In a message dated 7/17/2002 9:03:02 AM Central Daylight Time,
omigurt@a... writes:
> As a "recovering" opera singer (I prefer to think of myself as a
> classically-trained singer who is broadening her world), I regard your
> remarks as I might regard a sculptor criticizing a painter for not using
> clay. Discounting certain specific repertoire choices, there is little use
> in opera for pure chest. Given all that one must master in order to be a
> good opera singer, why would one spend time and energy on skills that were
> not expected to be part of the package?
>
> There are people who dislike the sound of operatic (or country or pop or
> Tuvan or whatever) voice production, which is certainly their prerogative.
> However, I find it unfortunate when people are dismissive toward the honest
> and well-meant endeavors of teachers and singers who embrace a sound they
> don't like. I'm not saying we have to like everything (I have opinions
> too!) but I'm puzzled by what comes across to me as a lack of respect for a
> different way of using the body and voice.
>
> Randy I'm duly impressed by your experience and success, and I think it's
> great that operatically trained singers can come to you if and when they
> choose to engage their chest voices in a different way. What of the pop
> singer who decides to explore operatic repertoire and realizes s/he wants
> to lighten the mix? Wouldn't you think a classical approach would be
> useful for such a student?
>
> We're all learning and exploring and trying to do our best to be the best
> we can be. Aren't we?
>
> Naomi Gurt Lind
Well, what you said is the point of what I posted, chest voice is ignored in
classical singing most of time. However we were talking about pop singers
who had classical singing and the name pat benatar came up. Her middle voice
in heartbreaker is extremely typical of the disconnected timbre of a female
with legit training singing pop. It's a result of her training. It's not a
knock on the classical technique but when you work with as many people as I
have that come from that background and you hear the same issues over and
over it's pretty darn obvious.
Randy Buescher
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