I Am a Music Snob

Yes, my dear readers; it is true.  I am a music snob.

I have not always been this way.  Heck- when I was 10 years old, I listened to stuff that was "in".  High School Crap Musical type stuff.  It is true.  Nowadays, I feel that if I give my seal of approval to anything less than Netrebko, I am somehow marring my musical integrity. It makes it hard to enjoy anything.

When you are passionate about a particular activity, you become more sensitive to it in your every day life.  In my case, singing has become something I am constantly judging in the world around me.  While this makes "normal" people singing something to simply be endured, it makes true artistry a rare, but overwhelming treat.

This concept of sensitivity is why I like the occasional football game.  I know nothing about football.  Zip.  Zilch.  Nada.  Nothing.  For that reason, I am never critiquing the performance, and I never feel like I could do that.  I couldn't in a million years. There is nothing to remind me of my own weak areas(because they are all weak and I couldn't care less) and no way for me to see the players' weaknesses.

I am constantly playing the vocal coach for singers I hear in movies, sitcoms, and on the radio.  A few nights ago, I watched the new Disney movie, "Tangled".  I loved it; Disney music is still as wonderful as ever.  It is not classical, and the main character's singer used chest resonance as high as an A above middle C.  That being said, it was tasteful.  Her head resonance had a beautiful tone to it.  I also think that she adjusted her break so that she was not getting an awful Christina Aguilera type sound, but a rather even registers all the way.  I enjoyed it.  She had a nice vibrato, and also used her voice to portray her character. 

I got all this from one song. This is a much more generous and nice commentary than usual. Most people do not make these assessments.  I do; it is a part of me, and always will be. 

I am a music snob.