I Was Going To Clean My Room Lyrics? Quick Answer

April 20th is everyone’s favorite day to smoke weed, fret about draconian marijuana enforcement laws, and ask speculative questions about the nature of the universe. But what about the most fundamental question of all: why do we call it high or stoned?

Where do these words come from? And how have they been connoted with drug use, more specifically marijuana in particular?

Let’s start with the etymology of the word “high” itself. According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, it has roots in a large number of ancient languages, such as Old Saxon, Norse, Danish, and Standard German (well, there’s an extra clue). Around the 13th century, its meaning referred to all things large, significant, or otherwise significantly above the norm. This applied to things like crime, the courts, government officials, or roads that were busy and considered important—the literal high street.

What’s in those pipes?

This marriage of the word to things that were better or more important endured through the years, and it’s not hard to see how it came to be used in reference to feeling “euphoric or exhilarated by alcohol” around 1620. The first documented use of the word “high” in relation to the effects of drugs was in the first half of the 20th century, around 1930.

That’s the official story, anyway – the gradual evolution of a word’s meaning until it was adopted by modern slang. Of course, regular stoners have their own theories on the subject, which can be found on the Marijuana.com forums.

Maybe.

“I read in this book that witches in the 16th century took drugs and thought they would fly, then admitted to flying on broomsticks and thought they were actually high in the sky,” writes one user in a statement , which sounds ten times funnier than the real one. Or maybe that’s just a bunch of bullshit I’ve been reading.”

“Why is a chair called a chair? Why is marijuana called marijuana? Why is a pipe a pipe?” postulates another. It’s easy.

Why do they call it Stoned?

But what about stoned? It’s a less euphoric and more lethargic cousin, and etymologically it’s a different beast.

A magician named William Getty Images / Bill Schaefer

While the current use of “high” marks a recent addition of a regularly used word to the lexicon of slang, “stoned” has a longer tradition of slang use.

According to the book More Word Histories and Mysteries: From Aardvark to Zombie, compiled by the editors of American Heritage Dictionaries, slang terms referring to poisoning usually come from words that originally meant “damaged or severely affected by something.” , like z , smashed, crocked, blitzed” and so on.

The word stoned is not that easy to categorize as the obvious connection is, well, a stone. According to the authors, it’s now used primarily for intoxication by substances other than alcohol (read: weed), and is borrowed from older expressions like “stonedrunken” or “stone-cold,” which were themselves the terms that first included the Stone analogy ins Slang. And both phrases refer to a quality of lifelessness or, in the case of “Ice Cold”, death, which is consistent with the image of a “stonehead” lying on his couch and doing nothing.

So now you know, and you can start wondering again if that clock on the wall has really been watching you all day.

When Afroman recorded Because I Got High in 2000, it became a stoner anthem almost instantly. It was the kind of song that inspired kids to roll up a joint, roll down their windows, and drive around aimlessly, blowing it out of their car radios. Now, 14 years later, Afroman just released a new version of Because I Got High — and oddly enough, it’s kind of political.

The new release is a collaboration between Weedmaps and NORML, two pro-marijuana organizations for which Afroman is the new “brand ambassador.” The music video released today features Afroman cruising around Los Angeles on a couch with wheels, his afro graying slightly, his eyes heavily closed as he raps about the benefits of smoking weed:

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I had problems with glaucoma, but then I got high

I smelled a cannabis aroma and got high

Glaucoma’s getting better, and I know why (why, man?)

‘Cause I got high, ’cause I got high, ’cause I got high

The drug is clearly Afroman’s kryptonite — and caused everything from blue balls to paraplegia in his original song — but it’s been completely renamed in the new version. It’s like Afroman running Weed’s PR team. The new verses preach about going to college, quitting drinking, and funding public schools…because he’s gotten hiiiiii.

Weedmaps CMO Kat Smith told me that they have aligned the release of the music video with upcoming marijuana voting initiatives (Alaska, Oregon and Washington DC will vote on full legalization in November; Florida will vote on medical marijuana). “Right now we really think of this as a ‘legalization anthem’ and hope it gets people voting for the November election,” Smith said. “Afroman spreads the good love of marijuana and how it can inspire you to make cool things.”

Screencap via Afroman’s official Facebook page

“This is a well-known anthem that’s very famous across generations,” Sabrina Fendrick, spokesperson for NORML, told me. “It’s something we all kind of grew up with. It just seemed like a really good opportunity to challenge the old cliché.”

If there’s anyone out there who can “rename” marijuana, Afroman is a pretty dubious choice. He’s a high school dropout who, all things considered, fits the classic “stonehead” stereotype perfectly. But then again, marijuana might not need a critical rebrand. Even Martha Stewart knows how to roll joints these days.

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I asked Afroman if he’d personally dealt with the issues described in the new song — like glaucoma or wanting to go back to college. He said no, adding that the lyrics were a product of “research.”

“I know what marijuana does for me personally, but I really wanted to know what scientists and people have found out about it,” Afroman said. “It’s informative. It’s educational. I’ve learned a lot myself and I think people need to learn about it. So let’s think. Let’s think.”

In 2000, “Because I Got High” became the first viral internet sensation. It wasn’t popularized by a major record label or radio games, but by people frantically sharing it on the internet and Napster. It was only after the song became mega popular that Afroman was signed to a major record label – Universal Records – who re-released the song on an album called The Good Times. The song sold over 1.5 million copies, received a Grammy nomination, and was officially the jam of the summer of 2001. Afroman later told Rolling Stone that the song “took two minutes and 11 seconds to write. Some chronic weed inspired him.”

You could say that “Because I Got High” kept Afroman’s career afloat. “It put me on the map,” he told me when we spoke last week. “Everyone knew about me. It was almost unreal. That song was like Macarena or something.”

His popularity skyrocketed among college ages, and the songs he released afterward were mostly about heavy weed use – he created albums called “Waiting to Inhale”, “Drunk ‘n’ High”, “Marijuana Music” and Pot Head Pimp. He also regularly rapped about unfathomably wild sex and life in his hometown of Palmdale, California. But even the songs that weren’t explicitly about weed were laced with Mary Jane references. And at the end of the day “Because I Got High” was his only megahit despite dozens of albums.

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Photo by Jesus Hernandez

Why was the song so successful? Arguably because it appealed to both those who were eager for weed and those who weren’t. The text, constructed as a believable if over-the-top tale of too much weed, pointed to the hallmarks of stoner unproductivity. In a particularly deep moment of the song, Afroman raps, “I’ve messed up my whole life because I got high.”

Of course, Afroman didn’t really mess up his life. The only real consequence of his chronic weed use was fame. But the lyrics provided compelling arguments against marijuana use. When a Massachusetts teenager was arrested for possession of marijuana in 2001, a judge ordered him to listen to “Because I Got High” and write a report on the consequences of being high. Notably, the judge called the hit a “stupid rap song,” quoting the couplet, “Now I’m quadriplegic and I know why / Because I got high.”

Afroman has said it shouldn’t be taken so seriously. He explained it to me: “I just had fun writing the song. I was young and having fun. I didn’t know anyone cared!” Or, as he said in a 2007 interview with the Associated Press, “I was just telling a story… sort of like kneeling by the campfire and having a good time. It’s a stew. It’s like a gumbo.”

In 2009, Afroman released a remake of Because I Got High on his album Frobama: Head of State. The instrumentals were softer, slower – sort of an “easy listening” version of the original – and the lyrics were changed to accommodate Afroman’s latest weed-induced argument:

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I wanted to pay the IRS, but then I got high

Write them a check, I guess, but then I got high

They stripped off my underwear and I know why

‘Cause I got high, ’cause I got high

If the original version cast a negative light on the flash, this version was no better. Not only did the song shed light on a whole new set of weed-caused disasters, but the song opens with the sound of Afroman and his friends crunching on Doritos and some weed-caused coughing, and includes some really nonsensical lyrics like “A E I O U and sometimes W ’cause I’m high, ’cause I’m high, ’cause I’m high.” (What?)

Afroman, bursting with fame a decade ago, vanished in a cloud of marijuana smoke. He was still playing shows and living off his fame from the previous decade. Then, in 2011, Afroman was booked for a concert in Columbus, Ohio. He never showed up to play. (Why? Do I have to spell it out for you?! Because he got high.) The concert hall presented him on 4/20. lawsuit papers too.

Photo by Jesus Hernandez

But it seems Afroman has turned a new leaf since then. He currently resides in Ohio, where marijuana isn’t yet legal but could soon become an election thanks to a burgeoning legalization movement in the state. Life is more relaxed there and he can spend his time churning out music. An upcoming album called The N-Word will shift the focus from light and fun so he can focus on other subjects. In one song, “Call Me Something Good,” he literally raps a story of the N-word:

The N-word goes back to the Latin word Niger

The noun we know is the Spanish word negro

The southern mispronunciation has occurred

And that was the birth of the N-word

I’d say that’s a surprisingly clear oral history for a rap song.

Afroman also mentioned to me that he has 17 unreleased albums, which he said he “stocked up so I never run out.” If he really has that much music piled up somewhere, it looks like we can look forward to years and years of Afroman’s music, because he’s… well, you know.

Act of producing musical sounds with the voice

singing girls

singing boys

Singing is creating musical sounds with the voice.[1][2][3] A person who sings is called a singer or singers (in jazz and/or popular music).[4][5] Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or without the accompaniment of musical instruments. It is often sung in an ensemble of musicians, such as a choir of singers or a band of instrumentalists. Singers can perform as a soloist or accompanied by a single instrument (as in art songs or some styles of jazz) to a symphony orchestra or big band. The diverse styles of singing include art music such as opera and Chinese opera, Indian music, Japanese music, and religious music styles such as gospel, traditional music styles, world music, jazz, blues, ghazal, and popular music styles such as pop, rock, and electronic dance music.

Singing can be formal or informal, arranged or improvised. It can be practiced as a form of religious devotion, as a hobby, as a source of joy, comfort, or as a ritual in music education or as a profession. Singing excellence takes time, dedication, instruction and regular practice. With regular practice, the sounds can become clearer and stronger.[6] Professional singers typically build their careers around a specific genre of music, such as classical or rock, although there are singers with crossover success (who sing in more than one genre). Professional singers typically participate in vocal training provided by vocal teachers or vocal coaches throughout their careers.

voices [edit]

In its physical aspect, singing has a well-defined technique that depends on the use of the lungs, which act as air supplies or bellows; on the larynx, which acts as a reed or vibrator; on the chest, head cavities and skeleton, which have the function of an amplifier, like the tube in a wind instrument; and on the tongue, which, together with the palate, teeth, and lips, articulate consonants and vowels and impose the amplified sound. Although these four mechanisms function independently, they are nevertheless coordinated and made to interact with one another in the establishment of a singing technique.[7] In passive breathing, air is inhaled using the diaphragm while exhaling is effortless. Exhalation may be assisted by the abdominal muscles, internal intercostal muscles, and lower pelvic/pelvic muscles. Inhalation is assisted through the use of external intercostal, scalene, and sternocleidomastoid muscles. The pitch is changed with the vocal cords. When the lips are closed, this is called a hum.

The sound of each individual’s singing voice is completely unique not only because of the actual shape and size of a person’s vocal cords, but also because of the size and shape of the rest of that person’s body. Humans have vocal folds that can loosen, tighten, or change thickness, and across which breath can be transmitted at varying pressures. The shape of the chest and neck, the position of the tongue, and the tightening of otherwise unrelated muscles can be altered. Each of these actions results in a change in pitch, loudness, timbre, or tone of the sound produced. Sound also resonates in different parts of the body, and a person’s size and bone structure can affect the sound a person produces.

Singers can also learn to project sounds in specific ways so they resonate better in their vocal tract. This is called vocal resonance. Another important 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 types of laryngeal function are described as different types of vocal registers.[8] The primary method for singers to achieve this is to use the Singer’s Formant; which has been shown to be a particularly good match for the most sensitive part of the ear’s frequency range.[9][10]

It has also been shown that a stronger voice can be achieved with thicker and more fluid vocal fold mucosa.[11][12] The more supple the mucosa, the more efficient the transfer of energy from the airflow to the vocal folds.[13]

Voice classification[ edit ]

In European classical music and opera, voices are treated like musical instruments. Composers writing vocal music need to understand the skills, talents and vocal characteristics of singers. Voice classification is the process by which human singing voices are evaluated and thereby classified into voice types. These qualities include, but are not limited to, vocal range, weight, pitch, timbre, and vocal transition points such as breaks and increases within the voice. Other considerations include physical attributes, language level, scientific testing, and voice registration.[14] The science behind voice classification, developed in European classical music, has been slow to adapt to more modern forms of singing. Voice classification is often used in opera to link potential roles to potential voices. Various systems are currently used in classical music, including the German subject system and the choral music system, among many others. No system is universally applied or accepted.[15]

However, most classical music systems recognize seven different major vocal categories. Females are typically divided into three groups: soprano, mezzo-soprano, and alto. Males are typically divided into four groups: countertenor, tenor, baritone, and bass. When considering voices of prepubescent children, an eighth term, treble, can be applied. Within each of these main categories are several sub-categories that identify specific vocal qualities such as coloratura ability and vocal weight to distinguish between voices.[16]

Within choral music, singers’ voices are classified solely on the basis of vocal range. Choral music most commonly divides vocal parts into high and low voices within each gender (SATB or soprano, alto, tenor and bass/). As a result, the typical choral situation offers many opportunities for misclassification.[16] Since most people have medium voices, they need to be assigned a part that is either too high or too low for them; The mezzo-soprano must sing soprano or alto and the baritone tenor or bass. Both options can cause problems for the singer, but for most singers there is less danger of singing too low than singing too high.[17]

Within contemporary music forms (sometimes referred to as contemporary commercial music), singers are classified according to the style of music they sing, such as jazz, pop, blues, soul, country, folk, and rock. There is currently no mandatory voice classification system within non-classical music. Attempts have been made to apply notions of the classical voice type to other forms of singing, but such attempts have been met with controversy.[18] The development of voice categorizations came with the understanding that the singer would use classical vocal technique within a certain range using unamplified (no microphones) voice production. Because contemporary musicians use different vocal techniques and microphones and are not constrained to fit into a specific singing role, the use of terms such as soprano, tenor, baritone, etc. can be misleading or even inaccurate.[19]

Voice registration[ edit ]

Vote registration refers to the system of voter registers within the vote. A register in the voice is a specific set of tones produced in the same vibrational pattern of the vocal folds and of the same quality. Registers have their origins in laryngeal function. They occur because the vocal folds are capable of producing several different vibration patterns.[20] Each of these vibration patterns occurs in a specific pitch range and produces specific distinctive sounds.[21] The occurrence of registers has also been attributed to effects of the acoustic interaction between the vocal fold vibration and the vocal tract.[22] The term “register” can be a bit confusing as it encompasses several aspects of the voice. The term register can be used for:[16]

A specific part of the vocal range such as the upper, middle, or lower registers.

A range of resonance such as chest voice or head voice.

A phonation process (phonation is the process of producing vocal sound through the vibration of the vocal folds, which in turn is modified by the resonance of the vocal tract)

A specific vocal timbre or vocal “color”

An area of ​​the voice defined or limited by voice breaks.

In linguistics, a register language is a language that combines tone and vowel phonation into a single phonological system. Within speech pathology, the term vocal register has three constituent elements: a specific vibrational pattern of the vocal folds, a specific range of pitches, and a specific type of sound. Speech pathologists identify four voice registers based on the physiology of laryngeal function: the vocal register, the modal register, the falsetto register, and the whistling register. Many singing teachers also hold this view.[16]

Vocal resonance[ edit ]

Cross-section through the head and neck

Voice resonance is the process by which the basic product of phonation is amplified in timbre and/or intensity by the air-filled cavities through which it passes on its way to the outside air. Various terms related to the resonant process include amplification, enrichment, extension, enhancement, intensification, and lengthening, although in strictly scientific usage acoustics experts would question most of them. The main point a singer or speaker must take from these terms is that the result of resonance is, or should be, to produce a better sound.[16] There are seven areas that can be listed as possible voice resonators. These areas are, in order from lowest to highest within the body, the chest, trachea, larynx itself, pharynx, oral cavity, nasal cavity, and sinuses.[23]

Chest Voice and Head Voice[edit]

Chest voice and head voice are terms used in vocal music. The use of these terms varies widely in vocal education circles and there is currently no consensus among vocal music professionals regarding these terms. The chest voice can be used in reference to a specific part of the vocal range or a type of vocal register; a voice resonance area; or a specific voice color.[16] Head voice can be used in relation to a specific part of the vocal range, or some type of vocal register, or range of voice resonance.[16] In men, the head voice is commonly referred to as a falsetto. The transition and combination of chest voice and head voice in the singer’s performance is referred to as vocal mix or vocal mixing.[24] Mixing of voices can be inflected into certain modalities by artists who may focus on smooth transitions between chest and head voices, and by artists who, for artistic reasons, use a “flip” [25] to capture the sudden transition from chest to head voice to describe and improve the vocal performances.

History and development[edit]

The first written mention of the terms chest voice and head voice was around the 13th century, when they were distinguished from the ‘throat voice’ (pectoris, guttoris, capitis – at the time head voice was likely to refer to the falsetto register) by the Writers Johannes de Garlandia and Jerome of Moravia.[26] The terms were later adopted into bel canto, the Italian operatic singing method that identified the chest voice as the lowest and the head voice as the highest of three vocal registers: chest, passagio, and head registers.[15] This approach is still taught by some singing teachers today. Another currently popular approach, based on the bel canto model, is to divide both male and female voices into three registers. Male voices are divided into “chest register”, “head register” and “falsett register” and female voices into “chest register”, “middle register” and “head register”. Such educators teach that head register is a vocal technique used in singing to describe the resonance felt in the singer’s head.[27]

However, as knowledge of physiology has increased over the past two hundred years, so has the understanding of the physical process of singing and voice production. As a result, many vocal educators, such as Indiana University’s Ralph Appelman and University of Southern California’s William Vennard, have redefined or even abandoned the use of the terms chest voice and head voice.[15] In particular, the use of the terms chest register and head register are controversial, as voice registration is now more commonly thought of as a product of laryngeal function unrelated to chest, lung, and head physiology. For this reason, many singing teachers argue that it is meaningless to speak of registers produced in the chest or in the head. They argue that the vibrational sensations perceived in these areas are resonance phenomena and should be described in terms related to vocal resonance rather than register. These singing teachers prefer the terms chest voice and head voice to the term register. This view believes that the problems people identify as register problems are really resonance matching problems. This view is also consistent with the views of other academic fields dealing with voice 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 perspective. Some singing teachers also represent ideas from both perspectives.[16]

Contemporary usage of the term chest voice often refers to a specific type of vocal tint or voice color. In classical singing, its use is strictly limited to the lower part of the modal register, or normal voice. In other forms of singing, the chest voice is often used throughout the modal register. The timbre of the chest can add a wonderful array of sounds to a singer’s vocal palette.[28] However, using too much chest voice in the higher registers in an attempt to hit higher notes in the chest can lead to forcing. Consequently, forcing can lead to voice deterioration.[29]

Vocal Registers: General Discussion of Transitions [ edit ]

Passaggio (Italian pronunciation: [pasˈsaddʒo]) is a term used in classical singing to describe the transitional 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 tone, the middle voice, and the head voice, where a piercing tone is accessible, but usually only through voice training. The historical Italian school of singing describes a primo passaggio and a secondo passaggio connected by a zona di passaggio in the male voice and a primo passaggio and secondo passaggio in the female voice. A primary goal of classical voice training in classical styles is to maintain an even timbre throughout the passaggio. With proper training, it is possible to produce a resonant and powerful sound.

Vocal registers and transitions [ edit ]

One cannot adequately discuss vocal passaggio without a basic understanding of the different vocal registers. In his book The Principles of Voice Production, Ingo Titze explains: “The term register has been used to describe perceptually different ranges of voice quality that can be sustained over some range of pitch and loudness.”[30] It is important to note that Discrepancies in terminology exist between different areas of vocal study, such as B. Teachers and singers, researchers and clinicians. As Marilee David points out, “vocal scientists think of registration primarily as acoustic events.”[31] It is more common for singers to explain registration events on the basis of the bodily sensations they experience while singing. Titze also explains that there are discrepancies in the terminology used to talk about voice registration between speech therapists and singing teachers.[32] Because this article discusses the passaggio, a term used by classical singers, the registers will be treated as more pertinent to the field of singing than speech pathology and science.

The three main registers, referred to as head, middle (mixed), and chest voice, are described as rich in timbre due to the overtones due to sympathetic resonance in the human body. Their names derive from the area where the singer feels this resonant vibration in the body. The chest register, better known as the chest voice, is the lowest of the registers. When singing in the chest voice, the singer feels a sympathetic vibration in the chest. This is the pitch that people use most often when speaking. The middle voice is between the chest voice and the head voice. The head register or head voice is the highest of the main voice registers. When singing with the head voice, the singer may feel sympathetic vibrations appearing on the face or some other part of the head. Where these registers lie in the voice depends on gender and the voice type within each gender.[33]

There are two additional registers called the falsetto and flageolet registers that are above their head register. Training is often required to access the pitches in 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. Males have an additional register called the strobe bass, which is below the chest voice. Singing in this position puts a strain on the vocal cords and is therefore rarely used.[36]

vocal pedagogy

Singing pedagogy is the study of singing lessons. The art and science of vocal pedagogy has a long history, beginning in ancient Greece[37] and evolving and changing to this day. Professions that practice the art and science of vocal pedagogy include vocal teachers, choir directors, vocal educators, opera directors, and other vocal teachers.

Singing pedagogical concepts are part of the development of the right singing technique. Typical areas of study include:[38][39]

Anatomy and physiology related to the physical process of singing vocal health and vocal disorders related to singing respiratory and air support in singing phonation voice resonance or voice projection voice registration: a specific set of tones produced in the same vibrational pattern of the voice folds and the same quality that have their origin in the function of the larynx because each of these vibration patterns occurs in a specific pitch range and produces specific characteristic sounds. language classification

Singing Styles: For classical singers, this includes styles ranging from song to opera; For pop singers, styles can include “smashing” blues ballads; for jazz singers, styles can include swing ballads and scatters. Techniques used in styles such as sostenuto and legato, range extension, tonal quality, vibrato, and coloratura

vocal technique [edit]

Singing, when performed with proper vocal technique, is an integrated and coordinated act that effectively coordinates the physical processes of singing. Four physical processes are involved in the production of vocal sound: breathing, phonation, resonance, and articulation. These processes run in the following order:

The breath is taken. The sound is triggered in the larynx. The voice resonators pick up the sound and influence it. The articulators shape the sound into recognizable units

Although these four processes are often considered separately in the study, in practice they merge into a coordinated function. With an effective singer or speaker, the process should seldom be remembered, for the mind and body are so attuned that one perceives only the resulting unified function. Many voice problems result from a lack of coordination within this process.[19]

Because singing is a coordinated act, it is difficult to discuss each technical area and process without relating it to others. For example, phonation only comes into its own when it is related to breathing; the articulators affect the resonance; the resonators act on the vocal folds; the vocal folds affect breath control; and so forth. Vocal problems are often the result of a failure in some part of this coordinated process, resulting in singing teachers often focusing intensely with their student on one area of ​​the process until that problem is resolved. However, some areas of vocal art are so much the result of coordinated functions that it is difficult to discuss them under a traditional heading such as phonation, resonance, articulation, or breathing.

Once the vocal student is aware of the bodily processes that make up the act of singing and how these processes work, the student begins the task of coordinating them. Students and teachers will inevitably be more concerned with one area of ​​technology than another. The different processes can progress at different rates, leading to an imbalance or lack of coordination. The areas of vocal technique that appear to depend most heavily on the student’s ability to coordinate various functions are:[16]

Expanding the vocal range to its maximum potential Developing consistent vocal production with a consistent tone quality Developing flexibility and agility Achieve balanced vibrato A mix of chest and head voice at each note in the range[40]

Development of the singing voice[edit]

Singing is a skill that requires highly developed muscle reflexes. Singing doesn’t require a lot of muscle strength, but it does require a high level of muscle coordination. Through careful and systematic practice of songs and voice exercises, the individual can further develop his voice. Vocal exercises have several purposes, including[16] warming up the voice; expansion of the vocal range; “align” the voice horizontally and vertically; and learning vocal techniques such as legato, staccato, controlling dynamics, rapid figurations, learning to sing large intervals comfortably, singing trills, singing melismas, and correcting vocal errors.

Vocal teachers guide their students to practice their voice intelligently. Singers should constantly think about the kind of sound they are making and the sensations they are experiencing while singing.[19]

Learning to sing is an activity that benefits from the involvement of a teacher. A singer doesn’t hear the same sounds in his head that others hear outside. Therefore, a guide who can tell a student what types of sounds he or she is producing leads a singer to understand which of the inner sounds correspond to the desired sounds required for the singing style the student intends to emulate [citation necessary]

Extension of vocal range[edit]

An important goal of vocal development is learning to sing to the natural limits[41] of one’s vocal range without obvious or distracting changes in quality or technique. Singing educators teach that a singer can only achieve this goal when all of the bodily processes of singing (such as larynx movement, breath support, resonance matching, and articulation movement) work together effectively. Most singing teachers believe in coordinating these processes by (1) establishing good vocal habits in the most comfortable register of the voice, and then (2) slowly expanding the range.[8]

There are three factors that significantly affect the ability to sing higher or lower:

The Energy Factor – “Energy” has several connotations. It refers to the body’s overall response to the production of sound; to a dynamic relationship between the inspiratory muscles and the expiratory muscles, known as the respiratory support mechanism; the amount of respiratory pressure applied to the vocal folds and their resistance to that pressure; and on the dynamic level of the sound. The Spatial Factor – “Space” refers to the size of the inside of the mouth and the position of the palate and larynx. In general, a singer’s mouth should open wider the higher he or she sings. The interior or position of the soft palate and larynx can be expanded by relaxing the throat. Singing teachers describe this as a feeling like “the beginning of a yawn”. The Depth Factor – “Depth” has two connotations. It relates to the actual physical sensations of depth in the body and vocal mechanism, as well as mental concepts of depth related to sound quality.

McKinney says, “These three factors can be summed up in three basic rules: (1) when you sing higher, you have to expend more energy; if you sing deeper, you need to use less. (2) If you sing higher, you must consume more space; if you sing deeper, you need to use less. (3) If you sing higher, you need to use more depth; if you sing deeper, you have to use less.”[16]

posture [edit]

The singing process works best when certain physical conditions are created. The ability to move air freely in and out of the body and maintain the amount of air needed can be seriously compromised by the posture of the various parts of the respiratory mechanism. A sunken chest position restricts lung capacity and a tight abdominal wall inhibits downward movement of the diaphragm. Good posture allows the respiratory mechanism to perform its basic function efficiently and without undue effort. Good posture also makes it easier to initiate phonation and tune the resonators, as proper alignment eliminates unnecessary tension in the body. Vocal educators have also found that good posture in singers often gives them a greater sense of confidence and composure when performing. Audiences also tend to respond better to singers with good posture. A habit of good posture also ultimately improves the overall health of the body by allowing better blood flow and preventing body fatigue and stress.[8]

There are eight components of the ideal singing position:

Feet slightly apart Legs straight but knees slightly bent Hips straight forward Spine aligned Stomach flat Chest comfortably forward Shoulders down and back Head straight forward

Breathing and respiratory support[edit]

Natural breathing has three phases: an inspiration phase, an expiration phase, and a rest or recovery phase; these stages are usually not consciously controlled. There are four phases of breathing in singing: an inspiration (inhalation) phase; a control period (suspension); a controlled expiratory phase (phonation); and a recovery period.

These phases must be consciously controlled by the singer until they become conditioned reflexes. Many singers relinquish conscious control before their reflexes are fully conditioned, ultimately leading to chronic vocal problems.[42]

vibrato [edit]

Vibrato is a technique in which a sustained note swings between a higher pitch and a lower pitch very quickly and constantly, giving the note a slight tremor. Vibrato is the pulse or wave in a sustained tone. Vibrato occurs naturally and is the result of appropriate breathing support and a relaxed vocal tract.[43] Some studies have shown that vibrato is the result of neuromuscular tremors in the vocal folds. 1922 war Max Schoen der erste, der das Vibrato mit einem Zittern verglich, aufgrund von Amplitudenänderungen, fehlender automatischer Kontrolle und der halben Geschwindigkeit der normalen Muskelentladung.[44] Einige Sänger verwenden Vibrato als Ausdrucksmittel. Viele erfolgreiche Künstler können ein tiefes, sattes Vibrato singen.

Erweiterte Gesangstechnik [ bearbeiten ]

Erweiterte Gesangstechniken umfassen Rappen, Schreien, Knurren, Obertöne, Gleiten. Falsett, Jodeln, Belting, Einsatz von Vocal Fry Register, Einsatz von Beschallungsanlagen u.a. Ein Beschallungssystem ist die Kombination aus Mikrofonen, Signalprozessoren, Verstärkern und Lautsprechern. Die Kombination solcher Einheiten kann neben anderen Geräten auch Reverb, Echokammern und Auto-Tune verwenden.

Gesangsmusik [Bearbeiten]

Vokalmusik ist Musik, die von einem oder mehreren Sängern aufgeführt wird, die normalerweise als Lieder bezeichnet werden und die mit oder ohne Instrumentalbegleitung aufgeführt werden können, wobei das Singen den Schwerpunkt des Stücks bildet. Vokalmusik ist wahrscheinlich die älteste Form der Musik, da sie außer der Stimme kein Instrument und keine Ausrüstung benötigt. Alle Musikkulturen haben irgendeine Form von Vokalmusik und es gibt viele langjährige Gesangstraditionen in allen Kulturen der Welt. Musik, die Gesang verwendet, ihn aber nicht besonders hervorhebt, wird allgemein als Instrumentalmusik bezeichnet. Einige Blues-Rock-Songs haben zum Beispiel einen kurzen, einfachen Call-and-Response-Refrain, aber der Schwerpunkt des Songs liegt auf den Instrumentalmelodien und der Improvisation. Vokalmusik enthält normalerweise gesungene Wörter, die als Texte bezeichnet werden, obwohl es bemerkenswerte Beispiele für Vokalmusik gibt, die mit nichtsprachlichen Silben oder Geräuschen aufgeführt werden, manchmal als musikalische Lautmalerei. Ein kurzes Stück Vokalmusik mit Text wird allgemein als Lied bezeichnet, obwohl in der klassischen Musik typischerweise Begriffe wie Arie verwendet werden.

Genres der Vokalmusik [ bearbeiten ]

2016 trat ein Trio von Sängerinnen im Berwaldsaal auf.

Vokalmusik wird in vielen verschiedenen Formen und Stilen geschrieben, die oft innerhalb eines bestimmten Musikgenres bezeichnet werden. Diese Genres umfassen populäre Musik, Kunstmusik, religiöse Musik, weltliche Musik und Fusionen solcher Genres. Innerhalb dieser größeren Genres gibt es viele Subgenres. Populäre Musik würde beispielsweise Blues, Jazz, Country-Musik, Easy Listening, Hip-Hop, Rockmusik und mehrere andere Genres umfassen. Es kann auch ein Subgenre innerhalb eines Subgenres geben, wie Vocalese und Scat-Gesang im Jazz.

Populäre und traditionelle Musik [ bearbeiten ]

In vielen modernen Popmusikgruppen spielt ein Leadsänger den Hauptgesang oder die Hauptmelodie eines Songs, im Gegensatz zu einem Backing-Sänger, der Backup-Vocals oder die Harmonie eines Songs singt. Hintergrundsänger singen einige, aber normalerweise nicht alle Teile des Liedes, oft singen sie nur im Refrain eines Liedes oder summen im Hintergrund. Eine Ausnahme bildet fünfstimmige Gospel-A-cappella-Musik, bei der die Hauptstimme die höchste der fünf Stimmen ist und einen Diskant und nicht die Melodie singt. Einige Künstler singen möglicherweise sowohl den Lead- als auch den Backing-Gesang auf Audioaufnahmen, indem sie aufgezeichnete Gesangsspuren überlappen.

Popmusik umfasst eine Reihe von Gesangsstilen. Hip Hop verwendet Rappen, das rhythmische Liefern von Reimen in einer rhythmischen Rede über einen Beat oder ohne Begleitung. Einige Arten des Rappens bestehen hauptsächlich oder vollständig aus Sprache und Gesang, wie das jamaikanische “Toasting”. Bei einigen Arten des Rappens können die Darsteller kurze gesungene oder halb gesungene Passagen interpolieren. 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 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 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 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 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, the backup singers may be required to perform elaborately choreographed dance routines while they sing through headset microphones.

Career [edit]

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 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,[45] 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 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 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; the agent or manager is often paid by receiving a percentage of the fees that the singer gets from performing onstage.

Singing competitions [ edit ]

Singing and language [ edit ]

Every spoken language, natural or non-natural language has its own intrinsic musicality which affects singing by means of pitch, phrasing, and accent.

Neurological aspects [ edit ]

Much research has been done recently on the link between music and language, especially singing. It is becoming increasingly clear that these two processes are very much alike, and yet also different. Levitin describes how, beginning with the eardrum, sound waves are translated into pitch, or a tonotopic map, and then shortly thereafter “speech and music probably diverge into separate processing circuits” (130).[46] There is evidence that neural circuits used for music and language may start out in infants undifferentiated. There are several areas of the brain that are used for both language and music. For example, Brodmann area 47, which has been implicated in the processing of syntax in oral and sign languages, as well as musical syntax and semantic aspects of language. Levitin recounts how in certain studies, “listening to music and attending its syntactic features,” similar to the syntactic processes in language, activated this part of the brain. In addition, “musical syntax … has been localized to … areas adjacent to and overlapping with those regions that process speech syntax, such as Broca’s area” and “the regions involved in musical semantics .. appear to be [localized] near Wernicke’s area.” Both Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area are important steps in language processing and production.

Singing has been shown to help stroke victims recover speech. According to neurologist Gottfried Schlaug, there is a corresponding area to that of speech, which resides in the left hemisphere, on the right side of the brain.[47] This is casually known as the “singing center.” By teaching stroke victims to sing their words, this can help train this area of the brain for speech. In support of this theory, Levitin asserts that “regional specificity,” such as that for speech, “may be temporary, as the processing centers for important mental functions actually move to other regions after trauma or brain damage.”[46] Thus in the right hemisphere of the brain, the “singing center” may be retrained to help produce speech.[48]

Accents and singing [ edit ]

The speaking dialect or accent of a person may differ greatly from the general singing accent that a person uses while singing. When people sing, they generally use the accent or neutral accent that is used in the style of music they are singing in, rather than a regional accent or dialect; the style of music and the popular center/region of the style has more influence on the singing accent of a person than where they come from. For example, in the English language, British singers of rock or popular music often sing in an American accent or neutral accent instead of an English accent.[49][50]

See also[edit]

Art music [ edit ]

Other music [ edit ]

Physiology [ edit ]

References[ edit ]

Further reading[edit]

Anticipating your favorite track stimulates your brain’s reward pathways.

New research has proven that the saying “You have to be high to listen to electronic music” isn’t necessarily true. According to researchers at McGill University, listening to your favorite track can get you high in and of itself.

Like taking drugs, listening to music can modulate levels of serotonin and dopamine in your brain. These values ​​fluctuate at two different stages: when you expect to hear pleasant music and when you consume it. Although the high you experience from listening to a song you like is only a fraction of what you feel after ingesting an illicit substance, the hedonic reward systems activated in this listening process are closely related to those that associated with food, drugs and drugs having sex.

McGill University research shows that a better understanding of pleasure responses in the brain could improve our ability to treat different types of addiction. You can read more about their findings here.

READ ALSO: Science Suggests Trance Is Good For Test Tube Babies

(Via Tech Radar)

American rapper and multi-instrumentalist from California

For the Canadian Olympic sprinter, see Joe Foreman

musical artist

Joseph Edgar Foreman (born July 28, 1974), better known by his stage name Afroman, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, comedian, and multi-instrumentalist. He is best known for his songs “Because I Got High” released in 2000 and “Crazy Rap” released in 2001, both of which were included on his album The Good Times. Afroman was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2002.

Early life[edit]

Afroman was born in Los Angeles and initially grew up in south Los Angeles. He later lived in Palmdale in the high desert of Southern California and then in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.[1]

Career [edit]

Afroman’s musical career began in eighth grade when he began recording songs he had made and selling them to his classmates.[2] “The first video I made was about my eighth grade teacher,” he once recalled. “She kicked me out of school for sagging my pants, which was a big deal at the time. So I wrote this song about her and it sold about 400 copies: it sold to teachers, students, almost everyone. And I realized that even though I wasn’t in school, my song was in school, so in a way I was still there. All these people would come up to my house just to give me comments about how cool they thought the song was.”[3] Foreman also performed at his church when he was young, playing both drums and guitar.[2]

In 1998, Afroman released his first album, My Fro-losophy, and later moved to Hattiesburg, Mississippi,[2] where he met drummer Jody Stallone, keyboardist/bassist Darrell Havard, and producer Tim Ramenofsky (aka Headfridge).

Ramenofsky produced and released Afroman’s album Because I Got High in 2000 on T-Bones Records; It was primarily distributed through concerts and the file-sharing service Napster before its title track was played on The Howard Stern Show. Afroman was inspired to write the song’s lyrical content because he was unwilling to tidy his room, and he ran away with the idea that everyday chores would be derailed by drug use. In late 2001, the song became a hit and was later featured in the 2000s movies Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, The Perfect Score, and Disturbia. “Because I Got High” was nominated for a 2002 Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance.[4]

Following the success of the single, Afroman joined the cast of Cypress Hill’s Fall Festival “Smoke Out” with the Deftones, Method Man and others.[5] Thereafter, Universal Records signed Afroman to a six-album deal, and Universal released The Good Times in 2001. The Good Times was a compilation of Afroman’s first two albums and a few new tracks.

Afroman began releasing his music independently, primarily via the internet, in 2004[2] and that year he recorded Jobe Bells, which satirized traditional Christmas carols.[6]

Afroman was part of the 2010 Gathering of the Juggalos cast.[7]

In October 2014, Afroman released a remix of his hit song “Because I Got High” to highlight the usefulness of cannabis as part of efforts to legalize its sale in the United States.

Personal life[edit]

religion [edit]

Afroman declared himself a Christian in 2003.[8]

Assault [ edit ]

On February 17, 2015, Afroman was in the middle of his performance at a live music venue in Biloxi, Mississippi, when a woman took the stage. She approached Foreman from behind, a drink in hand while she danced. When she touched Foreman, he turned and punched her. He was then escorted off the stage by security forces and arrested, taken into custody and charged with assault. He was released on bail shortly thereafter.

According to reports, 12 to 15 security guards were deployed to deal with a crowd of over 500 people. When interviewed, Foreman’s rep claimed that the act was an involuntary reflex caused by the woman invading his room. He also stated that he mistook the woman for another viewer who had been constantly harassing him. He publicly apologized and sought help with anger management.[9][10]

Discography[ edit ]