When Singers Can't Sing Their Songs Anymore

Yahoo Music ^ | 09/14/2009 | Shawn Amos

[dfwgator]

Unlike the still mellow musical musings of Mel Torme....;)

"This is NOT Mel Torme." - (Top Secret!)

[windcliff]

ping

[allmendream]

I saw Brian Wilson (of Beach Boy's fame) last year at the Hollywood Bowl after he accepted an award for ‘musically defining southern California’ or some such.

He knew his voice wasn't what it used to be so faded out and let the back up singers take the difficult notes.

It was a good show, other than his attempts to “groove” geriatricly to the music.

[onedoug]

Tone the voice for the years. Beauty’s still beauty though its tone be matured. Beverly Sills did it, God Bless her soul.

[Tax-chick]

Ever try to work swollen vocal chords into shape for a show that night?

Last Christmas Eve. Thermos of hot broth and brandy, I couldn't feel a thing. Then I couldn't talk for several days.

[mysterio]

Thermos of hot broth and brandy, I couldn't feel a thing. Then I couldn't talk for several days.

The last time I did two nights in a row, I had a similar strategy : lots of water, and a few vodkas. Both nights were three and a half hour shows. I almost canceled the second night, but made it through. Most of my range came back that night except for the high falsetto. My voice was rough for most of the week after that one, but thankfully came back.

I don't do two long shows on consecutive days since then. It's just risky to sing that much two days in a row.

[Tax-chick]

Our performance was about an hour and a half. I’m told I didn’t sound too horrible: I had a bad cold, and I couldn’t hear very well. My voice wasn’t back to normal until into February, though.

[mysterio]

It's really hard to do well with a cold. Just too much congestion / irritation. And not being able to hear is pretty hard on you even when you are well, especially if you're singing for 90 minutes.

Glad that you pulled it off.

[Tax-chick]

Better than no music at all, at least.

Singing a lot is very difficult. I’m impressed by those who can do it all the time.

[Yaelle]

I read an article in one of the trade mags that suggested that pitch correction software is used a lot more than we might imagine. The guy would not name names.

One of them started with a K and ended with an ANYE.

[dfwgator]

One of them started with a K and ended with an ANYE.

Well even a deaf person would know Kanye uses pitch correction.

[mysterio]

Me, too. I look at the schedules of some of my favorite singers and just think wow.

[Tax-chick]

I suppose instrumentalists wear out, too ... carpal tunnel and stuff.

[Mad Dawgg]

"Singing a lot is very difficult. I’m impressed by those who can do it all the time."

My old vocal coach used to tell us singing for 4 hours at performance level affects the throat like a 10 mile run affects the legs of a marathon runner.

Its why she urged us to divide the lead signing as equally as possible among the members of our group.

[Tax-chick]

That makes sense. We do church services, so there’s a break, at least, for prayers, Bible reading, and the sermon!