Barking Spiders Posted April 16, 2021 Share Posted April 16, 2021 On PR a track by Smith/Kotzen has just been on. It's not a bad tune and Adrian Smith's vocals are fine but Ritchie Kotzen rivals Glenn Hughes for that bombastic/histrionic way of over-singing, which has me diving for the off button. Of course, pop's chock full of divas who over-sing like Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and so on but I choose not to listen to whatever stations play that stuff. Trouble is there are loads of rock vocalists who sing/sang this way like the bloke in Queensryche and RJ Dio. Just wondering where the BC massive is on this. I expect many will disagree but I won't cry. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoomTing Posted April 16, 2021 Share Posted April 16, 2021 Mm Don't listen to Stevie Vai sing, great guitar player but boy O boy!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Dare Posted April 16, 2021 Share Posted April 16, 2021 It ain't just pop. Opera is full of histrionic warblers. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barking Spiders Posted April 16, 2021 Author Share Posted April 16, 2021 1 hour ago, Dan Dare said: It ain't just pop. Opera is full of histrionic warblers. Yep and that's why I can't fkin stand it either. Dreadful stuff 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nail Soup Posted April 16, 2021 Share Posted April 16, 2021 In general I totally agree about OTT histrionic singing - can't stand it. ,..... BUT sometimes someone can make it work: 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted April 16, 2021 Share Posted April 16, 2021 2 hours ago, Dan Dare said: It ain't just pop. Opera is full of histrionic warblers. 25 minutes ago, Barking Spiders said: Yep and that's why I can't fkin stand it either. Dreadful stuff There is Good Stuff in there too, y'know... 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leftybassman392 Posted April 17, 2021 Share Posted April 17, 2021 Opera singers are mostly following a score, so any perceived 'warbling' is what they've been instructed to do using the techniques they've been taught. Oversinging as I understand it is the act of adding (mostly unnecessary) emphasis and embellishment not written into the music, usually done with a kind of 'look at me' bravado. I can certainly understand why people don't like operatic singing (which is fine of course - each to their own), but TBH I'm not sure how the pejorative might apply in an operatic situation. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveXFR Posted April 17, 2021 Share Posted April 17, 2021 Mariah Carey. Twenty seven different notes in every single word. I have a theory that they sing like this to avoid holding any note long enough for you to hear that they're never actually hitting the right notes. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted April 17, 2021 Share Posted April 17, 2021 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirky Posted April 17, 2021 Share Posted April 17, 2021 14 hours ago, Nail Soup said: In general I totally agree about OTT histrionic singing - can't stand it. ,..... BUT sometimes someone can make it work: Love Billy's voice, but I recently discovered the Divine Comedy have recorded a version of Party Fear Two and without the distraction of the vocals (and, to be fair, production) of the original, the quality of the song really comes to the fore. Worth checking out. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted April 17, 2021 Share Posted April 17, 2021 15 hours ago, Dad3353 said: There is Good Stuff in there too, y'know... I think that depends on your definition of good stuff - that is why I really dislike opera, ruining good music! I understand they are very good for what they are doing, I just hate it. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skybone Posted April 17, 2021 Share Posted April 17, 2021 Greta Van Fleet. Led Zep. Pretty much every modern pop song since Mariah & Witney. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassmachine2112 Posted April 17, 2021 Share Posted April 17, 2021 5 hours ago, SteveXFR said: Mariah Carey. Twenty seven different notes in every single word. I have a theory that they sing like this to avoid holding any note long enough for you to hear that they're never actually hitting the right notes. Well said,I have memories of this in the studio from years ago. 99 out of a 100 couldn,t hold a note cause they were flat or sharp or slid into every note Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoomTing Posted April 17, 2021 Share Posted April 17, 2021 2 hours ago, bassmachine2112 said: Well said,I have memories of this in the studio from years ago. 99 out of a 100 couldn,t hold a note cause they were flat or sharp or slid into every note LOL You have just outed My fretless Bass playing ! 🤠 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteb Posted April 17, 2021 Share Posted April 17, 2021 (edited) On 16/04/2021 at 17:26, Barking Spiders said: On PR a track by Smith/Kotzen has just been on. It's not a bad tune and Adrian Smith's vocals are fine but Ritchie Kotzen rivals Glenn Hughes for that bombastic/histrionic way of over-singing, which has me diving for the off button. Of course, pop's chock full of divas who over-sing like Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and so on but I choose not to listen to whatever stations play that stuff. Trouble is there are loads of rock vocalists who sing/sang this way like the bloke in Queensryche and RJ Dio. Just wondering where the BC massive is on this. I expect many will disagree but I won't cry. I've just bought that album, but haven't had chance to listen to it yet. I love Kotzen's singing, but I do know what you mean about Glenn Hughes - a great singer but really does over-sing (annoyingly so) at times. To me it's a bit like like comparing Mariah (Hughes) to Whitney (Kotzen). To me Carey, as great a voice as she undoubtedly has, just over-sings the life out of just about everything whereas Whitney was just one of the great soul divas, possibly the best ever! Not sure where you are going with Geoff Tate and Dio - they are / were just great, powerful, semi-operatic rock vocalists. No over-singing and nothing like the white soul warbling of Kotzen and Hughes et al. But the real question is, do you really want everybody to sound like Joe Strummer? Personally, I love hearing great singers - but there is a line...! Edited April 18, 2021 by peteb 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leftybassman392 Posted April 17, 2021 Share Posted April 17, 2021 10 hours ago, Woodinblack said: opera, ruining good music! The people writing the good music would have been expecting it to be performed the way opera singers perform it. Just sayin'... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted April 17, 2021 Share Posted April 17, 2021 55 minutes ago, leftybassman392 said: The people writing the good music would have been expecting it to be performed the way opera singers perform it. Just sayin'... Indeed they would, as they were writing an opera. But take away the singing and you have some good music!. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leftybassman392 Posted April 17, 2021 Share Posted April 17, 2021 13 minutes ago, Woodinblack said: Indeed they would, as they were writing an opera. But take away the singing and you have some good music!. Well as I said, everybody's entitled to an opinion. Not exactly what you'd call oversinging though is it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grandad Posted April 17, 2021 Share Posted April 17, 2021 I have noticed a tendency for singers to begin singing at near maximum volume at the start of a song and leave themselves no where to go towards the end. I tend to switch off these so called power songs. Much better to employ good microphone technique whereby the intimacy of the voice can be put to good use without straining, and the subtleties heard. Use the fact that we now have amplification. Folk often mention Sinatra's technique and listening to him his diction is good and he never seems to strain to sing any note. There are a few others. It's not 100 years ago when a singer had to have power in their voice to fill a theatre. As for Opera singers I'm sure they know what they're doing and I wouldn't comment, mostly though not my cup of tea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted April 17, 2021 Share Posted April 17, 2021 Hmmm... Mariah, Whitney and Ronnie James Dio are/were exceptional and well taught singers. Give me someone who can do vocal fireworks naturally and in tune any day ghastly over-auto-tuned warbling. 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted April 17, 2021 Share Posted April 17, 2021 50 minutes ago, leftybassman392 said: Well as I said, everybody's entitled to an opinion. Not exactly what you'd call oversinging though is it? Of course it is from my opinion, when as stated, exactly no singing is the right amount! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteb Posted April 17, 2021 Share Posted April 17, 2021 14 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said: Hmmm... Mariah, Whitney and Ronnie James Dio are/were exceptional and well taught singers. Give me someone who can do vocal fireworks naturally and in tune any day ghastly over-auto-tuned warbling. AS much as I love hearing great singers, they are a bit of a luxury in a way. You don't have to be have a Steve Perry in the band to produce some of the best rock and roll; sometimes being a stylist and an ace frontman can top being a great singer. Plenty of examples - off the top of my head: Joe Strummer, Mick Jagger, Dave Lee Roth, Bruce Springsteen, John Lennon and many, many others...! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leftybassman392 Posted April 17, 2021 Share Posted April 17, 2021 (edited) 15 minutes ago, Woodinblack said: Of course it is from my opinion, when as stated, exactly no singing is the right amount! So operatic singing is oversinging by definition? I have a feeling we're not going to agree on this one... Edited April 17, 2021 by leftybassman392 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted April 18, 2021 Share Posted April 18, 2021 (edited) 10 hours ago, leftybassman392 said: So operatic singing is oversinging by definition? I have a feeling we're not going to agree on this one... Huh? As I said, in my opinion I don't like operatic singing, so therefore in my opinion operatic singing is over singing. I would think that must be pretty obvious no? Edited April 18, 2021 by Woodinblack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Browning Posted April 18, 2021 Share Posted April 18, 2021 I can see your point but the singer is not interpreting the aria in the same way as one of the other culprits you mention. Certainly I am more Gilmour than Malmsteen in my preference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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