Artist Interview - Joe Lynn Turner(Solo Artist, Deep Purple, Rainbow, Yngwie Malmsteen,etc.)

Interview and Biography by Austin Jenkins

Joe Lynn Turner is one of the most influential and hardworking vocalists of our time. One short look at his discography and you will immediately see just how varied his voice is. From being the vocalist for legendary rock groups like Deep Purple & Rainbow, to singing with guitar legend Yngwie Malmsteen, to his incredible and successful solo career singing his own unique style of soul rock, Joe has done it all.

32 years since his first taste of major success with the band Fandango, Joe is still going strong. His voice is still one of the best in the business, and in this exclusive interview conducted by Austin Jenkins, you will learn all about his approach.

Joe Lynn Turner Interview (e-interview)

Interview Conducted by Austin Jenkins

Austin: First off, what kind of music and what artists

do you think helped to shape who you are today vocally?

 Joe: Several different ones from Hendrix to Sinatra to

Otis Redding. Although I have to admit that my love for

singing and style developed when I was singing with my

black friends in their church. One of my first bands was

Filet of Soul and old soul and Ryhthm and Blues music

has probably influenced my singing style more than any

genre.

 Austin: Have you received any vocal training? 

 Joe: I did not have any formal training up until

right before my first album with Fandango.

 Austin: Have you ever used any books/CDs/DVDs to help

with your vocal development? 

 Joe: I have many old books that I read and used but

these go way back before there were all these vocal

coaches making DVDs, videos, e-books, etc. I can’t

remember all the titles but I never have used any

current CDs, DVDs or books.

 Austin: Your voice has changed over the years. What do

you credit this to? Has it just come with age, or is it

a change of style you’ve consciously developed?

 Joe: I credit the change to natural maturity and

experience that comes with age. As I have gained more

experience and aged I have been able to refine and

define my style more.

 Austin: Back when you were starting out, how often did

you practice to develop your voice into what it is

today?

 Joe: When I was taking lessons I practiced every day

for about an hour but that was because I wanted to

practice the techniques I was taught in lessons.

However, I want to stress it is never a good idea to

over do it or sing too much. It can wear the voice out.

Currently, if I have to sing in a professional situation

I only warm up about 20 minutes.

 Austin: What kinds of things did you do in the early

days to develop yourself as a singer, and to cultivate

the unique style you are known for today?

 Joe: It goes back to the soul and R&B. I listened

a lot of those types of artists and also worked on

developing an ear for pitch and tone.

 Austin: You’ve always had a large range, but how long

did it take to build it up?

 Joe: I am still building it up. The process never

ends. Sometimes truly finding your “own” voice can take

a lifetime.

 Austin: Did your head voice come naturally, or was it

something you had to work on to get it to the quality it is

now?

 Joe: I had to work on it at first but now it comes

very naturally.

 Austin: When you are preparing to sing, do you do a

warm up? If so, what does the warm up consist of, and

about how long does it take to perform. After singing,

do you warm down?

 Joe: I use some vocal exercises from my singing

lessons 25 years ago. I have them all on CD now. A lot

of humming and tongue rolls, things like that.

Unfortunately, there is often no time to “warm down”

because in most situations, after a show there is

schmoozing and socializing that has to be done with fans

and people in the music business. I have to be careful

not to talk excessively after a show or before a show to

where it ruins my voice.

 Austin: You’re known for having a good control of your

voice, especially when it comes to adding rasp. A lot of

Voice Connection readers are interested in techniques

used by famous singers to apply rasp, so where do you

feel it when you sing raspy as opposed to singing clean.

Do you feel it up against your soft palate?

 Joe: I honestly never thought about this that much. I

guess it comes naturally for me. When it happens I feel

it from the throat.

 Austin: What other changes do you make to your

approach when your singing raspy as opposed to singing

clean? Do you add more volume, push a little harder,

etc.?

Joe: It’s all about dynamics and emotion. I really focus

on putting emotion into my singing and feeling the

lyrics and what comes out comes out authentically that

way. If it’s a whisper or a rasp, both can have an

emotional effect on the listener.

 Austin: At what volume do you sing? Do you try to keep

it around the same level that you speak, or do you sing

with a lot of volume? 

 Joe: Volume? It depends on the song and situation. I

actually sing with a lot of volume…I am a loud singer.

 Austin: Do you have any idea of what your current

range is?

 Joe: 4 or 5 octaves but I do not know for sure because

I never really had to know. I can handle very low notes

and high pitched screams with ease. Whatever a song

requires.

 Austin: When singing, what kind of support do you use?

Do you utilize what Jaime calls the power push (pushing

down as if going to the restroom to avoid strain and add

power to your voice)?

 Joe: Yeah that is a good way to describe it. I call it

a push down/pull up technique.

 Austin: Have you ever caused any major damage to your

voice? 

 Joe: Not major as far as something like nodes or

anything that requires surgery. I have always tried to

sing correctly. Sure, I have blown out my voice some

nights…or after 4 night in a row. It’s really not a

good idea for a singer to do more than 4 consecutive

nights. The voice needs a rest after that.

 Austin: When your on the road and are having vocal

issues, how do you get your voice back in shape by show

time? Any tips for The Voice Connection readers?

 Joe: Lots of steam…steamy showers…a steam room if

one can be found (some hotels have them) and herbal

teas. Olbas oil is awesome, I use Tiger Balm as well. I

do travel with a small steamer. It’s important to stay

hydrated, eat properly.

 Austin: A big issue for many singers would be singing

in the morning. When you have an appearance to do first

thing in the morning, what do you do to get your voice

performance quality ready?

 Joe: Some cups of coffee or tea, warm up the throat in

a hot shower…again…lots of steam.

 Austin: I want to move on now to your studio approach.

You’ve obviously worked on your fair share of albums

over the years, so you’re an expert with this topic. First

off, where do you usually record? Do you have a home

studio? 

 Joe: I do have a home studio and have recorded in a

variety of situations. Most recently, I have done most

work in home studios because technology makes this

possible. Engineer Gary Tole, who has worked with many

major artists including Bon Jovi, will travel with his

“rig,” come right to my house and we will lay down

tracks in my living room. The technology really has come

that far. Right now I am upgrading my own home studio so

I do not have a list of gear for you at this moment.

 Austin: How do you approach vocal tracking? Do you

sing one line at a time, do several takes and comp it

together, etc.?

 Joe: I usually sing through the song as far as I feel

comfortable and am able to get the emotional vibe that I

feel the song deserves. Then, we will pick up where we

left off. It usually does not take me many “takes” to

get it right I think some of the authenticity can be

lost if it takes too many “takes.”

 Austin: How much technology do you use when recording?

Do you use things like pitch correctors and harmonizers?

 Joe: I don’t, no. I have very few pitch problems that

need to be corrected. If I find that I did have a pitch

problem in a take, I will correct it physically, not

with any sort of equipment.

  Austin: How do you keep your voice in shape after

hours of tracking?

 Joe: The same things I have already mentioned, but I

also need to mention that sleep is very

important…probably THE most important thing.

  Austin: Give me a summary of a normal day in the

studio for you.

 Joe: There is no normal day…LOL…rock and roll is never always something that runs on schedule! But if you are referring to a vocal session, if I cannot get the vocals right for one song in 3 takes then it may be the wrong day for that vocal.

 Austin: What’s a normal day on the road for you? 

 Joe: Again…LOL…normal day? What’s a normal day in the rock and roll world? ;-). I do a lot of mental prep and try not to speak a lot during the day. I also have to prepare emotionally. It’s important to get a lot of steam going in the shower, nap, get enough rest and then pump myself up mentally for the show before we go on. I sometimes will watch part of the opening act because it gets me psyched up. If I am with RPM I almost always watch the earlier songs in the set if I am not part of them.

 Austin: What about your songwriting process? How do

you usually write a song? Do you come up with your ideas

on a guitar, work with a collaborator, etc.?

 Joe: It can happen all of those ways and others. There are no hard and fast rules. Sometimes I will start with a lyric and develop a melody or track, sometimes I am sent a track and I write the melody and then the lyrics. I do compose on the guitar…not always but since I am a guitarist I find that to work well for me.

 Austin: Now a few questions about your music. First

off, everyone wants to know if there will be a Hughes

Turner Project 3?

 Joe: There is nothing in works right now. Glenn’s doing his own stuff and I am doing mine. It would be great to do another album. I am certainly open to the idea.

 Austin: What about another Hughes Turner Project Tour?

 Joe: Anything is possible. It was a great time and I would enjoy doing it again. I’d especially love to bring some HTP shows to the States.

 Austin: What other projects are you working on at this

time?

 Joe: WOW…too many to name and some I cannot talk about just yet because they are in the works. I will be doing strings of shows in Finland and South America in June. Then, I have to finish working on a second “Sunstorm” album. We will probably be doing some more Big Noize shows and then I also have some concerts to do with RPM. Eventually, I will get another solo album written and recorded as well.

 Austin: In closing, what would be the biggest advice

you want to give to someone interested in becoming a

professional singer?

 Joe: You need to put in lots of hard work and be very disciplined. It’s important to also be thick skinned because as a singer you are exposing your emotions to world. You have to be fearless. If you are afraid of any of this you need to get over that fast.

Sign Up Now For Lessons! An Update

It’s been a while since I have posted. My schedule is filling up now for each lesson method, so sign up today to reserve your spot. I will begin recording the audio files for the mp3 exercise database next month, so that should start up sometime in mid July or early August. Contact the email address at the top of the page for booking information.

I’ve got the interview with the legendary Joe Lynn Turner which I will post next week…a lot of people have been asking about it and waiting for it to be posted, and its finally ready. There are other interviews coming up, and several more in the works. Keep emailing me with suggestions for new interviews.

I am working on new free lessons to post too, so keep emailing me with suggestions of what you need help with. I’ve already worked with dozens of singers on their different issues since I started this blog, so my time is limited but I will keep this updated.

I will also finally be laying down vocal tracks to my own material next month as well. Its been over a year in the making, but I finally have a recording set up I am happy with, along with a collection of songs I am comfortable with. There will be my regular solo stuff of R&B/Soul, and even some Urban Dance styled songs now, as well as some more rock and metal stuff that I do for fun. So, for those of you that keep asking to hear my tracks, they are coming!

Artist Interview - Midnight (Ex- Crimson Glory)

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=66769553

 

 

 

Austin: I want to start out with asking you who your main vocal influences were when you were starting out?

 
Midnight: Pink Floyd, Zeppilen, Beatles etc… 
 
Austin: I know that you’ve had some vocal training with Al Kohen from Florida; have you ever worked with anybody else? What sorts of things did you work on with Al?
 
Midnight: I worked on scales mostly and his version of vocal training. Hes the only vocal coach I’ve had. 
 
Austin: Were you always a natural when it came to singing, or did the ability come more from taking lessons and lots of practice?
 
Midnight: A combination of both. I think for someone to be truly gifted its natural but vocal training does help bring out what you already have too. 
 
Austin: Any idea of what your current range might be? Has it changed at all over the years?
 
Midnight: My range is not a concern at this point. Its not something I focus on. Back in the 80s range was important but I dont really focus on high notes anymore.Maybe in the future that will change but for now I don’t think about it.  
 
Austin: Do you tend to sing at speech volume or louder? Does the volume change as you go higher?
 
Midnight: It depends.. it depends what the words call for . If they are pretty words I want to sing them soft. If they are aggressive words I want to sing them louder. 
 
Austin: When you sing high, where do you feel it? Is it in the mask area of your face?
 
Midnight: No you just feel it deep down in your soul. 
 
Austin: Have you ever damaged your voice? If so, how did you do so, and how did you recover?
 
Midnight: Of course Ive damaged my voice by singing too loudly and too hard but I get up and sing the next night no problem. 
  
Austin: Lets talk about your self titled debut with Crimson Glory. Rumors have always floated around that you used vocal processing to hit the notes in songs like Valhalla and Mayday. Is there any truth to the rumors?
 
Midnight: No only standard effects were used. 
 
Austin: Lost Reflection is probably the most emotionally driven song of your career. How do you get yourself in the right headspace to open up and sing a song like that and have it come off as authentic as it does? Exactly what caused you to write that song?
 
Midnight: You just do it. You just relive the nightmare. Ive explained the story before but mainly it comes from a dream.  
 
Austin: You have the ability to change your tone up quite a bit. What do you change in your technique to achieve a gritty/raspy sound as opposed to a crystal clear one?
 
Midnight: My goal is to change my style all the time. I dont want to be known for one certain style but be the master of all styles. Therein lies the difference.  
 
Austin: How about going from one extreme to another range wise; a song like Mayday covers a huge range throughout. How do you keep everything balanced without cracking?
 
Midnight: Who said I didn’t crack? 
 
Austin: I know you’re currently working on a new album as we speak. What is your recording process like nowadays? Do you work out of a home studio? What kinds of equipment do you use?
 
Midnight: We do home studio stuff as well as go into bigger studios. We work with our limitations. If it needs more we go in and do it at Morrisound or a bigger place like that. 
 
Austin: How do you go about tracking your vocals? Is it a one take type thing, or do you comp the best parts of each take together at the end?
 
Midnight: Both. It depends on what works. Acoustic numbers tend to be one take where the more layered songs are edited. 
 
Austin: I want to get into your warm up process a little bit. To maintain your vocals, im sure you do some kind of warming up, so what kinds of exercises do you do?
 
Midnight: I dont do much in the way of warm ups. It just depends how my voice is feeling that day. 
 
Austin: I want to talk about your writing process a bit now. You have a lot of really unique stuff in your catalogue, especially songs from Sakada. Where do you get your inspiration from?
 
Midnight  My inspiration comes from strange dreams.
 
Austin: When you come up with an idea, does it usually start with a melody or a lyric first? How do you fit them together to form a song?

 

Midnight: Everything comes in pictures first. Its like a movie in my head and then i turn it into music. 
 
Austin: Has your writing process changed over the years? I assume there was probably a lot more collaboration back in the Crimson Glory days as opposed to being able to have more control now with your own solo projects.
 
Midnight: I work with everyone on their own terms. Crimson had their ideals and so does everyone else. I always like to work with people on their own terms. Everyone has different terms and thats fine., I consider myself a genious in my own right that I can create the story . 
 
Austin: I know you wanted to talk about the re-releasing of your work with Crimson Glory. How do you feel about the material being put back out there? Do you see any profit from this? 
 
Midnight: Were working things out right now. Its a piece of me so I dont mind sharing it. 
 
Austin: What projects do you have in the work right now? I know you mentioned a while back that you are interested in putting out a vocal training CD. Is that still going to happen? What sorts of things would you cover in it?
 
Midnight: Right now the focus is on Descending Into Madness. We’ve also been working on a possible cover albums as well as the “Acoustic Crimson” Cd. The vocal training Cd is something I want to do but its just not the time for it now. It will be coming though depending on the demand for it. 
 
Austin: One more question before I let you go; if you could give 1 piece of advice to a young singer wanting to break into the industry, what would it be?
 
Midnight: Give up everything you have in life , forget about all love and all sympathy for everyone you’ve ever known. If you can truly embrace this you can be a rock star…until then your f****d.

Upcoming Interviews

The following are the planned artist interviews I have coming up. I have over a dozen in the works, but these are the ones that have been confirmed and are being scheduled, so keep checking back to see them.

Joe Lynn Turner (Deep Purple, Hughes Turner Project, Rainbow, Solo Artist)

Sebastian Bach (Skid Row, Solo Artist)

Hansi Kursch (Blind Guardian)

Ryan Shaw (Solo Artist)

Patti LaBelle (Solo Artist)

 

Austin Endorsed by Mark Baxter!

I am now officially endorsed by Mark Baxter as a vocal coach.

Heres just a short list of people Mark has worked with in his career:

Steven Tyler (Aerosmith), Scott Weiland (Velvet Revolver), Richard Patrick (Army of Anyone), The Click Five, Gary Cherone (Van Halen), Hawthorne Heights, members of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Jonny Lang, Tonic, cast members of RENT, Paolo Nutini, Steven Augeri (Journey), John Rzeznik (Goo Goo Dolls), Boys Like Girls, Cute Is What We Aim For, Vertical Horizon, The Dresden Dolls, Bowman, Quicksand, Coal Chamber, Amiee Mann, Peter Wolf and on and on.

Here is what Mark had to say about myself:
“Very early on when working with Austin it became apparent to me that he was interested in learning much more about the voice then just what applied to his circumstances. His dedication and curiousity made him a stand-out student. He now has a much deeper knowledge about the voice than most singers and would be an excellent coach for anyone looking to up their game.”

VAM - A Vocal Monitoring Solution

I get a lot of people asking me about monitoring. A big problem singers face when singing live is the inability to hear themselves clearly. When you can’t hear yourself, you will end up straining and pushing more than you normally would, which eventually leads to vocal fatigue, wear and tear, and damage. I will be posting some information on the different types of monitoring systems available that I have used.

The first option I am posting about is a VAM (Vocal Acoustic Monitor). I was one of the first people to receive one of these over a year ago, and have used it ever since during practice and recording. For those of you taking lessons with me, I highly suggest you order one now. They can be found at the following sites:

www.vamacoustics.com

www.getsigned.com

www.samash.com

Below is the endorsment I wrote for the product last year; it will explain why I think all singers should own one.

Byron,

I was given a VAM™ at a lesson one day with vocal coach Jaime Vendera. He had been talking about this new device he was endorsing that helps you to better hear yourself sing.

I used it during the lesson on the song Superstition by Stevie Wonder, which is a tough song, as is any Stevie song. The second I held it up to my ear, I immediately could feel and hear an improvement with my performance. I could better hear the actual tone I was producing, I could better control my intonation, and I was able to sing easily with the music playing loudly because the VAM™ lets you hear yourself perfectly no matter how loud any background noises are. Thanks to using the VAM™ while practicing, I was able to perfect the song.

I also realized that it has many more applications than just for live performance and practicing. This is the perfect device for any singer to use at a band practice or show, when they need to warm up before a show or between songs while the band is playing loudly. It brings the sound directly into your ear, making it easy for you to go backstage during an instrumental break, do a few vocal exercises to bring your voice back into shape, then go back out on stage; all without any strain from the excess volume. You could also use this in a choir or back up singing situation, where you need to hear yourself in order to stay in tune and focused with what the other singers are doing. I’ve also been using it during the recording of my CD. I leave one headphone with the music and a little bit of vocal on my left ear, and hold the VAM™ to my right ear and my pitch accuracy and vocal stamina is better than its ever been.

Austin Jenkins
R&B/POP Vocalist

 

 

Vocal Tags - Your Signature Sound

The best singers are the ones you can hear a few notes from and know exactly who they are. Millions of people all over the world want to be professional vocalists, but only a small percentage of them actually get to live out that dream. What separates those who make it from those who remain stuck in the local club and karaoke scene? Although many factors have to be considered in the answer to that question, one of the biggest reasons would be a unique sound.

Pull out your iPod, set it on shuffle, and listen to the different singers that come up. What about them is unique? Is it the way they pronounce their words? A certain riff they seem to incorporate in every song? The way they phrase their lines? Is it their tonality? Write down the artists name, songtitle, and any notes on what you notice about their sound.

After listening to a dozen songs, you’ll start to hear major differences between each and every singer. The fact that they sound different from everyone else is the reason they are successful. They have the ability to stand out from the crowd no matter what genre or song they are singing.

Now that you’ve heard several different artists sing, I want you to look back to the first artist on your list. Go to their section on your iPod and listen to 3 random songs of theirs. Pay attention and see if you can hear the things you wrote as their vocal signatures/tags coming up time and time again in each song. Are they doing a certain riff each time? Varying their tone the same way throughout each song? These are their vocal tags or signatures, and its what you need to develop if you want to be a successful singer.  Do this with everyone on the list and you’ll start to see the same things repeated for each artist.

Now, listen to random unsigned artists on Youtube, Myspace, whatever. Pay attention to them just like you did with the well known artists on your iPod. Can you hear anything unique about them? Have they developed any UNIQUE vocal tags, or do they sound like they are trying to copy someone else? 99% of the time, singers try to copy other singers. Its alright to do while you are developing your own sound, but you’ve got to let go and try different things yourself at some point. Imitation is one of the huge reasons people cant get signed, cant sell any of their records independantly, cant get people to come to their shows, etc.

If you are just copying someone else, you automatically become a second rate act. Why would I want to hear someone imitate Seal when I could just listen to Seal himself? Why would I want to hear someone try to copy Stevie Wonder’s riffing style when I can hear him do it much better? See what i’m getting at?

So, listen to your favorite singers, and feel free to take some of their own signatures for the time being. However, you need to eventually let loose and try things your own way. A million people can hear the exact same instrumental, and you’ll get a million different vocal melodies to go on top of it. This is because when we hear a song or a chord structure, we all latch onto different things about it and come up with song ideas based on that.

Its the same thing with developing your own vocal tags;its fine to do cover songs, but make them your own. Sing along with the artist exactly how they sing the song if you need to in order to learn the song. But, you then need to move onto singing with an instrumental, and just singing it how YOU feel comfortable. If that means changing the melody, do it. If that means changing the phrasing, or adding a riff, or a scream, do it.

I want you to record yourself singing a series of 5 songs. They can be covers or original, but do it either a cappella or with a backing track with no vocals. Then, listen back and study it just like you did the other artists. What kinds of vocal tags do you notice in your singing?

Once you identify the unique things you do vocally, you can build on them and utilize them more to help you start on your way to a more unique sound.

New Options For Online Lessons

I have received several emails from people wanting to use programs other than Skype to do online lessons, so I have decided to open up online lessons to two new programs.

I will now conduct online lessons through Yahoo and MSN Messangers. For Mac users, we can also do lessons through iChat, which will be my preferred method.

Otherwise, all the same requirements/prices apply, so check out my post on Skype lessons to make sure your set up and ready to go.

Secrets of Vocal Support - How To Make Sure You’re Supporting Correctly

A big problem most people have when it comes to singing is to actually get that feeling of support down. Some people use way too much, while others barely support at all. In my article on Breathing and Support, I gave some detail as to what support is and some ideas of the sensations you’ll feel if your doing it correctly, but I still get asked ‘How do I know i’m supporting the right way for sure’ all the time.

To get used to the feeling of support, there are many different things you can do & imagine. Some of them may be a little disgusting to some people, but as long as its effective, who cares.

First off, push your stomach out so it looks like you’re pregnant. Put your hands on your sides at your rib cage while you do this. Notice that the lower ribs, called the intercostals or floating ribs, push outward. This is something you want to happen every time you inhale to sing. Also notice that your lower areas from the stomach down seem to push down and out. This is the right thing to feel for support.

You’ll get this same feeling when you sneeze, when you’re using the restroom, and even when you cough (although you don’t want to imitate the tension and push you feel when you cough). The whole point is that you need to be putting the pressure downwards while singing. If you keep the pressure downwards, you will keep the strain from your throat. This is because you will be holding back some air.

If you push up too much air while singing, the first thing that happens is you will overload them. The actual purpose of the larynx is to control what goes where in the throat, so it acts as a resistance to the air pressure coming up. If you can maintain an even balance (the right amount of breath flow), your vocal cords will act as they are intended to, and you wont have any issues. If you push up too much air though, it will actually start to push the cords open and dry them out since they wont be properly sealed. The excess drying is how you start to lose range and tonal clarity, due to the edema (swelling) of the cords that comes along with the dryness.

By maintaining a control of the air pressure through support, you will never send up too much air and run into these problems. So, it will really pay off to make sure you get the right sensations down and to start using them while singing as a guide to make sure you are doing things correctly.

Contact Information for Lessons

Interested in taking lessons with me?

First, read the summaries of each lesson type (in person, online, mp3, and consulation)

Pick which one works best for you, and contact me at austinjenkinsvocalist@gmail.com, with a message subject of VOCAL LESSONS

In the message, give me your name, a sample of your singing (if you have something recorded), what lesson type you are interested in, and what date/time you are interested in.

I will be back in contact with you within 24 hours to schedule the lesson.

I must have at least 24 hours (depending on the lesson type) to prepare for the lesson. If you are going to cancel the lesson, I must know within 24 hours from the time we have you scheduled for; otherwise 50 %payment will still be due because your paying to reserve your time spot as well as take the lesson.