Puppeteers who Can't Sing

[mrhogg]

You're not subconsciously singing, as you're actively singing. But you're not as focused on your ability to sing, because you're worried about the puppet's performance as a whole.

(Sounds like how people find it hard to draw a human face, especially from photo-reference, but if you turn the photo upside down it becomes much easier, because you're not viewing it as a face -- which you know very well, and could screw up easily -- but as a series of shapes.)

For myself, I sing a bit in my videos, but not much. I'm slowly working through singing lessons, because I'd love to have music in my videos and shows.

 

[Krazedmuppet]

You know Johnny Depp in Sweeney Todd cant really sing the best, as far as musicals go, but he KILLED (literally and figuratively) as Sweeney. Why? Because he is such a great actor that you believe that is the way his character should sound like. You just have to to convince your audience that its the way it should sound

 

[D'Snowth]

KATIE! ! !

YOU'RE BACK TOO! ! !

Wow, everybody's making comebacks lately!

 

[TheCreatureWork]

I once heard David Goelz was always self conscience about his singing capabilities. I find I always have a better singing voice when I sing in a characters voice though

 

[Kiki]

I realize that as a puppeteer, it certainly helps to be able to sing, since in puppetry, there are a lot of musical sketches, and "show-stopping numbers".

However, singing is something I simply cannot do, so I was just wondering if there are other puppeteers out there who can't sing either, and if so, how do you deal with it?

Well, I'm an aspiring puppeteer, and even though singing is a big part I honestly don't think you need a fantastic singing voice. I can't sing if my life depended on it! Though I still sing all the time, I enjoy it. Even on SS during sketches the puppeteer's singing is perty average, but they get away with it because they have good vocal talents and they put on good voices, you dig? So personally I don't think it matters too much whether your good at singing or not, but I think you must feel confident.

 

[Jinx]

I think it's always a mistake to say, "it doesn't have to be good, the audience will just think it's funny" etc., etc. To me this is just an insult. If the singing doesn't have to be good because "they came to see a puppet show, not a singing show", then by the same logic the puppets in Avenue Q don't have to be good because they came to see a broadway musical, not a puppet show. The context of the singing is what determines if it needs to be sung well, not the fact that it's a puppet show.

Now this is not to say that you have to have a stellar voice. For instance, if Randy Jackson were to critiquing Jim Henson's voice he'd say something like, "Check it out, dawg, it's like this, baby. Your voice is like, OK and everything, but it just didn't hit it for me, know what I'm sayin? Yer harmonies are eeeehhhhhh, just a little flat, kinda pitchy..."

All this to say that Jim Henson had a decent sense of pitch, but perhaps not the best "instrument" as far as singing. He was far from unpleasant to listen to, because he was on pitch. Perhaps not always in the dead-center of the pitch, but not off-key. Really the same could be said of Dave Goelz and Frank Oz. Richard Hunt and Jerry Nelson had very nice singing voices. If you track their singing over the years you'll notice that they ALL improved immensely. Except maybe Jerry who has always been amazing...

I'd day if you're going to sing, do so to the best of your abilities, and in fact taking some voice lessons would only be helpful, even if they don't turn you into a professional singer. I studied singing for 13 years straight and to this day count it as one of the smartest things I've ever done. not only for singing, but for performance in general. But if you're only willing to "go through the motions because no one will really care", then you're doing a disservice, both to yourself and your audiences.

Now perhaps the most important thing to remember about theatrical singing is this: character always wins. If you sing in the character's voice, and are honest to the character and the story, then it is hard to go wrong. Even if you don't have the best singing voice in the world. The context will carry you, not the singing skill (or lack thereof).

 

[Frogpuppeteer]

personally i dont like the kids cd songs he church i used to puppetry over used those plus i think it takes away from the show but thats me...i like what someone said if you can sing it ads to the humor...sometimes listen to the muppets they arnt the best singers ever

 

[Jinx]

I agree about kids' CDs commonly used in church. The main reason I don't like them is because they are so "over-produced". They are incongruous with the rest of the performance. They seldom, if ever, blend well with the dialog before or after. This is where using your own voice, even if it's not great, is far more believable to the character.

 

[Buck-Beaver]

I think it's always a mistake to say, "it doesn't have to be good, the audience will just think it's funny" etc., etc.

I do not have a very good singing voice and I think if you don't sing well, you just don't sing well. You can speak-sing or do little things to cover it, but ultimately it takes an enormous amount of ability to sing badly well. It doesn't usually happen by accident.

 

[Jinx]

Remember too that Rex Harrison made a career-defining role of Prof. Henry Higgins in the musical My Fair Lady and could scarcely sing a note! But he sure could act a song! Richard Burton did the much same thing with Camelot.

The flip side of this was Florence Foster Jenkins. She was very wealthy and could afford to rent out the Ritz Carlton Ballroom and even Carnegie Hall to give concerts, despite her complete inability to sing! These concerts were always sold out, but she never really realized that people were coming just to make fun of how bad she was... she genuinely believed she had a great voice. look her up on itunes and give a LITTLE listen.... it's hard to bear much more than 30 seconds!