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Female Vocals: Stunning Recordings You Love

600_OHM

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Man, I really like Erin's voice and performance. Thanks for sharing.

That's interesting about how you tune the edge off, either mentally or by EQ. In that track, I didn't need to, but that's me.

When I mentioned Bjork, in the Homegenic album, I had to do the same thing with some of the purposeful distortion - used as in instrument in itself - , which initially I found distracting, but I got it as part of her message. So I'll temper my use of the word "masterpiece", because she is a self-admitted "POP" artist. In this case, it is truly a "pop-masterpiece".

So whether its Erin Bode, Joan Jett, or Etta James et al, we need to keep providing that avenue to just let it all out, no matter what "genre" lets them spread their wings and fly...
 

Jazzman53

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Man, I really like Erin's voice and performance. Thanks for sharing.

That's interesting about how you tune the edge off, either mentally or by EQ. In that track, I didn't need to, but that's me.

When I mentioned Bjork, in the Homegenic album, I had to do the same thing with some of the purposeful distortion - used as in instrument in itself - , which initially I found distracting, but I got it as part of her message. So I'll temper my use of the word "masterpiece", because she is a self-admitted "POP" artist. In this case, it is truly a "pop-masterpiece".

So whether its Erin Bode, Joan Jett, or Etta James et al, we need to keep providing that avenue to just let it all out, no matter what "genre" lets them spread their wings and fly...

If you didn't need to tune the edge off of upper range of Erin's voice,then your speakers aren't overly bright in that range. If they were, that tune would certainly reveal it.

My speakers are homebuilt bi-amp'd hybrid ESLs and I use a DBX Driverack Venu 360 DSP/crossover upstream of the power amps. I fine tune them with the DBX's parametric EQ's. LOVE the DBX!
 

DMill

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Man, I really like Erin's voice and performance. Thanks for sharing.

That's interesting about how you tune the edge off, either mentally or by EQ. In that track, I didn't need to, but that's me.

When I mentioned Bjork, in the Homegenic album, I had to do the same thing with some of the purposeful distortion - used as in instrument in itself - , which initially I found distracting, but I got it as part of her message. So I'll temper my use of the word "masterpiece", because she is a self-admitted "POP" artist. In this case, it is truly a "pop-masterpiece".

So whether its Erin Bode, Joan Jett, or Etta James et al, we need to keep providing that avenue to just let it all out, no matter what "genre" lets them spread their wings and fly...
I also think Bjork is good. i have no problem with intended mixes with distortion.
 

Martin

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There are certain tunes I play to fine tune a hi-fi system. Erin Bode has a high, crystal clear voice that cuts diamond if the system is tuned hot, and her voice is out front on this recording. Once I tune the edge off Erin's voice, nothing else I'm likely to play will sound harsh. I then follow up that recording with Dave Brubeck's Take Five, and if Morello's high-hat still has good presence, then I know i haven't cut too much. :)

Enjoy Erin Bode - Holiday!


I use Sarah McLachlan's I Love You when auditioning speakers. Not only is her closely miked, breathy vocals great for fleshing out the top end there is also strong, low bass note throughout.

Martin
 
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600_OHM

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I also think Bjork is good. i have no problem with intended mixes with distortion.

Bjork is special because I think she's so creative that labels and others let her do her own thing creatively and just don't know how to meddle with it. :)

I'm not sure that during the "All Neon Like" track she did this on purpose - she dropped a single word in "honey", and I was electrified like I got a shock. Did she do that on purpose, or was she channeling Janis Joplin when one of her little mind-drawers opened during the performance?

I absolutely freaked out over the way she dropped "honey" in that track. Wish I could tell her "bravo!"
 

600_OHM

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The saddest thing about female artists is that unless you are Janis Joplin or Bjork, they seem to be restrained.

They have much more to give, but either by recording, training or other influences, their wings are clipped.

For instance, I think Sandy Denny really wanted to ROCK, but she was not allowed out of her folk genre.

Other artists like Exene Cervenka (X), Shirley Manson (Garbage) and a whole host of others I just wanted to throttle the recording engineers for holding back on their mic-gain to make them sound more "feminine", which was already obvious. Nearly put them into the background. For shame.

Sometimes I even strain to hear Siouxsie (Banshees) - needs just about 3 more dB so I can get close enough for that truly intimate impact.

Even then, I always feel female artists are more or less put in bird-cages and not truly set free like Janis or Bjork is. If not from a mere audio standpoint, but from a creative one too.
 
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Turambar

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This is a stunning recording by the legendary Italian soprano Claudia Muzio, back in the 1930s.

It's a rendition of "Addio del passato", the famous aria from Verdi's 'La traviata'. Simply spectacular:

 

mhardy6647

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OK -- so -- I don't know if this recording is stunning, as I've only heard it on FM radio ;) and YT, but it's a pretty stunning performance (at least, if you ask me). :)

See what you think.

 

dualazmak

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Christa Ludwig​

Christa Ludwig Wesendonck-Lieder [Klemperer] by Wagner​

00:00 1. Der Engel
03:36 2. Stehe still!
07:38 3. Im Treibhaus
14:17 4. Schmerzen
16:56 5. Träume
Christa Ludwig, mezzo-soprano
Philharmonia Orchestra Conducted by Otto Klemperer March 1962
 

dualazmak

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Christa Ludwig​

Alto Rhapsody, Op. 53 Brahms​

Mezzo-soprano Vocals: Christa Ludwig
Conductor: Otto Klemperer
Chorus: Philharmonia Chorus
Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra
Poet: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Composer: Johannes Brahms
1962
 
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