Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments. Singing is often done in a group of other musicians, such as in a choir of singers with different voice ranges, or in an ensemble with instrumentalists, such as a rock group or baroque ensemble. As in many respects human song is a form of sustained speech, nearly anyone able to speak can also sing. Singing can be formal or informal, arranged or improvised. It may be done for pleasure, comfort, ritual, education, or profit. Excellence in singing requires time, dedication, instruction, and regular practice. Professional singers usually build their careers around one specific musical genre, such as classical or rock. They typically take voice training provided by voice teachers or vocal coaches throughout their career.

The human voice

In its physical aspect, singing has a well-defined technique that depends on the use of the lungs, which act as an air supply, or bellows; on the larynx, which acts as a reed or vibrator; on the chest and head cavities, which have the function of an amplifier, as the tube in a wind instrument; and on the tongue, which together with the palate, teeth, and lips articulate and impose consonants and vowels on the amplified sound. Though these four mechanisms function independently, they are nevertheless coordinated in the establishment of a vocal technique and are made to interact upon one another. During passive breathing, air is inhaled with the diaphragm while exhalation occurs without any effort. Exhalation may be aided by the abdominal, internal intercostal and lower pelvic muscles. Inhalation is aided by use of external intercostals, scalenes and sternocleidomastoid muscles. The pitch is altered with the vocal cords. With the lips closed, this is called humming.

The sound of each individual's singing voice is entirely unique not only because of the actual shape and size of an individual's vocal cords but also due to the size and shape of the rest of that person's body. Humans have vocal folds which can loosen, tighten, or change their thickness, and over which breath can be transferred at varying pressures. The shape of the chest and neck, the position of the tongue, and the tightness of otherwise unrelated muscles can be altered. Any one of these actions results in a change in pitch, volume, timbre, or tone of the sound produced. Sound also resonates within different parts of the body, and an individual's size and bone structure can affect the sound produced by an individual.

Singers can also learn to project sound in certain ways so that it resonates better within their vocal tract. This is known as vocal resonation. Another major 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 kinds of laryngeal function are described as different kinds of vocal registers. The primary method for singers to accomplish this is through the use of the Singer's Formant; which has been shown to match particularly well to the most sensitive part of the ear's frequency range.

Vocal registration

Vocal registration refers to the system of vocal registers within the human voice. A register in the human voice is a particular series of tones, produced in the same vibratory pattern of the vocal folds, and possessing the same quality. Registers originate in laryngeal function. They occur because the vocal folds are capable of producing several different vibratory patterns. Each of these vibratory patterns appears within a particular range of pitches and produces certain characteristic sounds. The term "register" can be somewhat confusing as it encompasses several aspects of the human voice. The term register can be used to refer to any of the following:

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

A resonance area such as chest voice or head voice.

A phonatory process (phonation is the process of producing vocal sound by the vibration of the vocal folds that is in turn modified by the resonance of the vocal tract)

A certain vocal timbre or vocal "colour"

A region of the voice which is defined or delimited by vocal breaks.

In linguistics, a register language is a language which combines tone and vowel phonation into a single phonological system. Within speech pathology the term vocal register has three constituent elements: a certain vibratory pattern of the vocal folds, a certain series of pitches, and a certain type of sound. Speech pathologists identify four vocal registers based on the physiology of laryngeal function: the vocal fry register, the modal register, the falsetto register, and the whistle register. This view is also adopted by many vocal pedagogists.

Vocal resonation

Vocal resonation is the process by which the basic product of phonation is enhanced 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 resonation process include amplification, enrichment, enlargement, improvement, intensification, and prolongation, although in strictly scientific usage acoustic authorities would question most of them. The main point to be drawn from these terms by a singer or speaker is that the end result of resonation is, or should be, to make a better sound. There are seven areas that may be listed as possible vocal resonators. In sequence from the lowest within the body to the highest, these areas are the chest, the tracheal tree, the larynx itself, the pharynx, the oral cavity, the nasal cavity, and the sinuses.

Chest voice and head voice

Chest voice and head voice are terms used within vocal music. The use of these terms varies widely within vocal pedagogical circles and there is currently no one consistent opinion among vocal music professionals in regards to these terms. Chest voice can be used in relation to a particular part of the vocal range or type of vocal register; a vocal resonance area; or a specific vocal timbre. Head voice can be used in relation to a particular part of the vocal range or type of vocal register or a vocal resonance area.

History and development

The first recorded mention of the terms chest voice and head voice was around the 13th century, when it was distinguished from the "throat voice" (pectoris, guttoris, capitis — at this time it is likely that head voice referred to the falsetto register) by the writers Johannes de Garlandia and Jerome of Moravia. The terms were later adopted within bel canto, the Italian opera singing method, where chest voice was identified as the lowest and head voice the highest of three vocal registers: the chest, passagio and head registers. This approach is still taught by some vocal pedagogists today. Another current popular approach that is based on the bel canto model is to divide both men and women's voices into three registers. Men's voices are divided into "chest register", "head register", and "falsetto register" and woman's voices into "chest register", "middle register", and "head register". Such pedagogists teach that the head register is a vocal technique used in singing to describe the resonance felt in the singer's head.

However as knowledge of human physiology has increased over the past two hundred years, so has the understanding of the physical process of singing and vocal production. As a result, many vocal pedagogists, such as Ralph Appelman at Indiana University and William Vennard at the University of Southern California, have redefined or even abandoned the use of the terms chest voice and head voice. In particular, the use of the terms ''chest register'' and ''head register'' have become controversial since vocal registration is more commonly seen today as a product of laryngeal function that is unrelated to the physiology of the chest, lungs, and head. For this reason, many vocal pedagogists argue that it is meaningless to speak of registers being produced in the chest or head. They argue that the vibratory sensations which are felt in these areas are resonance phenomena and should be described in terms related to vocal resonance, not to registers. These vocal pedagogists prefer the terms ''chest voice'' and ''head voice'' over the term register. This view believes that the problems which people identify as register problems are really problems of resonance adjustment. This view is also in alignment with the views of other academic fields that study vocal 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 view. Also, some vocal pedagogists take ideas from both viewpoints.

The contemporary use of the term chest voice often refers to a specific kind of vocal coloration or vocal timbre. In classical singing, its use is limited entirely to the lower part of the modal register or normal voice. Within other forms of singing, chest voice is often applied throughout the modal register. Chest timbre can add a wonderful array of sounds to a singer's vocal interpretive palette. However, the use of overly strong chest voice in the higher registers in an attempt to hit higher notes in the chest can lead to forcing. Forcing can lead consequently to vocal deterioration.

Classifying singing voices

In European classical music and opera, voices are treated like musical instruments. Composers who write vocal music must have an understanding of the skills, talents, and vocal properties of singers. Voice classification is the process by which human singing voices are evaluated and are thereby designated into voice types. These qualities include but are not limited to: vocal range, vocal weight, vocal tessitura, vocal timbre, and vocal transition points such as breaks and lifts within the voice. Other considerations are physical characteristics, speech level, scientific testing, and vocal registration. The science behind voice classification developed within European classical music has been slow in adapting to more modern forms of singing. Voice classification is often used within opera to associate possible roles with potential voices. There are currently several different systems in use within classical music including: the German ''Fach'' system and the choral music system among many others. No system is universally applied or accepted.

However, most classical music systems acknowledge seven different major voice categories. Women are typically divided into three groups: soprano, mezzo-soprano, and contralto. Men are usually divided into four groups: countertenor, tenor, baritone, and bass. When considering voices of pre-pubescent children an eighth term, treble, can be applied. Within each of these major categories there are several sub-categories that identify specific vocal qualities like coloratura facility and vocal weight to differentiate between voices.

It should be noted that within choral music, singers' voices are divided solely on the basis of vocal range. Choral music most commonly divides vocal parts into high and low voices within each sex (SATB, or soprano, alto, tenor, and bass). As a result, the typical choral situation affords many opportunities for misclassification to occur. Since most people have medium voices, they must be assigned to a part that is either too high or too low for them; the mezzo-soprano must sing soprano or alto and the baritone must sing tenor or bass. Either option can present problems for the singer, but for most singers there are fewer dangers in singing too low than in singing too high.

Within contemporary forms of music (sometimes referred to as Contemporary Commercial Music), singers are classified by the style of music they sing, such as jazz, pop, blues, soul, country, folk, and rock styles. There is currently no authoritative voice classification system within non-classical music. Attempts have been made to adopt classical voice type terms to other forms of singing but such attempts have been met with controversy. The development of voice categorizations were made with the understanding that the singer would be using classical vocal technique within a specified range using unamplified (no microphones) vocal production. Since contemporary musicians use different vocal techniques, microphones, and are not forced to fit into a specific vocal role, applying such terms as soprano, tenor, baritone, etc. can be misleading or even inaccurate.

Vocal pedagogy

Vocal pedagogy is the study of the teaching of singing. The art and science of vocal pedagogy has a long history that began in Ancient Greece and continues to develop and change today. Professions that practice the art and science of vocal pedagogy include vocal coaches, choral directors, vocal music educators, opera directors, and other teachers of singing.

Vocal pedagogy concepts are a part of developing proper vocal technique. Typical areas of study include the following:

Human anatomy and physiology as it relates to the physical process of singing

*Vocal health and voice disorders related to singing

*Breathing and air support for singing

*Phonation

* Vocal resonation or Voice projection

*Vocal registration: a particular series of tones, produced in the same vibratory pattern of the vocal folds, and possessing the same quality, which originate in laryngeal function, because each of these vibratory patterns appears within a particular range of pitches and produces certain characteristic sounds.

* Voice classification

Vocal styles: for Classical singers, this includes styles ranging from Lieder to opera; for pop singers, styles can include "belted out" a blues ballads; for jazz singers, styles can include Swing ballads and scatting.

* Techniques used in styles such as sostenuto and legato, range extension, tone quality, vibrato, and coloratura

Vocal technique

Singing when done with proper vocal technique is an integrated and coordinated act that effectively coordinates the physical processes of singing. There are four physical processes involved in producing vocal sound: respiration, phonation, resonation, and articulation. These processes occur in the following sequence: #Breath is taken #Sound is initiated in the larynx #The vocal resonators receive the sound and influence it #The articulators shape the sound into recognizable units Although these four processes are often considered separately when studied, in actual practice they merge into one coordinated function. With an effective singer or speaker, one should rarely be reminded of the process involved as their mind and body are so coordinated that one only perceives the resulting unified function. Many vocal problems result from a lack of coordination within this process.

Since singing is a coordinated act, it is difficult to discuss any of the individual technical areas and processes without relating them to the others. For example, phonation only comes into perspective when it is connected with respiration; the articulators affect resonance; the resonators affect the vocal folds; the vocal folds affect breath control; and so forth. Vocal problems are often a result of a breakdown in one part of this coordinated process which causes voice teachers to frequently focus in intensively on one area of the process with their student until that issue is resolved. However, some areas of the art of singing are so much the result of coordinated functions that it is hard to discuss them under a traditional heading like phonation, resonation, articulation, or respiration.

Once the voice student has become aware of the physical processes that make up the act of singing and of how those processes function, the student begins the task of trying to coordinate them. Inevitably, students and teachers will become more concerned with one area of the technique than another. The various processes may progress at different rates, with a resulting imbalance or lack of coordination. The areas of vocal technique which seem to depend most strongly on the student's ability to coordinate various functions are: : #Extending the vocal range to its maximum potential #Developing consistent vocal production with a consistent tone quality #Developing flexibility and agility #Achieving a balanced vibrato

Developing the singing voice

Singing is a skill that requires highly developed muscle reflexes. Singing does not require much muscle strength but it does require a high degree of muscle coordination. Individuals can develop their voices further through the careful and systematic practice of both songs and vocal exercises. Vocal pedagogists instruct their students to exercise their voices in an intelligent manner. Singers should be thinking constantly about the kind of sound they are making and the kind of sensations they are feeling while they are singing. Vocal exercises have several purposes, including warming up the voice; extending the vocal range; "lining up" the voice horizontally and vertically; and acquiring vocal techniques such as legato, staccato, control of dynamics, rapid figurations, learning to sing wide intervals comfortably, singing trills, singing melismas and correcting vocal faults.

Extending vocal range

An important goal of vocal development is to learn to sing to the natural limits of one's vocal range without any obvious or distracting changes of quality or technique. Vocal pedagogists teach that a singer can only achieve this goal when all of the physical processes involved in singing (such as laryngeal action, breath support, resonance adjustment, and articulatory movement) are effectively working together. Most vocal pedagogists believe in coordinating these processes by (1) establishing good vocal habits in the most comfortable tessitura of the voice, and then (2) slowly expanding the range.

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 total response of the body to the making of sound; to a dynamic relationship between the breathing-in muscles and the breathing-out muscles known as the breath support mechanism; to the amount of breath pressure delivered to the vocal folds and their resistance to that pressure; and to the dynamic level of the sound. # The ''space'' factor — "space" refers to the size of the inside of the mouth and the position of the palate and larynx. Generally speaking, a singer's mouth should be opened wider the higher he or she sings. The internal space or position of the soft palate and larynx can be widened by relaxing the throat. Vocal pedagogists describe this as feeling like the "beginning of a yawn". # The ''depth'' factor — "depth" has two connotations. It refers to the actual physical sensations of depth in the body and vocal mechanism, and to mental concepts of depth that are related to tone quality.

McKinney says, "These three factors can be expressed in three basic rules: (1) As you sing higher, you must use more energy; as you sing lower, you must use less. (2) As you sing higher, you must use more space; as you sing lower, you must use less. (3) As you sing higher, you must use more depth; as you sing lower, you must use less."

Posture

The singing process functions best when certain physical conditions of the body exist. The ability to move air in and out of the body freely and to obtain the needed quantity of air can be seriously affected by the posture of the various parts of the breathing mechanism. A sunken chest position will limit the capacity of the lungs, and a tense abdominal wall will inhibit the downward travel of the diaphragm. Good posture allows the breathing mechanism to fulfill its basic function efficiently without any undue expenditure of energy. Good posture also makes it easier to initiate phonation and to tune the resonators as proper alignment prevents unnecessary tension in the body. Vocal pedagogists have also noted that when singers assume good posture it often provides them with a greater sense of self assurance and poise while performing. Audiences also tend to respond better to singers with good posture. Habitual good posture also ultimately improves the overall health of the body by enabling better blood circulation and preventing fatigue and stress on the body.

There are eight components of the ideal singing posture:

# Feet slightly apart # Legs straight but knees unlocked # Hips facing straight forward # Spine aligned # Abdomen flat # Chest comfortably forward # Shoulders down and back # Head facing straight forward

Breathing and breath support

Natural breathing has three stages: a breathing-in period, a breathing out period, and a resting or recovery period; these stages are not usually consciously controlled. Within singing there are four stages of breathing: a breathing-in period (inhalation); a setting up controls period (suspension);a controlled exhalation period (phonation); and a recovery period.

These stages must be under conscious control by the singer until they become conditioned reflexes. Many singers abandon conscious controls before their reflexes are fully conditioned which ultimately leads to chronic vocal problems.

Vibrato

Vibrato is used by singers (and many instrumentalists; for instance, string instruments that are played with a bow can produce vibrato tones) in which a sustained note wavers very quickly and consistently between a higher and a lower pitch, giving the note a slight quaver. Vibrato is the pulse or wave in a sustained tone. Vibrato occurs naturally, and is the result of proper breath support and a relaxed vocal apparatus. Some singers use vibrato as a means of expression. Many successful artists have built a career on deep, rich vibrato.

Vocal music

Vocal music is music performed by one or more singers, with or without instrumental accompaniment, in which singing provides the main focus of the piece. Vocal music is probably the oldest form of music, since it does not require any instrument besides the human voice. All musical cultures have some form of vocal music and there are many long standing singing traditions throughout the world's cultures.

Music which employs singing but does not feature it prominently is generally considered as instrumental music. For example, some blues rock songs may have a simple call-and-response chorus, but the emphasis in the song is on the instrumental melodies and improvisation. Vocal music typically features sung words called lyrics, although there are notable examples of vocal music that are performed using non-linguistic syllables or noises, sometimes as musical onomatopoeia. A short piece of vocal music with lyrics is broadly termed a song.

Genres of vocal music

Vocal music is written in many different forms and styles which are often labeled within a particular genre of music. These genres include: Art music, Popular music, Traditional music, regional and national music, and fusions of those genres. Within these larger genres are many sub-genres. For example, popular music would encompass blues, jazz, country music, easy listening, hip hop, rock music, and several other genres. There may also be a sub-genre within a sub-genre such as vocalese and scat singing in jazz.

Popular and traditional music

In many modern pop musical groups, a lead singer performs the primary vocals or melody of a song, as opposed to a backing singer who sings backup vocals or the harmony of a song. Backing vocalists sing some, but usually not all, parts of the song often singing only in a song's refrain or humming in the background. An exception is five-part gospel a cappella music, where the lead is the highest of the five voices and sings a descant, and not the melody. Some artists may sing both the lead and backing vocals on audio recordings by overlapping recorded vocal tracks.

Popular music includes a range of vocal styles. Hip-hop uses rapping, the rhythmic delivery of rhymes in a rhythmic speech over a beat or without accompaniment. Some types of rapping consist mostly or entirely of speech and chanting, like the Jamaican "toasting". In some types of rapping, the performers may interpolate short sung or half-sung passages. 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.

While some bands use backup singers who only sing when they are onstage, 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.

Careers in singing

The salaries and working conditions for vocalists vary a great deal. While jobs in other music fields such as music education 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 (e.g., a two-week series of performances of an opera or musical theater show). Since income from singing jobs can be unsteady, singers often supplement their performing income with other singing-related jobs, such as vocal coaching, voice lessons, or as working as a choral director in a church. Due to the large number of aspiring vocalists, it can be very competitive to get jobs in singing. Church choir soloists can make from $30 to $500 per performance (all figures in US dollars). Performers in a community choral group can earn from $200–$3,000 yearly; members of a professional concert choral group can make $80 and up per performance. Singers who perform on radio or TV shows can make $75 and up per show on a local station and $125 and up per national network show (e.g., CBS or NBC). Jazz or pop singers who perform with dance bands or nightclub show groups can make $225 and up per week. Professional opera chorus singers can make from $350–$750 per week. Opera soloists, for which the number of job openings is very limited, can make from $350 to $20,000 per performance for the most elite performers. Classical concert soloists, for which the number of job openings is very limited, have approximate earnings of $350 per performance and up.

Aspiring singers and vocalists must have musical talent and skill, 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, because the process of studying singing does not end after an initial diploma or degree is finished-even decades after finishing their initial training, 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 basic skills at the piano, to aid in learning new songs and in ear training or vocal exercises. In Classical singing and in some other genres, a knowledge of foreign languages such as French, Italian, German, or other languages, is needed. Prior to college or university training, aspiring singers should learn to read music, study basic piano, and gain experience with singing, both in choirs and in solo settings.

College or university degrees are "not always required but the equivalent training is usually necessary". Post-secondary training in singing is available for both Classical and non-Classical singers. In the Classical stream, singing can be studied at conservatories and university music programs; credentials that are available range from diplomas and Bachelor's degrees to Master's degrees and the Doctor of Musical Arts. In popular and jazz styles, college and university degrees are also available, though there are fewer programs.

Once aspiring vocalists have completed their professional training, they must then take steps to market themselves to buyers of vocal talent, by doing auditions in front of an opera director, choirmaster, or conductor. 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, opera or musical theater directors, choir directors, nightclub managers, or concert promoters. In addition preparing a resume or CV listing their training and performance experience, singers typically prepare a promotional kit that includes professionally taken photographs (head shots); a CD or DVD with excerpts of vocal performances; and copies of reviews from music critics or journalists. Some singers hire an agent or manager to help them to seek out 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.

Health benefits

Scientific studies suggest that singing can have positive effects on people's health. A preliminary study based on self-reported data from a survey of students participating in choral singing found perceived benefits including increased lung capacity, improved mood, stress reduction, as well as perceived social and spiritual benefits. However, one much older study of lung capacity compared those with professional vocal training to those without, and failed to back up the claims of increased lung capacity. Singing may positively influence the immune system through the reduction of stress. One study found that both singing and listening to choral music reduces the level of stress hormones and increases immune function. A multinational collaboration to study the connection between singing and health was established in 2009, called ''Advancing Interdisciplinary Research in Singing'' (AIRS).

Singing in non-human species

Scholars agree that singing is strongly present in many non-human species. Wide dispersal of singing behavior among very different animal species (like birds, gibbons, whales, and humans) strongly suggests that singing appeared independently in different species. Currently there are about 5400 species of animals that can sing. At least some singing species demonstrate the ability to learn their songs, to improvise and even to compose new melodies. In some animal species singing is a group activity (see, for example, singing in gibbon families.)

Singing in different natural environments

Joseph Jordania suggested that singing behavior is very unevenly distributed among animal species, living in different environments (on the ground, in the water, in trees). Most of the singing species live on the trees (like many bird species, or gibbons), some live in the water (whales, dolphins, seals, sea lions), and there are no animal species who live on the ground and sing except for humans. This uneven distribution of singing can be crucial for our understanding of the origins of the singing behavior in animals and humans. Jordania explains this fact as the result of the pressure from natural selection. Singing is a very costly behavior, not only because of the energy to produce sounds, but primarily for the security reasons, as all the possible predators can easily learn the whereabouts of a singing animal. Singing species that live on the trees are in a much more favourable situation, as trees allow different species to live according to their body weight. So different animals with different body weight live on different "levels" of the tree branches. For example, a 50 kilo leopard can see and hear the sounds produced by a 15 kilo monkey, but as a lighter monkey can live much higher on the tree branches, it is out of reach of a heavier leopard. Therefore tree living (or arboreal) species feel quite secure to sing or to communicate with a wide range of vocal signals. On the other hand, all the ground living (or terrestrial) animal species, despite the huge weight differences between them (ranging from rabbits to lions and elephants) live on the same "ground level", and maintaining silence is crucially important for them. Even most of the birds, the most ardent singers, stop singing and producing other sounds when they sit on the ground. Therefore, predator threat might be a primary reason why tree living species are generally much noisier than ground living species.

See also: art music

A cappella

Aria

Bel canto

Chanson

Chiaroscuro (music)

Choral music

Fach

Group singing

Human voice

Opera

Overtone singing

Recitative

Singer–songwriter

Sprechgesang

Throat singing

Voice pedagogy

Voice projection

Voice type

Yodeling

Winsingad

See also: popular music

Beat boxing

Belt (music)

Death growl

Humming

Lead vocalist

Rapping

Screaming (music)

Vocoder

References

External links

A Brief History of Singing

Category:Occupations in music *

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Coordinates	37°46′45.48″N122°25′9.12″N
name	Shop Boyz
background	group_or_band
alias	The Boyz of Shop
origin	Raleigh, North Carolina, United States
genre	Hip Hop, Southern Rap
years active	2004-2010
label	OnDeck Records/Universal Republic
associated acts	DJ Drama, Mims, Lil Boosie
website	http://www.shopboyzonline.com
current members	MeanieFatSheed
past members	Rich Shoo }}

The Shop Boyz are an Atlanta-based hip hop group, originating from the Kings Glen Trail in Decatur. They are most known for their single "Party Like a Rockstar" from their debut album ''Rockstar Mentality''. The group is composed of Demetrius "Meany" Hardin, Richard "Fat" Stevens and Rasheed "Sheed" Hightower. In mid-2008, Rich "Shoo" left the group of a battle with Sheed.

Rockstar Mentality

The group's debut album, ''Rockstar Mentality'', was released through OnDeck Records, an imprint of Universal Records on June 19, 2007. The lead single, "Party Like a Rockstar," charted on the ''Billboard'' rap charts as well as "Rocking My New Hair Do" and the Hot 100 (peaking at #2 on the Charts). "Party Like a Rockstar" was the number one selling ringtone of 2007. Despite the success of "Party Like A Rockstar", the album sold fewer than 200,000 copies as of August 24, 2007.

Shop Boyz performed at CollegeFest 2007 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Shop Boyz released a new single called "Up Thru There" in September 2008.

Discography

Studio albums

Year	Album details	Peak chartpositions
		! width="30"	! width="30"	! width="30"
2007		* Release date: June 19, 2007	* Label: Universal Republic	11	4	2

Singles

Year	Song	Peak chart positions					Album
		! width="30"	! width="30"	! width="30"	! width="30"	! width="30"
		2	3	1	10	23
	—	111	—	—	—
2008		—	79	—	—	—

References

External links

Official website

Even Rappers Want to Be Rock Stars, ''The New York Times''. Published April 22, 2007. Retrieved May 17, 2007.

Shop Boyz Category:American hip hop groups Category:Rappers from Atlanta, Georgia Category:People from Atlanta, Georgia Category:Southern hip hop groups

de:Shop Boyz pt:Shop Boyz

Morgan Cryar is a Contemporary Christian music vocalist, songwriter, and producer, hailing from Louisiana. He is especially noted for his creative lyric-writing.

Cryar's debut, ''Keep No Secrets'', was released in 1984, and its singles "Holy Fire" and "Carried Away" received moderate airplay on Christian radio; but it was his 1986 album, ''Fuel on the Fire,'' featuring the chart-topping contemporary Christian single (also nominated for a Dove Award for best video), "Pray in the U.S.A.," that began his road to success. Collaborating with producer Roy Salmond and composers Ty Tabor and Doug Pinnick (later of Kings X fame) and well-regarded CCM session player, John Andrew Schreiner, ''Fuel on the Fire'' contains some "foot-tapping ditties" and "tuneful ballads" that make up Mr. Cryar's vocal performance. In the 1980s, Cryar toured with big names in the CCM industry, such as Petra and DeGarmo and Key, promoting ''Fuel for the Fire'' and his 1989 follow up ''Like A River'' to receptive high school-and-college-age audiences.

Cryar's level of recognition early on in his career paved the way for his fourth album, ''Kingdom Upside Down'' (1990), to reach #27 on the Billboard Christian charts, despite its criticism as a "pleasantly forgettable album," and for its single, "Father," to hit number one on the Christian radio charts. Additionally in the 1990s, he had a #1 Christian radio hit with "If I Never See a Miracle" from 1995's ''Love Over Gold'', and the single, "What Sin?" from the same album had its own moderate success on Christian radio.

Years after its first release, his song, "See You On the Other Side," gained a special meaning when it was included in a multi-media presentation following the Oklahoma City bombing of 1995 and subsequently played on mainstream radio stations across the nation; however, that wasn't Cryar's only song to have a second life. In 1998, the hit, "Pray in the U.S.A.." was also resurrected from Cryar's back-catalog with a new recording and video shot in honor of the National Day of Prayer. The reprise features an all-star chorus, including CCM industry "well-knowns": John Schlitt, Bob Hartman, LuLu Roman, members from the Winans family, Rick Cua, Kenny Marks, Lisa Bevill, Randy Thomas and Andy Denton.

In the 2000s, Cryar used his experience on stage to energize a career behind the scenes as a record producer, mostly for independent artists, using his own label, Premier Records. He also was part of Christian Music Workshops, teaching songwriting, music business, and stage presence. As of 2007, Cryar was CEO of Singing Success, Inc. and resided in Nashville, TN with his wife, Melanie, and their seven children.

References

From 2005 - 2007, Cryar was CEO of Brett Manning's Singing Success, Inc. He currently resides in Nashville, TN with his wife, Melanie, and their seven children.

External links

The Official Website of Morgan Cryar

MySpace.com: Morgan Cryar

CrossRhythms.co.uk: Morgan Cryar Artist Profile & Discography

Brett Manning's Singing Success: Company which Cryar was CEO.

Legacy Learning Systems where Morgan currently works.

Category:American performers of Christian music Category:Christian religion-related songwriters Category:Living people

Coordinates	37°46′45.48″N122°25′9.12″N
Name	Tim Conway
Birth name	Thomas Daniel Conway
Birth date	December 15, 1933
Birth place	Willoughby, Ohio, U.S.
Occupation	Actor, writer, director, comedian
Years active	1956–present
Spouse	Mary Anne Dalton (1961–1978)Charlene Fusco (1984–present)
Website	http://www.timconway.com/ }}

Thomas Daniel "Tim" Conway (born December 15, 1933) is an American comedian and actor, primarily known for his roles in sitcoms, films and television. Conway is best-known for his role as the inept second-in-command officer, Ensign Charles Parker, to Lt. Commander Quinton McHale (played by Ernest Borgnine), in the popular 1960s WWII sitcom ''McHale's Navy'', and for co-starring alongside Carol Burnett on ''The Carol Burnett Show''.

Early life

Conway was born in Willoughby, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland to an Irish father and a Romanian mother, and grew up in nearby Chagrin Falls. He attended Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio, majoring in speech and radio, and was an active member of the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity. After graduating, he joined the Army, and thereafter took a job answering mail for a Cleveland radio station, where he became a writer in the promotional department. Conway later changed his first name to "Tim" to avoid confusion with actor Tom Conway.

Career

''Ghoulardi''

Conway later moved back to Cleveland to work with the late television broadcasting legend Ernie Anderson on KYW-TV, an NBC affiliate, in 1958 and 1959 and later, from 1960 to 1962, on WJW TV, (then the CBS affiliate) on the weekday morning movie (under the ''Ernie's Place'' banner) where he also wrote material for the comedic skits shown in between movie intermissions. Conway also recorded a comedy album with Anderson.

However, WJW would dismiss Conway, in part because he (and Anderson) misled station management into thinking he was a director, whereas they found out he really wasn't able to do so. Because of this move, which deprived Anderson of his co-host and comic foil, the station asked Anderson if he could host a B-grade (and lower) horror movie show on Friday nights instead. Conway would continue to make many appearances alongside Anderson's massively popular alter ego ''Ghoulardi'', alongside "Big Chuck" Schodowski, a station engineer whom Anderson tapped to assume much of Conway's sidekick status (and who would ultimately succeed Anderson as co-host of the horror movie program).

After he became famous, Conway would later resurface periodically on Cleveland television TV through the years on the ''Hoolihan and Big Chuck'' and ''Big Chuck and Lil' John'' shows on WJW-TV in guest spots, and occasional skits. Conway has since made regular guest appearances at numerous ''"Ghoulardifest"'' functions held by WJW over the years, (along with former Cleveland TV personality Bob "Hoolihan" Wells) in tribute to Anderson, who died in 1997.

''The Steve Allen Show''

Comedic actress Rose Marie visited WJW in 1961, as part of CBS' practice of sending their major show stars directly to local affiliates for promotional purposes, in this case, it was for The Dick Van Dyke Show. She viewed film of some of Anderson and Conway's skits, proceeded to take Conway under her wing. Following his departure from WJW, Conway moved to New York City, where upon Marie's urging, he auditioned for, and gained a spot on ABC's ''The Steve Allen Show'' as a regular player. Conway (who by this point officially changed his first name to Tim) continued on the show for two seasons.

''McHale's Navy''

Conway gained a national following from his role as the bumbling, naive Ensign Charles Parker, Executive Officer of the PT-73 in the 1960s sitcom ''McHale's Navy'' with actors Ernest Borgnine, and the late Joe Flynn. In addition to Flynn, he also got along well with series' lead, Ernest Borgnine, and had a wonderful on- and off-screen chemistry. As of 2011, Conway is still best friends with Borgnine, in fact, Conway mentioned in an interview that he lives not too far away from his mentor.

Afterwards, he starred in a string of short-lived TV series, starting with 1967's ''Rango'' which starred Conway as an incompetent Texas Ranger.

''Turn-On''

Conway was part of one of the most infamous network TV flops ever: ''Turn-On'', a counter-cultural sketch comedy show on ABC derided as a ripoff of NBC's ''Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In''. Even though he was only listed as a guest star on the pilot, which ABC broadcast on February 5, 1969, it was the only episode that ever aired.

''Turn-On'' received such negative reaction that several ABC affiliates. TV station WEWS, in Conway's hometown Cleveland, refused to return to the program after the first commercial break, and WEWS management sent a angrily worded telegram to the network's headquarters. Many West Coast affiliates received advanced warning and refused to air it. Conway remarked that the show's premiere party he attended also marked the program's cancellation, however, ABC held off on officially canceling the program for several days.

''The Tim Conway Show''

In the 1970s, ''The Tim Conway Show'' paired Tim with Joe Flynn of ''McHale's Navy'' in a sitcom as owners-pilots of a one-plane airline operated by the pair (a Beechcraft 18). Having "nowhere to run", this pressurized situation was ideal for the fast repartee of the lead actors. Tim got his own hour-long variety show, oddly named "The Tim Conway Razzle Dazzle Hour," which, as his other series had, folded quickly. Typical of his self-effacing humor, he ordered his car's license plate to reflect the usual duration of a Conway TV series: "13 WEEKS."

Beginning in 1975 Conway was often paired with fellow funnyman Don Knotts in family films from Disney, including the popular ''The Apple Dumpling Gang'' and its 1979 sequel, ''The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again''. They also starred in two independent films, a boxing comedy called ''The Prize Fighter'' in 1979, and a comedy/mystery movie in 1981 called ''The Private Eyes''. In 1983, he starred in ''Ace Crawford, Private Eye'', a parody of detective shows; it only lasted five episodes.

''The Carol Burnett Show''

Conway is probably best known for his work on ''The Carol Burnett Show'' where his unscripted antics often caused his fellow players to fall out of character by bursting out in laughter. For example, in a sketch where Conway and Harvey Korman are having a sword fight duel in medieval garb, Korman appears to run him through. Conway pulls the thin sword "out", looks at it as if it were a dipstick, and remarks, "Hmm... down a quart!" causing Korman to convulse. Such guffaws became so common that whenever Conway did a sketch with Korman, cast members would place bets on how long it would take for Korman to break up.

On many episodes of the show, Conway would have Ernie Anderson (who served as the show's announcer from 1974 to 1978) in the audience and Carol would ask him to stand up and take a bow, without explanation, as if he were a famous celebrity beyond his Cleveland bailiwick.

Conway's work on the show earned him five Emmy Awards. Two of Conway's memorable characters on the Burnett Show were:

"The Old Man," whose shaggy white hair, slow speech, and shuffling gait ran counter to the much needed energy levels of the various occupations he was usually found in. His comic inability to get said jobs done — usually with slapstick results to himself, and with many an ad-lib — would both frustrate and 'break up' his fellow sketch performers.

"Mr. Tudball," a Swedish-American businessman whose intentions of running a 'ship-shape' office were usually sunk by the bored indifference of his secretary, "Mrs. Wiggins" (Burnett). Conway's stereotypical Swedish accent (especially when frustrated) added to the humor; for example, his attempts to pronounce his secretary's name came out as "Mrs. Ah-huh-wiggins". He would also use this accent for other characters, such as an inept dentist.

Conway could also get results with no dialogue, as in a sketch in which he played a tired businessman seeking restful sleep in his hotel — and pestered by a housefly, created only by a sound effect and Conway's gazing after it. After much struggle, he manages to get the fly out of the room through the window; after returning to bed, he hears a persistent knock on his door, gets up to answer it, and opens the door, letting the fly (who was doing the knocking) back in.

Another well-remembered skit, also without a word from Conway, featured him playing Simba, a lion raised by humans then released to the wild (based on the lioness Elsa in the film ''Born Free''). Conway, told of the upcoming eviction from the comfortable home, caused Burnett and Korman to break up with an interminable process of packing to leave.

A prime example of his ability to make his co-stars laugh uncontrollably involved Lyle Waggoner as a captured American airman, with Conway as a stereotypical blond-haired Gestapo agent charged with his interrogation. Stating that "the Fuhrer" had taken particular interest, Conway produces a small Hitler hand puppet. With Conway providing a falsetto voice, the puppet suggests that singing might relax Waggoner's character to the point he is willing to talk. In a long, drawn-out fashion, the Hitler puppet sings "I've Been Working on the Railroad", and with each passing verse, Waggoner loses more of his composure, finally laughing hysterically when puppet-Hitler screeches, "FEE-FI-Fiddely-I-O!"

Dorf

Conway's more recent work includes a series of satirical how-to videos in which he plays a diminutive, dark-haired Scandinavian known as Dorf (a variation on "dwarf"), reprising his goofy Mr. Tudball accent. The Dorf character first appeared in the 1987 film ''Dorf on Golf'' and has since appeared in eight other films on a variety of sports from baseball to auto racing. ''Dorf on Golf'' was remastered for DVD in 2007. In 2010, all of the Dorf films were remastered on a DVD Collection featuring all eight films, a behind the scenes with Dorf, and a commentary track by Tim Conway on "The Legend of the Paddle: The Oldie Hollis Story." Since 2009 Tim Conway's Dorf character has started "helping" Santa Claus on the family friendly website iSpotSanta, created by comedy filmmaker Pasquale Murena and Anything Goes Productions. Each year Dorf has three sketches, in 2009 he tried to give Santa his Christmas list failing and accidentally hitting Santa with a golf ball. Then in 2010 he tried to give all of the world's letters to Santa directly using jet rockets to fly to his sleigh, cannon balls and more.

Other roles

Conway has guest starred such programs as ABC's ''Coach'' and ''Channing'', the latter a drama about college life in the early 1960s. He starred in such films as ''The Apple Dumpling Gang'' (1975) as Gangster Amos Tucker. Conway continues to appear in movies and has cameo appearances in TV series; most of these appearances showcase his comedic talent. Currently, Tim voices the character "Barnacle Boy" in a recurring role on the popular Nickelodeon cartoon sictom ''SpongeBob SquarePants''; in this role, he is once again paired up as the sidekick to his old ''McHale's Navy'' series' star, Ernest Borgnine (who voices Mermaid Man, the "mentor" of Barnacle Boy). He appeared several times on the sitcom ''Married... With Children'' portraying Ephraim Wanker, the hillbilly father of Peg Bundy. Conway has also guest starred occasionally on the CBS sitcom ''Yes Dear'', playing Tom Warner, the father of Anthony Clark's stuffy character, Greg, with Conway's old ''Carol Burnett Show'' co-star Vicki Lawrence playing his wife, Greg's overbearing mother. Conway appeared in animated form in a guest shot in the October 6, 1973 episode of ''The New Scooby Doo Movies'', "The Spirited Spooked Sports Show." In 2003, he returned to television on the short-lived WB Network comedy, ''On The Spot''. For Max Lucado's animated cartoon ''Hermie and Friends'' he provides the voice of the title character in all eight episodes so far. He has also appeared in ''The Simpsons''. He also did several voices on ''Hercules'', ''The Wild Thornberrys'', ''Cybill'', ''What's New, Scooby-Doo?'', ''The Proud Family'', ''Scooby-Doo! Pirates Ahoy!'', ''Caillou'', and ''What's with Andy?''.

He also narrated ''The Secret Shortcut'' in ''Reading Rainbow'' and hosted ''The Flintstones' 25th Anniversary Celebration''.

During The Biography Channel's biography of Conway, Borgnine referred to Conway as "a credit to his profession" and Burnett said words to the effect that Conway's talent for comedy was only outstripped by his genuine kindness and good nature.

A fan of thoroughbred horse racing, and an occasional racehorse owner, Tim Conway is a co-founder, Vice President, and member of the Board of Directors of the Don MacBeth Memorial Jockey Fund.

In 1996 Conway won an Emmy for his guest role as Kenny Montague on the sitcom ''Coach'' episode ''The Gardener''

In 1997, Tim Conway and Harvey Korman appeared in a Diagnosis Murder episode called "Comedy is Murder", playing former comedy partners called Tim Conrad and Harvey Huckaby. A clip of the well-known dentist sketch from The Carol Burnett Show was used to illustrate "Huckaby and Conrad"s former television partnership.

Conway and Harvey Korman created a Collector's Edition DVD of new comedy sketches, titled ''Together Again''; it is available on Conway's official website.

Conway won another Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for his role as Bucky Bright in the ''30 Rock'' episode "Subway Hero", which initially aired on April 17, 2008.

He voiced Freddy Frog and other characters in ''Garfield's Fun Fest''.

On his 75th birthday, Conway was interviewed as a guest on ''The Bonnie Hunt Show'' and given a surprise cake by Bob Newhart.

On February 1, 2010, Conway was awarded the PTC Integrity in Entertainment Award, which says that "recognizes those individuals and corporations who have demonstrated a longstanding commitment to creating, distributing and sponsoring quality entertainment that is free from graphic and gratuitous sex, violence and profanity."

On July 28, 2010, Tim appeared in an episode of ''Hot in Cleveland'' on TV Land.

In April 15, 2011, Tim guest-starred in an episode of ''Batman: The Brave and the Bold'', where he voiced the Weeper, a washed up former supervillain idolized by the Joker.

Tim played Cragmont in the ''Wizards of Waverly Place'' episode ''Justin's Back In''.

From 2003 through the present, Conway teamed up with good friend Don Knotts again to provide voices for the direct-to-video children's series, Hermie and Friends which would continue until Knotts death. Conway continues to do the series.

Personal life

Conway has been married twice. He was married to Mary Anne Dalton from 1961 until 1978. They had six children together. He has been married to Charlene Fusco since May 18, 1984. Among Tim Conway's children is the radio host Tim Conway Jr.

Charitable endeavors

On June 6, 7 and 8, 2010, Tim came back to his hometown of Chagrin Falls to put on a fund-raising performance at the Chagrin Valley Little Theatre to help kick off their capital campaign.

Tim is a spokesperson for the United Leukodystrophy Foundation.

References

External links

Interview, Archive of American Television, 20 April 2004 on Google Video

Disney Legends profile

Two takes on "The Elephant Story"

Q&A; with Tim Conway

Category:1933 births Category:Living people Category:People from Willoughby, Ohio Category:Actors from Ohio Category:American comedians Category:American film actors Category:American racehorse owners and breeders Category:American television actors Category:American voice actors Category:American people of Irish descent Category:American people of Romanian descent Category:Best Supporting Actor Golden Globe (television) winners Category:Bowling Green State University alumni Category:Emmy Award winners Category:People from the Greater Los Angeles Area

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