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Mutlu
by Gary E. Andrews - 04/15/24 07:08 PM
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Joined: Apr 2006
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Here's a subject that I don't read much discussion of. It could be a production thing, but belongs in the songwriting category. Using oohs and aahs or humming in a song.
I saw an interview with Paul Simon many years ago. He said that it was absolutely essential to ooh and aah in a song. He should know, he is the king of ooh and aah. Listen to his music. McCartney also takes advantage of it. McCartney also says to use a Minor chord in the bridge or chorus of a song. Which he does.
I listen to the MP3 board frequently but rarely hear oohs and aahs. Just lyrics. I've tried it myself to a small degree and it does help to reinforce the song. It depends on the genre and lyric content. Any thoughts?
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I've been using a lot of oohs and aahs since I purchased the EWQL Choir samples. Yes, very effective. Kind of like extra layers of human strings. John
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Hey John, I mean't ooh and aah in the lead vocal. Most Simon songs are a good example.
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... and of course, James Taylor is the king of La, la, la's. I think it helps, but you have to have a good voice to pull it off.
Kevin
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Oh... oops
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Good example Kevin. Forgot about James Taylor.
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I'm not an ooh/aah kinda gal. That never sounds natural for me, but I've been known to hum/moan a few bars, just to fill a song out a bit. I think it's great if you can pull it off. Whateve it takes!
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There is a place for oohs and ahhs.... yes..... but do not fall into the trap of putting them in because you feel you have to. It will probably make the song false or cheesy. Sometimes it is used effectively as an ad lib or to help with flow and meter. IMO the wrong use is as bad as a contrived rhyme. John has a great point that it can add depth to the production when used as background in place of instrumentation.
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I do it all the time, but never thought about it much.
Singing is weird. Sometimes we sing words and sometimes we just sing noises like "oo", "aa", and, if you're Charlie Callas, "vvvt vvvt". What I like about oohs and aahs is that they're pure tone...they turn the human voice into a simple instrument, and they always sound good to me.
Sometimes the problem is figuring out which non-word sound to use: Lala? Nana? ooo? aah? vvvt vvvt?
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I'm not an ooh/aah kinda gal. That's not what I've heard.
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Well, I liked Paul Simon to a certain point in his career and I think he influenced me a lot but never to the point where I would agree about ooh and ahh being essential. Don't tell him I said that - he will never speak to me again. I think oohs and ahhs often sound good with harmonies done by back up singers, but I don't like them if they are just used as a substitute for lyrics the writer didn't feel like writing or if they main singer sings them. Paul did do that a lot and most of the time I just overlooked it because the rest of his lyrics were always excellent. One thing though, it worked because he wrote great melodies and harmonies and he knew it wouldn't matter if he got lazy on the lyrics in those parts. The audience likes it because they get to sing along right away without having to know the words, so maybe he has a point but it doesn't work if the melody isn't great. The other time that I think it sounds OK is when the singer is using ooh in context with the lyrics. For example, the song Baby, Baby. (Linda Rhonstadt did a cover of it. I can't remember who did the original, Little Anthony?) Anyway, it makes sense to use it there.
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Hey, I'm the Wizard of Ahs. I just ooze oohs. I love em. Here's a studio trick. Put your oohs or ahs on a buss of their own, then set any plug ins...compressors, reverb, special eq's etc....on the buss, not on the individual bg tracks. This "packages" the sound and makes them blend better. Also, double the high note and pan it. for that matter, double the dog snot out of everytthning and start panning for gold. Mike
You've got to know your limitations. I don't know what your limitations are. I found out what mine were when I was twelve. I found out that there weren't too many limitations, if I did it my way. -Johnny Cash It's only music. -niteshift Mike Dunbar Music
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Do these count?: Ob-la-di, ob-la-da, life goes on, brah!
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Oohs and Aahs?!!! Now you're talking! "One Moving Mind" http://soundclick.com/share?songid=2488315At: :30, :50. 1:05, 1:36, 1:45, 1:52,,,,for starters! Also, 2LT's "Don't Want To Be Famous" http://soundclick.com/share?songid=5513170At: 1:00, 1:10, 1:20 for starters And, 2LT's Iggy for: "It's You" http://soundclick.com/share?songid=5513146Oohs and Aahs up the wazoo! At: :30, :34, :50, :54,,,etc, etc AND, MIKE CARO on the ending Guitar Lead! Better than my Oohs and Aahs!
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Oh,,,in the LEAD vocal,,,,,,that's different....Never mind!
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...
The other time that I think it sounds OK is when the singer is using ooh in context with the lyrics. For example, the song Baby, Baby. (Linda Rhonstadt did a cover of it. I can't remember who did the original, Little Anthony?) Anyway, it makes sense to use it there. Actually, it was Smokey Robinson and the Imperials.
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Im mostly an Oooh kind of singer. Those slip in there naturally from time to time, but I can't remember singing aaaah's. For some reason they don't sit well with me, allthough I like it when others do them..
Hey, nice mixing tips there, Mike. Gotta try'em out.. thanks!
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Thanks, Jack. Should have known it was Smokey.
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I've been having trouble with my ahhs all morning! I can't think of a song where I wished they'd left off the oohs and ahhs, so they must be good
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"That's not what I've heard."
OK Kaufman, whose been talking?
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