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Thu 6 Jan, 2005 09:01 pm
All right. Ever since my voice dropped about three octaves I have been annoyed at the majority of tenor voices out there. They get all the fun. I post this topic to rant, and to invite any and all other underrepresented basses out there to rant as well.
Prime example of what I'm saying: Maroon 5. Blast him. He gets to double-high Fs, maybe even Gs. I know, I have perfect pitch. Why are these people so popular? As far as I know, we basses are seen as very sexy by those of the fairer sex. So how come we're so rare? You see us in country, and maybe that rapper... I think it's... oh, I can't remember. He's part of Outkast, sung in "I Love the Way You Move". And that's pretty much it. Justin Timberlake? Usher? Simple Plan? And all those people on Broadway and movies? The role of Ren in Footloose? Come on. They're everywhere. I will start a revolution and make tenor voices passé. That is my goal. For too many basses with great voices out there never get into vocal stuff because they can't sing the top notes of the more popular songs. I can do OK. After much, much training (mostly by myself), I can sing from a double-low C, sometimes a B flat, to an F sharp to a G, and on really, really good days an A flat. That's an extensive range, but I sound better below a low C. Now if there were only a lot of songs (besides opera, I never cared much for that) that had basses sing...
If you are a bass (or a baritone, you all are welcome too) and feel the same way I do, feel free to post a reply. For all you tenors, lucky you. I don't know why you would be, but don't be offended. Just a precaution. People seem to get offended by the darndest things these days...
Baritones and basses both do.
I'd much rather listen to a baritone or bass sing than a tenor. You definitely have a point.
Welcome to a2k.
Bassi get to be sidekicks. Tenors get to be tragic heroes.
But Baritones have the most fun.
Thanks much, Mac11. I console myself by recalling that if it wasn't for basses in a cappella groups (something I hope to pursue in college), all those tenors would have nowhere to turn...
I had a revalation, by the way. Maybe tenors are popular because a) the high notes sound like shouting/screaming which is effective for rock songs and sappy lamenting songs. This effect, when tried by basses, results most often in a very embarassing voice crack. And b) girls can sing the songs themselves. You get a bass singing a low D or C and girls (and guys) will love to listen to it, but I guess it's nice to be able to sing along. But that doesn't detract from my need for a bass/baritone revolution against tenor totalitarianism. Join the revolt, we the underappreciated backups.
I never thought about it before, but I think you're on to something there. The fact that more people can sing along with a tenor (or high baritone) voice probably has something to do with their popularity.
Right. Especially in those loud songs. You're driving along the highway, music blasting (like one of my personal favorites, "Life Is A Highway), and you just want to sing along.