Ouch!

[Peter Squire]

Peeps

Is it just me or do you wince in pain when a singer can't hit the note?

I was just at an open mike night (as a patron) and the majority of singers just couldn't!!

I have been in bands where this is a problem, but in my old age, I can no longer accept tone-deaf singers.

Discuss?

 

[Nickthebassist]

Yup, it's bad. I know some people don't think my band's singer belts it out enough, but he virtually never goes out of tune once he gets going, which is a good thing.

 

[bassicinstinct]

Given adequate monitoring (and that's a whole different thread in itself ),there is absolutely no excuse whatsoever in any circumstances for a singer to sing "off key".

Sadly, many don't seem to need any excuse anyway.

IMHO, obviously

 

[Josh Ryan]

It's a common problem. Desire to sing does not equal ability to sing. I wish people would realize it takes work, like an other instrument. I had a guitar player who thought he could sing, it held us back a lot. It eventually caused the end of the band (as he and I were the writers) because he didn't want to relinquish his role as singer.

 

[jive1]

Yes, I cringe.

But, Blisshead is on the money. People who "think" they can sing, and there are those who can sing but can't come in at the right time. The worst are the guys who think they can sing, but can't, and will not take ANY advice to improve their singing. The second worst are the ones who think that singing is either easy or doesn't matter, and slop all over the place. Those two categories of "singers" tend to make me and the audience cringe. To make matters worse is when a family member or spouse tells them how good they sound and they bring it up whenever anyone tells them they are out of tune.

 

[bassicinstinct]

Karaoke merchants - don't you just love 'em??

 

[daofktr]

i saw red hot chili peppers on letterman years back....kiedis (sp?) couldn't hold a note in a bag...i was cringeing.
btw...i don't sing in public if i can help it...it's not that i can't, but i shouldn't...
i can keep tune, but there are very few songs i sound good on.
i am enlightened.

 

[Eli M.]

I wince in pain when I hear things that are out of tune, especially a piano or singer. I can't listen to "Under African Skies" on Graceland because Linda Ronstadt sings "stars" slightly flat the second time.

 

[QORC]

Lord, yes. we have a singer in my band (that's about to break-up) who isn't nearly as good as he thinks he is. When we do "Vertigo" - a song I love. He absolutely can't hit the high notes in "feeeEEEEELLLLL".....it sounds awful. but what can you do?

 

[nicoli]

The worst is seeing people standing in front of the stage wincing when your singer misses one... puts you in a rather uncomfortable position as the bassist. Do you acknowledge the crowd's pain with a grimace of your own or do you support the vocalist and keep playing as if nothing has happened?

 

[PunkerTrav]

To me nothing sounds worse than an out of tune singer, bass player, guitarist, cellist.. whatever. Play in tune. Please.

 

[LiquidMidnight]

I guess that's one of the reasons why I can't get into most Emo music - a lot of the vocalists sing VERY sharp.

Whenever I listen to the radio, I'm amazed at how many singers are actually singing flat.

Another thing to keep in mind is that vocalist need to realize what is in and what isn't in their range. Sometimes a song is just too high, even when transposed.

Also, it may sound strange, but I think vocalists should also choose songs that work with the TIMBRE of their voice. I've heard vocalist do songs that were technically on the money, but the timbre of their voice didn't suit the material.

 

[Thor]

...Also, it may sound strange, but I think vocalists should also choose songs that work with the TIMBRE of their voice. I've heard vocalist do songs that were technically on the money, but the timbre of their voice didn't suit the material.

Yup. One grating example is Rod Stewart and his Jazz Standards. Should have stuck to 'Let Me Love You, Baby'
or " Do Ya Think I'm Sexy".

Yeah, it hurts when they are out. But it isn't really that easy,
is it?