Don Firth, I like what you said about style, back at 2:25, but what exactly is the difference between an art style and a folk style? I mean, although I think I can intuitively tell the difference, I don't know how to describe the difference.

I have friends who play "folk" music in a style that I find bland and boring because it sounds too "artsy" to me. Now, they haven't asked me for advice, and they probably never will, and even if they did, I'd probably lie. But just for the sake of argument, let's suppose they did ask for advice on how to make their music sound less "artsy" and more "folksy." What should I tell them?

I made a stab at it when I tried to say that the difference was a matter of rhythm, and of accenting the beat, but nobody yet is high-fiving me and saying, "Right on!" So I wonder if I missed the mark a bit. Come to think of it, some of the a cappella singing that I especially like dispenses with rhythm altogether, and is not at all like dance music. Help!

By the way, I'll bet Russ' wife's voice teacher didn't say, "That's great for folk music. Now I'll teach you the style to use for art music." More likely she said, "Now I'll teach you the right way to sing." Gr-r-r!