Page 1 of 1

Is Excessive Vibrato Patriotic?

Posted: 21 Jan 2005 3:04 am
by David Mason
I was watching bits and pieces of the Inaugural yesterday, and I noticed that every time people started singing, they used this really wide, dopplering vibrato technique. Even the Marine Choir (or whoever those people in the captain's hats were) were doing this, all in unison. This doesn't seem to be a gospel thing, as those folks usually sing pretty much spot-on the note. I've noticed this too when people are singing the National Anthem at football games: "Oh-wo say can you see-ee-ee-ee, by the dawn's early li-ay-ay-ay-ayt", all this woo-wooing stuff. If a steel player tried playing like that, the band would break his fingers or cut off his bar tab or hand him a b@njo and make him go stand in the corner. Is there some rule that says vibrato denotes passionate love of country or something? I had to turn the sound down there, for a while.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by David Mason on 22 January 2005 at 01:49 AM.]</p></FONT>

Posted: 21 Jan 2005 4:01 am
by Tony Prior
maybe it was your TV set ?

t

Posted: 21 Jan 2005 5:41 am
by Roy Ayres
It was cold there. They were just shivering.

------------------
<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR=BLACK><P ALIGN=left>Visit my Web Site at RoysFootprints.com
Browse my Photo Album and be sure to sign my Guest Book.

Posted: 21 Jan 2005 6:37 am
by Herb Steiner
This from the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta GA:

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica">quote:</font><HR><SMALL>The medical term for this debilitating condition is "BGS," an acronym for "Brothers Gibb Syndrome." It is also commonly referred to as "Bee Gee's Disease."

The malady manifests itself behaviorally, and was first discovered in the late 1960's in Great Britain. The epidemic peaked in the mid-1970's, coincidentally with the rise in disco-based music.

The cause is unknown, and since the condition generally is not considered terminal, very little research is dedicated to eradicating this disease.

However, the devastation seems to be greatest on those people geographically closest to the vector, as the disease affects the host to a far lesser extent than it does to the listeners of same.</SMALL><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

------------------
Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Herb Steiner on 21 January 2005 at 06:41 AM.]</p></FONT>

Posted: 21 Jan 2005 7:13 am
by Jay Fagerlie
I thought it was called the "Stevie Nicks" syndrome.....

Posted: 21 Jan 2005 7:36 am
by Bob Markison
Indeed. Miles Davis and Charlie Parker (among other seasoned pioneers) considered vibrato to be an impediment to creative music making at any tempo. Dinah Shore's vibrato could shift the tectonic plates. I have to stick with Miles and Bird on this one. Just a rare trace of vibrato should do the job. David's point is well taken, and I am deighted to see Herb's medical reference. I suppose Freud would see vibrato as a regressive, irrepressible impossible-to-sublimate, somewhat pitiful cry.

Posted: 21 Jan 2005 7:58 am
by Wayne Carver
I thought it was something the boy bands started. Whitney Houstin didn't use to do it but now she does. Most of the singers on the "American Idol" tv show do this also.

Posted: 21 Jan 2005 8:05 am
by Terry Edwards
Alison krauss - no vibrato.

Doesn't get any better!

Image

Terry

Posted: 21 Jan 2005 8:40 am
by John Lacey
Canadian reference: Get Sylvia Tyson, Lucille Starr and Buffy St. Marie all on the same stage and the sheep will be returning for miles.

Posted: 21 Jan 2005 9:38 am
by Stephen Gambrell
Don't forget Dolly, 'specially in the early days!

Posted: 21 Jan 2005 10:14 am
by Thomas Bancroft
Is that Dolly the Sheep or Dolly the Parton?

Posted: 21 Jan 2005 10:52 am
by David Mason
Even an old farm boy like me knows the difference between Dolly Parton and a sheep.

Posted: 21 Jan 2005 11:46 am
by David Doggett
I don't think anyone has ever topped Guy Lombardo's sax section for irritating vibrato. They always sounded like each one was riding a jack hammer while playing.

Posted: 21 Jan 2005 11:48 am
by Rick Aiello
Image ...

Guess y'all aren't big fans of early Hawaiian steel guitar ...

Maybe alittle ... Dick McIntire backing Ray Kinney ... will remedy that Image Image

------------------
Image
<font size=1> Aiello's House of Gauss</font>

<font size=1>
My wife and I don't think alike. She donates money to the homeless and I donate money to the topless! ... R. Dangerfield</font>

<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Rick Aiello on 21 January 2005 at 11:52 AM.]</p></FONT>

Posted: 21 Jan 2005 12:33 pm
by Ray Minich
Tarzan, now there's a guy that knew vibrato!

Posted: 21 Jan 2005 12:58 pm
by Dave Van Allen
"le-eh-eh-eh-et the-ee Ea-ee-ee-ee-gle so-oh-oh-oar..."

yikes!

Posted: 21 Jan 2005 1:02 pm
by Tony Prior
David..you're very aware.....Sheep pretty much don't play the Banjo...


uh oh....I said Banjo... .

t

Posted: 21 Jan 2005 1:22 pm
by John Steele
Hey, some of us like Johnny Bush !
Image
-John
p.s. He's my favourite Bush.

Posted: 21 Jan 2005 2:21 pm
by Frank Parish
I heard a DJ here refer to Toby Keiths vibrato as the kind you can throw a football through.

Posted: 21 Jan 2005 2:50 pm
by chas smith
Blame it on the Italians:

"Bel canto (Italian, beautiful singing voice) a lyrical, smooth vocal style associated with eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century Italian professional singers and designed to show off the singer's voice, the term first appears in Vaccai's ariette da camera (before 1840); the vocal style associated with the works of Rossini, Bellini and Donizetti"

Posted: 21 Jan 2005 8:05 pm
by Chris Lasher
Like Frank, I guess, I thought this was going to be another Toby Keith bashing thread. Oops, did I just open up a new can of worms? Image
<SMALL>Alison krauss - no vibrato.</SMALL>
That's actually an incorrect statement. Alison uses vibrato, for certain. She uses it in places that I've not heard any other singer use it, though, and as such, has a very subtle effect. It's most always on passing notes, and often on very brief ones. It's there, though; just gotta listen for it. Check out "Living Prayer" or "Restless" off AKUS's new album, Lonely Runs Both Ways.

Anyway, it's more like a warble of a beautiful songbird than ridiculous operatic vibrato, though. Melts me every time... *sigh* Image<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Chris Lasher on 21 January 2005 at 08:10 PM.]</p></FONT>

Posted: 22 Jan 2005 10:10 am
by Derek Duplessie
The republicans have a tendency of getting either washed up celebs. (Michael Bolten, Bo derek, etc.) or performers that have no talent. Thus the reason the singers have annoyingly excessive vibrato.

Posted: 22 Jan 2005 11:00 am
by Rick Aiello
Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Mel Torme, Bing (young) ...

All known for exquisite vibrato ...

I find them captivating ... Image