An example of "vocal gymnastics," anthem style

Mariah Carey and Christina Aguilera, and any singer like them, can certainly belt out a tune vocally.  They have impressive voices.

So why is it that their singing can grate on my nerves at times?

It has a lot to do with "oversinging," or melisma, or a term that I've used myself that I didn't know anyone else used until I found a reference to it on Wikipedia -- "vocal gymnastics."

I have nothing against vocalists showing they have the ability to hit a wide variety of notes.  But do they have to hit so many of them on one word?  After all, can't it be just as powerful -- if not more so -- to hit a handful of notes at the most with emotion, the right use of vibrato, those kinds of little "touches."

Or are we resigned to this "vocal gymnastics" style continuing to assault us with reckless abandon, "American Idol" style?

For an example of this craze, I give you how the notes might look when a classic song is performed by the likes of Mariah and Christina at a sporting event.

 

 

Meet my wife, Amy Kathleen

My wife can sing.  I think she can sing very well.  She's a classically trained soprano, but she can sing in a variety of styles -- country, pop, jazz, gospel, classical.

Amy Kathleen Miller (Photo By John G. Miller)

Yeah, she's my wife so I could be called just a touch biased.  The truth is, when I force myself to listen to her as objectively as possible -- trying to mentally block out the fact that she's my wife -- I'm still impressed by her singing.

The truth is, when Amy goes into her jazzy mood and sings a tune like "Fever," she makes me melt.  She's a rural gal too, loves to ride horses.  That gives her a bit of feeling for country music too.  She can do any kind of music she chooses to do.  She's versatile.

All she needs is the exposure.  Again, that's a part of what this blog is all about:  trying to give musicians with talent the exposure they need and deserve.

As for Amy, I'll let you listen to her yourself with a raw video of her singing Ennio Morricone's "Jill's Theme" from the classic Western film "Once Upon a Time in the West," as performed by the West Valley Symphony of Utah in early June, conducted by Donny Gilbert.