Comments on: Breathy singing

By: natesings

natesings — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 16:12:28 +0000

Michael W. Smith has made a career out of breathy singing.

By: FormerDJ

FormerDJ — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 14:35:20 +0000

Trent, I remember when Hamill used to yell “grab it growl Ray!”

By: Trent

Trent — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 03:11:23 +0000

Very interesting topic. With Michael English’s breathiness in the GVB years came also a whine, a little painful sound that was a huge turn-off to me. He certainly wasn’t doing that earlier in his career, and I don’t think he does the whiny thing now like he used to, although I think he still employs it from time to time. Wish he’d stop that.

I think another topic in SG that Avery should explore is the “growl”, that sound that female singers in particular like to make on a big phrase in a song. Kim Hopper loves the growl. Several male singers also use it from time to time.

By: Robert

Robert — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 02:11:10 +0000

I think it has it’s place for effect in certain songs. But in the case of Castro, I believe that is the only way he can sing. Otherwise he probably wouldn’t have made it this far on Idol. That and the fact that it seems that this year’s Idol voting (more so than ever) is dominated by teenage girls that just like the dreads and the way Castro looks. No matter how many times Simon and the others say it is a singing contest I believe it is mostly a popularity contest. The case of Michael Johns being voted off proves that. I believe he was the oldest and had one of the best voices but is no longer there.

By: quartet-man

quartet-man — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 01:14:52 +0000

#11, I beat you by about three commenys and 1:50.

By: irishlad

irishlad — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 21:05:01 +0000

Ha ha Doug, i just love all those sexual references in your post. It’s like you’re saying stuff you know you shouldn’t be saying. Keep it up you naughty little boy!

By: burt

burt — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 19:09:25 +0000

Employing an airy tone as an effect or on particular songs can really be dramatic. I think Castro’s performance on AI is pretty much the standard for the “pop sound” now. I do wish that people would just SANG the thang sometimes though. Carrie Underwood is a great example…she can go from whisper to belting in a nanosecond.

Which brings up another of Doug’s pet peeves…Inner Angry Girl/Boy Syndrome.
Since Mike English is the poster boy for IAB and Air Tone singing for gospel music it’s good to note that English is pretty talented at balancing all that stuff.

I don’t think he really was ever all that airy. He had a super clear head tone back in the day and usually his signature almost always included singing the first verse a little softly then progressing to a full blown scream by the end of each song. Nowadays he’s singing mostly chest…still sounds good though.

By: Brett

Brett — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 17:35:14 +0000

I very much like Mariah Carey’s debut. Especially the song “Vanishing”. Is is haunting but a great song. Still my favorite off that cd is “Love Takes Time” I would say she still sings in the same fashion, just in a lower key.

By: Bob

Bob — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 16:37:37 +0000

So breathy singing is a recent phenomenon? I thought it was a distinct musical style made popular by 60’s folk singers and California Sunshine Pop artists. Here are some examples:
The Association: “Cherish” (#1 in 1966)
The Fifth Dimension: “Up, Up and Away” (record and song of the year in 1968)
Peter, Paul and Mary “Leaving on a Jet Plane” (#1 in 1969)
or even Smokey Robinson: “Tears of a Clown” (#1 in 1970)

Interesting that this style of singing became popular during the Vietnam War era. I don’t think it has anything to do with sexuality. More of an optimistic, gentle sound that served as a distinct contrast to the stress and violence due to protests and societal changes. Note that it is also more prevalent with singer-songwriters than simply performers; perhaps to showcase lyrics vs traditional singing abilities.

Of course who could forget The Bee Gees, one of the best-selling music artists of all time (220 million) who also got their start in the ’60’s “To Love Somebody” and “How Can You Mend A Broken Heart” (#1 in 1971)

By: Cabell

Cabell — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 15:50:29 +0000

Marylyn Monre used this technique to sing her “happy birthday”. It is used to convey a sensual, seductive tone.

By: RF

RF — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 15:45:57 +0000

Usually done to disguise a weak voice. Especially on high notes. Made famous by the late Harry Nilsson back in maybe 1973 on his albums of standards.

By: Al Locke

Al Locke — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 14:25:23 +0000

#7…That is exactly what I thought when I heard it.
However, the Michael English technique has grown on me. Like other comments on here, it should be used in the proper context. Wished I could do it. I am stuck in the 40’s-50’s.

By: quartet-man

quartet-man — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 14:00:25 +0000

I do like it for effect. It makes it more intimate, however I don’t want it for all singers and songs. It should just be part of the arsenal and used along with dynamics. Kyle mentioned some good examples and I like those. In fact, Ernie did the same with O What A Savior. At first he sang it straight and then later he found his inner Michael English and added the breathiness on the verses. To hear this compare the version on the Live In Nashville video to about any other.

By: Phil

Phil — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 13:18:34 +0000

Obviously this will “date” me, but when I heard Castro sing this on Idol it reminded me of Tiny Tim…tiptoe through the tulips…

By: CVH

CVH — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 12:21:20 +0000

I think you’ve hit the nail on the head. The practice has become quite widespread in every genre of music as far as I can tell. It’s especially prevelant among younger singers whose models are in fact the Whitney Houstons and Mariah Careys of the last two decades. There seems to be a cloying kind of emulation in many vocalists these days rather than or perhaps substituting for real interpretive skill. How many, what I call, ’song artists’ are there these days? In SG or CCM or any genre? Not many. Instead, consumers blindly accept it, producers keep cranking it out because it sells and real artistry (if the potential for it in some of these people is even there) never enters the room. Once again, it’s style over substance. She’s not SG but when I listened to the last Bethany Dillon project I thought she was on a respirator at times or having an asthma attack. The way it’s recorded and processed only accentuates it. Give me someone who can sing…I mean SING…anyday, over the cheap tricks so many artists employ.