Regional Accents

[Captain America]

the x-certs are a prime example of it being forced though.

listen to "Listen, Don't Panic" and when Murray says "in your world"

WURULD

p.s for the record, as i've previously stated, i do actually really like the x-certs.

I'm undecided on the X-certs. I listened to their recordings and the (seemingly) really forced Scottish accent really put me off. Oh and those MTV acoustic recording were rubbish as well. There was a thread about them a while ago,

I would probably go see them live to see what they are really like.

[lovers_spit]

Thing is though, sometimes stupidly broad scottish accents come from whos influenced you and not an attempt to sell out.

I myself fell victim to this, not ages ago a heavy scottish accent started creeping into my songs; not as an attempt to "cash in" but because I happened to be listening to a lot of Arab Strap, Sons and Daughters, Xcerts and Woomble. All of them have broad scottish accents.

Sometimes you unintentionally rip off your favourite bands chord progressions or riffs, i dont see why it isnt entirely possible to do that with accents.

[soundian]

Thing is though, sometimes stupidly broad scottish accents come from whos influenced you and not an attempt to sell out.

I myself fell victim to this, not ages ago a heavy scottish accent started creeping into my songs; not as an attempt to "cash in" but because I happened to be listening to a lot of Arab Strap, Sons and Daughters, Xcerts and Woomble. All of them have broad scottish accents.

Sometimes you unintentionally rip off your favourite bands chord progressions or riffs, i dont see why it isnt entirely possible to do that with accents.

Supposedly the bits of your brain that control speech are different to those that control singing. If that's true you've obviously been emulating their vocal style while singing, and the bonus is you won't end up talking like that.

That's maybe why people talk in a different accent to the one they sing in actually, maybe it's not conscious maybe they're just emulating what they hear.

[KimyReizeger]

Sometimes you unintentionally rip off your favourite bands chord progressions or riffs, i dont see why it isnt entirely possible to do that with accents.

You're talking here as though the generic rock/pop voice itself isn't an amalgamation of accents unheard of in real life which people have modified themselves to for years.

[Larsen B]

I used to be a stickler for people singing in their own accent a few years back, mostly due to disgust at the typical american accent used by so many, but now I don't think there's any such thing as a "natural singing voice". Not by the time anyone has reached adolescence anyway.

[KimyReizeger]

This fad probably just reflects a cultural trend for twee ironic things. Accents allow people to come across as organic, modest, slightly humble, inviting you to come and bask with them in the warmth of their sub-community where people wear shapeless wooly jumpers, eat penny chews all day and talk about ducklings. When in fact most are scrupulous walking egos, fully aware of market changes.

[all_his_engines]

The impression I get is that it's different for different singers. Some naturally sing with what might be referred to as a "generic" accent, whilst some may have a singing voice tinged with the accent with which they speak.

Although in my opinion regional accents beyond a certain point in singing sound forced. There have been some good examples in this thread already, but listen to bands like The Cranberries for example. Nobody sings with that much of an accent without trying too hard.

Another possibility: Most of the time in rock/pop music, the vocal melody is rather legato - it is supposed to flow. The generic "american" singing accent flows a lot better than most British regional accents, in which it would be more cumbersome to sing mainstream melodies. So maybe it's just that singing in this way is naturally easier for some people, and they're not simply trying to sound American.

[KimyReizeger]

Another possibility: Most of the time in rock/pop music, the vocal melody is rather legato - it is supposed to flow. The generic "american" singing accent flows a lot better than most British regional accents, in which it would be more cumbersome to sing mainstream melodies. So maybe it's just that singing in this way is naturally easier for some people, and they're not simply trying to sound American.

Yeah - It makes sense to sing tired old music with a tired old voice; a tired old voice so ingrained into the popular conception of music that people complain when it changes.

[northcountrygirl]

I'm not a fan of Glasvegas, did get it wrong on Geraldine tho because that is a tune. Think my problems started with Glasvegas when I heard the opening lines of Daddy's Gone and as soon as the really strong accent came through I thought ........ Nah, don't like this!

[KimyReizeger]

I heard the opening lines of Daddy's Gone and as soon as the really strong accent came through I thought ........ Nah, don't like this!

Why not?

[northcountrygirl]

I wasn't struck on the tune/background music to begin with and then I heard the lyrics/accent I thought I don't like the lyrics and the accent just put me off. Just didn't like it I guess.

[Sam 45]

I frequently attend gigs in Glasgow and almost every local unsigned band deliver the vocals in the same accentuated accent.

It's sickening. It's so 2007.

Damn all those Glaswegians singing in a Glasweigan accent. How dare they.

[Guest idol_wild]

Damn all those Glaswegians singing in a Glasweigan accent. How dare they.

It's the way they accentuate it so much, though. Plus, they weren't doing it three years ago to the same degree.

[KimyReizeger]

, they weren't doing it three years ago .

Yeah - fuck change.

[Guest idol_wild]

Yeah - fuck change.

Yeah. Fuck change in it's stupid fucking ass.

That's what I say.

[northcountrygirl]

Well...get someone to do a Welsh one then?

Catatonia - Stone By Stone ... she had her moments of dipping into her lilt there ...

[KimyReizeger]

Maybe non middle class people don't make shitty generic music?

[all_his_engines]

Maybe non middle class people don't make shitty generic music?

What's class got to do with it?

The point being made (at least the point I'm interested in) is that artists that didn't used to sing with such a strong regional accent are now doing so. That has nothing to do with someone's background or birth place, but everything to do with shallow marketing gimmicks.

[lovers_spit]

Maybe non middle class people don't make shitty generic music?

The class system died in the battle of the somme.

Get with the program.

[KimyReizeger]

The point being made (at least the point I'm interested in) is that artists that didn't used to sing with such a strong regional accent are now doing so. That has nothing to do with someone's background or birth place, but everything to do with shallow marketing gimmicks.

That suggests modifying your voice in any way is a shallow marketing gimmick unless of course it conforms to the established form of modification.

When I sing I genuinely find it hard to not feel like I'm impersonating some abstract generic voice ingrained in me by 21 years of pop music. I modify my voice subconsciously in accordance with the norm - am I a 'sell out' too?

[KimyReizeger]

The class system died in the battle of the somme.

Get with the program.

Nonsense.

[Guest idol_wild]

When I sing I genuinely find it hard to not feel like I'm impersonating some abstract generic voice ingrained in me by 21 years of pop music. I modify my voice subconsciously in accordance with the norm - am I a 'sell out' too?

No.

It just makes you come across as an idiot for bringing class into this topic.

But I'm sure you'll respond with a series of big words to embellish a weak point in order to satisfy your desire to feel superior to everyone.

[KimyReizeger]

I'm actually just trying to discuss the topic, not browbeat anyone. Why is totally fine to impersonate a generic voice but it's some kind of sin to impersonate or even just accentuate a regional accent? Don't you see a contradiction there? Also, what element of bands like The X-certs isn't a shallow marketing gimmick?

You keep banging on about class - I only mentioned it semi-seriously as a suggestive point to my own question which few people seem able to take on. Also, whether you liberal middles want to accept it or not I'm unsure, but regional accents are pretty much intrinsic to conceptions of class in this country.

You will actually probably find the majority of music is fairly middle-class, with anything else being the exception and related to specific movements like hip-hop. Purely because the middle class has time and money to mess around with instruments and are generally more inclined towards 'cultural' pursuits anyway. Would a working class person with a strong accent be selling out by singing in generic voice? Why not?

[Pierre Von Mondragon]

I think Scotland the What? have already pointed out the way ahead re singing in Doric, but so few have taken their lead.

On Americanisms, Rock n Roll is an American genre in origin, and it is inevitable that strands of that meme will be eternally present in its derivations, Jagger on 'Exile..' is an example that I enjoy, while fully acknowledging that it is ridiculous. Ridiculous can be good.

Remember though, in many parts of Scotland it is fashionable to speak as if you have a brain injury, so if that percolates into singing annoyingly, its no surprise.

[Larsen B]

I'm actually just trying to discuss the topic, not browbeat anyone. Why is totally fine to impersonate a generic voice but it's some kind of sin to impersonate or even just accentuate a regional accent? Don't you see a contradiction there? Also, what element of bands like The X-certs isn't a shallow marketing gimmick?

You keep banging on about class - I only mentioned it semi-seriously as a suggestive point to my own question which few people seem able to take on. Also, whether you liberal middles want to accept it or not I'm unsure, but regional accents are pretty much intrinsic to conceptions of class in this country.

You will actually probably find the majority of music is fairly middle-class, with anything else being the exception and related to specific movements like hip-hop. Purely because the middle class has time and money to mess around with instruments and are generally more inclined towards 'cultural' pursuits anyway. Would a working class person with a strong accent be selling out by singing in generic voice? Why not?

He's right you know. I'd say myself and the majority of my close friends are lacking in an accent that can readily be identified with the north-east because our middle-class upbringing discourages it. I don't think there's any kind of singing equivalent of it, so whether I was to sing in a stronger regional accent or one of these more "generic" voices it makes little difference to the authenticity of the voice.