I have deleted all the posts with my links.
Someone I thought was a friend wrote something really nasty (and I mean "nasty" not constructively critical) about my singing. It needs work, yes. Everything is wrong, no. Criticism needs to be judicious (this sounds good, this does not).
Well, I have a voice teacher and a choir director to listen to, which is enough.
And the bitch said I don't practice enough??????
I sing exercises every day for a half hour at least, work on music for two hours three days a week, and take a lesson every two weeks.
And this was the bitch who said I was supposed to enjoy singing????
I'm 61 years old. I'm not taking a year off to sing exercises in my bathroom. It's too late for that.
Boy, this is just what I needed to go off to choir practice after having had two major losses in my life in the past two weeks.
Hi, I made a post on my phone but didn't see it when I checked on the actual site, so I don't know if you were referring to my post? Either it didn't go through, or it was deleted, I'm not sure which. But basically what I said was not meant to be critical at all, and it wasn't meant to be offensive at all. What I said was that you have nothing to be embarrassed about- you have a lovely instrument, and you shouldn't let anyone who gives you nasty comments let you feel down. I heard a lovely tone quality with some good things going on. I also said that you shouldn't let comments bother you and just sing for the joy of singing, basically- I don't remember the exact words I used. I don't recall saying you should practice more, so I'm not sure if you are referring to that post. I hope that post didn't offend you. I don't think you have to remove the clips just because someone was nasty to you. :(
ReplyDeleteDear LiSop,
ReplyDeleteI never got a post from you, so no, it wasn't you! Thank you for responding, though. I know I don't sound perfect, and have much work to do, but I am 61 years old and if I want to perform, I need to work with what I've got and work at home on technique.
No, this person said my voice was nasal and wobbly (perhaps what she meant by "nasal" was what my teacher means when he says I don't make enough space in my pharynx so it sounds tight) but I have never had a wobble. I think the "reverb" in some of the recordings created that sound effect, which is why the engineer is re-doing the takes without it, although I like "Amour Viens Aider" and put it as my sound clip. What really devastated me was she didn't sandwich those remarks amongst anything nice, and then said "you probably don't practice enough" and "you should take time off and just work on technique". Time off from what?? The occasional concert that I put on once or twice a year?? I may re-post " Mio Fernando" because my teacher just emailed me and said he thought it was "quite good" which he wouldn't say if he didn't think that. All he said about the earlier ones was that I sounded better than I did two years ago.
I'm sorry that someone said that to you. I actually really respect you and am inspired by your commitment to singing, which is why I read your blog. I understand where you are coming from and like to read your insights about your development. I did not notice a wobble, and it may be that the sound engineer is not used to recording classical voices, so the settings may have been off a bit. I know that when I record from my computer, for example, that the voice sounds shrill and ugly, but when I use a higher quality recorder like my song PCM, it sounds totally different (much better, no shrillness, etc.). So some of the problems may be the engineer's fault.
ReplyDeleteI know that you are working hard to have more opportunities, and I know that it is not ideal to do this at 61, but you have a lot of guts and your passion is apparent, and I respect that.
Thank you so much. I think this engineer is not used to classical voices. He mostly records jazz (vocal and instrumental). The wobble sound definitely came from the "reverb" because it was not there in the remake of "O Mio Fernando" so he is going to remake the others.
ReplyDeleteSaying that you respect me means so much. I know I will never be a professional singer, which doesn't matter as I have something else to do for a living. I don't even care that I am not paid for my choir/soloist gig - I only get angry when people assume that choir people who are not paid do not conduct themselves professionally, which is certainly not the case in my Lutheran church! I am only looking to sing better and better, and I really love performing and have a very dramatic personality, which is why I am not content to just sing church solos. Sometimes I wish I liked singing jazz or pop because then I could revel in the costumes and sex appeal without killing myself, but that is just not a style of singing that I have any affinity for.