A Measure of True Music Craftsmanship: Hit the Keys

"No, I don't talk too much! I am brief! Blunt! To-the-point! I do not beat around the bush!"
--- Mojo Jojo, Powerpuff Girls
[The quote has nothing to do with this entry. I simply remembered it and couldn't help myself from typing it haha]

A lot of American Idol fans consider Simon Cowell their least favorite judge, and they have their own reasons for that: some say he's grumpy, rude, and way too difficult to please. A contestant might have given a brilliant performance for majority of the viewers, but not for Mr. Cowell, who thinks that a "good" singer is not enough to make the cut. One has to be spectacular, at the very least.

I am not sure if it's a good thing, but I somewhat share a characteristic with Mr. Cowell, but not his notorious way of giving out criticisms. Like him, my appreciation of a singer or a band takes more than just the ability to reach high notes and strum the strings. A matinee celebrity singing on TV may sound like an angel for the ordinary listener, but I cringe on every off-key note that comes out. It's a curse, really.

You see, my brain's tone recognition is a little too sensitive (is there some sort of scientific term for that?). My own singing voice is not performance-material, but I can surely tell if there is even the slightest diversion from the right note, be it a voice or an instrument. There are times when I'm starting to enjoy a live acoustic performance, when suddenly the vocalist fails to hit the note, and then I look at my mom for confirmation (I got the "sensitive ears" from her side of the family*), and yes, wala s'ya sa tono. Then I ask a friend or whoever's with me if they noticed, they say they can't tell the difference.

Let's take the local scene for example. Music professionals are abound in the local industry, but of course they can't control every performance that takes place. In this country, I believe, if you have "the face" then you can sing, and other factors are negligible. By other factors, I mean lack of tune, lack of beat, and lack of voice quality. But then again, the crowd's demand outweighs music quality by a tonne. Alas for me, all I can do is shake my head in dismay and discontent.

Sometimes I wish I never had the means to tell whether or not a note is off-key. That way, I can enjoy music in an uninterrupted, peacefuly way.

[*I believe my mom's family has some sort of "musician's blood," if I may call it that, running through the members. My grandfather plays the harmonica and accordion. My brother is a guitar pro, and he taught himself how to play drums. I can decently handle a guitar and the keyboard. One of my uncles knows how to play the piano by ear. Decades ago, people were surprised to know that he knew how to play it the first time he saw one. They were a very poor family, and only saw musical instruments in pictures. And when he plays, people who hear his music would say that it sounds exactly like the song does in the record.]