Agree/Disagree With The Following

1. disagree, my father couldn't carry a tune in a bucket, whistling or singing. he was a truck driver back in the 50's and i used to go with him during school holidays, the engine noise was so bad i could only just hear him whistling some unknown tune, which was usually totally single note and half the notes he played were flat! 

on the other hand has anyone heard bob dylans latest offerings? he sounds like me on a sunday morning after a very hard saturday night (singing) yet still in tune, just very rasp-y

2. i've got one of those, i just hum the tune and play random notes until i find the right one.

I am like phills dad i can not sing good at. all.:-)

1.  Yes.... many folks can sing very well, the rest of us just have "Style"!  It takes practice but I think anybody can improve and a good set of monitors can really help those that don't hear what everybody else has to put up with,

2.  It's a tool and use it if you must.  I have one, and it is particularly useful for adding "voices" and depth.  But generally, I let the guitar make the music, and if I happen to be singing along..... it's likely just keeping me from mixing up the verses and chorus etc.

I think I have to disagree with both, to a degree.

1. Everyone can do something that sounds kind of like singing.  I wouldn't always call it singing though.  I had the unpleasant experience more times than I'd like to remember of people trying to stand close to me in a Choir setting so that I could drown them out or so they could hear what notes they should be singing.  I'm not sure, but it made my job of trying to hit the right notes difficult.  Despite their abilities, their enthusiasm was always there, and they appeared to be singing even if it was painful to listen to.  They would say they were singing. 

2.  I've heard some singing that's so off no amount of electronic gadetry could possibly make it sound good. 

I don't want to sound like a snob here.  I too sing for myself, for my soul.  I share because other people seem to like to listen to it.  I do think enthusiasm makes up for a lack of talent a lot of the time as far as entertainment value goes.   But, I still say those people "can't sing".  LOL!  Bob Dylan's got a lot of awesome songs.  I can't listen to an entire Dylan album.

A bad singing voice is one that can't carry a tune. For some reason they can never get the right pitch. I think it's a hearing issue. If you can carry a tune, it really doesn't matter what type of voice you have.. Do you really think Bob Dylan could make it past the first round of American Idol, yet I love his music. He can carry a tune. It's all relative I guess

Amy,
You need to listen to the album Desire by Bob Dylan. I have worn a few out, its a great album.

Thanks Wayne - Monster Mash is more of a "speaking" rather than a singing song - and I do  believe I have found my niche there. I do many speaking songs - most at twice the speed of the originals.

I am also a firm believer if you can't do it well, make up for it in volume!

i had to post a second time on this one.

my fav bob dylan has to be "tweeter and the monkey man" from the travelling wilberys.

as for others not quite hitting the notes; i've often had to accompany punters that want to come up and give a song, very often singing each verse in a different key.

i had one guy that sounded exactly like tom jones, pitch perfect, beautiful tonal quality, but he had no idea of timing so kept coming in before the beat or changing the rhythm midway through a verse, totally oblivious to what he was doing. he came 2nd in a tom jones sound alike competition...if he could keep time he might have won...who knows?

well we havenot had a tomato fight yet! LOLOL I felt my attitude makes up for ability ,, and sometimes I surprise myself and the notes come out just right. (as happened last year at chordiestock, dont know if lightening will hit twice.  if it dows I hope its getting taped this time! LOLOL)