Mediocre Vocalist

[beforeforever12]

So I'm recording a vocalist, that while better than myself, she is no Renée Fleming.

Oh boy, does she feel otherwise.

I quote:

Accompanist:
"I'm not lost, I just have no clue what you're trying to do with the piece. I can't play the all of the notes because I don't know where the down beat."

Performer:
"Don't play the notes, just accompany me."

Just needed to vent.

[JB]

So I'm recording a vocalist, that while better than myself, she is no Renée Fleming.

Oh boy, does she feel otherwise.

I quote:

Accompanist:
"I'm not lost, I just have no clue what you're trying to do with the piece. I can't play the all of the notes because I don't know where the down beat."

Performer:
"Don't play the notes, just accompany me."

Just needed to vent.

Maybe having a few items of Florence Foster Jenkins cued up ready for a faux playback might get the point across. (Or, at least give you and the accompanist a much needed bit of shared comic relief.)

If not familiar with the name, google some of the downloadable MP3s out there. Otherwise, head straight for Youtube!

(To get you started...: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eM0ly2WTSlw )

Also, from experience, perhaps some fine Irish Whiskey might help with the day's end "work therapy;" plus a after a long and maddening course of soprano performances, nothing soothes more than to sit and have one's teeth drilled.

[Chuck Jackson]

So I'm recording a vocalist, that while better than myself, she is no Renée Fleming.

Make sure she pays you in cash. Really.

Chuck"then take it and RUN LIKE HELL"Jackson

[Todd S. Malicoate]

This thread makes me glad I only accompany instrumentalists. I've never had one of them say anything even remotely as rude or stupid as that.

[rocksanddirt]

Good lord.

I agree with bloke as regards to church personel and operations.

[SRanney]

[sorry to offend some, but]

[again...with apologies]

I've also used "The God-Dome" and "Six Flags Over Jesus" to describe a previous place of employment which also happens to be a "mega church."

[beforeforever12]

The school actually has two programs, and plugins, to make this "human trombone" that consistently decided on her own down beat, rather than the accompanist', sound decent.

In respect to her, and in the event that she may listen to it on here, I won't post any of the tracks, but her thick european accent, awesome glissandos, entrances at her leisure, and body gestures that made no sense, did not help the recording either.

[k001k47]

The school actually has two programs, and plugins, to make this "human trombone" that consistently decided on her own down beat, rather than the accompanist', sound decent.

In respect to her, and in the event that she may listen to it on here, I won't post any of the tracks, but her thick european accent, awesome glissandos, entrances at her leisure, and body gestures that made no sense, did not help the recording either.

Accompanists are paid to follow performers, no matter what they do.
'Tis the nature of the beast. Vocalists are odd folk -- who usually add superfluous nuances.
I'm not surprised the accompanist and vocalist couldn't get on the same page here. She was trying to do too much: probably the kind of stuff that takes a lot of rehearsing to get comfortable with each other.