Can it be that singing of superb vocalists is often perceived to be less emotional due to huge exposure to average/bad vocalists?

[sasha]

To start with basic reasoning:

 

The expression of emotions in speech sounds and our ability to perceive those emotions are fundamental aspects of human communication. Naturally there are certain acoustic properties of speech that help us to perceive emotions e.g. vocal pitch(frequency of vocal-folds vibration), intensity. However another examples of acoustic cues would be such things as:

 

• jitter and shimmer (variability of frequency and amplitude of vocal-folds vibrations)
• muscle tension (naturally tension of such muscles that affect the sound production)
• lack of breath control (fluctuations of respiration)
• etc.

 

So. The majority of singers, esp. pop singers, are average or bad vocalists. For one thing the sheer body language of physical struggle when trying on challenging parts may convey mock emotions. For another bad technique that causes often consciously imperceptible for untrained ear faults in sound production may actually be more effective in the introduction to singer's emotions. 

 

Breathy, throaty, strained voice, poorly controlled volume, uneven or too fast vibrato, etc., all things that occur due to poor breath support/control and muscle tension meanwhile we used to associate irregularity and tension with emotions.

 

 

On the other hand superb or just really good vocalists have an amazing level of control over their voices. They mastered their breath support and control, they have control over their muscles and can push the exact amount of air to produce a desirable sound of desirable quality. there is no uncontrolled irregularity, no tension, sound is pure and flawless that of musical instrument or at least that's how i hear it.

 

 

My point being: there might be some unintentional broadcasting of pseudo emotions going on that marks the great majority of singers as more human than few superb vocalists. and we are so accustomed to this broadcasting that often we describe flawless singing as robotic or soulless.

 

 

 

 

note: i'm not a vocal expert, it's just my understanding and my reflection

 

based on: http://www.columbia.edu/~rmk7/HC/HC_Readings/Bachorowski.pdf

[Kyrie]

You are pretty much correct, I think.

 

I mean, that whole stooping down to hit the note move that is so popular in pop music is usually indicative of a struggle going on, both vocally and 'emotionally.' Tension in the face, creasing the eyebrows, looking strained-- it all conveys emotion but is usually done because the singer is actually straining to hit the note. 

 

And that's just body language. 

 

People assume a 'raw' or 'rough' voice is full of emotion but it's sometimes a symptom of unhealthy singing... 

 

So yeah, I don't think you're too far off mark. Emotion in singing is kind of subjective to begin with but I think pop singers especially have mastered an emotional delivery without mastering emotional singing.

[denizen mars]

I've never gotten the whole 'emotional' thing, honestly. Like people always say Taeyeon is unemotional, and to me, she looks like she's getting into the song as much as anyone. However, I do see a difference between people who follow soul or pansori style of singing, which often incorporates a kind of strain on purpose, vs. in pop and opera, where strain is bad and is recognized as bad technique. And I do like the soul style of singing more. I feel it is a more bombastic or impactful kind of sound.

[imsomessedup]

yes

because commoners like listening to other commoners singing

they don't have the ear for such things

 

anyone good at singing can easily convey emotions without the use of unrefined techniques

highly dependent on the song too though

some songs just suck

ie. ailee's entire doscography

[Saturn Girl]

So yeah, I don't think you're too far off mark. Emotion in singing is kind of subjective to begin with but I think pop singers especially have mastered an emotional delivery without mastering emotional singing.

 

Pretty much this. Though I'm not sure I could ever tell the difference between emotional singing and emotional delivery (unless it was really, really obvious) but I agree op that with idols trying to sing, a lot of them just come of as trying to convey the emotions of the song when it's really just them trying to hit a note. It's weird when I see idols bending over and hitting a high note only to have it crack and reading fans say "wow they did so well, the emotion they put into the song daebak" but maybe to the audience, who has no knowledge of emotional singing or can't really understand/ recognize it well (like me) that's recognized and seen as emotional singing to them?

[Midna]

honestly no (for me)

 

it;s just that Many vocally talented singers have such boring songs...unless it's like an amazing ballad... and even then...

 

like if its a vocally bad performance i cringe... 

[indigo]

I think it's an interesting idea, you should write about it, musicology. 

 

But, I'm not sure I'd agree fully. I don't think it's the technique that limits their emotional out put. Opera singers are highly emotional. They have to convey feelings pop music doesn't even touch. And they have much better technique than even the best contemporary singers. 

 

What I think is, in contemporary music, vocal training is not paired with music study. Or language study. Or literature study. They don't develop as people, as overall artist just because they're good singers. You have to on some level, understand emotion before you can express it on demand.

 

So, the people who excel are the people who are naturally more inclined to that. Which isn't dependent on their vocal skill. 

 

Traditional music does push a lot of this kind of theory on their students. I was watching this story on pansori singers, and the teacher was having her students go over a song again and again until they could get the right emotion of a young unwed girl falling pregnant. That's an very narrow emotion to express. But, it has to be nailed or else the piece will fall flat. 

 

I love this, watching Pavarotti teaching the man who sang how to emotionally sing E lucevan le stelle. 4:17. 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tq2klIveXw

 

Or Howard Ashmen teaching Jodi Benson how to sing Part Of That World

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywhRHAArQ34

 

They're singing badly, but they're not nailing the emotion. Singers have to be actors. 

 

That's my take on it anyways. Because yeah, in general, I'll take embellished and emotional singing over people who sing point A to point B, no matter who well they do it. 

[Mogwai]

This is really interesting. I do agree that body language can influence our perception of an 'emotional singer,' and sometimes this convinces us that the performance is a good one when it really isn't, especially if you close your eyes lol.

 

But at the same time, body language is part of the delivery. This is pop, where a lot of our enjoyment of it is on an aesthetic level. If a singer delivers a wooden performance (this is mostly subjective, of course), it might come across as "less emotional."

 

I don't know if I 100% agree that it's due to exposure to average to bad vocalists, but you do have a point.

[pimo]

A lot of people like to bring up emotion in an argument on who sings better... I never see the emotion tho lol

[Bishu]

i usually listen to music while doing sth else so emotional or not it's only about their singing style for me

on topic, i agree that facial expression got nothing to do with emotional singing. For example, FTTS: Brian looks more expressive because he have to try so hard to reach a note, while Hwanhee looks relax even with high as fuq notes

[sasha]

I think it's an interesting idea, you should write about it, musicology. 

 

But, I'm not sure I'd agree fully. I don't think it's the technique that limits their emotional out put. Opera singers are highly emotional. They have to convey feelings pop music doesn't even touch. And they have much better technique than even the best contemporary singers. 

 

What I think is, in contemporary music, vocal training is not paired with music study. Or language study. Or literature study. They don't develop as people, as overall artist just because they're good singers. You have to on some level, understand emotion before you can express it on demand.

 

So, the people who excel are the people who are naturally more inclined to that. 

 

Traditional music does push a lot of this kind of theory on their students. I was watching this story on pansori singers, and the teacher was having her students go over a song again and again until they could get the right emotion of a young unwed girl falling pregnant. That's an very narrow emotion to express. But, it has to be nailed or else the piece will fall flat. 

 

I love this, watching Pavarotti teaching the man who sang how to emotionally sing E lucevan le stelle. 4:17. 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tq2klIveXw

 

Or Howard Ashmen teaching Jodi Benson how to sing Part Of That World

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywhRHAArQ34

 

They're singing badly, but they're not nailing the emotion. Singers have to be actors. 

 

That's my take on it anyways. Because yeah, in general, I'll take embellished and emotional singing over people who sing point A to point B, no matter who well they do it. 

 

i would like to write something closer to research but i'm afraid speculation is all i'm capable of rn.

 

regarding classical music - aside from what you already said about their extensive training, theatrics included - i think we should also consider that piece of music itself is written by people with great understanding of voice as instrument. different parts are specifcally written for different types of voice, and the way these parts are composed combined with already pre-requested qualities of vocals(those can be really specific) - there are already emotions here before singer even starts to learn the part.

 

another point - opera is much more dramatic than contemporary singing can ever be. so yeah, i don't think that we can reason contemporary singing same way we do classical singing.

 

 

anyway here is one of my favourites where we can pay no mind to facial expressions

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7clqMMql7A

 

 

PS: i'm not saying "technique limits the emotional output" though. i was saying that people learn to look for certain things in singer that are basically not an emotion but just a consequence of bad technique. and singers for their part may not even have in mind an emotion or mannerism, it's just plain struggle of execution.

[indigo]

i would like to write something closer to research but i'm afraid speculation is all i'm capable of rn.

 

regarding classical music - aside from what you already said about their extensive training, theatrics included - i think we should also consider that piece of music itself is written by people with great understanding of voice as instrument. different parts are specifcally written for different types of voice, and the way these parts are composed combined with already pre-requested qualities of vocals(those can be really specific) - there are already emotions here before singer even starts to learn the part.

 

another point - opera is much more dramatic than contemporary singing can ever be. so yeah, i don't think that we can reason contemporary singing same way we do classical singing.

 

 

anyway here is one of my favourites where we can pay no mind to facial expressions

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7clqMMql7A

 

 

PS: i'm not saying "technique limits the emotional output" though. i was saying that people learn to look for certain things in singer that are basically not an emotion but just a consequence of bad technique. and singers for their part may not even do this for emotion or mannerism, it's just plain struggle

 

Oh, I def agree operas are just written to be highly emotional, and the drama is written into the score. It's very helpful to have orchestra going dun dun dUNNN behind you. But, contemporary songs don't entirely lack those things, actually i think Opera can't capture the struggles and nuances of the everyday, which is why it got steam rolled when modern recording came it. 

 

I do see your point, but I'm to sure I agree we listen to bad singers to the degree we're just desensitized to real emotional output. I'd agree people take struggle as emotion, 

 

 

 

Like Demi here is struggle, so much struggle. But people found it very emotional - even saying a soul was being born. Her vocal cracks were they're new sexuality ect. So yes, I highly agree with you there. 

 

But is it to blame for not hearing emotion in good singers? That's what I'm not sure of. 

[TaengTaengoo]

I've never gotten the whole 'emotional' thing, honestly. Like people always say Taeyeon is unemotional, and to me, she looks like she's getting into the song as much as anyone. However, I do see a difference between people who follow soul or pansori style of singing, which often incorporates a kind of strain on purpose, vs. in pop and opera, where strain is bad and is recognized as bad technique. And I do like the soul style of singing more. I feel it is a more bombastic or impactful kind of sound.

Who says taeyeon is unemotional? That's been the crux for all of her ost successes