Karaoke Forums

Gotta speak my mind here....

I'm not gonna name names, but there's a certain person on here who is starting to get under my skin. He writes that I use too much vibrato for his taste, yet he keeps coming back to listen! Guy, if you know it's the way I sing and I can't help it, then why torture yourself!!

I can handle criticism, as long as it's constructive. Tell me it's too loud or the like, but to tell me to sing differently, well that's like telling me to change my gender!

Doesn't make sense to keep visiting my page if you already know you ain't gonna like it. It's not fair. It seems like he just wants give me a low score. I've seen his other posts and he almost always has something negative to say.

You know who you are. Do me a favor and just keep your comments off my subs. I want to hear from people that truly care to help me, not bash my way of singing.

Thanks for listening, y'all.

Luly,

Don't let 'em get ya down. I am a vocal music teacher, with 22 years experience, and several hundred students. I have heard vibrato in many of my students, but never taught it to them; they either had or developed it, or they didn't.
Vibrato is a natural element of the voice, more developed in some than others. One of its most common usages is to help extend breathing on long phrases. That's why you may often hear someone's voice start clear, then start to waver. Others use it as an expressive device.
Your use of vibrato is very natural; not forced at all. It's one of the charms of your subs that make them very delightful to listen to. I for one always look for your songs, and enjoy them very much. I don't comment often because I figure you'll have more to time to put up MORE subs if you don't have to spend time reading about them. Suffice it to say, in a blanket statement, if angels in heaven sound like you, I can't wait to get there!

_________________
Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans
~John Lennon~

Bearded Wolf, I appreciate your comments so much. You, being a music teacher, certainly know what you're talking about. So, you concur with me that vibrato is a natural thing for me. Dang, I didn't even know what vibrato was til about a week ago! I've never taken any singing lessons, I just sing a song the way I feel it should be sung.

The thing is, if I were knowingly forcing myself to sing that way for whatever appeal I thought it might bring, and someone told me to tone it down, I could do that. But I'm NOT!! I don't know how to sing any differently!!

This guy knows this, yet he continues to visit my subs and leave the SAME comments. Guy, if I don't like the way Michael Jackson (as an example) sings, I'm not gonna listen to Michael Jackson's songs, for heavens sake!!

Although I thanked him for his comments in the spirit of keeping things cordial, I felt really perplexed as to why he keeps doing this. But being the type that can't keep my feelings to myself, I had to say something. And it wasn't gonna be a one-liner I could write as a reply on my sub page.

I just feel that if I'm gonna keep ranking someone less than a 10 and I know that person can't change the way they sing, I will not comment anymore. I may listen to their songs, but it's not fair to them to keep commenting and ranking low when it has to do with "my taste". And honestly, this has yet to happen. Everyone has their own style and I respect that.

Whoever thinks that I wrote this because I think I always deserve a 10, please change your mind about that right now. I don't think I always deserve a 10, I just want to be critiqued on things I can change, not on things I can't. I don't feel this guy is geniunely trying to be helpful.

Thank you, Bearded Wolf for the very sweet comment about sounding like an angel! And thank you for taking time to respond with the very useful information. Got my first singing lesson from you!

And ya can't beat the rates!
It would be nice if you were able to block certain people, or if it were possible to delete someone's comments. That way, it wouldn't always be there to bring up old feelings.
I'm one that will always try to give a positive message if I comment on someone's sub. If I had some advice or criticism (which isn't very often; having taught at the middle school level for 12 years, you learn to put up with a LOT!), I would do it in a private message, so as not to embarrass the person publicly. That's just me.

_________________
Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans
~John Lennon~

You gave me a pretty deep discount there, guy!!



I guess if we could block people's comments/rankings, we'd all opt for the real good ones so we could all be 10's, right???




That would be the decent thing to do.

Heh heh, you betcha!

_________________
Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans
~John Lennon~

I don't mind critisism in the public as long as it's constructive. Tell me what I did wrong, but what I did right as well so I don't change EVERYTHING! Example: The singing seemed pretty good but the mix was off. I couldn't hear the vocals.

This let's me know what to look for in future submissions. I can worry about my singing quality because it's at least acceptable, but the mix needs works. I should listen more closely and correct it before I submit. Easy enough.. but it eludes some people who insist that everything be negative.

Btw, I should listen to some more of your subs! I've been off for about a day because of a lengthy late night gig.... and overslept!

Wake up, Ed!!!

Everything you said would be perfectly acceptable to me. Again, those are things I CAN change!!

I'm awake! Really I am!

It was meant more as a training guide for the person leaving critisism in what is generally found acceptable. I try to follow this guideline and so far I haven't been flamed - YET.

Maybe they just keep listening because they're secretly hoping you'll stop using vibrato? Or they're waiting for you to stop so they can start giving you low marks based on lack of vibrato to mess with you head?

You did mention that you have never had lessons. A pro vox teacher could really open your mind and voice to a way of singing that you could only dream of. I also cant stand mean spirted critiques and even worse total butt kissing either .......

OR...maybe he's just a jerk!!



Metalgod, A pro vox teacher? Where does one find one of those?? What exactly is a pro vox teacher?

vox=voice

Pro Vox Teacher = Professional Vocal Coach

To find one check with the local college to start with. Sometimes enrolling in a choral class will give you some instruction in breathing and singing methods.

You can also look in the phone book and ask at local music stores. You'll be asking about vocal instruction. Sometimes you'll find that professors at the college will be willing to do some instruction outside of the normal school class channels as well.

I asked about it, but never got, voice lessons...

I don't pretend to have a great voice, but one of the nicest things my parents ever did for me was to splurge for vocal lessons from a local university professor. I only attended for about a year, but the man taught me my voice could go places I'd never dreamed of.

If your vocal ability is important to you, I strong suggest getting some professional lessons. It's not going to give you a great voice if you have no voice to begin with, but it will teach you much that you never knew you had.

Just my 2 cents......free advice is worth what you pay for it....

Thank you, guys! That's some very good information. I may look into that in the near future.

I'm the jerk.

Luly, I think I've only commented on three of your songs. Possibly four. On one I didn't notice the vibrato being overdone, and I said so. If you'd rather I not make the same observations on all of your songs, that's fine, but I don't see why what I'm doing is any different than someone saying, "You're fantastic on all your songs" on every submission you make.

Why would you think this is some sort of personal crusade against you? I've never met you, have nothing against you, and think you're really a good singer. Your natural vibrato is a little too much for my taste, that's all. I felt that was a constructive comment, in the sense that it explained what about the performance that I thought could have been better.

As you noted, I'm a fairly tough grader and commenter by the standards of this board, but that's not saying a great deal. If you'd rather I not rank or comment on your future submissions, that's fine. I just don't see wha the big deal is.

_________________
Reward: nine yen in drawer.

I would appreciate that.

Hi Luly!!! I have a request for you hun, and something tells me you will be sure to see it here....

"RED RUBBER BALL" heheh it's from the 60's...(challenge)

sending you an angel and keeping my mouth shut on this topic....have yourself a lovely Sunday.....God loves ya and so do I....

_________________
When I was young, I used to believe in the concept of one best friend,  then I became an adult  and  realized  that if you allow your heart to open up, God would show you the best in many friends...

Ok girl, but do you have the backing for it? I've never even heard the song!!

Love you too, girl!!

Luly,

At the risk of making you even more angry, I have to say (mainly because I can't keep my big mouth shut ) that I think maybe you're being a little oversensitive about this guy and his comments. I haven't read the ones you're talking about but he has commented on my songs and given his opinion freely on my subs and I suspect he has done the same with others'. I don't think he was singling you out or trying to be unfair. Maybe he didn't know that you can't control the vibratto in your vocals. Some people can. I haven't noticed that you use it to excess myself, but you may consider that it might be a good thing to learn to control it. I think if you like the way you sing as most people on this forum do, then take any critique with a grain of salt (good or bad) and use what you need to better yourself and ignore the rest. Another's opinion is just food for thought and should be used at the singers discretion. He or I or anyone else can't know your limitations as well as you do so we can only advise you based on our own experience and limitations and hope you can use it to your benefit.

IMHO I love the way you sing and can't think of a thing I would change if I were you.

Just another opinion on a very touchy subject.

_________________
Too soon old......too late smart.

Wannabe, I was afraid people would think I was being oversensitive because of how he replied. I would have to disagree with you on this.

I sensed a "holier than thou" attitude and I called him on it. I've seen past postings by him and Billy called him on it, too. He KNOWS I didn't even know what vibrato was, nor that I know how to control it, nor that I WANT to control it if I could. If I think anyone is, let's say singing off key and I mention it once, yet they keep singing this way, why would I keep mentioning it AGAIN AND AGAIN??? Why beat a dead horse?? Guess my logical mind is telling me it makes no sense whatsover except that the person wants to annoy you. And I was annoyed, so he succeeded in that.

I'm glad the majority of you like the way I sing. I ain't changing for those of you that don't. That might sound harsh, but I've got my style and I'm sticking to it.

And again, I will ALWAYS take pointers on how to create a better mix or things of that nature. I will never tell you guys to change the way you sing, that's seriously ridiculous.

Thanks for taking the time to speak your mind.

UPDATE: I don't feel I need to speak any more about him since he's already made himself known. This was a message to him to understand I didn't want him to comment anymore on my subs. But now that he's come out of anonymity, I don't want to say anything further. I've learned a lesson, and that is next time I will pm whoever I have an issue with. Let this be the last post please. Thank you.