Welcome to another episode of metal, Mastermind, your host and
co-host. I guess.
I'm both right. Jason Stallworth and also host
and co-host can CD. What's up, dude?
And we have a special guest again today.
A link in here, the clamps. We do staff instead of claps
right there we go. Get away from y'all.
Niggas wit suppose that'd be a good.
Good 80s, ballad can't get away from you.
Yeah awesome. So guys today we got some very
cool discussions coming up. I we're going to talk about from
a vocal perspective and just performing in general live
versus in the studio, right? Because there's two different
things, I mean, those are almost two, completely separate talents
and things you have to work on and then we will wrap it up
going over some of our favorite musicians.
Vocalist/guitarist drummers because you guys know Ken is an
awesome metal drummer back there.
So we're going to talk about that towards the end and you
know what makes them great. So Ellie, you know, we'll just
started out with you just a quick rundown.
Like what are your what are some of the core differences between
singing live with a band or solo act versus being in the studio?
The first thing that comes to mind I would say is the
adrenaline that you get on stage you just get like so much from
the crowd and from your band mates around.
Around you so that energy, I feel like plays a huge part in
your performance overall and then trying to bring that same
energy into the studio and especially as a vocalist you
kind of like confined in this little vocal booth, right?
So sometimes it can be like a little difficult to do that and
you have to kind of figure out tips and tricks and just kind of
like I don't know mental tricks to kind of get yourself into
that element. That makes perfect sense.
Yeah, I get the adrenaline because I'm you guys, know I
sing live Acoustic solo shows, which is little bit different
from being in a full band. There is a different energy with
a full band when people were there to see you versus being a
solo act. Where a lot of times places I
play, I'm kind of back ground music, but still there's that
Adrenaline Rush. Getting ready for the show, you
know, setting up performing and talking to people, you know,
that sort of thing, that's cool. And that's something that's
really hard to replicate. Like you said, in the Udo and
that has a lot to do with your performance to write.
So I mean it would probably benefit you to try to get into
that mindset. Hey, I'm playing live when
you're in the studio so you can deliver that same type of
performance. What are some of the things you
do for that? Like when I'm playing live?
Yeah. Well, I feel like there's like,
I guess different challenges when you're trying to play live
and then when you're in the studio, I feel like maybe
they're Polar Opposites. You know, challenges and some
people feel very natural in one setting versus another or they
feel very comfortable in both, you know, everybody's like
different especially when you're a beginner and you're still
trying to like figure out your stage Persona and maybe the
studio is a little bit more comfortable.
It's a little more intimate kind of reminds you more of, like,
practicing in your bedroom that kind of thing that privacy.
So everyone really is like different or me like growing up
kind of like being on stage quite often.
I found myself like you know, really trying to reach to get
comfortable like in the studio and in my early twenties, like I
just remember like trying to like figure it out and taking a
few like takes and the vocal booth until like I really kind
of got that emotion across in my voice.
And now I feel like I kind of got it down to like, a good.
That works for me and it's something that I share with
other people to just like tips and tricks to feel more
comfortable in the vocal booth. And I have a few of those, for
the stage as well. But yeah, they're both very
different atmospheres. Yeah, I kind of feel like older
records were more like recording live performances in the studio.
Yeah, because everyone was playing at the same time, wasn't
like I did really right and there was like a technological
difference to. It's like if you're going to
record to tape, you know, you kind of have to just get it,
right? So, I feel like with the amount
of limited, you know, chances of doing overdubs and stuff like
that. I mean, like, you were able to
do overdubs, but it's like, you had to be really really careful
about overdubs and made sure that they were in sync with the
previous performances because it's like you can't just like
splice a little Out of tape. You know you have to splice the
whole thing. So totally I feel like we're a
lot more comfortable because of the technology that we have
today, it's so easy to stick another take and you're not
wasting physical material by doing so but still you want to
come to the studio just as prepared as if you only had one
take to get it right? Because there's a so much more
that you need to to add that if you I don't know your parts to
well like the melody or the lyrics.
If you don't really have that like ingrained in your brain,
you won't have the opportunity to add that extra element that
you need to make it sound like a fantastic take, that's cold
right there because you're talking about something that is
sort of this magical element to a performance, which captivates
an audience, right? But that can only ever be
achieved if you are absolutely prepared to die.
Liver. So I yeah, that's a, that's a
fantastic point. And I'm glad you brought that
up. Yeah.
And the other was that excuse is free-style stuff by the way,
because that's it. That's a whole different vibe.
But yeah, you know what I'm saying?
We're seeing what we're saying, guys, is don't write your song
in the studio. If you're going into the studio
to record, be prepared. Don't like get there and say, oh
yeah, I forgot the lyrics are all.
We haven't figured out this guitar part, quite yet, know,
all that stuff. Before you start, it's best.
If you're paying right, if you're going into To
professional studio and you're paying for that when you're home
was a little different. But to your point Ellie and both
can, you know, you want to know the material before you start
recording in your home because you can get into this circle to
where you just you never finish anything.
You're like, well, I don't quite know this yet it could be better
and you just change it and it could be better going to change
it. And then five years goes by
still, no single, no album, no nothing.
So I think you have to be careful with the luxury that we
have, because it's not expensive.
He's got an interface connected to their computer with monitors
and you can just keep recording and tracking as much as you
possibly want, but you can run real fast, but not go anywhere,
right? So, I think it is important to
kneel your song down. Like, this is the song then go
in there and do your best to nail the, the performance, as
well. Well, to be very clear about
something. I think it's important to
distinct about Going to the studio and going to record your
album. Versus being, let's say at your
home studio and composing. Your album, right?
Is those are because those are two different types of like
phases, right? We're talking about okay, like,
you can absolutely be home and, you know, compose on your
record. I think we all do that but when
you're like, okay now it's time to achieve like the quality
sound that I've been looking for for this album.
Like I know I know what the songs are at this point.
They're all written out now. It's time to take it to the next
level. Like for example like right now
like a you I have my drums back here but I don't have any I
don't have any microphones to record them the way I want to
just yet. So I have to still go to another
Studio to even execute that but I can still absolutely right,
you know, and I would rehearse and I would get myself ready and
then take that next step. And that's that step that we're
talking about that we want to say.
A, how you take this live performance aspect of being in
the moment being a captivating performer, all that Juju and
putting that into your music and recording that in capturing that
for, you know, the final. Take anything perfect sense.
Yeah. Yeah, yeah.
Sorry, yeah. Only the only thing to add to
this one more thing is just like I think it's just important to
have a little bit of life experience so that you are you
know, playing at At your Peak. Yeah, I actually wrote a couple
notes on, just some tricks to bring into the studio as a
vocalist. I don't know if you guys want to
hear that Lily. Okay cool.
So yeah just going into the studio and laying down some
vocal tracks, just like a couple tips to kind of bring with you
so that you know, you feel prepared, the first one like I
guess some of them feel a little bit obvious but explain a little
bit More? Why they're important.
But the first one is memorizing. Your lyrics.
But still have those lyrics printed out.
So if you don't know your lyrics to.
Well, you are using brain capacity by reading lyrics and
they won't come off. Like there's always something
that needs to kind of compensate, so if you're too
busy like reading lyrics, then that emotion won't be there, or
those little extra details that you want to add a vocal
technique and often go out the door when you're too focused on
reading lyrics. So that's really important.
Memorize your lyrics but also have them printed out and having
two copies is great, especially if you have a vocal producer or
other bandmates in there with you, like just have somebody
outside of the vocal booth following along with you, so
they know like where you're at, and the song and it's so much
easier to kind of navigate like, hey, let's take it from the top
of this. It's right there and it's all
labeled nicely. It just makes like the workflow,
go more efficiently. My other tip would be for your
copy of the lyrics. I would suggest making a little
symbols and marks to for you. So, you know what, kind of vocal
technique and vocal registers you want to use in certain
parts. So for example if there's like a
line where I'm like I want to sing this softly, I know that
underlining that for me means Let's sing this softly.
So everything that's underlined in my lyrics, I noticing that
softly or I'm growling this part, or I can write
pronounciations, you know, remember to sing this vowel
long. So I'll spell it out like,
phonetically how I want to pronounce it when I sing it.
So that's why those lyrics are important to mark, up your page
and write those notes for you as a guide in the studio booth.
And then my last tip would be To bring that element of
performance into a small confined space like a vocal
booth. So figure out what it is that
you need to do. Take a minute to meditate.
Like, you know, make sure that you eat well in the morning, eat
a nice breakfast and drink, plenty of water, bring some hot
tea with you, do anything? That's like meditative that will
get you into that element so that you can feel very
comfortable in the vocal booth. So those are my three tips
there. Yeah, those are very good.
Good because they help to at least kind of clarify.
Like I can almost see myself be in the studio right there and
then as a vocalist just getting ready to do this performance and
that's a great tip. And it feels very, very
well-structured to me to to kind of think of it in this way.
It's almost like did I did I check this off and my Ready for
today's performance kind of way, because it's easily, you know,
being in the studio the day of can be very, very
anxiety-inducing and Selena. Wrecking wonder, you're just
like, oh my God and lacks a little beforehand, you don't
want to rush, you know or like a date or something.
I'm glad you mentioned like meditation to, because
meditating can be a very good way to just kind of take a step
to, you know, step back and just breathe for a second because
everything's going to be okay, you know.
Oh yeah, I got an audio engineer that told me to run around the
block two times, and then get back in because I just I need
that energy. So, you know, anything that you
can do to get into that. It fits hope, that's cool.
I like that. Oh, that's great.
Yeah, I mean that's that's really I love the fact.
You said yes. Memorize your lyrics.
It's important because you can focus on the performance and
your brain is not focused on crap, was that next line, but
you also said, bring the lyrics with you and make the notes and
all that. That's kind of like your
security blanket. If you want to call it that,
right, when you're in the stable and then goes, like, for you to
mark up the page, like, you know, whatever you need in
there. But yeah, that's cool.
And this is a Also, very interesting too, because I'll
now I'm thinking about it, you know, in the, in the sense of a
live performance to, right? If we're going to go and do
live, one thing that I've noticed is a lot of bands, and I
think mostly because it's easier to do it this way, but most
bands they, when they rehearse a bit of music for a while.
And then when they're, when it's new music, of course and then
they get into a live performance in the like, okay, let's play
for the audience and see how they feel about it.
But I also think, at the same time, it's a Way for them to
kind of test out how the energy from the whole band as a
cohesive whole being on stage with that kind of song that new
song that they just created feels.
And that's a way to pay attention to how that's going to
translate into the record as well.
Because now, you've got, like, this whole big sound system and
it's all out there for the audience to hear.
It's just a thing that I noticed here and I'm wondering what our
kind of some some notes that preparing for.
Live show, how would they be sort of, you know, similar and a
little different to let's say what you were doing in the
studio. Because you mentioned a couple
really good things that I think are also translatable to live,
but I think in some different capacity with the performance,
it's not so much. Bringing lyrics with you and
marking up a page. You don't really have anything
in your hands. You don't want to be like
staring at a set list on the floor that you wrote a small.
Small note on, you don't want to read lyrics off your hand.
I did that once when I was like 19 and then I got really sweaty
on stage because it was hot and all of my lyrics got smeared on
my hand and I could about the words.
So let's bring the same tip over to life before men's memorize
your lyrics. It Was a new song at the time.
So I just remember being like kind of freaked out that I
wouldn't get the verse right? Oh I just realized okay Zoom is
doing weird, things for me. Okay cool.
But yeah like memorizing your lyrics feeling very comfortable.
I would even say like have that conversation if it's an it was a
new song that you just wrote that week or something have that
like serious conversation with your band like is this song
Ready for performance and if it's one of those kind of shows
where it's like more like laid back and fun like that's just do
it. This is a good way to you know
just kind of try it out, then go for it if it's that Vibe.
But if it's something where you really want everything to be
like, Paula, Hushed and ready to go for a show.
Definitely like consider if a song is ready for your life set
because you know there might be some like mistakes or pickups
that you could go over in a few rehearsals right versus on the
stage. So yeah, memorizing your lyrics.
That's yeah. That's actually yeah.
That's a huge one that you just mentioned because it almost I
didn't even think about it this way too but it's like testing
your new song Live is also a great way to see whether or not
it's ready. He recorded two.
Yeah, open mics and stuff. That's like what it's for, you
know, use that utilize that or just like, you know, more local
gigs or smaller gigs or regular. Venues those kind of things
where you can kind of like play a little bit more.
Like those are, you know, good opportunities because even then
there's things that you can cover that you can't really do
in a rehearsal. Space just having that audience
there, that feedback there, it really is up to the band, but
it's good to just have that conversation.
Even when there is a new song that you are performing and I
would say also like bringing that energy to the stage.
I just, you know, everyone's different with how they perform.
Like everyone has a different kind of like stage Persona.
You know, there's people that are a lot more like active and
they really move around, they dance a lot and it's more like
height music and there's like more like slow gloomy kind of
like serious kind of music so it really Hands on that and really
understanding the vibe of your sound, understanding your
audience and like matching that energy.
So I guess I could bring that over from The Studio tips, we're
taking that moment before your show to meditate and really
like, lock in to the, you know, just getting all those elements
in for your performance, it's great Inez.
I like to, I like to, you know, clear the head and those those
of you who were wondering about meditation, Really all were
saying is just clear your mind. Don't let.
Yeah, the stuff come into your head.
Sometimes we can think. Well, I wonder if they're gonna
like me. I wonder if it's going to sound
good. I hope I don't screw up.
You know, I wonder if I'm going to sound as good as so.
And so, whatever. All this stuff we can make up
all kind of garbage in her head to tell ourselves and that will
build a few allow it to. So, you know, meditation and
clearing your head real quick. So I want to just revisit we,
you know, we're talking about the studio here, you know, a lot
of our listeners they're probably not going to
Professional studio to record some of you might but the
majority of you are probably just going to record in your
bedroom where your home studio is and you know, canid mention
there's a big difference between composing and writing verses
because you know, we're doing things.
We're composing the song versus. Okay.
Now I'm ready to record the song and I would venture to say, make
sure those two moments are separate, make sure that when
you're in the composing mode and writing mode that you're in that
mode, but have some kind of stopping point where you say,
Say, okay, this is ready to go. Now, I'm in the recording mode,
I'm not composing anymore and I only say that, guys, because we
can, we can spend that will and just get nowhere.
Really, really fast. So, now, back to the performance
part though, do you have some tips in your home studio?
Elizabeth like is going into the Pro Studio.
We talked about, you know, getting into that mindset and
you would do the same here but it's a little different in your
home studio though. I mean, what are some challenges
there? Oh, I love this question so much
because like Transformation that my home studio went through just
like in the past decade I feel like I've I've been in every
scenario where I've tried to make the space.
That was in work somehow and sound good.
Now, I am fortunate enough to have a really good like ISO box.
Hope will booth and and my studio space is treated but that
didn't happen overnight. That's a years of just being
like, this is what I need is, you know, this is good gear.
This is not good gear. This is what I need to make my
stuff sound good and being able to afford it, saving up.
So I did get to that point and that took a long time to get
there, and I'm really confident in the vocal tracks that I can
do in my home studio, but I just get these flashbacks of, like,
when I first started getting into producing my own music at
home, I would go into the closet because all my clothes were in
there. I would get my sm58.
Microphone because it's like all, you know, it's a good
microphone but it was the only microphone I had and it was
affordable so I can get it and I put that in there with my little
folks, right? And I had this mattress is like
a cot. So it was like a thinner twin
size mattress and I just like shoved it in there with me and I
was like cool vocal booth. You know, so get those
mattresses in your closet and make a vocal booth if you have
nothing, just start there because that creativity Really
comes in handy when it's time for you to really build a
serious face for yourself for yourself because things can get
like expensive to. So if you can get creative, you
know, like making your own bass traps, making your own like, you
know, absorption like all that stuff really does come in handy
when it's time for you to build that serious like Studio space.
But yeah, I hope that answers your question.
There's a lot of can say about all of the different types of
treatment I've tried throughout the years.
I love what you mentioned. You know, guys, in here
everybody. Listening right now.
Don't obsess over what you don't have.
Use what you have right? Yes.
Yeah that's absolutely important because that's that's many times
going to be the limiting factor. It's honestly just yourself.
That's preventing it from moving forward.
So if you have that, just focus of saying, this is what I have
and having that just a little creativity like Elizabeth just
mentioned a little bit of creativity, just to get it done.
Right. Yeah, we have the internet
figure out what people are doing, you know.
Yeah yeah. And I think the same thing as
Jason mentioned before of separating the moment of when
you're saying okay I'm in my writing phase or I'm in my
recording phase, you know, those are actually Paramount for
putting it into your mind that this is going to be the take
that you're going to keep. And you have to commit to
saying, this has to be the final version of Because after a
certain point, right? It kind of all gets a little bit
foggy and, you know, you don't really get, everything's a blur
years. It's like what's, what is this
process? You know, you, you meant meld
everything together and it just becomes unclear and then you
just don't know where you kind of stand.
So, you have to, it takes a little bit of, it's a little bit
fearful though, right? Because when you say that, it's
like, oh man, I have to commit to saying, this is my final take
and it's like, yeah, Yeah, you do.
Because at some point, it's got to exit your bedroom and it's
got to be out there in the world.
Right? So you have to say where is the
moment that you just stop and just let it go.
Yeah, that's a big problem for me and like, you can be like,
yeah, this is great after the first take or you can be like,
no, I need 100 more takes and it's okay to have a hundred
takes. I would recommend knowing how to
organize those takes like understanding, how to use a
play. List and not having 100 tracks
open, that's a whole other thing.
But you know, like I know, for example like Billy eilish like
she has 100 takes of the same like vocal Melody and she'll
like put a bunch of them together or splice from like all
of those takes to make one perfect take so figure out your
formula if you want to do it that way.
There's no wrong way to do it. Figure out what works for you
and then just stick to that formula, you know?
No ma'am, I don't know. Say real quick For You, guitar
players out there is we're writing and the writing phase
and your and your the vocalist as well.
This is a mistake. I made last album.
Make sure you can sing and play your songs at the same time.
If you're going to perform them live and I say that because a
lot of times, you know, because we have this luxury of being in
a studio where we can just track our guitars.
You may write you may write The rhythms first and get that out
there. Get that recorded.
Then you may go back and write lyrics to that.
You're Along with it. And I did this on my last album
Masterpiece and there's there's like two parts into songs where
I'm like, crap I'm having a very hard time singing and playing
the same time. So make sure if you plan to go
live with this, in which we encourage you to write, make
sure you can play it and sing at the same time because you might
have to go back to the drawing board on some things when you
start doing that and you find it.
Certain parts are just kind of too hard for you to sing and
play at the same time. Great Point great point.
Because now you're thinking about Just how your writing
affects the live end of this performance because we have all
this overdubbing technology and we forget that, you know, we
actually have to play this at some point for people.
So, don't let that hold you back, either, because I've seen
some incident, I have some students that say, okay, I do
all these cool effects when I record it, like I can't perform
this live. How do I perform this live?
Or if you're if you're recording sounds, so Different from how it
would sound, if it was just you and your guitar.
That's okay. Don't let that hold you back.
If you could figure out how to get the same sound over to the
stage, go for it, if that's what you want.
But if you want like a an exclusive live acoustic version
of the same song, that's pretty cool too.
Because some people want to go out and see like, oh, let's see
what the live performance of the song sounds like, and it's like,
you know, it's something special because it's exclusive for the
stage. So if you can't get that exact
sound, like don't let that hold you back.
Back like work with it, you know like you would you just
mentioned like the like the next project I work on after I finish
the one I'm working on now is my my goal was to write, you know,
a rock and metal album. But also to write the songs in a
manner that I can easily have an acoustic version of those, like,
some song of songs, I've written is kind of difficult to do that.
So, I kind of want to have, and this is me, personally, I'm not
saying you should or shouldn't do this, but like I want an
album where I've got the album in its metal, but I've got an
acoustic version. Every song on that album or most
of them at least. So it's just so cool.
Yeah. I love that like ever.
See like a like a punk band do like a kind of like a reggae
version of their song. I've seen that a few times every
like I used to go see Misfits and like they like totally slow
down like back in like when they would perform b.b.
King's. I forgot what it was but they
slow down a song completely. And like did look kind of their
reggae version of it. I've never heard it in my life
and I just remember that moment being so special because I'm
just Like this is like exclusive for the audience right now, so
that's super cool. You know it's a good mood.
Yeah a lot of bands. Do that to one of my favorite
bands, ghost did a strip down unplugged version of their set
as well but I think that's like that's a total organic thing
that, you know, I respect for have a lot of respect, for a lot
of bands that do that for a small audience to do like an
unplugged version of their acoustic.
Yeah. And if you're said is something
that's like big a gargantuan. With all these types of sounds,
then you know that takes a little bit more planning to do
and that can be kind of tricky to write because like if we're
talking about the other side of the spectrum getting in like all
your samples. Because let's say you're as like
me and Elizabeth, we actually react, some symphonic metal type
of music. So getting that to be
translatable to the live stage will take a lot more planning
and I think you just have to be a little bit more patient.
You have to be a little bit more methodical.
You have to acquire are certain pieces of gear to make that
happen? Yeah.
Like dolls and synthesizers and yeah, it's got a like yeah,
creative with that 100%. And and that that becomes like
a, an entire technical hurdle that has to be accomplished.
Hmm, I have a question regarding that and you guys are the
perfect ones to answer this because you know how America
symphonic metal and Elizabeth. I know you do a lot of that as
well. Can you get by?
You know, we're talking about, okay, here's what's on the CD.
When I sound old the album because people don't do CD, some
people listen to CDs still, but here's on the album.
Yeah, I do too sometimes. Here's what's on the album, but
we're going to perform the live version of it.
And I always think the live version is going to be a little
different anyway. You're gonna have some nuances
and caveats and things, but can you pull off, symphonic metal?
If you have a keyboard player, connect keyboard player, maybe
with two or three different keyboards.
Pull that off without having to play with any tracks or any
effects. Or sound effects that you would
have to bring in outside of the band.
Is that possible and what it sound good.
Yeah I think I'll go for it. Can I mean my simple answer is
it depends on how the song was written with a keyboardist in
mind. Because if your intention was
that this was going to be played by keyboardist, those symphonic
elements tend to be a little bit more simpler so that in
keyboardist can actually do that.
Like for example Nightwish they do a lot of this stuff.
Where they'll actually do you know kind of segmented orchestra
leader instrumentation where you know, one sections kind of like
highlighting more strings and then maybe two at a time, if
anything? Because you'll have two
different tambor's that you can play with two hands.
You know, ones like brass one strings, or one Squire, one
strings, or something like that. And that can be a way that they
can imbue the to on a live performance.
But bands like, you know, Children of Bodom or more
specifically, Like keyboard Centric type of sounds that
emulate symphonic stuff, but they're not symphonic, like
orchestral Arrangements. Per se a bad like Nightwish is
much more orchestral first and then it's symphonic.
I'm keyboards are kind of secondary to that and most of
the time, the keyboard is playing like an actual piano
sound and an accompaniment to the orchestral, sounds and side
note. I know for a fact night which
does play with playback tracks in order to get those sounds out
on stage, right? And they imbue that with the
keyboard is as they're playing and, you know, they'll do the
things that are live that are like, you know, embellishments
and stuff like that to flavor it up and all that good stuff.
I love my wishes favorite band. So so can do they have like a
click track to start and song because obviously you have to be
in time. Was that track who?
Yes I guess the drummer has a click track in there or the
whole being has it in there in tears or something like that.
Yeah, so yeah. Yeah, at a band like night which
would definitely play Within ears and you'll have their
monitor engineer, be someone separate, and you actually have
a playback technician, who accompanies the monitors, and
the front-of-house purely operates, the DAW.
And basically, it's like, okay, once they receive the signal,
they press the play button and that play button triggers to
click track, that counts them off into the song.
That's interesting, man. This is because again, there's
My favorite bands. I've seen them live several
times. I'm waiting for them to come
back to Tampa Orlando area here soon.
I hope. Anyway, nice, but thanks for
that because that was always wondered about that.
I know there was there were some article or video or whatever.
I don't remember the name of the band, but their laptops went
down. So they couldn't even play the
show, and I'm just wondering what bands would do.
I obviously Nightwish has probably got a backup for
everything. I don't think they would ever
have that issue, but you're a small band, let's say you're a
small symphonic, metal band and you know, you've got to Show.
But all of a sudden. Okay, you're backing traps for
whatever reason. You have, no way to play them.
Your laptop goes down your dog. Dropped in the water dog ate at
something like that. What would you do?
I got a this is a great question because as you know I know you
guys have known but you know, for other people who haven't
heard about my background, I used to work on Good Morning
America which was right all broadcast and we always, always
always had a backup to the artist.
So what they would do is many times the artist would bring
their own laptop, right? And sometimes they were bring
to, but we already know computers are very finicky and
Pro Tools, it's even more finicky.
And that's what that's most of the most of the time, the data
that were using Burleigh show. So what we would also do is, we
would say, okay, that's lovely. We love that you have your own
backing track. We want you to give us a bounce
and give us a copy, so that we have it on our own computer
where we're actually recording it and we're going to have it as
a standby play button. So that if something goes wrong
on your end, we still have a copy that works.
So it's, you know, this can be something that you can do.
Very, very simply. There's a, you know, you have
your, let's say you have your fully fleshed-out version on
your dog that you want to set for your live show.
That's great. Now also have a separate device,
that's not just a computer, but there are actual, you know, just
let's say devices were it's just a playback device.
You put in a little flash drive, it has the track, you know, on
one end in mono and the other side is a click track and so you
have your left and right, right? And you just send that out to
your, to your console as a backup, right?
So if that goes down the main playback track system, you have
another set device. Just says okay no worries,
here's a mono source of just everything that we did because
honestly in live you can get away with mono because
everything has to come out to the speakers in a way that the
entire audience can hear so Manos, a great solution for
them. So you have mono for all your
orchestral stuff. And the other side is just your
Clique, which only goes to the bank.
And then, there you go, you're all set to go.
You're like, no even know hiccup at all.
Yes, you don't have all the intricacies of, you know,
balancing the mix. But would you rather not Have a
show you have that backup down to a science where it's just
like, oh other stuff went down with the fader and it's like
it's smooth right? No freaking out back here you
got you covered. Ya know cuz like love that lives
will live sound is the keyword to life sound has always been
redundancy so and this is like, you know, you can you know put
this into the concept of somebody who's just performing
right redundantly right? Just keep practicing.
I'm practicing until you got to a point, you're so comfortable
that you get to on stage and you can execute.
But you know, if you're going to do something, that is a little
more sophisticated, that needs a more complicated set of because
of the style of music that you're playing, well, you need
to make sure that you have a backup to the backup so that you
can continue to perform the same concept.
But, you know, I play with the wireless and it is just a
simplify everything for everyone listening.
I play with the wireless on stage, but if something were to
happen, And that wireless craps out.
Well, I can reach over my bag and I've got a cable and
actually got more than one cable.
So like I said, back up on top of a backup, guys, I want to
switch gears over to who Elizabeth favorite vocalist is
and why. Okay?
Cool. I have two that come to mind
difficult question obviously because there's so much out
there for different reasons to but Mike Patton and Devin And
have always been two of my favorites.
Nice, those are awesome. What reasons Obadiah?
And I went what gets to you like, you know, in here, in
those, in hearing, their voices, or performance, or whatever.
Thank like, it has to be like the, the first to CDs I ever
bought. When I had my first car, it just
hit me right in the right age the right time that point of
like Freedom you know, my first to CDs was the mr.
Bungle self-titled album. Um, and then Addicted by Devin
Townsend, and I just have it memorized.
And also Mudvayne to that was like a CD that I have that
memorized to those like the three CDs I had.
And I played them on a loop in my, in my little car, back in
the day, and there's a something like, you know, for different
reasons like Mike Patton. I just love like his stage /
Persona so much, and he's just so weird.
And he inspired me to be like, okay, I'm a musician and I like
to try different things. I'm not going to confine myself
to one sound. I feel like doing this kind of
album album, I feel like doing this kind of album, like every
one of his albums could be ever have like a month where you just
go through his whole discography, you're going to.
It's all different types of stuff.
And that's what I really like about it because it inspired me
to be like, oh, I like so many different types of music.
I'm like, a hybrid of many things I can try.
I different things, if I want to, you know, I'm not confined
to just being a part of like one band and only doing this like,
genres for the rest of my life or do what people like expect
from me quote unquote, because that's not real, you know, I can
try different things, so he really inspired me to do that,
and I just always really enjoyed his music so much and his
interviews from the 90s are hilarious.
And then Devin Townsend. Like his stage performance is
just like Dad jokes. And then he just comes out with
these like Godly vocals and crazy guitar riffs, and all of
his music is very just like euphoric and a huge like
inspiration to like the stuff I could post today.
So yeah those are two very important.
People is this shit in my life. Devin Devin is amazing.
He's kind of like you saw in his to like even more and I love
that for him. Yeah, and I feel like he's kind
of if he's kind of he's on the fine.
Kind of signed artist versus Independent Artists on a fine
line there, but he's really at the Pinnacle of what like what
an independent person can really do with their career.
Yeah, you know, and passed with his own label and I just I
really see that like blowing up like in the best way for him.
Like he's kind of like reaching a point that maybe he's always
wanted to reach his music career and yeah it's so cool.
Of that problem too and path. It's so good.
I recommend it. Yeah, yeah.
And Mike Patton is, he's also a record label owner to, right?
Yeah, yeah. Yeah.
He is. He's got a lot of, you know,
kind of a lot of different multifaceted talents around that
guy. He's pretty incredible to a mr.
Buggs, amazing band. Yeah, what about you Jason?
What are you in? Yeah.
What's yours, like the first thing?
Because this changes from day to day, right?
And you're like, I love Of this day.
I love that tomorrow. Of course, I'm a big Nightwish
fan, and I love floor jansen's vocals, but one of my favorite
vocalists, it comes to mind is Tony kakko from Sonata Arctica.
He's just he's all over the place.
I love his vocals, but he also has a lot of personality and
character behind his voice as well.
You know, you've got a lot of phenomenal vocalist out there
and not taking anything away from anyone, but sometimes they
can kind of just sound the same. It's like, okay, you've got a
really amazing high voice. Hi range and all that.
But Tony has this unique sound to his vocals and it's almost
like he's telling you a story but he's he's got the range and
all that good stuff as well and he's got the accent to their
finished band. But yeah I love them and I love
Tom England from Evergreen, he's one of my favorite vocalist as
well. His music is just I don't know.
It's just one of a kind. It's almost like he created his
own genre with Evergreen. Wow.
Those are some of my things give you what I guess.
Like, what age where you at? That when you really got into
them because I feel like that plays like a role in it too.
It does. And you would think that that's
when I got into metal. But remember, guys, I'm older,
I'll be 48 this month by the way.
It is. So like I grew up with the old
Metallica Satriani. Still one of my favorite guitar
players. Of course, I love head feels
voice and you know, Slayer, you know, Dave Mustaine all those
guys, but I got into more of the European metal.
It was probably around. I want to say the mid 2000's,
one of my close friends introduced me to I believe a
snot Arctica and I want to see them live their here in Tampa,
this is yeah. Sometime in the mid 2000s and I
really started getting more into bands like archenemy Amon Amarth
like, said ever grace. Not a night, wish to lay.
Nice. Didn't want us.
All night. Wish I was really hooked.
I'm like, whoa, delaying open up for them and I never heard the
lane before and I'm like, okay, so I started digging into them
and it just opened this This new world of more, the European
metal. Yeah, okay, so it's more
introductory to this new genre, the only reason why I asked
about like the age thing is because, like, I noticed that
the music that you really like binge, like, from like your
early 20s. Like, I guess like those years
and your first like, really, like an adult and you're kind of
more free. They really stick with you or at
least they like, Inspire the music that you, you know, are
into You get older to, it's kind of like the foundation of the
things that you enjoy, you know. That that's why I asked that.
Those are like typical years to really know you're right?
I still love all the time bands, so I was into the Hair Band.
So, you know, the Metallica Slayer but also, you know,
weren't and Def Leppard and all those bands, Bon Jovi.
I love Bon Jovi. I mean, I admit it Angelo.
Yeah, are nostalgic to you. There are, you know, and I get
why some people might say they're cheesy, but I see a
different perspective I guess. And again a lot of It just kind
of like it's what I was rooted in.
So it's funny you ask that though and that's that's great
because I do love all that stuff and I still listen to it this
day. Actually, I cover a lot of hair
band stuff even though I have no here at my live acoustic shows,
I'll do an acoustic version but but the European metal, I find
myself kind of writing. As I as I write music, is more
of a mix between that, and in some of the older stuff as well.
So it's, you know, we talked about this last week when you
were saying how important it is Ellie to, to really Find your
own style and we talked about that.
Can that's what metal Mastermind is all about guys.
We want you, everybody listening to this right now.
We want you to develop your own style and sound, don't chase
someone else's, it's already done, just find your own and
develop your own. So all that said that kind of
comes through the influences that we've had.
Yeah, absolutely. Haven't you can?
Good question. I tend to gravitate towards more
Prague on this side of the spectrum.
When it comes to Vocalist. I think one of my favorite is
Neal Morse to be honest. Yeah, Neal Morse is so good.
I love Neal Morse. Yeah, very, very musical
vocalist. He's got a lot of there's a lot
of Christian rock right. He does do a lot of Christian
rock and I'm not necessarily a hardcore.
Christian at all. I'm more agnostic than anything
else, but it's just, I love the. The tonal tamper in control of
his voice. I think it's a very, he's very
easy to listen to. And, you know, you can kind of
He's kind of swallowed up and is in his technique.
But another person that I like to listen to is also Simone
Simmons from Epica. Jesus very very operatic, you
know sort of like soaring type of vocals and she's got like
perfect technique because she's like an opera singer and all
this kind of stuff. So it's easy to just like be
wowed and yeah I think in terms of You know, even like heavier
type of vocals, I'm a big fan of, I don't know his name off
the top of my head, but I really love the vocalist from
amorphous. Yes.
Dude, he has like this, like really like hard-hitting, like
growl type of vocals that just like, kind of hit you in the
gut. I don't know if it's necessarily
guttural, but it's just like it's very deep.
And it's very, very forward, but very controlled.
It's kind of similar to Singer from OPEC s.
He's also he's another great vocalist who also has like this
Dynamic Talent of being able to growl and also sing like these
beautiful melodic Melodies. That's who is why I love the
workbook in my corset. Like really makes you talk about
the music that like inspires you because its first of all, it's
just so fun to talk about. Like I just saw your eyes light
up when you talk about like you know, the style of vocals You
know it's like a fun conversation you could really
figure out what you like and what makes up the music that you
create from your inspiration. Do you know its own podcast to?
I can go. There's like 10 other musicians
in my head now and I think we can we can do this again as
well. Yeah, your course, I real quick
so metal. Vocal virtuoso, guys, that is on
metal. Mastermind.com go to the
website, middle Mastermind, Come click on courses and you'll see
all over courses, but scroll down and find metal vocal
virtuoso that courses out there. It is help so many other
vocalists, not only get better at singing but really find their
own voice. And, like we said before, guys,
this is what this is all about. It's all about helping you
develop your own style and be your absolute best and Elizabeth
you do a phenomenal job of doing that in that cork you.
So, hung over there and Elizabeth you do coaching on
metal Mastermind as well, so that that's not him.
The coaching goes hand-in-hand with the course I think I really
want to like see you guys get to know you and figure out where
you're at, purchasing purchasing the course.
And you know, just wanna meet you guys and help you out along
the way as much as I can. So the coaching is, were to do
that, for sure. Yeah.
Coaching is very much kind of this ongoing learning.
So if you're like at a point where you've kind of taken the
course, or if you haven't taken the course, but you're like I
still feel like I need something that's a little more.
Or to specifically trying to do that.
I think it makes perfect sense. Yeah.
Anything it definitely makes the whole experience a lot more
one-on-one and personal for sure.
Yeah. So guys head over to Middle
Mastermind.com grab Elizabeth's course middle vocal virtuoso.
And again she also does one-on-one lessons as well.
My personal take I like the idea of getting the course and going
through those Basics and in scheduling a call with a little
bit, With and getting on her calendar because then you've
kind of got some of the foundation.
So when you meet you, maybe you're a little bit further
ahead, right? Yeah, exactly really figure out.
Oh, I need more improvement with this and make a note of it.
And then we can kind of chat about it.
Whatever it is that you think you need, you know, I'm here for
you. That's perfect.
Well, Ellie, thank you so much for being on.
It's always a pleasure to have you on.
Thank you, we appreciate it. And guys, until the next
episode, Thank you, by the way, for being a part of metal
Mastermind. All of you listening right now,
we appreciate that until the next episode, remember to always
create your own sound.