The "Idina Tongue Singing" Thing- Page 2

[Aigoo]

Posted: 4/22/05 at 6:18pm

Idina looks sort of weird when she sings. :shrugs: just my opinion.

[BroadwayGirl107]

Posted: 4/22/05 at 6:25pm

Idina DOES have the technique though. Its not like she was missing notes every night. Boohoo. I bet she's going to lose her voice because she SOMETIMES missed three or four notes in the show. What's wrong is her breathing. She needs to fix it, and all will be well.. If you don't believe me, listen to her in Rent, Aida, or The Wild Party. Even towards the end of her run in each show, she sounded strong. In fact, the last time I saw her in Wicked, she sounded better than she ever did. Voice placement exactly where it neeeded to be, notes nailed.

Tonya does have good technique. However, what she SHOULDN'T have to do is sacrifice technique for emotion. A good technique should allow you to emote anything without sacrificing technique. Idina sure doesn't lose technique when she has to sound angry.

[Mattio98]

Posted: 4/22/05 at 6:36pm

Firstly- When you're in a recording studio with Pro Tools and Autotune and the ability to do as many takes as you want, it's a little different.

Secondly- When people are paying $100 a ticket to see a show, I don't think its star should be missing notes on a regular basis...even if it's only a few times a week.

Lastly- I disagree that every emotion can be expressed through good technique. I'm not sure how wise a move it was for Tonya to do what she did because of the damage she might've done to herself but as an audience member, I was glad she did it. I only hope that she won't suffer permanent damage.

[BroadwayGirl107]

Posted: 4/22/05 at 6:55pm

No...I was talking about Idina LIVE in Rent, Aida, or The WIld Party. (which I guess you can't really do, unless you're that interested and you pm me) I don't think she sounds all that great on the Rent or WIld Party cast recordings, and most certainly not on the Wicked recording...she sounds better live.

Second...I wouldn't know whether or not Idina was missing notes on a regular basis, as I didn't see the show on a regular basis. Whether or not she was, I agree that she shouldn't be missing notes. What I'm saying is that the problem didn't necessarily lie in her technique...her breathing and technique was fine for 7 years of performing live until she performed in Wicked with bronchitis. That may have been the problem...that could have an effect on your breathing. But its not like one day her technique disappeared out of nowhere, or that she never had any to begin with. Its quite clear it was there to begin with.

Also, while her technique is not the norm, it is not wrong. It is like a different language. There is not only one safe way to sing, and just because what she has learned uses different techniques to create a different sound, doesn't mean its wrong or bad...just different.

Lastly, I wasn't saying that I didn't like Tonya's choice...I did. I was making a point though. It is possible to have the same vocal effect while not hurting your voice. I would rather see her do that than suffer any damage..permanent or temporary. I do agree that I wouldn't want to hear her having this very "refined" sounding technique while playing that role; it wouldn't work so well.
Updated On: 4/22/05 at 06:55 PM

[Jwaa]

Posted: 4/22/05 at 7:11pm

I've noticed on high/belty notes she turns the word to begin with L...so it was
Wizard and I = Wizard and Liiiiii
Look at me now = Look and Meee Laaaaaow

its funny but if it gets her the sound she creates...shes doin well.

[OrdinaryJukebox1]

Posted: 4/22/05 at 8:25pm

Broadwaygirl, I agree with you, but sadly, you're wasting your breath. This is a board that mostly picks and chooses who can and can not be liked. If anyone insults "Avenue Q" (which, for the record, I am not, I loved it) all of the "Q" fans respond with is, "It won the Tony." Yet, if someone uses the fact that Idina has won a Tony in her defense, it becomes, "Well, the Tony's are a stupid popularity contest that mean nothing." I've made all of the same points you have, about how if she wasn't singing correctly, she'd have lost her voice ages ago, and how Tonya Pinkins, as much as I loved her in "Caroline, or Change" was WAY off vocally, no matter how it helped the character, you're still paying that same 100 bucks, and I want to hear a song, not a screaming crack. However, you are fighting a LOSING game. If you would, please PM me about your info you mentioned earlier!!

-Vincent

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 4/22/05 at 8:39pm

Blah Blah Blah.

Did you even see CAROLINE OR CHANGE, or are you basing it on the Tonys? When I saw her, she didn't miss a note.

[BroadwayGirl107]

Posted: 4/22/05 at 8:46pm

Yes, I saw Caroline or Change, and loved it. But Tonya missed plenty of notes. I very much enjoyed her performance and realize most of her sound was a character choice, but she was doing some of it incorrectly. Or at least it sounded a little painful. And then, of course, her voice started to wear out more as the run went on.

Not criticizing her so much as saying she was the same if not worse as far as missing notes in comparison to Idina.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 4/22/05 at 8:55pm

Comparing Idina and Tonya is useless. They have nothing in common - the only thing is that they were both on Broadway the same season. End of story. No similarities in their performance. Fortunately for Tonya, she knows how to act. Sadly, the same can't be said of Idina.

I'm not even talking about her weird and painful facial expressions that would lead one to believe that she was being probed from behind by a broomstick - I'm talking about the way she sounds. It's just not pleasant. And just because Idina hasn't lost her voice doesn't mean she's singing incorrectly. She may have certain things that are incorrect, but nothign that would harm her in the run of one show. This is a really rediculous thread to begin with, though, so who knows...

[ShbrtAlley44]

Posted: 4/22/05 at 9:03pm

Guys, I'm sorry. It's RIDICULOUS. Not rediculous. Sorry, it's just driving me insane because I've seen it about 1000 times on this board.

[BroadwayGirl107]

Posted: 4/22/05 at 9:06pm

Ordinary Jukebox was right...fighting a losing game. I don't know how many times I have to say that just because she's not singing with the technique you use doesn't mean she's IS singing incorrectly. There are many ways to sing correctly, and different techniques will dictate the sound you make. If you really think she's never had technique, you obviously did not see her in Rent, The Wild Party, Aida, or earlier in the Wicked run.

Either that, or you just can't grasp the fact that there is more than one correct technique to singing. And although YOU may not like the sound of her voice, it is correct, and just because you don't like it doesn't mean its wrong.

[DefyingGravity]

Posted: 4/22/05 at 9:55pm

There are so many singing techniques out there and whatever you were taught and are used to doing, of course your going to think something else is "bad technique." As for Idina and her "tongue" if it bothers you so much, turn your head. If her technique is so wrong then why does she keep getting job after job and is a Tony Award Winner? You people need to worry about more important things that are going on. Some of the members on this board are working performers getting paid to push their tongues out or doing whatever they have to do and for the rest of the members wish they were working performers but just don't have what it takes so theyre bitter and jealous of other performers. Thats sad to put a performer down because you wish you were them.

PS: no one is perfect.
Updated On: 4/22/05 at 09:55 PM

[sassypanz]

Posted: 4/22/05 at 10:02pm

I think Idina shouts too much when she sings. No offense.

[Mattio98]

Posted: 4/22/05 at 11:01pm

*RANT WARNING*

This is something that's been annoying me for awhile on the boards. Every time a thread turns into a good debate or discussion regarding a performer or show (as opposed to list threads or just trivial matters) people have to ruin it by taking it personally and attacking the posters who they disagree with. I have not once attacked any poster who feels differently about this issue. Don't believe me? The thread is here for you to read. I was actually enjoying the dialogue in this thread, it was actually stimulating and it brought up the question of sacrificing vocal technique at times for the sake of a performance which, to me, is a lot more interesting than the "Is seat E13 to Good Vibrations ok or am I going to miss a surfboard?" threads. Stop taking it personally. I never said there was only one style of vocal technique. I DID say that Idina lacked technique and had bad technique because I define bad technique as any type of singing that can be harmful to the voice. I was never rude or curt about it. And here's a question: when you post about people being allowed to have different tastes and that we should tolerate it, does that only go for the people who share your tastes or does that extend to those who disagree with you? If you wanna talk the talk, you've gotta walk the walk too.
Updated On: 4/22/05 at 11:01 PM

[vicatella]

Posted: 4/23/05 at 12:14am

*standing ovation for mattio*
i like that. and on that note, how can we actually tell that idina's voice was harmed? i mean, there's obviously the issue about singing with bronchitis, but other than that...

singing anything for an extended amount of time is going to cause wear and tear to the vocal chords, so i would think that as long as she takes enough time off to 'come back up to speed' vocally, there's really nothing wrong. as for debating whether or not she's gonna have a voice in 10 years, obviously that depends on her technique and obviously, that's where this thread breaks down. does she have bad technique, or is it just different technique?

i'm going to say that it's different technique, and being so, she obviously needs to use it in the best way for herself. i've known people who have 'traditional' technique and their voice runs down too. what works for idina probably won't work for everybody else.
so, i don't know if i've said anything different from everybody else(probably not), but there it is.

oh, and please, let's try not to turn this into an argument that everyone takes personally. i agree with juke on most of the things he mentioned, but please, let's try something different and keep it out of this conversation b/c it is really interesting to hear different people's views.

Updated On: 4/23/05 at 12:14 AM

[Amneris]

Posted: 4/23/05 at 12:23am

I adore Idina Personally..and i've been a HUGE fan since early RENT days..since before most of you were like born so please don't turn around and call me or any of these other posters here bitter or jealous just because we are curious. Sorry if we don't light candles under her posters but, most of us ARE performers and just want to know about various techniques and if her tongue action works as far as belting out final notes and why she does it lol. No need to start a huge tiff.
Updated On: 4/23/05 at 12:23 AM

[vicatella]

Posted: 4/23/05 at 12:37am

why DOES she do it? i know there's the whole specualation about the swallowing tongue thing but does she really have a problem with that?
and props to everyone who's interested in learning new techniques. personally, i like mine, but hey, who's to say idina's isn't better? well, actually, now that i think about it, it obviously is b/c !hello! she's on bway and i'm...well i'm not. :)

[LittleFish8386]

Posted: 4/23/05 at 12:41am

and there I was trying to lighten the mood...

[vicatella]

Posted: 4/23/05 at 12:42am

i was actually gonna ask about that one....

[Mattio98]

Posted: 4/23/05 at 12:43am

Don't worry LittleFish, my rant wasn't directed towards you at all. In fact, I got a lovely little chuckle when I read your post.

[vicatella]

Posted: 4/23/05 at 12:47am

try it again fish, maybe people will catch it this time, now that they've been forwarned

[LittleFish8386]

Posted: 4/23/05 at 12:47am

Well good. This is what I am here for.

[Mattio98]

Posted: 4/23/05 at 12:49am

If someone else had written that post, I might've taken it seriously. Does that say anything?

[vicatella]

Posted: 4/23/05 at 12:56am

ok, so back to the stimulating conversation.....
actually, nevermind i'm going to bed.

[Adoannie925]

Posted: 4/23/05 at 2:34am

Broadwaygirl107: It's not so much as her vocal placement I was picking on, but why would one want to create unnecessary tension? That's what she's doing by smiling or looking like she's biting out of an apple. Regardless of vocal placement, if you have unnecessary tension in your jaw or face or neck, it's going to hinder your sound and resonance.