Obits was an American rock band formed in 2006 in Brooklyn , New York . The band members were veterans of other independent rock bands: Guitarist / vocalist Rick Froberg was previously a member of Pitchfork , Drive Like Jehu , and Hot Snakes , and guitarist Sohrab Habibion was a member of Edsel . The band released five singles and three albums, I Blame You (2009), Moody, Standard and Poor (2011) and Bed and Bugs (2013).
117-469: Obits formed after singer / guitarist Rick Froberg returned to New York in 2005 following the breakup of the Hot Snakes . In 2006 he began writing new material and rehearsing with drummer Scott Gursky of Shortstack and guitarist Sohrab Habibion, formerly of Edsel . They rehearsed with a third guitar player, but instead added bassist Greg Simpson. Obits made their live debut on January 12, 2008 at
234-461: A music director . Depending on the style of vocal music that a person has trained in, the "talent buyers" that they seek out may be record company , A&R representatives, music directors, choir directors, nightclub managers, or concert promoters. A CD or DVD with excerpts of vocal performances is used to demonstrate a singer's skills. Some singers hire an agent or manager to help them to seek out paid engagements and other performance opportunities;
351-612: A pawn shop for about $ 10 each. Initially calling themselves the Versatones, the duo played small clubs, beer bars, and private parties throughout the Pacific Northwest . Wilson played rhythm guitar, Bogle lead. When they went to register the band name, they found that it was already taken. Disappointed, they cast about for an appropriate name. Wilson's mother suggested the name "The Ventures", upon which they eventually agreed in 1959. After watching Nokie Edwards play at
468-475: A Precision Bass) for both their live performances and their recording sessions. These instruments are prominently visible on the covers of two early albums: The Ventures and The Colorful Ventures . From 1962 to 1963 they used two Jazzmasters with a Precision Bass, shown on the album cover of "Bobby Vee meets The Ventures". Then in early 1963, California guitar manufacturer Mosrite re-branded their uniquely styled, futuristic-looking Mark 1 electric guitar model for
585-764: A club on New York's Lower East Side called the Cake Shop. A bootleg recording of the show circulated on the internet , and the band posted two of the songs from this recording on their MySpace profile for listening. The recordings caught the attention of Sub Pop A&R representative Chris Jacobs, who invited them to perform at the label's twentieth anniversary festival in Seattle that summer. Obits signed to Sub Pop shortly after, but released their debut single "One Cross Apiece" / "Put It in Writing" on their own Stint Records imprint. The band's debut album I Blame You
702-638: A hobby, as a source of pleasure, comfort, as part of a ritual, during music education or as a profession. Excellence in singing requires time, dedication, instruction, and regular practice . If practice is done regularly then the sounds can become clearer and stronger. Professional singers usually build their careers around one specific musical genre , such as classical or rock , although there are singers with crossover success (singing in more than one genre). Professional singers usually take voice training provided by voice teachers or vocal coaches throughout their careers. In its physical aspect, singing has
819-512: A means of expression. Many successful artists can sing a deep, rich vibrato. Extended vocal techniques include rapping, screaming, growling, overtones, sliding , falsetto , yodeling , belting , use of vocal fry register , using sound reinforcement systems , among others. A sound reinforcement system is the combination of microphones, signal processors, amplifiers, and loudspeakers. The combination of such units may also use reverb, echo chambers and Auto-Tune among other devices. Vocal music
936-625: A neckbrace at first. However, he was able to play without it shortly after joining the group. Johnson played on the first four LPs and recorded on about half of the tracks on the fifth LP ( Twist with the Ventures/aka Dance! ) and about half of their sixth LP ( Twist With The Ventures Vol. 2/aka Dance with the Ventures ). He did not like spending so much time away from his new family (his second marriage) by having to commute from Seattle to Los Angeles to record, and because of this, he left
1053-461: A nightclub, they recruited him as bass player. Bogle owned a Chet Atkins LP , Hi-Fi in Focus , on which he heard the song " Walk, Don't Run ". Soon, the group was in a recording studio playing the new song, with Bogle on lead, Wilson on rhythm, Edwards on bass, and Skip Moore on drums. They pressed a number of 45s , which they distributed to several record companies. Later, Skip Moore opted out of
1170-468: A novelty achievement, the Ventures were the first act to place two different versions of the same song in the Top 10, those being "Walk, Don't Run" (#2) and "Walk, Don't Run '64" (#8). The Ventures were among the first rock acts able to sell albums based on a style and sound without needing hit singles on the albums. These albums are also some of the earliest examples of the concept album in rock music. Many of
1287-428: A particular part of the vocal range or type of vocal register ; a vocal resonance area; or a specific vocal timbre. Head voice can be used in relation to a particular part of the vocal range or type of vocal register or a vocal resonance area. In Men, the head voice is commonly referred to as the falsetto. The transition from and combination of chest voice and head voice is referred to as vocal mix or vocal mixing in
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#17327913116311404-613: A permanent member of the Ventures. The band continued to remain a constant presence in the American music landscape during this time; between 1962 and 1967, they released 22 albums, and all but one reached the top 100 of the Billboard album charts (13 of which reached the top 40). They experienced more moderate success in the singles market, with 6 charting on the Billboard Hot 100. Their most successful single during this time
1521-621: A pre-recorded recording of their vocal performance or, in the case of the controversial act Milli Vanilli , lip-syncing to tracks recorded by other uncredited singers. While some bands use backup singers who only sing when they are on stage, it is common for backup singers in popular music to have other roles. In many rock and metal bands, the musicians doing backup vocals also play instruments, such as rhythm guitar , electric bass, or drums. In Latin or Afro-Cuban groups, backup singers may play percussion instruments or shakers while singing. In some pop and hip hop groups and in musical theater ,
1638-421: A recovery period. These stages must be under conscious control by the singer until they become conditioned reflexes. Many singers abandon conscious controls before their reflexes are fully conditioned which ultimately leads to chronic vocal problems. Vibrato is a technique in which a sustained note wavers very quickly and consistently between a higher and a lower pitch, giving the note a slight quaver. Vibrato
1755-485: A rich timbre, because of the overtones due to the sympathetic resonance within the human body. Their names are derived from the area in which the singer feels these resonant vibration in the body. The chest register, more commonly referred to as the chest voice, is the lowest of the registers. When singing in the chest voice the singer feels sympathetic vibration in the chest. This is the register that people most commonly use while speaking. The middle voice falls in between
1872-450: A sequence of shows. Aspiring singers and vocalists must have musical skills, an excellent voice, the ability to work with people, and a sense of showmanship and drama. Additionally, singers need to have the ambition and drive to continually study and improve. Professional singers continue to seek out vocal coaching to hone their skills, extend their range, and learn new styles. As well, aspiring singers need to gain specialized skills in
1989-454: A specific kind of vocal coloration or vocal timbre. In classical singing, its use is limited entirely to the lower part of the modal register or normal voice. Within other forms of singing, chest voice is often applied throughout the modal register. Chest timbre can add a wonderful array of sounds to a singer's vocal interpretive palette. However, the use of an overly strong chest voice in the higher registers in an attempt to hit higher notes in
2106-411: A specific vocal role, applying such terms as soprano, tenor, baritone, etc. can be misleading or even inaccurate. Vocal registration refers to the system of vocal registers within the voice. A register in the voice is a particular series of tones, produced in the same vibratory pattern of the vocal folds , and possessing the same quality. Registers originate in laryngeal function. They occur because
2223-419: A steak meeting a sharp knife. Bassist Greg Simpson and drummer Gursky are just the right rhythm section for this band, locking the songs into place with taut efficiency while leaving room to thoughtfully fill up the spaces when need be. Put 'em together and they run like a top, laying out music with the clean lines of the Ventures and the pure mania of Radio Birdman . Jason Crock of Pitchfork Media describes
2340-419: A subgenre within a subgenre such as vocalese and scat singing in jazz. In many modern pop musical groups , a lead singer performs the primary vocals or melody of a song , as opposed to a backing singer who sings backup vocals or the harmony of a song. Backing vocalists sing some, but usually, not all, parts of the song often singing only in a song's refrain or humming in the background. An exception
2457-411: A well-defined technique that depends on the use of the lungs, which act as an air supply or bellows ; on the larynx , which acts as a reed or vibrator ; on the chest , head cavities and the skeleton, which have the function of an amplifier , as the tube in a wind instrument ; and on the tongue , which together with the palate , teeth , and lips articulate and impose consonants and vowels on
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#17327913116312574-446: Is music performed by one or more singers, which are typically called songs , and which may be performed with or without instrumental accompaniment, in which singing provides the main focus of the piece. Vocal music is probably the oldest form of music since it does not require any instrument or equipment besides the voice. All musical cultures have some form of vocal music and there are many long-standing singing traditions throughout
2691-483: Is a blend of indie rock and garage punk . Mark Deming of Allmusic describes their sound as "taut, straightforward rock & roll with sharply interwoven guitar lines, muscular rhythms, and a melodic sense that splits the difference between indie rock and garage-influenced punk": Froberg and Habibion make an impressive tag-team combo on guitars, and their interwoven six-string patterns crackle with energy as they bounce thick, bluesy chording off lean, angular lines like
2808-555: Is aided by use of external intercostals , scalenes , and sternocleidomastoid muscles . The pitch is altered with the vocal cords . With the lips closed, this is called humming . The sound of each individual's singing voice is entirely unique not only because of the actual shape and size of an individual's vocal cords , but also due to the size and shape of the rest of that person's body. Humans have vocal folds which can loosen, tighten, or change their thickness, and over which breath can be transferred at varying pressures. The shape of
2925-400: Is also in alignment with the views of other academic fields that study vocal registration including speech pathology , phonetics , and linguistics . Although both methods are still in use, current vocal pedagogical practice tends to adopt the newer more scientific view. Also, some vocal pedagogists take ideas from both viewpoints. The contemporary use of the term chest voice often refers to
3042-546: Is broadly termed a song, although, in classical music , terms such as aria are typically used. Vocal music is written in many different forms and styles which are often labeled within a particular genre of music. These genres include popular music , art music , religious music , secular music , and fusions of such genres. Within these larger genres are many subgenres. For example, popular music would encompass blues , jazz , country music , easy listening , hip hop , rock music , and several other genres. There may also be
3159-405: Is connected with respiration; the articulators affect resonance; the resonators affect the vocal folds; the vocal folds affect breath control; and so forth. Vocal problems are often a result of a breakdown in one part of this coordinated process which causes voice teachers to frequently focus intensively on one area of the process with their student until that issue is resolved. However, some areas of
3276-538: Is currently no authoritative voice classification system within non-classical music. Attempts have been made to adopt classical voice type terms to other forms of singing but such attempts have been met with controversy. The development of voice categorizations were made with the understanding that the singer would be using classical vocal technique within a specified range using unamplified (no microphones) vocal production. Since contemporary musicians use different vocal techniques and microphones and are not forced to fit into
3393-498: Is five-part gospel a cappella music, where the lead is the highest of the five voices and sings a descant and not the melody . Some artists may sing both the lead and backing vocals on audio recordings by overlapping recorded vocal tracks. Popular music includes a range of vocal styles. Hip hop uses rapping , the rhythmic delivery of rhymes in a rhythmic speech over a beat or without accompaniment. Some types of rapping consist mostly or entirely of speech and chanting, like
3510-437: Is known as vocal resonation . Another major influence on vocal sound and production is the function of the larynx which people can manipulate in different ways to produce different sounds. These different kinds of laryngeal function are described as different kinds of vocal registers . The primary method for singers to accomplish this is through the use of the singer's formant ; which has been shown to match particularly well to
3627-563: Is more common to explain registration events based on the physical sensations they feel when singing. Titze also explains that there are discrepancies in the terminology used to talk about vocal registration between speech pathologists and singing teachers. Since this article discusses the passaggio , which is a term used by classical singers, the registers will be discussed as they are in the field of singing rather than speech pathology and science. The three main registers, described as head, middle (mixed), and chest voice, are described as having
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3744-399: Is often done in an ensemble of musicians, such as a choir . Singers may perform as soloists or accompanied by anything from a single instrument (as in art songs or some jazz styles ) up to a symphony orchestra or big band . Many styles of singing exist throughout the world. Singing can be formal or informal, arranged, or improvised. It may be done as a form of religious devotion, as
3861-433: Is often required to access the pitches within these registers. Men and women with lower voices rarely sing in these registers. Lower-voiced women in particular receive very little if any training in the flageolet register. Men have one more additional register called the strohbass , which lies below the chest voice. Singing in this register is hard on the vocal cords, and therefore, is hardly ever used. Vocal pedagogy
3978-951: Is often used within opera to associate possible roles with potential voices. There are currently several different systems in use within classical music including the German Fach system and the choral music system among many others. No system is universally applied or accepted. However, most classical music systems acknowledge seven different major voice categories. Women are typically divided into three groups: soprano , mezzo-soprano , and contralto . Men are usually divided into four groups: countertenor , tenor , baritone , and bass . With regard to voices of pre-pubescent children, an eighth term, treble , can be applied. Within each of these major categories, several sub-categories identify specific vocal qualities like coloratura facility and vocal weight to differentiate between voices. Within choral music , singers' voices are divided solely on
4095-457: Is the pulse or wave in a sustained tone. Vibrato occurs naturally and is the result of proper breath support and a relaxed vocal apparatus. Some studies have shown that vibrato is the result of a neuromuscular tremor in the vocal folds. In 1922 Max Schoen was the first to make the comparison of vibrato to a tremor due to change in amplitude, lack of automatic control and it being half the rate of normal muscular discharge. Some singers use vibrato as
4212-527: Is the study of the teaching of singing. The art and science of vocal pedagogy has a long history that began in Ancient Greece and continues to develop and change today. Professions that practice the art and science of vocal pedagogy include vocal coaches , choral directors , vocal music educators , opera directors , and other teachers of singing. Vocal pedagogy concepts are a part of developing proper vocal technique . Typical areas of study include
4329-740: Is to maintain an even timbre throughout the passaggio. Through proper training, it is possible to produce a resonant and powerful sound. One cannot adequately discuss the vocal passaggio without having a basic understanding of the different vocal registers. In his book The Principles of Voice Production , Ingo Titze states, "The term register has been used to describe perceptually distinct regions of vocal quality that can be maintained over some ranges of pitch and loudness." Discrepancies in terminology exist between different fields of vocal study, such as teachers and singers, researchers, and clinicians. As Marilee David points out, "Voice scientists see registration primarily as acoustic events." For singers, it
4446-564: The Billboard Top LPs list, peaking at No. 96, and taught thousands of budding guitarists how to play the guitar. George Harrison stated in a Guitar Player interview that he preferred the American guitar sound of the Ventures to British contemporaries. When asked to name the most influential rock guitar solos, Joe Walsh said he would have to include the entire song " Walk, Don't Run " because it changed so many guitar players' lives. John Fogerty , during his introduction of
4563-590: The Grammy Hall of Fame for its lasting impact, and in 2008 the group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame . Don Wilson and Bob Bogle first met in 1958, when Bogle was looking to buy a car from a used car dealership in Seattle owned by Wilson's father. Finding a common interest in guitars, the two decided to play together, while Wilson joined Bogle performing masonry work. They bought two used guitars in
4680-434: The " death growl ". One difference between live performances in the popular and Classical genres is that whereas Classical performers often sing without amplification in small- to mid-size halls, in popular music, a microphone and PA system (amplifier and speakers) are used in almost all performance venues, even a small coffee house. The use of the microphone has had several impacts on popular music. For one, it facilitated
4797-477: The 13th century when it was distinguished from the "throat voice" (pectoris, guttoris, capitis—at this time it is likely that head voice referred to the falsetto register ) by the writers Johannes de Garlandia and Jerome of Moravia . The terms were later adopted within bel canto , the Italian opera singing method, where chest voice was identified as the lowest and head voice the highest of three vocal registers:
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4914-460: The Jamaican " toasting ". In some types of rapping, the performers may interpolate short sung or half-sung passages. Blues singing is based on the use of the blue notes – notes sung at a slightly lower pitch than that of the major scale for expressive purposes. In heavy metal and hardcore punk subgenres, vocal styles can include techniques such as screams , shouts, and unusual sounds such as
5031-459: The U.S. national Billboard charts." The Ventures pioneered the use of special effects on such songs as "The 2000 Pound Bee", recorded in late 1962, in which lead guitarist Nokie Edwards employed a fuzz pedal . Edwards' use of "fuzz tone" predated the "King of Fuzz Guitar", Davie Allan of The Arrows, by at least three years. In addition, Edwards was among the first to use the twelve-string guitar in rock. The 1964 The Ventures In Space album
5148-520: The United States waned in the 1970s, the group remains especially revered in Japan , where they have toured regularly. The classic lineup of the band consisted of Wilson (rhythm guitar), Bogle (initially lead guitar, later bass), Nokie Edwards (initially bass, later lead guitar), and Mel Taylor (drums). Their first wide-release single, " Walk, Don't Run " (1960), brought international fame to
5265-468: The Ventures at their Hall of Fame induction, said that it "kicked open a whole movement in rock and roll... The sound of it became 'surf music' and the audacity of it empowered guitarists everywhere." Stephen Stills told Ventures guitarist Don Wilson that he learned to play on Ventures records. Jeff Baxter and Gene Simmons were early members of the Ventures Fan Club. Carl Wilson called
5382-534: The Ventures by applying decals that stated "The Ventures Model" on the headstock. The band adopted these guitars (which included a bass model) and first used them on The Ventures in Space (1963), one of their most influential albums because of the unique, otherworldly guitar sounds it contained. From 1963 through 1968, a statement on their album covers announced that the Ventures used Mosrite guitars "exclusively" (the Ventures and designer Semie Moseley were partners in
5499-526: The Ventures had five LPs in the Billboard Top 100 of the albums chart at the same time. Additionally, they released a series of instructional LPs entitled Play Guitar with the Ventures and Play Electric Bass with the Ventures . Four LPs were released in this series, the first of which reached the Billboard Top 100 Album Chart—an achievement previously unheard of for an instructional LP. In
5616-430: The Ventures were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with John Fogerty as their presenter. In attendance were original members Don Wilson and Nokie Edwards , late 1960s member John Durrill, current guitarist Bob Spalding , and current drummer Leon Taylor, son of Mel Taylor who, along with Mel Taylor's widow, Fiona, accepted on behalf of the Ventures' late drummer. Bob Bogle and Gerry McGee were unable to attend
5733-460: The Ventures' albums, starting with Colorful Ventures in 1961, were organized according to a central theme. While they predated the advent of the terms surf guitar and surf rock , and they do not consider themselves a surf rock group, they were a major building block of surf music, if not the first to play the style. Guitar Player , in an article titled "20 Essential Rock Albums", cited elements of their 1960 Walk, Don't Run album which presaged
5850-407: The age of 62. He was diagnosed two weeks before his death. Despite the passing of the founding members, the Ventures continue today (2023), with Bob Spalding—the 5th Venture—on lead guitar, Ian Spalding on rhythm guitar, Luke Griffin on bass, and Leon Taylor—son of drummer Mel Taylor—on drums. During their first years (1958–1961), the Ventures played Fender guitars (a Jazzmaster, a Stratocaster and
5967-487: The agent or manager is often paid by receiving a percentage of the fees that the singer gets from performing onstage. The Ventures The Ventures are an American instrumental rock band formed in Tacoma, Washington , in 1958, by Don Wilson and Bob Bogle . The band, which was a quartet for most of its existence, helped to popularize the electric guitar across the world during the 1960s. While their popularity in
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#17327913116316084-607: The airport. Their 1965 single " Diamond Head " reached only #70 in the United States but was a major hit overseas, reaching #1 in the Japanese and Hong Kong markets, and becoming the first million-selling single in Japan. The Ventures were responsible for a period in Japanese music known as the eleki boom , where thousands of Japanese purchased electric guitars and many guitar-based bands started up. The combination of Edwards on lead guitar, Taylor on drums, Bogle on bass and Wilson on rhythm guitar remained unchanged until Edwards left
6201-560: The album was generally positive, with Allmusic reviewer Mark Deming stating that "if I Blame You isn't going redefine the way we look at rock & roll, it confirms that the word on these guys wasn't wrong — the Obits are a very good band", but also noting that "the Obits might just have the stuff to save rock & roll, or at least keep it off life support for a while, but as good as I Blame You may be, they're going to have to get their songwriting chops in order before they can really finish
6318-412: The amplified sound. Though these four mechanisms function independently, they are nevertheless coordinated in the establishment of a vocal technique and are made to interact upon one another. During passive breathing, air is inhaled with the diaphragm while exhalation occurs without any effort. Exhalation may be aided by the abdominal , internal intercostal and lower pelvis/pelvic muscles. Inhalation
6435-457: The art of singing are so much the result of coordinated functions that it is hard to discuss them under a traditional heading like phonation, resonation, articulation, or respiration. Once the voice student has become aware of the physical processes that make up the act of singing and of how those processes function, the student begins the task of trying to coordinate them. Inevitably, students and teachers will become more concerned with one area of
6552-415: The backup singers may be required to perform elaborately choreographed dance routines while they sing through headset microphones. The salaries and working conditions for vocalists vary a great deal. While jobs in other music fields such as music education choir conductors tend to be based on full-time, salaried positions, singing jobs tend to be based on contracts for individual shows or performances, or for
6669-477: The band in 1968, to be replaced by Gerry McGee (born Gerald James McGee in Eunice, Louisiana ; November 17, 1937 – October 12, 2019), son of the famous Cajun fiddle player Dennis McGee . Edwards came back in 1973 and remained with them until 1984, although he has toured and gigged with them dozens of times in the subsequent years. Edwards' replacement in 1984 was, once again, Gerry McGee. Mel Taylor left in 1972 (and
6786-580: The band's sound as "dueling guitars that have refined the echo and twang of surf and rockabilly into a sharp edge, basslines that are less walking than swaggering, drums too respectful and too evil for elaborate fills." Singing Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice . A person whose profession is singing is called a singer , artiste or vocalist (in jazz or popular music ). Singers perform music ( arias , recitatives , songs , etc.) that can be sung with or without accompaniment by musical instruments . Singing
6903-449: The band. Aria Guitars and Wilson Brothers Guitars have subsequently issued Ventures Signature Model instruments. The Wilson Brothers guitar, in particular, is closely modeled physically on the original Mosrite design. The Ventures enjoyed their greatest popularity and success in the US and Japan in the 1960s, but they continue to perform and record. With over 110 million albums sold worldwide,
7020-607: The band. Johnson continued to play locally in the Washington area with local groups until his death on May 5, 1988, at age 54. At the time Johnson quit the Ventures, Bogle and Wilson already knew Mel Taylor , house drummer at The Palomino in North Hollywood (the venue where they would play numerous shows during their resurgence in the 1980s). Taylor was known for a hard-hitting style of drumming. The group invited him to some recording sessions, which led Taylor to become
7137-405: The baritone must sing tenor or bass. Either option can present problems for the singer, but for most singers, there are fewer dangers in singing too low than in singing too high. Within contemporary forms of music (sometimes referred to as contemporary commercial music ), singers are classified by the style of music they sing, such as jazz, pop, blues, soul, country, folk, and rock styles. There
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#17327913116317254-419: The basis of vocal range. Choral music most commonly divides vocal parts into high and low voices within each sex (SATB, or soprano, alto, tenor, and bass). As a result, the typical choral situation gives many opportunities for misclassification to occur. Since most people have medium voices, they must be assigned to a part that is either too high or too low for them; the mezzo-soprano must sing soprano or alto and
7371-446: The bass parts to all their tunes, allowing Edwards to take lead guitar full-time, although he had played lead previously on several tracks on their first studio sessions/albums. This move would prove vital in modernizing the band's sound, ensuring success in an ever-changing market well into the late 1960s. In the fall of 1957, Johnson had been injured in an auto crash, which caused irreversible spinal damage. This forced him to play with
7488-546: The body are put in place. The ability to move air in and out of the body freely and to obtain the needed quantity of air can be seriously affected by the posture of the various parts of the breathing mechanism. A sunken chest position will limit the capacity of the lungs, and a tense abdominal wall will inhibit the downward travel of the diaphragm. Good posture allows the breathing mechanism to fulfill its basic function efficiently without any undue expenditure of energy. Good posture also makes it easier to initiate phonation and to tune
7605-418: The body. There are eight components of the ideal singing posture: Natural breathing has three stages: a breathing-in period, breathing out period, and a resting or recovery period; these stages are not usually consciously controlled. Within singing, there are four stages of breathing: a breathing-in period (inhalation); a setting up controls period (suspension); a controlled exhalation period (phonation); and
7722-563: The careful and systematic practice of both songs and vocal exercises. Vocal exercises have several purposes, including warming up the voice; extending the vocal range; "lining up" the voice horizontally and vertically; and acquiring vocal techniques such as legato, staccato, control of dynamics, rapid figurations, learning to sing wide intervals comfortably, singing trills, singing melismas and correcting vocal faults. Vocal pedagogists instruct their students to exercise their voices in an intelligent manner. Singers should be thinking constantly about
7839-472: The ceremony. Fiona Taylor gave special mention to her husband's predecessor drummers Skip Moore and Howie Johnson. The Ventures performed their biggest hits, "Walk, Don't Run" and "Hawaii Five-O", augmented on the latter by Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame musical director Paul Shaffer and his band. Bob Bogle lived in Vancouver, Washington , for years and died there on June 14, 2009, of non-Hodgkin lymphoma ; he
7956-500: The chest and neck , the position of the tongue , and the tightness of otherwise unrelated muscles can be altered. Any one of these actions results in a change in pitch , volume ( loudness ), timbre , or tone of the sound produced. Sound also resonates within different parts of the body and an individual's size and bone structure can affect the sound produced by an individual. Singers can also learn to project sound in certain ways so that it resonates better within their vocal tract. This
8073-404: The chest can lead to forcing. Forcing can lead consequently to vocal deterioration. Passaggio ( Italian pronunciation: [pasˈsaddʒo] ) is a term used in classical singing to describe the transition area between the vocal registers . The passaggi (plural) of the voice lie between the different vocal registers, such as the chest voice , where any singer can produce a powerful sound,
8190-425: The chest or head. They argue that the vibratory sensations which are felt in these areas are resonance phenomena and should be described in terms related to vocal resonance , not to registers. These vocal pedagogists prefer the terms chest voice and head voice over the term register. This view believes that the problems which people identify as register problems are really problems of resonance adjustment. This view
8307-467: The chest voice and head voice. The head register, or the head voice, is the highest of the main vocal registers. When singing in the head voice, the singer may feel sympathetic vibration occurring in the face or another part of the head. Where these registers lie in the voice is dependent on sex and the voice type within each sex. There are an additional two registers called falsetto and flageolet register, which lie above their head register. Training
8424-440: The chest, passagio , and head registers. This approach is still taught by some vocal pedagogists today. Another current popular approach that is based on the bel canto model is to divide both men and women's voices into three registers. Men's voices are divided into "chest register", "head register", and "falsetto register" and woman's voices into "chest register", "middle register", and "head register". Such pedagogists teach that
8541-529: The coming surf trend. The theme music of the television show Hawaii Five-O continues to be popular. The tune was composed by Morton Stevens , who also composed numerous episode scores. The theme was recorded by the Ventures, whose version reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart. Because of the tempo of the music, the theme gained popularity in the UK with followers of Northern soul and
8658-459: The development of intimate, expressive singing styles such as " crooning " which would not have enough projection and volume if done without a microphone. As well, pop singers who use microphones can do a range of other vocal styles that would not project without amplification, such as making whispering sounds, humming, and mixing half-sung and sung tones. As well, some performers use the microphone's response patterns to create effects, such as bringing
8775-414: The development of music worldwide. The band was among the first to employ and popularize fuzz and flanging guitar effects, concept albums , and twelve-string guitars in rock music. Their instrumental virtuosity, innovation, and unique sound influenced many musicians and bands, earning the group the moniker "The Band that Launched a Thousand Bands". Their recording of "Walk, Don't Run" was inducted into
8892-421: The distribution of these instruments). After the expiration of their contract with Moseley, the Ventures returned to playing mainly Fender guitars. Only rarely have they used Mosrite guitars since that contract ended. In the mid-1990s, Fender issued a limited edition Ventures Signature Series of guitars consisting of a Jazzmaster , a Stratocaster , and a Fender Jazz Bass , all with specifications determined by
9009-456: The drummer on "Walk, Don't Run" is also deceased.) Their commercial fortunes in the US declined sharply in the early 1970s due to changing musical trends. In the late 1970s and into the 1980s, a resurgence of interest in surf music led to some in the punk / new wave audience rediscovering the band. The Go-Go's wrote "Surfin' And Spyin'" and dedicated it to the Ventures. The Ventures recorded their own version and continue occasionally to perform
9126-544: The early 1960s "golden age of hi-fi ", with the novelty of stereo still in its experimental stages, the Ventures found their characteristic style of recording each instrument in either the extreme left or right channel, with little (if any) cross-over, enhancing the stereo effect to its fullest limits. In 1963, Edwards, a talented guitarist in his own right, suggested that Bogle's lead guitar abilities were being stretched, and that they were in essence wasting Edwards' talents by keeping him on bass. Bogle agreed, and rapidly learned
9243-480: The first instances of flanging on a pop record. The song " Silver Bells " on The Ventures' Christmas Album , released in November 1965, has one of the first recorded uses of a talk box as a musical effect, voiced by Red Rhodes . The Ventures have had an influence on many musicians, both professional and amateur. Their instructional album, Play Guitar with the Ventures , was the first such record to chart on
9360-428: The first rock instructional albums ever released and are reputed to have been the best-selling such albums ever. In fact, one of these albums apparently was the only such instructional album ever to make the charts." Music Connection ' s Harvey Kubernik describes the five Play Guitar with the Ventures albums as "influential", similarly commenting that they "became the only instructional albums ever to appear on
9477-555: The following: Singing when done with proper vocal technique is an integrated and coordinated act that effectively coordinates the physical processes of singing. There are four physical processes involved in producing vocal sound: respiration , phonation , resonation , and articulation . These processes occur in the following sequence: Although these four processes are often considered separately when studied, in actual practice, they merge into one coordinated function. With an effective singer or speaker, one should rarely be reminded of
9594-593: The group remains the best selling instrumental rock group of all time. Thirty-eight Ventures albums (including a seasonal Christmas album) charted in the US, and six of fourteen chart singles made it into the Top 40 , with three making it into the Top 10 . Of their 38 chart albums, 34 of them occurred in the 1960s, and the Ventures rank as the 6th best pop album performer for that decade, according to " Joel Whitburn 's Top Pop Albums". Among their achievements in America, in 1963
9711-491: The group to work at his family's gas station. When "Walk, Don't Run" was recorded, he also opted out of the royalties from the recording, taking $ 25 for the session instead. He later sued to collect royalties but failed because of his prior opt-out. "Walk, Don't Run" sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc by the RIAA . Needing a permanent drummer for the group after George T. Babbitt Jr. dropped out because he
9828-437: The group, and is often cited as one of the top songs ever recorded for guitar. In the 1960s and early 1970s, 38 of the band's albums charted in the US , ranking them as the 6th best album chart performer during the 1960s, and the band had 14 singles in the Billboard Hot 100 . With over 100 million records sold, the Ventures are the best-selling instrumental band of all time. The Ventures have had an enduring impact on
9945-518: The head register is a vocal technique used in singing to describe the resonance felt in the singer's head. However, as knowledge of physiology has increased over the past two hundred years, so has the understanding of the physical process of singing and vocal production. As a result, many vocal pedagogists, such as Ralph Appelman at Indiana University and William Vennard at the University of Southern California , have redefined or even abandoned
10062-640: The internal sounds correspond to the desired sounds required by the style of singing the student aims to re-create. An important goal of vocal development is to learn to sing to the natural limits of one's vocal range without any obvious or distracting changes of quality or technique. Vocal pedagogists teach that a singer can only achieve this goal when all of the physical processes involved in singing (such as laryngeal action, breath support, resonance adjustment, and articulatory movement) are effectively working together. Most vocal pedagogists believe in coordinating these processes by (1) establishing good vocal habits in
10179-418: The job." Jason Crock of Pitchfork Media compared the album to Froberg's past bands, stating that "while there's evidence of growth here, there's not enough change to alienate fans. If they can appreciate a little less mania and a little more melody, I Blame You will be a comfortable fit" and calling it "probably Froberg's most melodic and diverse record." A second single, "I Can't Lose" / "Military Madness",
10296-409: The kind of sound they are making and the kind of sensations they are feeling while they are singing. Learning to sing is an activity that benefits from the involvement of an instructor. A singer does not hear the same sounds inside his or her head that others hear outside. Therefore, having a guide who can tell a student what kinds of sounds he or she is producing guides a singer to understand which of
10413-474: The lowest within the body to the highest, these areas are the chest , the tracheal tree , the larynx itself, the pharynx , the oral cavity , the nasal cavity , and the sinuses . Chest voice and head voice are terms used within vocal music . The use of these terms varies widely within vocal pedagogical circles and there is currently no one consistent opinion among vocal music professionals in regards to these terms. Chest voice can be used in relation to
10530-434: The mic very close to the mouth to get an enhanced bass response, or, in the case of hip-hop beatboxers , doing plosive "p" and "b" sounds into the mic to create percussive effects. In the 2000s, controversy arose over the widespread use of electronic Auto-Tune pitch correction devices with recorded and live popular music vocals. Controversy has also arisen due to cases where pop singers have been found to be lip-syncing to
10647-404: The middle voice, and the head voice , where a penetrating sound is accessible, but usually only through vocal training. The historic Italian school of singing describes a primo passaggio and a secondo passaggio connected through a zona di passaggio in the male voice and a primo passaggio and secondo passaggio in the female voice. A major goal of classical voice training in classical styles
10764-589: The most comfortable tessitura of the voice, and then (2) slowly expanding the range. There are three factors that significantly affect the ability to sing higher or lower: McKinney says, "These three factors can be expressed in three basic rules: (1) As you sing higher, you must use more energy; as you sing lower, you must use less. (2) As you sing higher, you must use more space; as you sing lower, you must use less. (3) As you sing higher, you must use more depth; as you sing lower, you must use less." The singing process functions best when certain physical conditions of
10881-516: The most popular American rock group in Japan, the world's second largest record market. One oft-quoted statistic is that the Ventures outsold the Beatles 2-to-1 in Japan. They produced dozens of albums exclusively for the Japanese and European markets, and have regularly toured Japan from the 1960s through to the present. According to a January 1966 Billboard Magazine article, the Ventures had five of 1965's top 10 singles in Japan. On March 10, 2008,
10998-440: The most sensitive part of the ear 's frequency range. It has also been shown that a more powerful voice may be achieved with a fatter and fluid-like vocal fold mucosa. The more pliable the mucosa, the more efficient the transfer of energy from the airflow to the vocal folds. In European classical music and opera , voices are treated like musical instruments . Composers who write vocal music must have an understanding of
11115-411: The physiology of laryngeal function: the vocal fry register , the modal register , the falsetto register , and the whistle register . This view is also adopted by many vocal pedagogues. Vocal resonation is the process by which the basic product of phonation is enhanced in timbre or intensity by the air-filled cavities through which it passes on its way to the outside air. Various terms related to
11232-404: The process involved as their mind and body are so coordinated that one only perceives the resulting unified function. Many vocal problems result from a lack of coordination within this process. Since singing is a coordinated act, it is difficult to discuss any of the individual technical areas and processes without relating them to others. For example, phonation only comes into perspective when it
11349-437: The resonation process include amplification, enrichment, enlargement, improvement, intensification, and prolongation, although in strictly scientific usage acoustic authorities would question most of them. The main point to be drawn from these terms by a singer or speaker is that the result of resonation is, or should be, to make a better sound. There are seven areas that may be listed as possible vocal resonators. In sequence from
11466-458: The resonators as proper alignment prevents unnecessary tension in the body. Vocal pedagogists have also noted that when singers assume good posture it often provides them with a greater sense of self-assurance and poise while performing. Audiences also tend to respond better to singers with good posture. Habitual good posture also ultimately improves the overall health of the body by enabling better blood circulation and preventing fatigue and stress on
11583-407: The singer's performance. Vocal mixing can be inflected in specific modalities of artists who may concentrate on smooth transitions between chest voice and head voice, and those who may use a "flip" to describe the sudden transition from chest voice to head voice for artistic reasons and enhancement of vocal performances. The first recorded mention of the terms chest voice and head voice was around
11700-700: The skills, talents, and vocal properties of singers. Voice classification is the process by which human singing voices are evaluated and are thereby designated into voice types . These qualities include but are not limited to vocal range , vocal weight , vocal tessitura , vocal timbre , and vocal transition points such as breaks and lifts within the voice. Other considerations are physical characteristics, speech level, scientific testing, and vocal registration . The science behind voice classification developed within European classical music has been slow in adapting to more modern forms of singing. Voice classification
11817-520: The song. Their career again rejuvenated by Quentin Tarantino 's use of the Lively Ones ' version of Nokie Edwards ' "Surf Rider" and several other classic surf songs in the soundtrack of the hit movie Pulp Fiction . The Ventures became one of the most popular groups worldwide thanks in large part to their instrumental approach—there were no language barriers to overcome. The Ventures are still
11934-487: The technique than another. The various processes may progress at different rates, with a resulting imbalance or lack of coordination. The areas of vocal technique which seem to depend most strongly on the student's ability to coordinate various functions are: Singing is a skill that requires highly developed muscle reflexes. Singing does not require much muscle strength but it does require a high degree of muscle coordination. Individuals can develop their voices further through
12051-416: The use of the terms chest voice and head voice. In particular, the use of the terms chest register and head register have become controversial since vocal registration is more commonly seen today as a product of laryngeal function that is unrelated to the physiology of the chest, lungs, and head. For this reason, many vocal pedagogists argue that it is meaningless to speak of registers being produced in
12168-440: The vocal folds are capable of producing several different vibratory patterns. Each of these vibratory patterns appears within a particular range of pitches and produces certain characteristic sounds. The occurrence of registers has also been attributed to the effects of the acoustic interaction between the vocal fold oscillation and the vocal tract. The term "register" can be somewhat confusing as it encompasses several aspects of
12285-461: The vocal techniques used to interpret songs, learn about the vocal literature from their chosen style of music, and gain skills in choral music techniques, sight singing and memorizing songs, and vocal exercises. Some singers learn other music jobs, such as the composing , music producing and songwriting . Some singers put videos on YouTube and streaming apps. Singers market themselves to buyers of vocal talent, by doing auditions in front of
12402-460: The voice. The term register can be used to refer to any of the following: In linguistics , a register language is a language which combines tone and vowel phonation into a single phonological system. Within speech pathology , the term vocal register has three constituent elements: a certain vibratory pattern of the vocal folds, a certain series of pitches, and a certain type of sound. Speech pathologists identify four vocal registers based on
12519-546: The world's cultures. Music which employs singing but does not feature it prominently is generally considered instrumental music. For example, some blues rock songs may have a short, simple call-and-response chorus, but the emphasis in the song is on the instrumental melodies and improvisation. Vocal music typically features sung words called lyrics , although there are notable examples of vocal music that are performed using non-linguistic syllables or noises, sometimes as musical onomatopoeia . A short piece of vocal music with lyrics
12636-462: Was "Walk Don't Run '64" (a re-arranged surf-style version of their 1960 breakout hit), which reached #8. During this time, the Ventures' popularity overseas began to increase significantly. In particular, the Japanese music market embraced the Ventures' music after Bogle and Wilson toured the country in 1962. By the time they returned in 1964, this time as a full band, their music became immensely popular in Japan, and were greeted by thousands of fans at
12753-444: Was 75. Nokie Edwards died on March 12, 2018, due to complications after hip surgery. He was 82. Gerry McGee died on October 12, 2019, after having a heart attack and collapsing onstage four days earlier in Japan. He was 81. Don Wilson continued to record with the band, but retired from touring at the end of 2015. He died of natural causes on January 22, 2022, at the age of 88. Mel Taylor died on August 11, 1996, of cancer, at
12870-568: Was a primer in the use of special guitar effects, and made pioneering use of 'reverse-tracking'. The Ventures In Space , because of its ethereal space-like effects, was deemed an influence on the later 1960s San Francisco psychedelic generation, as well as being cited as a favorite by Keith Moon of the Who . The band's cover of the Tornados ' " Telstar " (released in January 1963) featured one of
12987-522: Was not old enough to play night clubs and bars, they hired Howie Johnson and, in the midst of a fast-paced touring schedule, recorded an album to capitalize on the success of the single. (Babbitt went on to become a 4-star general in the United States Air Force (USAF) and on March 1, 1998, he played live in uniform on drums with the band.) The lineup of Bogle, Wilson, Edwards and Johnson remained intact until September 1962, when Johnson
13104-413: Was popular on dance floors in the 1970s. The Encyclopædia Britannica states that the Ventures "served as a prototype for guitar-based rock groups." In the mid-1960s, the group's label Dolton Records released several instructional albums of the Ventures' music for electric guitar and bass. According to the book The 100 Greatest Bands of All Time (2015): "These appear to have appeared to be among
13221-733: Was released April 18, 2009 in conjunction with the Record Store Day event. Obits toured North America 's east coast in April and west coast in May of that year. Obits' second album, Moody, Standard and Poor , was released March 29, 2011, and the band toured the United States' Midwest and East Coast , including playing the 2011 South by Southwest festival. Froberg hopes that, unlike his previous bands, Obits will have more longevity: "Since we're getting older maybe we can grow old into this music. We'll see." Scott Gursky left Obits in May 2011 and
13338-496: Was released by Sub Pop on March 24, 2009. Explaining the length of time between the band's formation and recording, Froberg explained that "We wanted to take a, not a relaxed approach, but we wanted to take our time. We weren't in a hurry. We didn't know what would be the result. We didn't know if we were going to put records out. We just wanted to make something happen. We're pleased with what's gone on so far. It's been pretty cool. We try to keep things slow-paced." Critical reception to
13455-449: Was replaced by Girls Against Boys drummer Alexis Fleisig. The third Obits album, Bed and Bugs , was released on September 10, 2013 On April 1, 2015, the band announced they were splitting up on their Instagram account, later confirming this was not an April Fools' Day joke. Later that year, Habibion and Simpson joined a new band, SAVAK . Froberg designed their debut album's artwork. Rick Froberg died on June 30, 2023. Obits' music
13572-413: Was replaced by Mel Taylor. The group found early success with a string of singles, but quickly became leaders in the album market. The Ventures were among the pioneers of concept albums (starting with 1961's The Colorful Ventures ) where each song on several of their albums was chosen to fit a specific theme. Some of the Ventures' most popular albums at the time were a series of records of dance music. In
13689-402: Was replaced by drummer Joe Barile) to pursue a solo career when the Ventures became a nostalgia act. His intentions were to concentrate on new material and the progressive side of music. He returned in 1979 and stayed with the Ventures until his death from cancer in 1996. When Mel Taylor got sick he was replaced by his son, Leon Taylor. (Original drummer Howie Johnson had died in 1988; Skip Moore,
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