Is a singer considered a musician? If so, then is his/her voice their instrument?

Question

I am asking this because it is thought that a musician must 'play' an instrument.

Answer 1

The word musician is associated with people who makes music or performs. It refers to someone who is skilled in music. Thus a singer is a musician because they make and perform music. The voice is considered their "instrument."

The term musician applies to instrumentalists, vocalist, and composers.

Answer 2

This is a question with a "maybe" answer. In general, I would say that singers are singers and musicians are musicians. Sometimes, if a singer accompanies himself/ herself on an instrument, then this person is a musician who, also, sings. And then, there are singers who don't really play an instrument but phrase and perform vocal pyrotechnics in such a way that they are truly "playing" their voices as if they were instruments. They do a helluva lot more with their voices than simply singing the tune. They add all kinds of vocal twists and turns that take the song way past the basic melody. You hear this in the best of the Jazz vocalists and Soul singers.

That said:

Too many singers have very little actual talent and become successful more because they are good-looking, know how to dance and their because their handlers arrange elaborate stage-shows to cover up the fact that they have only basic voices and do little more than sing the tune as it's written…IF they're even that capable! And in the studio? It becomes even more of a joke because there are so many ways to "enhance" the voice. The singer's a little off pitch? No problem: just use pitch-correction to fix this. The singer's voice is thin and without any character? A delay will fatten that boring voice right up…and, oh yes, add a little reverb, too. These days a lot of those "Pop Divas" and "Boy Bands" have to carry the same processors they use in the studio on the road with them so that the audience won't realize how poor they really are.

But they sure can dance and they look great doing so!

Finally: most people can sing, to some degree. It doesn't take a lot of skill or talent to carry a basic tune…and this becomes even easier when one sings along with the radio or CD. However, learning to play an instrument well enough to make a living at it takes a lot of dedication, years of practice and focused discipline…which results in someone evolving into a musician worthy of respect. Most singers…even the ones who get up on stage and perform…don't put that kind of time into developing their vocal ranges and capabilities. So, except for those truly gifted Jazz and Soul singers…past and present…or those who accompany themselves on an instrument when they sing, I don't think that most popular singers really qualify as musicians.

Sorry!


Ian Bruce-Douglas,
INTERGALACTIC/ DGM PReMastering

Answer 3

The singer s voice is an instrument. Not all voices are instruments. A trained and sensitive musical expression is what determines whether a person gets the title of musician. A musician is good at conveying the musical message and moves the listener. An instrumentalist or singer who just executes notes with technique but now feeling is NOT a musician in the most complementary sense of the word. Further, only other musicians opinions of another s musicality matters to the true musician. They really could care less what the unskilled non-musician s opinion is of their musicianship because they don t understand the nuances of making music. That s my opnion, not to offend. Just because you play an instrument does not qualify you to hold the title of musician. A musician makes music as a profession and has earned the title by hard work and a performance that warrants the honor of the title.

Answer 4

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Answer 5

It depends how you define the respective terms, singer, musician and instrument. If anybody who is making music is a musician, then my 13-year son is already a musician... Also, just being able to shout out some ugly notes doesn't make you a singer...

In the field of classical music, a singer is required to go through a learning process of many years, trained by professional opera singers. During his or her studies, a singer has to learn sight reading, music theory, music history etc., learn which are the ideal sounds for each era of music history, because each musical style, from early music up to contemporary music requires a different sound production, another sound, other vocal techniques, another expression etc. And, finally, a singer has to learn a huge standard repertoire to be well equipped for his or her professional career.

These vocal techniques have to be taught by an experienced teacher, and they have to be practiced by the student every day, in the course of many years, until the voice will slowly develop into an "instrument". You will notice that the sound quality of a singer's voice will be very different, comparing the first attempts with the "mature," trained voice, a couple of years later.

Actually, practicing your voice is very similar to practicing on your instrument: scales up an down, specific exercises for changes of vowels, how to connect tones in a legato way etc. The ideal is to produce a homogenous sound from the lowest to the highest pitches. The voice should always have the same sound quality, a clear, bright sound, unforced, but able to cut through against the sound of a whole orchestra. In the lower register, the singer should not sound as if he is singing with a "different voice" compared with the upper register.

Classical singing is a very strenous affair so that you will only get through an aria, if you are very economic about using your physical strength. The goal is to learn how to sing "with ease", without any noticable effort. An opera singer can produce a very loud and clear sound without putting much effort. This requires a lot of technique and experience. And remember - for each historical style, the approach has to be different.

In that sense, a singer is a real musician, and the human voice is one of the hardest instruments to learn. This is especially true, as you are born with a certain sound quality, which you can never deny; you cannot just change your instrument, like buying a new guitar...

Answer 6

Singer is a vocalist and unless...they are trained and can read music or play an instrument they ARE NOT musicians. Yes, it's in the same field but...is a nurse a doctor? Is an EMT a doctor? No, they are not. As far as "their voice is their instrument" goes. Horsepoop! An expression made up by a singer most likely. That's like saying that a guitarist is a great singer because "his guitar is his voice"...Total BS.

Answer 7

Instruments were made and based to replicate the human singing voice, so I think the voice is like a very original instrument! I play the violin, and I've often heard people say that when played well, the violin can produce a sound almost like a singing human voice. So, you're correct that singers are musicians, and your voice is indeed an instrument.

Answer 8

Even in acting, an actor is considered to have a vocal instrument, the voice. Yes, a singer is a musician. A vocalist's voice is their instrument.

Answer 9

A singer's voice is an instrument, in a sense...so yes. However, they are considered more as a vocalist than a musician.

Answer 10

Being a good singer and a great singer is different than just carrying a tune. There are a lot more skilled instrumentalists then there are decent singers. Ever watch the American Idol auditions? I think people confuse singing in the shower with being a real singer. The human voice is an instrument, and singing is a craft. It doesn't matter what genre it is, whether pop and country or gospel and jazz, it requires skill and talent to make singing "sound good". Singing also requires more energy because it takes your whole body and mind and soul.