ruminating on schoolwork

Because what can be more fun than that? Welcome to my first post, everyone. I've been thinking about creating this for a while for just my everyday, run-of-the-mill thoughts, but it's the sheer need to brainstorm for my paper that's actually got me to press the "create" button. So hurray for school and its initiative powers!


Don't worry, it's not as bad as it sounds. I'm taking a research seminar focusing on poetry and music and we're supposed to turn in this think-piece paper on Friday about what we want to write our research paper on. Is it nerdy that I'm choosing musicals? (Yes.)


So here's the question of the day:

What is the difference between talking and singing?

Do you realize that in musicals, there are often songs that incorporate speech sections where the characters just talk? That's quite normal, but how about the parts where they're actually singing? Does it ever sound like speak-singing to you? Besides clear articulation of the words and avoiding natural slurs and other artistic inflections that pop singers like to use, how does the actor in the musical sing in a style that walks between speech and song? How does the speaking sections of the song sound rhythmically? Are they different from singing, and why or why not? In fact, is there any possible way for you to be able to sing and talk at the same time?


It sounds like it does though. But how and why? Talking has natural rhythm and uses stresses too, but it doesn't sound like singing. What exactly is the difference if both have musical attributes?


It got me thinking about poetry in the lyric form. Obviously when lyrics are extracted from the song and just seen on paper, they appear like a form of poetry (with odd bits like the chorus - I mean, unnecessary repetition for poems at least. Who wants to read that over and over?). But not all poetry can be sung like lyrics can. So when you read the lyrics, how is it different from singing the lyrics?


Did I confuse you yet? Until next time then.