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Stripped

My piano has been a faithful friend throughout my childhood and teenage years. I grew up swimming in its natural and naked harmonies, which have adjusted my ears to be immune to acoustic music.

Ingrid Michaelson in concert | Photo by Carlie Schwaeber'12

I have been able to be honest and dependent on this piano, never needing to rely on another accompaniment. Moreover, growing up around this instrument has made me realize that pop or techno music will never be as fulfilling for me as acoustic music is.

With few exceptions, I believe pop and techno songs do not show off a singer’s true talent, mainly because the amount of legitimate voice provided in each song is very limited. Instead, the singer’s voice is bombarded by distorted echoes, effects, instruments, and auto-tuning ultimately drowning out the lyrics.

That is not to say I consider techno or other genres of music of less quality, but I do believe that current day singers are not as appreciated for their raw talent. The best example of a song that is more successful acoustic, in my opinion, is the song Hey Ya by OutKast that was redone acoustically by Obadiah Parker. It wasn’t until I heard the acoustic version that I realized the lyrics are much more meaningful than I thought. Another example is the song Animal, by Neon Trees, which was done acoustically on the Billboard Magazine YouTube channel.  Not only was the sound much more honest and laid back, but the fact that they were able to transform their upbeat song to acoustic proves that they are not relying on extra effects to carry their voice.

Ellen Kempner, a singer and song writer at Staples High School enjoys playing both electric and acoustic music, however when asked why she likes playing acoustic music at her gigs, she replied, “Because, contrasted with the electric songs, it creates a warm diversity in the set. Acoustic songs tend to be like the slow dance at a bar mitzvah, kind of a mellower moment that people like to have contrasted with energetic rockier music.”

Adele, a singer and songwriter from London, just came out with her new album, 21. This album has a more bluesy feel than her others, however when asked if she will be performing anymore acoustic gigs, she said, “I prefer doing stripped down and acoustic. It’s just more intimate as well, you know? I like being able to hear my audience breathe.”

As a previous audience member of an Ingrid Michaelson concert, I have to agree with Adele. I liked how the intimate setting of the concert allowed Ingrid and her band members to feed off of each other. The calm setting enabled Ingrid to converse with the audience in between each song. It felt like she wasn’t some artificial and famous celebrity, but just a regular human being.

 

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