Every music lover invariably comes across the concept of vocals. Most suggest that vocals are just singing. This is partly true. But let's look at what vocals are more broadly. Among other things, we will try to consider its main types.
What is vocals: definition
In general, if you look at the many explanatory dictionaries, there are many interpretations of what the vocals are. What does this concept mean from the point of view, so to speak, of a musical scientific approach? In the general understanding - the ability to sing, possession of the voice, the art of singing, the ability to express certain emotions with the voice at the musical level, etc.
Often you can find an interpretation of the essence of the question of what vocals are in music. Many musicologists, composers and even the performers themselves call it the most sophisticated musical instrument, capable of touching the deepest feelings and strings of the soul. You must admit that it is a human voice that is capable of conveying an inconceivable amount of emotional shades, which is not available to any of the known musical instruments.
Types of vocals
So, consider the vocals. What is the ability to own a voice musically in relation to different types of music, we will now see. Let us dwell on the most common classification.
The basis for the entire vocal school is the so-called classical vocals, which are sometimes called academic. You do not need to think that this is just an opera voice production, because classical music, like any other direction, implies different genres. Typically, such a voice is characterized by incredible volume and depth, and in most cases does not involve singing into a microphone, since its use can cause severe distortion of the voice that sounds in the speakers.
It was from academic vocals that the division of voices into the corresponding groups, differing in the pitch of the voice, that is, the possibility of singing notes in a certain range and with a certain timbre, began. Here you and soprano, and mezzo-soprano, and tenor, and viola, and baritone, and much more.
One of the most common can be called pop vocals. What is pop or pop music, probably does not need to be explained. Here, the framework for staging the voice corresponding to the classical one is completely absent, although there are some requirements.
Unfortunately, so many pop artists have divorced today that many of them consider themselves to be vocalists, even not knowing how to sing, and all vocal parts are “aligned” using computer programs such as Melodyne, which allows you to pull any fake note to the desired sound level. However, for pop, vocals are not so important, here the first place is more likely given to music and rhythm. It is not surprising that pop vocal implies, so to speak, at least just the ability to somehow sing. But there are also many professional performers who nevertheless emphasize precisely the voice perception of any composition.
One of the most difficult manifestations of voice control is jazz vocals. What is the jazz voice of a singer and singer? This is a very subtle voice control over a very wide range, the ability to very accurately take dissonant notes with a transition, say, through an octave or more, but the main thing here is the ability to improvise. Actually, jazz music itself basically implies improvisation.
Now consider another type called rock vocals. What rock is, everyone knows - music is often very expressive. It is clear that the “rocky” vocals and implies primarily expression and incredible dynamics. Without it, rock music itself looks “dry.”
The vocals here are prevailing along with the rhythm guitar. It is he who carries that charge of energy for which her fans love rock music. But here, too, have their reservations. It's no secret that rock ballads are recognized in the world as the most melodic. So the rock vocalist should not only be able to “get on” the audience when rhythmic compositions are performed, but also convey all the notes of the mood of the ballad.
By the way, recently in rock very often used academic vocals. Most often this manifests itself in Scandinavian groups and performers. Take at least the former vocalist of the famous Finnish band Nightwish named Tarja Turunen. Her voice, by almost all definitions, is suitable for the classical production.
Vocalization
Separately, it is worth considering vocalization, since it is also a type of vocal. In principle, the technique of performance implies the use of only vowels such as “a”, “o”, “y”, “e”, etc. in singing. However, the seemingly simple technique of performance is much more complicated than when using text.
One of the most striking examples is the composition of the Pink Floyd group called Great Gig In The Sky from the Dark Side Of The Moon album, which has become a classic of the genre. Even in the concert version, the skill and professionalism of the vocalists performing the main part are felt. By the way, the group usually invites black women, as they have very specific voices, somewhat echoing the jazz school and soul style.
Conclusion
Of course, this is not all that can be said about vocals. It remains to add that if a person wants to learn to sing and have the most flexibility to control his voice, it is necessary to devote more than one year to classes, with daily chants designed to develop the technique of performance, as well as significantly expand the boundaries of the range of sounds reproduced by the voice.