my voice kinda sucks , an i'm gonna start singing into a microphone next year, so i dont wanna make a fool out of myself when i do so

http://soundcloud.com/riley1/vocal-demo

any tips on how to make it sound better

(note that those lyrics are not my best and mean nothing, they wont be the offical lyrics i just needed something to sing)

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riley

Just practice, work out smooth tones with your voice, or take chorus class in school. Also, sing with your mouth wide open, it helps project your voice. If I were to sing, I'd have a really really rough sort of live sound. Sort of like Lee Ving I guess. I don't sing though. I'm no good.

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1984 Squier Contemporary Stratocaster
1986 Peavey Envoy 110
1967 Kingston Acoustic

You can be your own best critic for your voice.Tape a song that you're comfortable with singing and play it back,make a note of what pleases you about it and what you don't like about it.Keep working on the song until you're pleased with your total performance of it.After time you'll be able to sing just about anything well.The main thing is to sing with a strong-but not overpowering voice and form your words clearly so that the audience can pick ouit what you're saying.The more confident you become,the stronger your voice will become.If you can do all that and stay on key you got it made.

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

You never want to sing like Michael Bolton.

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1984 Squier Contemporary Stratocaster
1986 Peavey Envoy 110
1967 Kingston Acoustic

If your not a natural and believe me some folks are. Line your self up with a good voice teacher, it wont cost much and will do you a world of good. Don't give up, you'll be surprised what a little training will do.
----Danny,

The best thing you can do is just get started. Sing a lot! I started in church choir and high school choir, sang in a folk trio for my first live exposure, then into bands. Most people don't know what they actually sound like until they hear their voice recorded and most don't like what they hear - I sure didn't at first. But now... I like my voice just fine and 50 years of singing has only improved it. I sing 90% of the lead in my rock duo and harmony on the rest - practice, practice, practice!

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Dennis in CR
Rockin' since 1963

Singing is the way to get better. All of the suggestions so far are good. Keep at it.

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you can save the world with your guitar one love song at a time it's just better, more fun, easier with a fender solid body electric guitar or electric bass guitar.

I never got better, so I started playing guitar.

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1984 Squier Contemporary Stratocaster
1986 Peavey Envoy 110
1967 Kingston Acoustic

I sing pretty well. Infact, if I'd had just another half octave to call on, I might never have taken up the electric guitar.

A few tips:

The voice is muscle - warm it up with a few scales/triads before you start singing properly..

Sing with your head back, mouth open and chest out - don't constrict your diaphram..

If your pitching is shaky, don't hold long sustained notes(!)..

Breath in, then sing the breath out. Be aware of the breathing points in a set of lyrics..

Practice, practice, then practice more. Singing in the car is good private singing time..

Develop vibrato and use it tastefully. The end of lines is a good place to start bringing it in..

Check your development regularly - use personal recordings or seek the opinion of a trusted, supportive other (usually your spouse)..

Remember you have 2 different voices - your chest (normal) voice and your head (falsetto) voice. Practice moving between the two so you can go from one to the other without hesitation. This will increase your vocal range significantly..

Be realistic. Choose or write songs that suit your voice. Don't try for Meat Loaf if you're more of a Bob Dylan (or in the case of the OP - Lou Reed)..

Don't strain. If it hurts you're doing damage which could be permanent. Ian Gillan has arguably ruined an incredible voice with those non-stop screams..

If you smoke, try and give it up if you can..

Don't sing with a dry throat. Make sure you're well hydrated before you sing, but dont drink water endlessly once you've started. Lubricate your voice but don't drown it..

And I wish you good luck!!

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Fender Highway & Classic 60s Strats, Fender Toronado, Telecaster, Gretsch Projet, Charvel 3, PRS SE Soapbar II & Custom 24, Burns Batwing and many others!

Sing like you mean it...really express yourself and never be afraid of what other people think.Sing into the mic and always warm up prior.I played guitar for years and never really sang.As soon as I started playing the harmonica.....game on.Never thought I had it in me.I could care less what others say for the most part, but I come from a family that everyone sings, plays guitar or harmonica and is generally always trying to outdo the other.Good luck

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1986 Fender Sidekick Reverb 35
1990 Fender Red Knob - "The Twin"
1992 Fender Newporter - Acoustic
2000 Fender American Series Strat - Natural ash
2010 Fender Mustang 1
2011 Fender Blacktop Jazzmaster -Sunburst
2012 Fender Champion

Search Google and Youtube for vocal excersises (spelling?). Using a good vocal tech. is essential if you don't want to ruin your voice. Listen to James Hetfield now and on the black album, he is doing vocal excersises now but the damage is already done.

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Deyr fé
Deyja frændr
Deyr sjálfr ið sama
En orðstír
Deyr aldregi
Hveim er sér góðan getr

I agree on the vocal exercises. I do that a lot with my guitar. I play a short lick and then sing it. Example: I will play something like "G, F, E, F, G, F, E, D, C" starting on the open G string. Then I sing "Da" to those same notes. Then I expand it from there, until I reach my full range Low E (sixth string) to High E (first string).

I was cursed with a Johnny Cash voice, so I can't sing rock too well. If I do, I tend to sing an octave below the lead singer - Steve Perry (Journey), Lou Gramm (Foreigner), etc...

I can sing ok, but I don't sing much because I can't remember the lyrics but my father gave me some good advice a long time ago. he said "sing while your jogging and running, if you can do that then you can act like a complete fool on stage and never miss a beat!" he says that is the fastest way to build up your diaphragm and gives you better overall control and projection. but just like any other muscle its possible to overdo it. but that's just what the old man tells me

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Its funny you should say that, my bike doesn't have a bell on it, so sometimes when I'm going round a corner I'll belt out some Joni Mitchell to warn oncoming pedestrians.

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Rated "M" for meaty.

Know you limitations and don't try to exceed them.

Think Mick Jagger, Bob Dylan, Lou Reed...

Sing the songs you like in keys that work best for you.

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Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!