Vibrato on American Idol

[NYCbabe3789]

Posted: 2/3/04 at 8:31pm

Is it just me, or are a lot of the American Idol contestants OBSESSED with vibrato? It's driving me crazy. They hold notes too long cause they're just waiting for it to come out. And worse, it comes out every single note, no matter how long they hold it. Whatever happened to talent?

[DofB5]

Posted: 2/3/04 at 8:35pm

I know I'm getting a headache from some of them. Whew!

D

[Auggie27]

Posted: 2/3/04 at 8:47pm

It ain't vibrato; it's that damned post-Mariah "melisma," vocal embellishment and ornamentation. It's destroyed pop singing, making every song sound the same. Listen to the good voices smothered in this sound, like too much cheese on your enchiladas at a Mexican restaurant.

[iflitifloat]

Posted: 2/3/04 at 9:07pm

Exactly, Auggie. Pick a damn note and stick with it, already. I can't listen anymore when there's so much embellishment that the melody can't be found.

[BroadwayNYC]

Posted: 2/3/04 at 9:16pm

I have to agree. I think it's a major turn-off to the listener. I like Mariah Carey, but that song she sings with Whitney Houston "when you believe" and they both do that vibrato towards then end of the song....it just makes me want to turn the radio off!! It's very annoying.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 2/3/04 at 9:31pm

I agree


I hope Alan Richson makes it through to teh end.. I will watch for him on there... yum


Did anyone see Micah Wood (I know his first name is Micah.. not sure on the last name)? He had a VERY strong rock voice.. definately impressed me.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 2/3/04 at 9:44pm

Micah, the one with the real rock sound? The one they dissed last night when he tried to sing "A Whole New World?" I agree, great voice, great non-Idol demeanor. I liked him. 'Rootin for him, too. Also, the gal tonight who had the "Amneris" like personality, and wrote the funny song. She was not well received, but she was damn good (and did make the cut, despite the awful outfit.)

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 2/3/04 at 9:47pm

Yes, that was Micah.

When he started singing, I was not in the room, but I heard him and my ears perked up and I came into the room. he definately caught my attention.

[say what?]

Posted: 2/3/04 at 10:17pm

Very dissapointed "Scooter Girl" was not cut tonight.

[bwguyhottie]

Posted: 2/4/04 at 8:27am

Alan Richsonwent to my hihschool..I undestudied him for Hero inA Funny Thing Happened on the Way tothe Forum

[bwguyhottie]

Posted: 2/4/04 at 8:28am

Alan Richsonwent to my hihschool..I undestudied him for Hero inA Funny Thing Happened on the Way tothe Forum

[ckeaton]

Posted: 2/4/04 at 9:31am

understudies in a High School production? Wow. I've never heard/seen that before, where did you go to High School, LAMBDA?

I think Alan is a jerk on the show. I was really hoping that he was cut, because he was the only one that was more disrespectful than that bit*h that called Simon gay, and the bikini model that was hanging all over him.

[rlbgbc]

Posted: 2/4/04 at 9:50am

Melisma has invaded every pocket of our culture, I fear. Pick a note and hold it. What's really annoying is when Melisma is used on the most inappropriate songs. Let's adopt this rule: Rodgers and Hammerstein songs do not need Melisma. Nor do Lerner & Loewe.

It just occurred to me: when is Melisma going to enter the lexicon of first names? Melisma Elizabeth Jackson. Updated On: 2/4/04 at 09:50 AM

[Auggie27]

Posted: 2/4/04 at 10:52am

Amen, Rlbgbc. Lets start a melisma with a line through it symbol thang.

It's startling how the use of melisma is assumed to give a singer "soul" or "syle" when it in fact does the opposite. When a straightforward ballad is given the melisma treatment, it destroys the melody AND the unique emotional values of a specific lyric. Singers have forgotten how critical phrasing is, how shaping the lyric -- it's a kind of acting -- is key to telling the story of the song. Even when the song isn't a story per se, the POV of the singer is in the handling of the words. If EVERY song has the same vowel-y approach, it makes the intention of the lyrics seem the same. "At Last" and "When You Believe,"

Many lesser (range-wise) voices, from Sinatra to Rosie Clooney achieved greatness because they sang the lyrics with interpretive skill. The approach was usually simple, but there's a reason why Ella, Rosie, others like the late Nancy LaMott have collected recordings built around lyrcists.

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 2/4/04 at 10:58am

Do you get a dollar everytime you use the word 'melisma' Auggie?

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 2/4/04 at 11:00am

"Rodgers and Hammerstein songs do not need Melisma. Nor do Lerner & Loewe."

Let's adopt a better rule: stop singing those songs.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 2/4/04 at 11:25am

Popa: I actually get $1.49, but I give the 49 cents to the Mariah Carrey Eye Ear Nose and Throat wing of Beth Isarael.

[ShineOn]

Posted: 2/4/04 at 12:59pm

Not to stray off-topic, but we had understudies in my high school productions, too.

Can't wait for American Idol tonight.. I'm so glad that blonde Keira bitch got cut... she was the MOST obnoxious, self absorbed thing I've EVER seen in my life! UNBELIEVABLE!!! Does she know the definition of the word "MODESTY"??? She could use a little in her life!

[newyorkuniq]

Posted: 2/4/04 at 1:07pm

I am addicted to this show once again. My feelings after last night:
Keira...wow what a little snob. She was bragging about how she did so well when in reality she sounded like Leann Rimes on crack. She couldn't even stay on one note for half a second. Then her little tantrum at the end made me reallly happy they didn't let her through.
Scooter Girl: She need some wardrobe advice that red sparkle Barbie top and farmer jeans just didn't work together. Her voice is o.k. but I don't really see "pop star" in her. I thought she was gonna get cut for sure last night but I bet she goes tonight.
And then what was with that girl telling Simon he was gay and being so rude to the judges. I couldn't believe it!! And she got through!!! Oy.
I like that red head kid's voice he sounds so oldschool. Anyway final 35 tonight!! Whoohoo!

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 2/4/04 at 1:07pm

we had understudies for shows in my school as well.
I had teh pleasure of have an instructor/director who did not run us like a high school theatre program, but more along the lines of a professional repertory company. He LOATHED peopel refering to us as a "high school theatre class" because he demanded a lot more of us and treated us moreso as colleagues than students. I learned SO much from him and his previous experiences in professional theatre as well as the current experiences of his son (an equity actor)

[Auggie27]

Posted: 2/4/04 at 1:57pm

The rude girl got through because her talent wasn't questioned, just her disposition and manners. Remember, she did her homework. Unlike many a giggly amateur-and-proud-of-it, she composed a whole song, and had prepared, carefully rehearsed, and was so invested in her performance (and critically, its reception), she tore into Randy for interrupting her.

Rude? Sure. Driven? Obnoxiously so. Temperament for show biz success? Absolutely. For them to cut her because she ain't nice -- well, if only nice people got ahead in showbiz, we'd all be home reading every night, not watching TV or movies, because there would be nobody to work in either medium.

(Papa: she had the m----a thing goin' big time.)

Updated On: 2/4/04 at 01:57 PM

[~*Triple Star On Broadway*~]

Posted: 2/4/04 at 5:24pm

I'm sorry, but most of those people on this show yell most of their songs. I wish they would understand that being good doesn't mean screaming until your vocal chords give out (Which they eventually will, whether it be tomorrow, a week or month/year from now) and pushing your vibrato to sound like your singing correctly or sounding good. Its just getting to be so common in this people, there are only a few people that have originality in their voices. Its kind of a shame.
Remember this is just my personal opinion and I know different people will feel differently so I apologize right now if I said something that someone didn't like or agree with. I respect everyones opinions on these diferent subjects. :)

[Princess MimiChica]

Posted: 2/4/04 at 5:27pm

Did anyone else notice that when one of the guys sang his original composition, it sounded eerily like "Dancing Through Life"?? I don't remember which guy it was, but Randy made fun of him and went "da da da da..that was just okay..." Am I crazy or did anyone else hear that? =)

[NYCbabe3789]

Posted: 2/4/04 at 5:27pm

I personally didn't think the rude girl who called Simon gay was that good of a singer. BTW is Scooter Girl the one to whom Simon asked if she was a comedian with a good voice or a singer who was funny? Whoever that girl was, I totally agreed with Simon, but couldn't help but feel sorry for her when he said that.

And THANK GOD that blonde girl was cut, who put on the little drama at the end. She needs to get over herself.

[innocentchoirboy]

Posted: 2/4/04 at 6:59pm

death to vibrato-y riffs! its a nice skill, and not everyone is that skilled, but after a while, the note needs to end. when someone takes thirty seconds riffing a quarter note, you know its just a tad over done. ugh. funny auditions though!