I don't get why when Patti sings, she — Page 3

Ding ding ding ding.
We have a winner.
Thank you bialy!

Furthermore, it seems only appropriate given that Patti's playing Mama Rose that I remind all what numerous Merman biographers have stated about the Merm's vocal technique.

While Merman stated she never took a voice lesson (and indeed George Gershwin later ordered her to never see a voice teacher) Ethel did in fact take one voice lesson early in her career and that supposedly 'respected' teacher said that she was singing improperly and wouldn't be able to maintain her sound or vocal health without retraining her diaphragm (among other things). As a performer who seldom missed a performance, let alone for vocal issues (save a burst blood vessel in her throat during Gypsy), it's clear the teacher was wrong. Just go on YouTube and listen to how that glorious brassy voice held up well into the seventies and early eighties! Sure her vibrato became more pronounced but she still had every note!

TotallyEffed - what are you talking about???

as a vocal teacher I must say that jrb is closest to being "spot on" here, about technique.

YOU don't know what you're talking about. just go keep making those impersonation videos... leave the real stuff to the big boys.

No one should be listening to comments about talent, vocal technique, or presence from some dipsh*t Asian who wishes they were a black hip-hop artist.

What the ****?

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^---AND he can read! Congrats

If vibrato was a naturally occuring thing, wouldn't it happen with boy sopranos?

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Then stop listening to her, change your avatar picture, and MOVE ON.

Or Gwen Verdon.

oh my so Irritable

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No misunderstanding...I agree with your post because you are able to express yourself intelligently...Patti fan or not, and a good chunk of the Patti fanantics are unable to do this. It's either you're wrong because you don't like Patti, or you're wrong becuase you do like Patti. I think my biggest concern is how almost every single thread lately is about this and LuPone.

Linda has nothing to do with this thread, and unlike the Patti fanatics, I feel no need to bring her into every single thread. You may feel throwing Linda into my face proves some sort of point in your world just because of my signiture, but I couldn't care less.

I also wasn't refering to you paljoey, about the unintelligent threads...not everything is about you/Patti

Ah...the Lina Eder "situation".

A woman who claims to have never taken a single voice lesson and yet, is considered by most to be far more singer than actress (poor woman can't act her way out of a carboad box, imho).

Linda is a perfect example of someone with natural technique (or lack thereof, depending on how you see it).
Personally, I'm no fan but she has made a career for herself and does some relatively impressive things with little to no training. More power to her.

Ultimately, no matter if a person is trained or not the technique shouldn't show. It shouldn't even be a thought in the viewer's mind. Technique is supposed to be hidden. Like a garden cloth to keep out the weeds, it is designed to sit beneith the surface and prevent imperfections from growing up to the surface - or at the very most, to facilitate the singer's ability to achieve desired communication.
Folks like Eder have it easy - they have no technique. They just shut up and sing. Folks with technique are really striving to get to a place where their performance is seemingly effortless. As a singer, I envy the Eders of the world. I've studied for years to sing with the ease that they have inately.

As for Patti - I echo those who have said that her technical glitches just don't matter. She is popular because she embodies the ideal of the diva. Like Maria Callas (another inately flawed performer), Patti's celebrity is as much about her oddities as it is about her undeniable talents (and no, I'm not comparing the two as singers. They aren't comparable - totally different genres.)