A quick thanks to all of those who helped us pack the house at the Paramount Theater last night in Denver. We had a chance to unveil an original song, some cool new tricks, and rock the songs you came to love from the show. Make sure you tag yourself on the Facebook pic Tony took on stage!
So what’s next?
Now it’s time to put it all together. We’re going to hit the studio and write. That’s right, original music. We’ll be putting music videos together, creating new and exciting content, and building OUR show. The plan is to have that done by summer time (2012) and then hit the road.
Until then…
thank you so much. Our friends, our family, and our newest supporters….we couldn’t do this without you!
How’d you like it?! We made the top 3 and now we need your votes. You can help us become the champions of The Sing-Off. The show is in it’s 3rd season and we’ve seen Nota and Committed win it all. Now, vote for Urban Method in 3 ways…
Hey there, Urban Method lovers! Happy Friday! It’s Kim Dawson here with another vocal tip.
I am often asked if everyone can be taught to sing. The answer is simple. Yes! There’s an ancient African saying that goes, “If you can talk, you can sing. If you can walk, you can dance.” We all have different voices, and are born with different natural abilities. Some of us have to work harder at it, but we can all sing. Even those of us who are tone deaf, which aren’t really many of us, can be taught to sing on pitch. It’s true! I have a good friend who couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket when she was young. She couldn’t tell one pitch from another, and didn’t know that what she was singing was different than what anyone around her was singing. But, she really wanted to sing, and had a very patient music teacher in school who worked with her every day to improve. Now she teaches elementary school music for a living, and has a lovely singing voice to boot.
Now, I may not sound like Barbara Streisand when I sing, but that’s okay. Neither does Aretha Franklin, and she’s doing just fine. So, don’t be afraid to try to learn to sing. You don’t have to be amazing before you ever set foot in a voice teacher’s studio. Go for it! Let your voice be heard! And have a great weekend!
Hip Hop week on The Sing-Off. We are in the middle of lesson learning.
As the Hip Hop group we’d like to represent our genre well. The name of this game is representing those who got you here. So in the process of choosing our songs, we’ve narrowed things down to a couple of options: either perform something from one of the top current artists or something from an icon.
The genre took off when East Coast and West Coast had their representatives (Pac and Big) hit the mainstream and develop followings that not only supported their reps, but fiercely opposed the other coast’s rep. It comes down to this–perhaps the most important part of successful music: “We need a little controversy” (thank you Eminem for the line). When there is rivalry, opposition, and something respectable for people NOT to like, the energy grows as does the fan-base. Biggie represented the East Coast while a strong contingent of West Coast artists had developed. Without the two artists, Hip Hop would not be where it is today. As we try to push hip hop into vocal music, what better way to honor the National competitiveness than in a competition like this one.
We chose to go with Love, iconic hip hop song from Tupac that would translate well into a cappella and the Urban Method style. Hope you enjoy.
Update: The NBC Execs have informed us that they are looking for a more current Hip Hop song for the show. In a scramble to find a new song for this week, we turn to Eminem, Jay-Z, and Kanye. Apparently there is a Kanye song on the books for this show, J’s crew will not release the rights for a song just like Eminem (especially after a favor from his crew allowing us to do Love The Way You Lie). So we will be performing a song from the current charts and adding our hip hop style and some UM flair.
The Lesson Learned? To fully understand and perform Hip Hop, you must get to the roots of what it is. The reason many people rap is that their message feels more expressed to them in words rather than song. The fact that you can focus on saying what you need to say rather than condensing and compressing that into words is the root of Hip Hop. The genre is very much about a confident stand for what you believe, and the drum and bass emphasis is crucial to delivering that message. Now, people are mixing song and rap, R&B and Hip Hop, Pop and Emcees…let’s explore that corner.
When it comes to a cappella and vocal music, I’m really fascinated by using pedals and effects to morph, delay, or change the voice. One of the reasons that I’m such a big fan of Sonos is because they use their effects so well and are able to build amazing atmosphere with their pedals. Some people argue that a cappella music shouldn’t use external effects, but I think that’s crazy! It’s just like saying that only acoustic guitar is “real” guitar, because electric guitars can use pedals.
I am so excited this week because I just ordered a new toy called the AKAI APC40. It’s a midi controller that can trigger effects and do all sorts of crazy things when it’s paired with a program I use called Ableton. It’s going to be so much fun to play with!
Richard and I are planning a little experiment to showcase just how far it’s possible to stretch a cappella music, using a combination of pedals and my new APC. Stay tuned! I can’t wait to see what happens…
Now, Vocal Bass!
In the last blog, I went over the tricky essentials of mixing vocal percussion. Now, how to build the ultimate rhythm section by adding the bass vocalist. First, I send their low end to the subwoofer on an Aux send and brighten the track. Think of tracking the bass as though it were a real bass. The goal is to make the bass huge without being muddy at 100 Hz or 200 Hz through 400 Hz. Never put a high pass filter on a vocal bass. The human voice is so dynamic and even though most basses can’t sing notes down to 50 Hz, they have natural sub-harmonics that will sound and ring down there. Let it thump and be sonically low. I prefer the Shure’s Beta 58, or the Sennheiser 965 Hyper-cardoid microphone.
The key to mixing bass is not the sub-low end of the spectrum. Sure, they must have a low and large presence; but, it’s actually the low mids and highs that define the performance. I EQ out frequencies that create a muddy mix. 100 Hz is a culprit to many bad mixes since it takes over so much sonic room and covers the rest of the group. Also, I take out 200-300 Hz to clear up the mud of the mix. Then I brighten 4.0 Khz and 12Khz and above to create the perception of the bass cutting through the mix. Vocal basses don’t have strings to pluck, so you have to provide the EQ to overcome that. With your bass mic being routed through the subs via an Aux, you are in a win/win situation.
Watch for the next sound for A Cappella installment, effects!
Tony (Urban Method)
Urban Method reacts to the 4th episode of the SingOff in the video but here’s a quick recap. This was the 2nd bracket singing their 60s songs and their radio top 40s. With the Deltones, Sonos, Pentatonix, Dartmouth Aires, North Shore, and The Collective all performing, it made for a great night of music.
This week judges called the number of Sonos, the well-accomplished and well-revered group of innovative song makers. Their style has truly inspired the a cappella world and their departure from the show is both a surprise and to many a disappointment. Their performances on the show seemed to have made noted improvements over their first showing and they revealed their hit remake of The Jackson 5′s “I Want You Back” to which the judges responded quite negatively.
Their version of the song has been the catalyst for many new things in a cappella over the last few years since it’s release. Their new album is anticipated and their ability to use effects and pedals will be a welcome return to their style for both the audience and most likely the group itself.
Next week will be the convergence of all 10 remaining groups as we look forward to a week of Guilty Pleasure songs! Stay tuned for what Urban Method has in store!
I’ve playing guitar since the second grade. Naturally, I was ecstatic to find out that airlines allow guitars to be carry ons. So I brought mine to LA. Of course they are working us so hard that I barely have had time to play. Lately I’ve had a little bit of time here and there to jam, and brush up on my originals. It’s nice to take my mind off of the Sing Off material.
I have no new song ideas yet, but I’m sure all of the experiences that I am having (and enjoying) out here will lead to some song inspiration.
Today’s health tip #9: Your vocal cords are a part of your body. So just like you do vocal warm ups for your cords, you need to warm up your body. Do some stretches when you wake up, or any time during the day when you feel tight/stressed.
O.k. so I was in Eugene, Oregon with Peter Hollens from the second season of the sing off. You might remember him from the awesome group ON THE ROCKS! Video below.
Anyhoo. We just bought some SICK!! shoes and let me tell you they are AMAZING! Ozzie told me about them and he wears them everyday, but I was not convinced unti I put them on. The interesting thing is that everyone is hating on our shoes. The shoes we love! So, I gotta ask…
What do you think? Have you ever tried any of these awesome shoes. Do you know anyone who has? Here is our little video about them.
What’s up, y’all? This is your resident music history nerd, Kim Dawson, coming at ya today with another little gem. I just found out that this week, long-time crooner Tony Bennett became the oldest living artist to have a number one album on the Billboard charts. He is 85 years old. That’s crazy! Bennett had his first number one hit in 1951 with the song “Because of You,” and the man hasn’t stopped since. Throughout his sixty year career, Tony Bennett has won fifteen Grammy Awards, two Emmy awards, and sold over 50 million records worldwide. And he’s done that staying true to himself, making the music that means the most to him, and never trying to appear as someone he’s not. He is class. He is hip. He is one of the best entertainers to ever grace the stage. I only hope to have such a long and successful career. Congratulations, Tony! You’ve come a long way, baby!
A quick thanks to all of those who helped us pack the house at the Paramount Theater last night in Denver. We had a chance to unveil an original song, some cool new tricks, and rock the songs you came to love from the show. Make sure you tag yourself on the Facebook pic Tony took on stage!
