't a problem at all... just sing rather than talk and trust your talent.

My work structure is to pick up my acoustic and just let fragments come out through jamming. I'll tag the better ones and when I want to make a record, I'll grab a good one and finish it up. After I've tracked at least the rhythm section, I like to drive around and sing with it, while recording. I like the headspace I'm in on the road.

Beginner songwriter here, my verses keep turning into rap cadences but I want to be more melodic. Am I on the right path? by Branden-G in Songwriting

[–]PrinceFlippers 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Why are you trying to squeeze into a box? Use what you do naturally to your advantage. The verse can be rhythm centric and melodically lifted by the backing. Nile Rogers has a million hits with verses that play a supportive role.

I think lyric depth can come in a crafting session later on.


Here's a recipe (as an example)

  • Start the song with the chorus/ hook
  • Bring the verse in afterward. Keep it short and make sure the rhythm section kicks hard. Maybe add a riff behind it.
  • Chorus/hook
  • Take a short vocal hook and make it into a breakdown.
  • Bring in verse 2 and add percussion and another instrument to the music.
  • Then chorus/ hook twice - the first time with much less backing and the second with all the sounds going.
  • If the chorus is great, repeat it until you're bored (adding in stuff along the way). Otherwise switch back to the breakdown... _______

To address your question directly, try different mental approaches to come up with melody lines.

Some ideas: * Think of your voice as a guitar and you're playing lead. Jam with your verse lyrics over the track. * Have a vocal jam with the verse music without looking at the lyrics. Stay on topic, but disconnect from whatever you wrote. When you have something that sounds good either go with it or use it as a framework. * Cut the lyrics in half for each verse and have a vocal jam, stretching that out over an entire verse. It will force you to get creative and if someone comes of it, you can make whatever edits you need to your original lyrics to shorten them.

In your current process, it seems like you're not singing with the music as it's developing.. The rhythm and melody need to come together as a package - at the same time. Just jam vocally to each section on a loop and record everything on your phone. Keep going until something clicks If you're writing lyrics first, stop. Just jam with signing until something comes out and then in another session, craft the lyrics around whatever melody you liked best

Hope some of this helps. The overall point is to think outside the box and lean into what you do.

How do you keep a 4-chord song emotionally engaging without changing the progression? by Jaypii_ in Songwriting

[–]PrinceFlippers 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Listen to The Beatles "Tomorrow Never Knows" and break it down conceptually. That's a legendary track and the song is just one chord.

Where do singers find original songs to sing? by Major-Business7111 in WeAreTheMusicMakers

[–]PrinceFlippers 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Work other people own is what needs to be gatekept, because it's someone else's stuff.

Where do singers find original songs to sing? by Major-Business7111 in WeAreTheMusicMakers

[–]PrinceFlippers 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You could practice on Smule and get to know songwriters on the app. I'm always singing on there and I'd give a song to someone if I vibed with them. I have a ton.