I was thinking the other day about why we like singers that sing in their chest voice (that breathy, somewhat softer tone) vs the opera full voice (head voice). Then again some people like that operatic tone (head voice) over the chest voice.
I don't know if you ever noticed while watching a movie or especially on TV that when people whisper, they are actually heard almost as loud as when someone yells or guns go off. Having posted TV shows over time, I noticed this years ago and have followed suit in my mixes. The interesting thing is that your brain gets audible cues from the tone of the voice as to what is going on.
See a whisper in your ear can be just as loud as a yell at 10 meters in real life. So your brain will process the non-real world of TV just the same based on its experiences.
Back to singing. In order for you to hear that soft chest voice sound in real life (without some sort of amplification), the person singing needs to be right close and in your personal space. Intimate. But the full out head voice needs to be back away from you in order to not blow you away with volume. Performance.
It is my conclusion that the person that prefers the operatic head voice sound likes the stand back and watch aspect of the performance. It is easy to disconnect and spectate. But the chest voice intimates. It gets into your personal space, infers relationship, closeness.
Think about it, your body will respond psychologically to its environment whether real or not. You watch a program and the dog is killed. You don't know this animal other than the 10 minutes that you have seen, but you still well up with emotion.
So someone sings the line all formal and operatic "I love you!" - its grand, aggressive. Then someone is allowed into your personal space, is less than six inches away from you, face to face, and sings ever so gently "I love you" - intensely intimate, meaningful.
It wasn't until the advent of the modern PA that you could get that tone in a larger more public venue. Still, watching a performance on stage, just like TV and Film, is a one to one experience that is shared by all. That is why you feel connected with people in the room afterwards. You have all shared the same personal experience.
That is my reason that the chest voice wins in popular culture.
a lot of truth is heard in the ambience - sharing thoughts and ideas
So who is this . .
- ambientchatter
- somewhere in the middle, United States
- Been in this audio profession for awhile now. . thought it was time to let the world know what actually goes on in this head.
I figure a little about myself is in order. Because, who would want to listen to myself rant. I know that I may not.
I have been in the professional audio world for over 20 years. It is tough sometimes to determine exactly when this "professional" starts from when you start doing audio. I was doing audio as far back grade school and running the events all through jr high and high school in my school, church, and a summer camp that my family attended every year.
So putting a date on this is hard. Maybe it was when I worked with more than 16 channels on a console. Oh that day . . I layed my paws for the first time on a 24 channel console. I was overwhelmed. Knobs everywhere. That was 1986. Already had my own cassette 4 track and produced a little "album" with a sax player friend. He sold at least 15 copies of that cassette.
I have spent the bulk of my experience in the non-profit/church arena. I know that you touring guys out there may not consider that real. But I worked for years with over 40 inputs doing a completely new show every weekend with the same quality expectations that you have with doing the same show night after night.
I did do a year and a half of "touring". Small PA with a single artist, doing a different public school or church each day. I was also the driver and guitar tech. I drove across the US at least 4 times in that stint. Did the "event" in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and had my next "event" in Jacksonville, Florida, USA 5 days later once (drove 90% of that myself due to a "helper" driver that couldn't drive more than 2 hours before having to stop). Heck, how many people can say that they burnt their road vehicle to the ground out in the desert between Needles, CA and Kingman, AZ midday in July. Literally, flames, everything. Rent a UHaul, load the equipment and do a gig in Phoenix that evening. (more on that later)
I was an early digital adopter. Bought first generation BSS Soundweb and Innovason later on. Built a studio with Yamaha 02R's version 1 with 4 ADATS for the decks. Oh the days. . .
I have done Live PA, Recording (both studio and live tracking), Mastered many albums, TV post, TV live to satellite, Film shoots, and "film style" video shoots. Done football arenas, Soccer stadiums in Africa, countless auditoriums, and way too many school gymnasiums.
So I think that I should have some things that might prove interesting and possibly helpful. Don't know exactly what this will turn into but hopefully, it will be an interesting read.
I have been in the professional audio world for over 20 years. It is tough sometimes to determine exactly when this "professional" starts from when you start doing audio. I was doing audio as far back grade school and running the events all through jr high and high school in my school, church, and a summer camp that my family attended every year.
So putting a date on this is hard. Maybe it was when I worked with more than 16 channels on a console. Oh that day . . I layed my paws for the first time on a 24 channel console. I was overwhelmed. Knobs everywhere. That was 1986. Already had my own cassette 4 track and produced a little "album" with a sax player friend. He sold at least 15 copies of that cassette.
I have spent the bulk of my experience in the non-profit/church arena. I know that you touring guys out there may not consider that real. But I worked for years with over 40 inputs doing a completely new show every weekend with the same quality expectations that you have with doing the same show night after night.
I did do a year and a half of "touring". Small PA with a single artist, doing a different public school or church each day. I was also the driver and guitar tech. I drove across the US at least 4 times in that stint. Did the "event" in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and had my next "event" in Jacksonville, Florida, USA 5 days later once (drove 90% of that myself due to a "helper" driver that couldn't drive more than 2 hours before having to stop). Heck, how many people can say that they burnt their road vehicle to the ground out in the desert between Needles, CA and Kingman, AZ midday in July. Literally, flames, everything. Rent a UHaul, load the equipment and do a gig in Phoenix that evening. (more on that later)
I was an early digital adopter. Bought first generation BSS Soundweb and Innovason later on. Built a studio with Yamaha 02R's version 1 with 4 ADATS for the decks. Oh the days. . .
I have done Live PA, Recording (both studio and live tracking), Mastered many albums, TV post, TV live to satellite, Film shoots, and "film style" video shoots. Done football arenas, Soccer stadiums in Africa, countless auditoriums, and way too many school gymnasiums.
So I think that I should have some things that might prove interesting and possibly helpful. Don't know exactly what this will turn into but hopefully, it will be an interesting read.
Sites that I frequent. . .
- Vacations to Go - Their 90 day ticker for cruises is very hard to beat
- Worry Free Vacations - Cheap vacation site I have used many times, but seems to be going away soon
- Children's Safe Drinking Water Project - I am impressed with this PUR product
- Flyer Talk - forums for frequent flying programs and other travel stuff
- Medic Batteries - Inexpensive battery supplier that I have used for years
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