Why Do I Do It?, The Gospel Trut

Apr

2008

Why Do I Do It?

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Why do I write the things I do? Why am I continually discussing things that, in my view, are wrong about Southern Gospel Music? This is a good question considering the fact that I am inherently a positive person. The answer is simple. I honestly believe, with all my heart, that I can make a difference. “For evil to triumph, all that is necessary is for good men to do nothing.” I don’t see anyone else stepping up to the plate so I guess it’s my turn to bat again.

With the failure of an entity, whether a business, a nation, a sports franchise, or any of a multitude of enterprises, one can generally look back and see where things went wrong.

I don’t believe that SGM is on the brink of extinction, but it IS failing and most certainly is underachieving, and there are specific things that I believe are responsible. I would like to address 5 of them that are firmly “stuck in my craw.”

MICROPHONES

There was a time when gospel groups actually knew how to use a microphone. There are videos on You Tube of The Blackwood Brothers, Statesmen, Oak Ridge Boys, The Rebels, and others. If you are inclined to get on there you will see the most amazing thing you have ever seen in your life…4 singers singing on 2, yes 2, microphones and sounding fabulous. These groups are actually blending themselves. Blending requires listening to the other singers and matching tones and volume. Today’s groups don’t even know how to spell the word “BLEND.”

You see, someone came up with the bright idea of giving each singer his/her own microphone and now we have an entire generation of singers who sing into their own microphone with little or no regard to what the other singers are doing. Just give them a set of ear buds and turn each singer up in their mix and let’er fly.

VOCAL STACKING

In the early 1950’s Les Paul made a number of revolutionary recordings with his wife, Mary Ford. These recordings were unique for their heavy use of over dubbing. The couple’s hits included “How High The Moon,” “Bye, Bye Blues,” and “Vaya Con Dios.” These songs featured Mary harmonizing with herself, giving the vocals a novel sound. Through the years other artists have used this technique, most notably The Carpenters. Richard and Karen Carpenter used vocal stacking to create a very lush and pleasing sound. When used properly and tastefully, vocal stacking can embellish vocals by adding color and depth at various places throughout an arrangement.

This is not to be confused with SGM’s interpretation of vocal stacking which is used to mask errors and create a pseudo blend because of the artists’ inability to do so. As usual, we have taken something, which is intended to create beauty and found a way to turn it into hogwash. I recently heard a recording by one of our oldest and most notable groups. This group sounded like a choir. If I want to hear a choir I’ll buy a choir CD.

The beauty of SGM is in the purity of harmony and the blending of voices.

ENOUGH WITH THE STACKING!

MODULATIONS

Modulations (key changes) can be effective when used sparingly, but we in SGM don’t seem to have that word in our vocabulary. Instead we do a Verse and a Chorus...up 1/2 step…Verse…up 1/2 step…Chorus…1/2 Chorus...up ½ step…1/2 chorus…tag, on every song…EVERY SONG!

What that does is prove to the world that they are correct when they accuse us of poor musicianship. Most secular songs don’t have key changes because their producers and musicians can actually come up with creative arrangements.

We all need to re-think our position on this. It goes to the heart of how we want to present the greatest music on earth. When we are lax regarding our craft, I believe it displeases our Heavenly Father. We need to get better with the music.

COMPILATIONS

By now you all know my feelings on this. Compilations are necessary to get professional and semi-professional artists’ songs to radio. I personally do not see any benefit in an amateur artist appearing on a compilation with other amateur artists and sending poorly produced songs to radio. It does not help the artist in any appreciable way because these compilations usually land in the trash. It does not “get their name out there.” It does not produce any revenue for the artist. It does not accomplish the true purpose of radio promotion, to drive consumers to retail and concerts. There is, in fact, only one real benefit to it…it makes money for the company sending it out.

THE CHARTS

One day there was someone sitting in an office somewhere who thought, “Billboard Magazine has a “Top 100” chart…our periodicals should have at least a “Top 80.” In my opinion, that person should be tarred and feathered.

That one decision has done more damage to our industry than anything I can think of.

It has opened… no… it has flung wide, the door to mediocrity.

It is the reason we have promoters all over the country conning “newbies.” It is the reason we have companies with 70 or 80 artists, sending out compilations hand over fist. It is the reason radio stations are flooded with an endless stream of bad music.

It is why we have hundreds of artists whose goal in life is to get into the “Top 80.” Now think about that. We have created a new philosophy...reaching for the bottom.

If it weren’t so sad, it would be hilarious… “Yes Johnny, you should be proud of your Mom and me. We have just borrowed from our retirement account to send a song to radio. We are trusting to get a number 78. Someday you’ll be able to tell your children about the time our family group went for broke and….REACHED FOR THE BOTTOM!”

You ask me why I do it…that’s why. I see families struggling to make ends meet just so they can send a song to radio.

I see groups…lots of groups…who don’t know how to use a microphone.

I hear recordings that are simply awful.

And I see bad people misleading these groups, and laughing all the way to the bank.

What I don’t see are industry leaders trying to help these precious “newbies.”

But, trust me folks, things are starting to turn around.

Consider the following quote by Marian Wright Edelman:

“You need to be a flea against injustice. Enough committed fleas biting strategically can make even the biggest dog uncomfortable and transform even the biggest nation.”

So, why do I do it? I do it because lots of little fleas are starting to see things my way and the big dogs are starting to itch.

As always, I welcome your comments.

God Bless You,

Nick Bruno
http://www.nickbruno.com

Reader Comments

You hit the nail on the head again Nick [as you usually do]! One of the words that stuck out in your comments was the word "blend". I am a small church pastor/singer with NO Claim to being a vocal technique genius; however, I was brainwashed in my early years of learning to sing harmony parts to understand the importance of blending our voices. If more than one person is singing, and they do not hear each other, how can there be a blending of voices? When we learn a new song, we practice with my wife at the piano hitting the basic notes. As we become more familiar with the song, she adds more piano runs to give the song more energy. Before we say we have learned our parts, we sing through the song accapella several times. Once that is accomplished, hitting all the notes and sharpening our blend, we are ready to add the other musical instruments for a fuller sound. We love a full, live band, but we have to always be aware of the volume of the instrumenation. This can cause us to lose our blend. Well, that's just my two cents worth on the "blend" word. Please keep on teaching us how to do, and be, better singers and musicians

Commented by On 04/02/2008

Nick, keep writing what you write. As usual you have encouraged me. I have espoused many of these same things for years and thinking I was the only one until I came across your articles thanks to my sis-in-law.

Of course most people in SG will not heed to your warnings for one of two reasons: a) they have need of filling their ego, b)they are addicted to the money and will not quit trying to scam the "newbies".

When I say the need to fill ego I am not talking about quality groups. Question for the public: is it more ego for a quality group to refuse to sing at an "open mic", or is it more ego for an individual to get up and sing at one of these things who should not be singing at a cat screeching convetion? I submit that it is the latter who think they actually have a chance of being "discovered".

You have talked endlessly about the scamming going on by compilation companies. Again thank you! Seriously, do people really think (insert national group here) are paying the same price as you to go on this compilation? Essentially the newbies are paying the price for (insert national group here) to be on this same cd.

As for stacks, the only thing that I can say is if it adds to the chord I can live with it. If it is simply to bolster the sound, do some crunches!

Commented by Leebob On 04/03/2008

Thanks Nick,

I am having the Dixie Echoes in concert tonight 4-4 in Murfreesboro, Tenn. They are using 2 mics and a piano only. It is a pleasure to hear them do a full concert this way. They are doing a great job singing this way along with singing the old songs.

Thanks,
Dwight

Commented by On 04/04/2008

Preach it brother, you are right on.

Commented by On 04/08/2008

Thank God for a man who will finally stand and say ENOUGH ! ! ! Nick you as always are dead on target. I too have recently heard some of our industries so called "BEST" groups using so many stacks that the group could literally stop singing and sit down, and the sound would barely change. As for blend there is not enough room for me to go there. But I was raised by a man that this year celebrates 59 years in this industry.He used to sing around ONE mike when he first started. Talk about a critical ear. But thank God he raised me the same way. If you can't blend one with another without pitch corrected and mixed tracks, Stay home and practice till you can. And keep listening to the preachings of Bro. Bruno for he speaketh the SGM truth. Thanks Nick

Commented by On 04/10/2008

I'm sis-in-law. Bravo once again. Thanks to Nick, we know we aren't alone.

Ransomed

Go therefore, and teach all nations,…

Commented by ransomed On 04/10/2008

Nick:
I remember when you played with Coy Cook & The Senators and The Kingsmen. We've around for a long time. I missed seeing groups with bads playing simple arrangements. I feel most southern gospel music is being over produced. There is a arguement in SG field that says that a melody is not inspired, just the words. I tend to disagree with this. If God gives you the words to a song as songwriter, I feel that he also give you the melody to play it.
If you look at the classics in Southern Gospel they are simple arrangements and not stacked on top of each other. I still thank you could take 6 musicians and quartet, soloist, duet or trio, whichever they may be and bring them into the studio at one time and still make a great, excellent sounding record without all the overdubbing. That is what I like about the Cathedral Quartet for the most part they did not use soundtracks on stage, but had a great sound.
Let me say one thing I heard Lee Roy Abernathy say, "If you can't sing acapella, you can't sing. If you can sing a song acapella, you don't know the song. You need to practice till you can."

Living life to it’s fullness-through Jesus Christ and His Greatness.

Commented by On 04/11/2008

I like the old style, I like the new style. Everyone of these links and each of the people who respond to them have their own idea of what is wrong with SG. To say that it all should be like it was back in the day smacks a little bit of "good ol' day" syndrome.

I enjoy hearing the old style from time to time with just piano and maybe a little guitar. Anyone with a shred of truth about them will realize our crowds are dwindling, largely because our crowds are beginning to die off. I do not think it is dwindling because someone has produced tracks with alot of instrumentation. Two of the more popular groups, the Booth Brothers and the Hopper's have very well produced projects yet have the ability to get around one mic and sing acapella. One of the reasons we have any sound at all is because we practice every song acapells from front to back to make sure the music isn't hiding anything.

This is a completely different era than the 40's through 60's and often we get invited to a church because our music isn't overly conservative and we try not to leave the younger crowd our. We still dress classy and sing enough classic songs to not lose the more mature audience.

I still maintain that, to a large part, if you sing anything well enough with tight harmonies it will be acceptable to any age group up to a point. However if you leave a large sector out of your set and you are paying attention to your crowd you will see thta you are losing them.

Commented by Leebob On 04/12/2008

I agree that soundtracks are OK. We sing to them all the time. My concern is not the issue of track or live, band or just piano, etc etc. My concern is can you sing or not. While the music you sing to is very important, Please dont get me wrong on that. If the singers don't use correct diction, sing on pitch, and blend with each other, It doesnt matter what your singing to. No matter what you do or how you do it. If its for God make sure to give it the very best you can. And that WILL mean practice till your blend is good enough that you dont need doctored up stacked tracks.

Commented by On 04/14/2008

You hit the nail on the head. Sing excellent, minister excellent and bring the music to fit you singing and ministry.

Living life to it’s fullness-through Jesus Christ and His Greatness.

Commented by On 04/14/2008

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