Please to watch me sing and play

Fei Ayanami · Post by **Fei Ayanami** » Wed Apr 11, 2018 5:09 pm

Last year I started learning to play guitar after a lifetime of “sure would be neat if I could play guitar.” Now I have recorded a whole entire video!! Though this may be hard to believe from this video, my singing is also significantly improved from a year ago.

I still can’t imagine playing music in front of anyone except a friend or two (and Chelsea who is subjected to it constantly), but as part of a general attempt to get over that, here’s my (obviously not publicly listed!!!) YouTube video. Don’t be afraid to eviscerate! It will hurt me deeply, but I’ll live and play on.

Damien · Post by **Damien** » Wed Apr 11, 2018 6:37 pm

Why not publicly listed?

Fei Ayanami · Post by **Fei Ayanami** » Wed Apr 11, 2018 6:42 pm

Not ready for that level of exposure.

Mitsurugi CP · Post by **Mitsurugi CP** » Wed Apr 11, 2018 8:24 pm

This video looks like it could have been from the 1970s. Was that intentional? It's kinda neat if it is. If it wasn't, it's still kinda neat by coincidence.

I noticed the singing would sometimes stutter at points. It's not a criticism, because singing and playing at the same time is damn hard (not as hard as doing it on a woodwind, but still hard) and it's neat to see this intermediate point in learning the instrument.

I subscribed to your channel. Now a weirdo you've never met in real life is gonna be silently judging every video you post of guitar playing.

Fei Ayanami · Post by **Fei Ayanami** » Wed Apr 11, 2018 8:34 pm

Yay!

Yeah my singing ability has never been strong. And indeed it’s trickier while playing guitar (though having backing music for reference is helpful). But like I said, it really is better than when I started last year, just by virtue of a year of frequently attempting to sing in tune—not something I’d ever been overly concerned with before.

As for the 1970s thing, I did apply a colour filter on the video. May have been called “retro” or something.

Lord Golbez · Post by **Lord Golbez** » Wed Apr 11, 2018 9:51 pm

It's Kurt Vile!

Not sure, but it kind of sounds like you're holding back on the singing.

Mitsurugi CP · Post by **Mitsurugi CP** » Wed Apr 11, 2018 10:32 pm

That might be the self-consciousness of a first time performance.

Fei Ayanami · Post by **Fei Ayanami** » Thu Apr 12, 2018 1:00 am

It is Kurt Vile! I try to do his hair justice, but I can only do so much.

Definitely some self-consciousness. Combination of recording, which makes me quite nervous about screwing up, and just generally not being great at singing. Also having neighbours in the apartment building makes me a bit self conscious.

Lord Golbez · Post by **Lord Golbez** » Thu Apr 12, 2018 1:08 am

Yeah. The neighbor thing sounds like it miggt be on target, because it sounded like you were deliberately trying not to be loud. Of course, I don't know Kurt Vile and some of that might just be the nature of the song.

RDM · Post by **RDM** » Thu Apr 12, 2018 9:54 am

You should probably get a shark capo. That would help with the confidence, with the added bonus of being a chrome shark stuck to your guitar.

Fei Ayanami · Post by **Fei Ayanami** » Thu Apr 12, 2018 12:14 pm

*Googles shark capo*

I cannot disagree.

Damien · Post by **Damien** » Thu Apr 12, 2018 12:33 pm

I watched without sound.

Fei Ayanami · Post by **Fei Ayanami** » Thu Apr 12, 2018 1:08 pm

I don’t blame you

Fei Ayanami · Post by **Fei Ayanami** » Thu Apr 12, 2018 2:04 pm

BTW, Kurt does have a pretty idiosyncratic singing voice. I’m not trying to do an impression or anything, but certainly the way I approach the song is informed by that.

Check out this video of him playing this same song on acoustic guitar. They inexplicably zoom way in on his face for most of it, but when you do see the guitar I am amazed at how invisible his up-picks between strums are. But my point is, he sings this in a very indoor-friendly style. Wish I could pull that off better.

EDIT: And here is the album version of the song if you’re interested.

eightman · Post by **eightman** » Thu Apr 19, 2018 7:36 pm

well... you're definitely the breakout artist from the holy trinity + 1.

i went as far as buying a guitar on boxing day some years ago and learning 3 chords.

B0N3M4N · Post by **B0N3M4N** » Sat Apr 21, 2018 10:29 am

For a year of playing, your skills are pretty good! I was about to comment that your singing could use some practice, but then I saw original video you posted and the guy has a really weird way of phrasing (w?).

You picked a really tough song to sing!

Fei Ayanami · Post by **Fei Ayanami** » Sat Apr 21, 2018 6:55 pm

Thanks Eric. You can do it if you want. Play for like 15 minutes every day, and keep trying things you aren’t good at (which conveniently will be everything at first). Skin thickens, muscles seem to remember things, and confidence increases, and it all starts happening a lot faster than I’d anticipated. There are tons of great tutorials on YouTube!

And Boneman, while you’re right that Kurt Vile has odd phrasing, you’re also right that my singing could use practice.

While Kurt’s singing is odd, I still find it good.

eightman · Post by **eightman** » Sat Apr 21, 2018 11:16 pm

maybe i could! but then i'd have to give up on something else. usually it's sleep.

Fei Ayanami · Post by **Fei Ayanami** » Sat Apr 21, 2018 11:50 pm

Worth it!

(Don’t hold me to that.)

Fei Ayanami · Post by **Fei Ayanami** » Thu Jul 26, 2018 4:08 pm

Hey I recorded My Body is a Cage by Arcade Fire. Uploaded as a secret unlisted YouTube video again.

Mitsurugi CP · Post by **Mitsurugi CP** » Fri Jul 27, 2018 12:56 pm

You're definitely improving. Your voice doesn't quaver like it did at a couple points in the first video. You even stayed in key more consistently (which is no to say you were really out of key in the last one, because you weren't, it's just that you're hitting the notes more precisely in this song.)

I even noticed vocals and guitar were more synced up, less pausing of either singing or playing at points. Don't know if this is just an overall increase in comfort or if you are just more familiar with the song, but you did really well.

Also a very apropos song for getting over your anxiety and stage fright.

Fei Ayanami · Post by **Fei Ayanami** » Fri Jul 27, 2018 4:15 pm

Thanks! I think part of it is that Jesus Fever is a weirder song to sing, and I’m also having to think harder about what I’m doing on the guitar side there. This one is pretty straightforward strummy. But maybe I’m also improving a little at singing! I hope so.

Lord Golbez · Post by **Lord Golbez** » Fri Jul 27, 2018 4:55 pm

I like when the tempo picks up at 1:42. What's the video filter?

Fei Ayanami · Post by **Fei Ayanami** » Fri Jul 27, 2018 6:53 pm

It’s called “Silent Era” or something? It’s in iMovie on iPhone.

It would probably look better on a movie that wasn’t widescreen since when I think of actual silent era films they tend to be 4:3 or thereabouts.

The loud bit in the middle is pretty fucking epic in the original song. Intense church organ and loud drums at the bits where I strum faster.

eightman · Post by **eightman** » Sat Jul 28, 2018 11:02 pm

i think the "loud" part should have been the intensity level for the rest of the song, and then the loud bit even louder.

but that might just be my preference in music in general.

good times!

Fei Ayanami · Post by **Fei Ayanami** » Sat Jul 28, 2018 11:35 pm

Maybe I’ll record a version with a guitar pick another time. That might suit your needs.