[Music] Singers who read the words while singing

[WATFORD zero]

On the Roxy Music documentary last night Bryan Ferry was reading the words to 'In Crowd' whilst performing it.

Is it just me that gets wound up by this ? It's one of your biggest hits FFS

The Guitarist/Pianist etc has to remember the chords and licks, very few drummers sight read. Bloody singers have one job to do - REMEMBER THE F***ING WORDS

Particularly when that song has made them a good few quid

....and relax

 

[Dave the OAP]

It takes a hell of a lot to sing without words being available.

I have sung many times in concerts requiems etc, and a few years ago we had a young conductor who asked us to do faure’s requiem a Capella. It took four months to learn it and we did 4 concerts and the only problem with not having the score to look at is keeping in tune and more importantly if someone goes wrong, which 99.9999% of singers, professional or otherwise do, it’s so difficult to pull it back as you suddenly doubt if it is you going wrong or another voice!

Most singers have the lyrics available, or guitarists have the chords listed on a piece of paper stuck to the top of the guitar.

Btw. Most singers as well as having ear buds to mute the sound have auto tune playing a fraction of a second off the beat....quite an art if you can do it

 

[GT49er]

Most singers have the lyrics available, or guitarists have the chords listed on a piece of paper stuck to the top of the guitar.

Most of us have the chords (and words) taped on the top of the guitar? Absolute bollox! Most of us would die of shame if we couldn't manage without that!

 

[Fungus]

It's not a BF song, so it wouldn't have made them as much money as their original work.

 

[WATFORD zero]

It takes a hell of a lot to sing without words being available.

I have sung many times in concerts requiems etc, and a few years ago we had a young conductor who asked us to do faure’s requiem a Capella. It took four months to learn it and we did 4 concerts and the only problem with not having the score to look at is keeping in tune and more importantly if someone goes wrong, which 99.9999% of singers, professional or otherwise do, it’s so difficult to pull it back as you suddenly doubt if it is you going wrong or another voice!

Most singers have the lyrics available, or guitarists have the chords listed on a piece of paper stuck to the top of the guitar.

Btw. Most singers as well as having ear buds to mute the sound have auto tune playing a fraction of a second off the beat....quite an art if you can do it

I can understand singing in a choral situation with other voices in a second language. But even I know the words to In Crowd !

And I have known lots of musicians and the only ones to use music (in my experience) are brass players and they are a bit weird anyway. Trying to organise brass players is like trying to herd cats. And listing the chords for a 2 hour set would need a bloody big guitar.

How do you make a guitarist go quiet ?
Put a sheet of music in front to them.

How do you make a guitarist shut up ?
Put notes on it.

What do you say to a baritone sax player with a gig ?
Big Mac and fries please.
(substitute trombone if necessary)

I thank you

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

Confidence? It's a different field, but I am a qualified preacher, and I never ever lead a service and get to the Lord's Prayer without making sure I have the words of it open in front of me.

Yes, I know it off by heart and have recited it, studied it and thought about it particularly for 25 years plus of my total 65 years, and knew it anyway for the previous 40 years, or most of them, to, but you never know when you might "dry up".

 

[WATFORD zero]

Confidence? It's a different field, but I am a qualified preacher, and I never ever lead a service and get to the Lord's Prayer without making sure I have the words of it open in front of me.

Yes, I know it off by heart and have recited it, studied it and thought about it particularly for 25 years plus of my total 65 years, and knew it anyway for the previous 40 years, or most of them, to, but you never know when you might "dry up".

I think that's almost as bad, have you no pride ? ...........Oh

 

[METALMICKY]

Going off at a slight tangent but one thing that really grinds my gears is when in a live show the cameraman focuses on the wrong guitar player when a solo is being played. FFS how difficult is it to get someone who can spot the obvious.

Ozzy Osbourne regularly performs live with an autocue! Probably so out of it he can't even remember the words to Paranoid!

 

[studio150]

Don't see the problem, far better to have an autocue than miming

 

[Spiros]

On the Roxy Music documentary last night Bryan Ferry was reading the words to 'In Crowd' whilst performing it.

Is it just me that gets wound up by this ? It's one of your biggest hits FFS

The Guitarist/Pianist etc has to remember the chords and licks, very few drummers sight read. Bloody singers have one job to do - REMEMBER THE F***ING WORDS

Particularly when that song has made them a good few quid

....and relax

I thought most drummers struggled to read anyway

 

[Norman Potting]

I thought most drummers struggled to read anyway

...What do you call a guy who hangs around with musicians ?

 

[Washie]

...What do you call a guy who hangs around with musicians ?

Their name?

 

[timbha]

The Albion are clearly up there with the best in showing the words to GOSBTS, just in case some of us have a momentary memory lapse

 

[GT49er]

...What do you call a guy who hangs around with musicians ?

Their name?

I think the answer's meant to be 'a drummer'.....................

 

[Two Professors]

If James Marshall can forget the words to Purple Haze on live Top of the Pops,all critics should just STFU,and that's shouting!

 

[wallyback]

If James Marshall can forget the words to Purple Haze on live Top of the Pops,all critics should just STFU,and that's shouting!

Excuse me, while I kiss this guy!

 

[GT49er]

If James Marshall can forget the words to Purple Haze on live Top of the Pops,all critics should just STFU,and that's shouting!

Shutting the f*** up is not shouting, rather the exact opposite, shirley?

 

[Two Professors]

Shutting the f*** up is not shouting, rather the exact opposite, shirley?

Sorry,it was me shouting,but quietly in case I upset the mod who banned me from the Brexit thread!

 

[Muzzy]

Having recently returned from Nashville, almost all of the singers had a little clip on phone holder on their mic stands with phones attached. I assumed this for lyrics but wasn’t certain.
When I was out giggling and forgot words (it happens) I’d generally repeat a previous verse. I never got picked up by anybody that had realised.
Although if I’m at a gig and a performer does use my old tricks, I ALWAYS notice!

I’m currently learning guitar and piano and trying to sing whilst playing an instrument is damn difficult so I can understand musicians having a back up to assist.

Anyways, if you asked me to sing every song I had ever performed I doubt very much I would remember all the words even though I might have sung the song a thousand times before. Maybe it’s an age thing [emoji6]

 

[Albion my Albion]

All singers have to do is sing on the line that says "Singnature."

BTW, Have we singed anybody yet?