Best guitar for singing

[640x480]

My vote would go for larrivees and the OM-martins

But i have a theory, that voices sound best when accompanied by guitars with opposite characteristics
...
SO a trebly voice would fit with a deeper sounding guitar and verce versa.
Any opinions?

[Big Martin]

ever hear Greg Brown perform with his mahogany Gibson or Lowden?  very deep voice, with lovely treble emphasis guitars

I think that the guitar must must not be "in the way" of the singing (supporting your comment).  A singer shouldnt be struggling against the guitar.

Of course, all the time I sing is a struggle.

[fitness1]

I think smaller bodied guitars are more conducive to singing....the notes jump out quicker and it's easier to sing in tune IMO....but what's an old hippie know

[jeremy3220]

depends on what situation you're talking about. EQ can always make room for the guitar and vocal to fit together, so they're not fighting each other. Also they're are other things to consider other than complenting the vocals. If its just you and the guitar I think it helps to have a guitar that has plenty of bass(unless you have a really low voice), give more of that full band sound and fill up the audible frequency range.Think early live Dylan with his dropped tunings. Of course you can always EQ that too, but its is alot easier to take away than add. Recording is a little different cause mic selection and positioning can get you more bass out of a little guitar without adding EQ.

[aboss]

Depends completely on your vocal range, and how strong your voice is. If your are a strong enough vocalist, then you should be able to sign with whatever kind of guitar you want... but you want to be careful not to drown yourself out. I've heard artists sing live with a jumbo and sound awesome (without aplification) ...but i've also heard the reverse happen. Listen to yourself, have friends (who have an ear for music) listen to you, and if possible record yourself. Whatever sounds the best is what you should go with. I myself have a lower voice (in four parts i am a bass) ... so i tend to do better with a smaller bodied trebly guitar.

On another note... one thing to consider is that you may simply sing best with whichever guitar you are used to playing the most. Personally one of my biggest struggles is playing and singing together if either part is more than a little complicated... i end up losing my rhythm. I find i sound best if i am very familiar with the guitar im playing so that i don't have to worry too much about the placement on my hands on the neck and such, and for ease of playing purposes. Playing an unfamiliar guitar with a different nut width or scale length can make you concentrate more on your playing, leaving less brainpower for your singing. This goes for the sound of the guitar too... you want the axe to be as predictable as possible so you can concentrate on the singing.

Andrew.

[Randy_R]

I think smaller bodied guitars are more conducive to singing....the notes jump out quicker and it's easier to sing in tune IMO....but what's an old hippie know

I think playing a dreadnaught makes me sound good like Graham Nash    ^_^

[oneeyedjack]

I think playing a dreadnaught makes me sound good like Graham Nash    ^_^

I'm coming around to that mindset too. My guitars are wide necked fingerpickers that just don't feel right for a lot of the strummed vocal comps. OTOH, dreds with 1 11/16" nuts are too cramped for me. The cure, for me anyway, seems to be a D-18GE with its 1 3/4" nut and crystal clear tone. It may be the closest thing to an all purpose guitar(if indeed such a thing exists) I've seen.

[Fergy07]

Is it okay to let the guitar do the singing for you? I hope it is, as that is my approach to the problem. I just try not to get in the way of my playing.

Andy

[unclrob]

OK since no one else is going to say it I will....





ONE THATS TUNED......... :GRN>

[sixpickn]

The complimentary (opposite) approach makes lots of sense, in fact I use that approach when mixing live for others.  You could even go as far as doing a spectrum analysis on a voice and finding a guitar that best fills in the holes.  Technology aside however, the better the voice (and song, and presentation etc . . . ), the less people will notice the sound of the guitar imo.

[CF Larrivee]

The way I sing, it had better be a guitar I can take into the shower. Hmmmm .... I knew those Estebans' would be good for something.