American Idol

[Yaddo 42]

I was trying to find the musical term for this, but I had the wrong word and can't the right one. I know it has a name though.

Do you mean when they waver the tone of the voice while holding a particular note? I blame the popularity of Christina Aguilera and Mariah Carey. They seemed to have set the standard for who to imitate in vocal gymnastics among pop singers. Even folks like Jessica Simpson who can't get away with it without studio tricks were doing it for awhile.

Personally I wish these multi-octave show-offs would copy say Tim Buckley or Captain Beefheart instead, use your voice like a musical instrument rather than a sonic sledgehammer. But they wouldn't make the show that way.

[Dennis]

I watched the whole first season with my wife, and one or two shows from each season after that, was not impressed by the talent at the beginning of each season. Here's why, I believe that you could go to any high school in this country and find at least two people who could make it through to the Hollywood stage of the show, at this point they start getting coaching and help from professional musicians, they get help with their hair, clothes, song selection etc. At the end of the show what you have is some one of slightly above average talent who has been formed by the competion into the popular image of a performer. While I will say they all have more talent then I do, I find that their music,  (includes all the contestants and winners) is on a par of what I hear in an elevator, none of them have impressed me enough that I would actually listen to them on purpose.

[Zapranoth]

I was trying to find the musical term for this, but I had the wrong word and can't the right one. I know it has a name though.

Do you mean when they waver the tone of the voice while holding a particular note? I blame the popularity of Christina Aguilera and Mariah Carey. They seemed to have set the standard for who to imitate in vocal gymnastics among pop singers. Even folks like Jessica Simpson who can't get away with it without studio tricks were doing it for awhile.

Personally I wish these multi-octave show-offs would copy say Tim Buckley or Captain Beefheart instead, use your voice like a musical instrument rather than a sonic sledgehammer. But they wouldn't make the show that way.

"Vibrato."

As has been said previously, you'd have to tie me down and staple my eyes open.    Give me quality TV, like Galactica (though it's really lost momentum recently) and Heroes!

Gaah, did I just say quality TV? 

[Ash]

Most of the singing is pretty good.
But I don't like it when some of the females sing in that tone that reminds me of Pee-Wee Herman.
Know what I'm talking about?

[Yaddo 42]

Thanks, Zap, I guess that's what I meant, but I was sure there was another name for it. Like I thought vibrato and what I was thinking of were variations on the same thing. Guess not.

[Poogie]

Thanks, Zap, I guess that's what I meant, but I was sure there was another name for it. Like I thought vibrato and what I was thinking of were variations on the same thing. Guess not.

It reminds me of the Tarzan yell......is that the term you're looking for?   

[Mr. DS]

Major guilty pleasure of mine although if Simon wasn't on it, I'd probably cease to watch it.  I think they have some talent this season but theres some people that you know are going to hang around like a bad habit.  That kid Sanjiah needs to leave soon.   

[ulthar]

Thanks, Zap, I guess that's what I meant, but I was sure there was another name for it. Like I thought vibrato and what I was thinking of were variations on the same thing. Guess not.

Could you be thinking of tremolo?

I know another term that often gets confused with this is reverb.  I'll leave it to the sound engineers among us to clarify, but it is my understanding that reverb is the SAME sound being repeated.

Vibrato is an oscillating change in pitch.  (frequency modulation)
Tremolo is an oscillating change in volume. (amplitude modulation)

So, I think what these singers WANT to be doing is more technically tremolo.

[Poogie]

Did you know there was or maybe still is a term called 'CASTRATO' this is when a male singer was castrated to preserve his alto and soprano vocal range?  There are some drastic measures for some singers. 

[T-Rex Television]

Ditto that, Trekgeezer.

It puts the lotion on its skin... or else it watches Idol again!

HATES American Idol or any reality type shows ... I live reality, don't need to watch it on TV.

M..i totally agree. It's really pathetic, what happened to real TV?
And another thing, this goes with most other reality shows but especially american idol, but it is so sad that americans cant make good quality music any more with real soul and magic? (Even thought real & good music died after the 80's). it has come down to staged acts of random people singing horribly and ruining good songs with their crooning, and every word said by the judges is scripted and every thing that happens is so fake, and a bunch of american audience and a couple of sleezy judges get to decided what music is good and not? (not that any of it on that show is good). Ugh, reality shows make me sick. especially that one. but what makes me even more sick is that people actually watch it.  [/rant]

[Yaddo 42]

Zap, Poogie, ulthar:

I thought the word I was looking for began with the letter "m". I was thinking it was close in spelling to "miasma". But that word deals with toxic or noxious clouds and fumes. A little dictionary and online digging turned up nothing.

I remember reading the word in the context of singers like Carey and Aguilira as a serious musical term, may have been a foreign language term co-opted, or a musical term carried over from another language like forte or pianissimo. Besides I was a drummer in my band geek days, we didn't deal with pitch much, volume was or deal. just scanned the sheet music looking forward to anything in triple forte. Or maybe I'm on a mental snark hunt, and am pure dee wrong. It's that kind of week already.

I read a review years ago of a biography of the last known Castrato, believe he died in the early to mid 20th century (1920s maybe). There were supposed to be recordings of his vocal work still in existence. Too much sacrifice for your craft if you ask me, even back then. Just think of all the ways you can push, cheat, and alter a voice these days in the recording studio.

[Poogie]

Zap, Poogie, ulthar:

I thought the word I was looking for began with the letter "m". I was thinking it was close in spelling to "miasma". But that word deals with toxic or noxious clouds and fumes. A little dictionary and online digging turned up nothing.

I remember reading the word in the context of singers like Carey and Aguilira as a serious musical term, may have been a foreign language term co-opted, or a musical term carried over from another language like forte or pianissimo. Besides I was a drummer in my band geek days, we didn't deal with pitch much, volume was or deal. just scanned the sheet music looking forward to anything in triple forte. Or maybe I'm on a mental snark hunt, and am pure dee wrong. It's that kind of week already.

I read a review years ago of a biography of the last known Castrato, believe he died in the early to mid 20th century (1920s maybe). There were supposed to be recordings of his vocal work still in existence. Too much sacrifice for your craft if you ask me, even back then. Just think of all the ways you can push, cheat, and alter a voice these days in the recording studio.

I think I found the word you're looking for..."Melisma"....Turning a single syllable into a vocal run-sometimes with dramatic or bluesy effect, sometimes with disastrous overkill. Is this it?   

[RCMerchant]

AMERICAN IDOL is the McDonalds of the music industry. Boring garbage spoon fed pablum for the masses. Remember STAR SEARCH?
Any thing that panel of bland narrow minded jerks would call"entertainment" is someting I would consiously avoid with a passion. MTV is the same crap...mass marketed,braindead tits and ass,with a boom box; "alternative"music that is only an altrnative to someting innovative,instead of ripping off old Pearl Jam songs. "punk" rock is NOT in the top 10,and NEVER was;Heavy Metal? LimpBiscuit...yeh. Where's Motorhead when you need them? Rap music hasn't been important since NWA,Metal is underground,Punk is dead,and nothing,music wise on TV is worth a rats ass. I wish someone would just get a camera crew and drive around the country,and hunt for bands in small clubs,...and find some REAL talent!

[Yaddo 42]

That's it Poogie, should have checked for "M-e-" in addition to "M-i-", thanks.

[Poogie]

You're welcome....It was driving me nuts after reading your post, so I went on the search and waaaalaaaaa! There it was. Made my night.