are vocal standards actually much higher now?

    Quote from Yumeku

    Were you on fan communities back then? Because voice flaws were always criticized before too. However I can’t remember encores being worse than the actual performance like some encores now. Because back then the backtracks on the actual performances were less heavy, had less processing etc.. so encores were not much different from stage to make a big deal out of. Idols rarely sing raw live without editing or lip-syncing.

    I see more fans glorifying average vocalists now than in the past. If an idol sang any line live without messing up, they would get praised to hell over it.

    i think that's a good point, that people were used to less processed vocals so encores weren't a big deal because it didn't sound any different. but yeah i wasn't around fan communities or anything so i'm glad to have people who were who can give me more context ^^

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    Quote from silentmoon

    I think 2nd gen were more used to singing live so they didn't get as nervous and self conscious. Also since there were more live performances you could tell when they were having a bad day or a good day. However now when a rare occasion a group sings live and doesn't deliver, people assume they just can't sing cause there's nothing to compare to, when the bad performance could be because of many factors.


    Also 2nd gen did get critism for bad vocal performances but they could recover on their next live and show they improved

    i didn't think about that but that's true also, bad days could be shown to be just bad days because everyone sang live frequently. but if it's a rarity it's hard to have examples showing that

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    I don't think standards are higher. Expectations are different.


    2nd gen were pretty much the same in terms of singing ability, but fans expectations for live singing are different now.

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    I think the situation is twofold:


    * because in 2nd gen era, groups were expected to sing live on music shows, a number of groups got more training in stamina and breath control while dancing, keeping their voices stable and sounding in tune, hitting the right notes. Due to that extra focus in training those skills and idols getting more practice and experience in live singing - more than groups got after 2nd gen era - quite some groups managed to still sound good and some even great while singing live.


    * because AR and LAR have become the norm, a lot of performances have started to sound that good, that real live performances have more trouble equaling the level of quality that studio recordings and audio editing and autotuning can achieve. Because listeners have grown accustomed to perfect sounding vocals, when it's really live they'll be more critical about anything that sounds less.


    I think it's those 2 factors, 2nd gen groups being more trained and experienced in live singing, and skewed expectations because fans have grown accustomed to perfect sounding vocals due to AR/LAR, that have the most impact.


    Every gen had its own top tier vocalists, so it's not as if there has been that much of a difference between the generations.

    However, because live singing has become less of a thing, it might very well have become the case that companies focus far less on their idols being skilled in singing live and sounding great, and focus instead more on dance, rap and performance skills.

  • AllKill VIP
    Quote from silentmoon

    I think 2nd gen were more used to singing live so they didn't get as nervous and self conscious. Also since there were more live performances you could tell when they were having a bad day or a good day. However now when a rare occasion a group sings live and doesn't deliver, people assume they just can't sing cause there's nothing to compare to, when the bad performance could be because of many factors.


    Also 2nd gen did get critism for bad vocal performances but they could recover on their next live and show they improved

    Yup, fans are gonna react much differently to an idol obviously having a bad day and one who sounds bad almost every time they're heard live.

    I'm from a world where it's the norm for people to sing live and harmonize even if they aren't flawless technical singers...so yeah..pretty much the same.

  • AllKill VIP
    Quote from babybat

    but they aren't particularly better singers. sometimes they're off key, their voices crack, and while there's one or two members that are obviously the main/lead vocalists, overall as a group they aren't impressive. but it seems to me that the stakes weren't very high, the groups didn't become terrified to sing live, and their vocals were just fine.

    so true

    groups look so terrified during encore stages because they know they are going to get sh!t ffor messing up even one note nowadays

    Standards went down because companies thought it would be a good idea to focus on performance, choreography, and visuals lol. Luckily, encore stages reveal who can actually sing and who can’t but kpoppies keep complaining about knetz ripping them to shreds if they can’t but whine about their favs lip syncing and or not being great singers all day so… :pepefacepalm:

    Quote from GoGoYoungeun

    Standards went down because companies thought it would be a good idea to focus on performance, choreography, and visuals lol. Luckily, encore stages reveal who can actually sing and who can’t but kpoppies keep complaining about knetz ripping them to shreds if they can’t but whine about their favs lip syncing and or not being great singers all day so… :pepefacepalm:

    Companies focus on performance, bc thats what today's fans want


    Consumer's pattern decides the industry direction

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