Define a "good" singer

why is it some singers can be technically average yet hold your interest and some can just grate on your nerves?

singing probably more than any instrument is a highly subjective thing where associations and style can cause a listener to either love the song or hate it.

what kind of singers do you like and why? what are their strengths and weaknesses?

define a good singer? not the guy from Clap Your Hands.

there, easy peasy.

i generally like singers with more unique-sounding voices over those with more generic-sounding voices that are technically better.

Same. But I don't like singers who sound like they are always crying and whining about something.

1- Has an achievable image of what he can do within the confines of his/her voice
2- Uses said voice in a fashion that works with whatever music is made
3- Consistancy. Being good live is fine, but don't crap out in the studio because you can't stay in key without endorphins.
4- If not an instrumentalist too, stay out of the big people's way while songwriting is going. I didn't spend all the money I did on learning theory so you can bitch about my changes having minor chords because "minor chords aren't happy enough."

i define a good singer buy being

one thats not shit

- A singer that can perform as well in the studio as they can live.
- A singer that doesn't hide behind mixing and effects
- A singer that can step out of his or her comfort zone for styles and genres.

Anything beyond that, for me, is subjective, and leans more toward "singers I like" rather than "good singers".

A good singer doesnt have to be able to sing in my opinion, they just have to able to make their sound work.
This is one of the basic principals of punk, am I right?

Someone you enjoy listening to, nothing else really matters

I would consider Rob Flynn from Machine Head as a great singer, cause of the amounbt of emotion he conveys in his voice. For me, a good singer doesn't have to be able to hold a tune too well (although it helps if their style is melodic) they just have have to sound like they mean every word they're saying. But in the end it really just comes down to what you like. I really like Christina Scabbia from Lacuna Coil's voice, but I can't stand Amy Lee. There's not even any real logic for this, it's just the way it is for me. My other favourite singers are Chris Cornell, M. Shadows, Mike Patton and Matt Bellamy.

I like the vocalists who haven't got great voices, but are very musical with what they have - Billy Bragg, Michael Stipe, Lou Reed, Bjork, Warren Zevon all spring to mind.

Yeah, thats pretty much a better way to sya what i was trying to say.

it's rare that a voice alone is enough to carry my enjoyment or appreciation of a song/album. there has to be more substance - lyrically, conceptually, musically, whatever. i crave realness over expertise.

Bob Dylan, Jeff Buckley, P.J. Harvey, Nina Simone, Janis Joplin, Rufus Wainwright

Arleen Augér and Della Jones (as demonstrated below)

but you know, i have to make sure i've allowed room for unconditional temporary obsession. i think that's the only reason i own a David Rice album.

Evolution.

Example: Nick Cave. Through the years he's gone from punk screaming to Leonard Cohen crooning.

and back again, God love him. at least sometimes. and yes, i missed both Chicago shows.

I'll be missing him too and am so angry the fucker won't tour more actively or properly (you know this).

Looking back to the Birthday Party, who could've ever excpected how he's evolved. It's pretty amazing.

i live my life like there's no tomorrow

I love that guy.

If I try to separate the singer from the lyrics, the song, the band etc... it gets hard to define a good singer. I don't care an awful lot for skill and technique by itself. But there are people who's voice can really grab me even if there's not much else to the song. Soul from Sam Cooke up through Marvin Gaye is chock full of exceptional singers.

hey i was at this show!

I like to hear real emotion in a person's voice. I like songs that are personal vignettes, too. If you can get on a stage with just a mic and a guitar and still completely capture me like your album did, you are a good singer.

Pardon the crappy quality, I wanted to show him live.