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Good voice vs. good singer

#21
elgecko said:
This topic was touched on in the Jack White/Neil Young thread. I truly believe that they're two completely different things. It's entirely possible to not have a good voice yet be a good singer!

My favorite example is Janis Joplin. No one ever accused her of having an aesthetic voice. It's rough, extremely hoarse and often cracks. However, her singing is delivered with such an extreme amount of passion and emotion, you can literally hear the pain in her voice.
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I couldn't disagree more. If someone doesn't have a good voice, I can't stand their singing. I never cared for Janis Joplin's vocals. I do hear the passion and emotion in her voice but that doesn't make her a good singer. For me, the vocals are the most important thing. If I can't get past the vocalist, I won't listen at all. Guns 'N' Roses and Metallica for example. The music is great but I can't stand Axl Rose's or James Hetfield's vocals so I just can't listen to those bands. There are plenty of other examples.
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#22
Kmonk said:
I couldn't disagree more. If someone doesn't have a good voice, I can't stand their singing. I never cared for Janis Joplin's vocals. I do hear the passion and emotion in her voice but that doesn't make her a good singer. For me, the vocals are the most important thing. If I can't get past the vocalist, I won't listen at all. Guns 'N' Roses and Metallica for example. The music is great but I can't stand Axl Rose's or James Hetfield's vocals so I just can't listen to those bands. There are plenty of other examples.
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That's okay. We don't have to agree.

I get what you're saying though. That's why I could never listen to Dave Matthews.
 
#29
elgecko said:
Was he the whiney voiced one? I always kind of dug his singing.
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I found Mark's singing to be somewhat consistent even after Blink broke up and he went on to play with +44. After Blink reunited, it still somewhat stayed the same except I think he's being influenced by Tom's sslllluuurrryyyy sssppeeeeccchhhh aaaannnndddd sssssiiinnnnggggiiinnnngggggg. Whether or not he's a good bassist is a WHOLE other can of worms I don't want to open.
 
#32
buldog5151bass said:
That's true with any instrument (and I consider voice an instrument). There are some guitarists who have amazing technique, but do nothing for me. BB King, David Gilmour, and some others can hit just one note, and it goes straight to your gut.
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Since you brought up the topic of guitarists, my all-time classic example of technique vs. soul is Eddie Van Halen (an astounding musical "vocabulary" - but has nothing interesting to say) vs. Neil Young (extremely limited musical vocabulary - but always has an evocative, compelling statement to make).

Consider EVH's "Eruption" vs. Neil's "Cinnamon Girl": Eddie squeezes zillions of notes into into it, as well as it can be done. Neil's solo consists of one note!

MM
 
#37
I would also add, it's not just good voice vs good singer (Or both when possible)--but what singer is right for the band...
Ever had a band you like change singers, and it went downhill for you?
 

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