I agree, David. When listening to old recordings of sean nos singers, I have heard what you describe. Being here in Montana all this time, I haven't had the advantage of hearing live singing of sean nos, just the many tapes I've been able to accumulate mostly thanks to John Moulden at ulstersongs.com, and the recordings of Joe Heaney. When I discovered that Joe Heaney had taught in Seattle, it was a great disappointment to me that I didn't know about it when he was alive. I could have gone to Seattle and studied but didn't know about him being there until it was too late.

Even my teacher for bel canto voice training has made a point to tell me to add a drone on an "n" or to be more mindful of using the consonants when she listens to me sing Irish songs. I am glad I have a voice teacher who appreciates authentic ethnic singing. It may help that she has a PhD in cantorial music, teaches Hebrew and is a cantor, as well as being a performing coloratura soprano. She values authenticity. I concur that it is all in the matter of being true to the genre or style of music you are singing... JennieG, listen to good sources of the type of music you want to sing. Soak it up and let it become a part of you. Record yourself and objectively listen to your singing. You will eventually figure out what sounds right.

Alice