QueenZone discussion #1396577

mooghead wrote: Even if singing full voice is harder than falsetto (very debatable) getting falsetto wrong sounds VERY noticable (ie.. embarassingly hideous), full voice is definitely the safe option. Which actually means that falsetto is harder than full voice.

Bruno P. wrote: Just try to sing the carry on bit in full voice and with falsetto.

Chief Mouse wrote:

Bruno P. wrote: Just try to sing the carry on bit in full voice and with falsetto.

Bruno P. wrote:

Chief Mouse wrote:

Bruno P. wrote: Just try to sing the carry on bit in full voice and with falsetto.

Reach that note in full voice would be harder to reach, yes? At least to me. That's why most singers switch to falsetto when hitting high notes, I guess. Freddie wouldn't in the 80's though. Btw which show is the one you just posted?

Gregsynth wrote: He also sings the high note at Glasgow, 2nd Newcastle, and Hammy on the Crazy Tour! The Newcastle one is the strongest as he sustains it like the record. He tries it at the second Birmingham 1980 show (although hits A4 instead of Bb4), and he gets it at the first Edinburgh 1982 show (although he drops the note to a lower note as soon as he hits it).

Chief Mouse wrote: But even in his prime live years 1979 - 1982. I'm just talking from my perspective, certainly I'm no singer and I can't really sing, but for me falsetto just seems way easier to do. Not saying it's bad though, for example "keep us fighting" sounds awesome in full high voice :D

Oscar J wrote:

Chief Mouse wrote: But even in his prime live years 1979 - 1982. I'm just talking from my perspective, certainly I'm no singer and I can't really sing, but for me falsetto just seems way easier to do. Not saying it's bad though, for example "keep us fighting" sounds awesome in full high voice :D

Pretty sure it's "keep on fighting".

gerry wrote: Freddies heavy smoking ruined his voice and that is why the falsetto voice became less and less on tour, He smoked like a chimney and relighting a new cig after the old one got stubbed out! On the "Live in Rio" set he tried to reach to the high notes on the end of "Its a hard life" and went off key, so went down a note or two to compensate! In the 70s Freddies falsetto voice was amazing, check out "In the lap of the gods" (revisited) on the hammersmith 1975 show.

gerry wrote: yes we are talking about the same Freddie Mercury. You sound so surprised lol Did you not notice Freddies voice getting worse as the 80s came to an end? He was a chain smoker, and to prove that watch the interviews of Freddie, he always had a cigarette in his hand and he always never went 5 mins without starting a fresh cigarette. Probably the last falsetto voice he ever did was on innuendos "Dont try so hard" and even that vocal was not as magnificent as 1981 "Soul brother".

gerry wrote: Even on "Live Aid" day back in 1985 his doctor told him not to perform as his throat was so bad, but freddie did not want to let the people down and performed.

tomchristie22 wrote:

gerry wrote: Even on "Live Aid" day back in 1985 his doctor told him not to perform as his throat was so bad, but freddie did not want to let the people down and performed.

And this completely disproves your point that smoking ruined his voice in the 80s, as his vocal performance at Live Aid was one of his best.

Riku M wrote: So the reason he didn't use it more is probably because it didn't suit his singing style/image which at the time was very macho and he liked to belt out the songs with his raw chestpower.

gerry wrote: well your entitled to your opinion like i am but freds voice did get worse as the 80s came to an end. Queen cancelled shows in 85 because of his voice, and even when fred was getting interviewed by simon bates on radio one he was ill with his throat, and simon said freddie smoked like a chimney. look back to 1974 ITLOTGS on SHA album and freds falsetto is sharp and crisp, and compare that to around 1984 to 1986, no contest. Freddie did use the falsetto voice but very sparingly between 84 to 86.

Bad Seed wrote: And just for the record Gerry, there is no falsetto on ITLOTGR from Hammersmith '75, unless my memory serves me incorrectly?

gerry wrote: well believe me freddie did inhale the ciggies. It was also mentioned in the press in the 80s that his singing voice was getting hammered because of consistent smoking and the old nodules on his throat. Even on "Live Aid" day back in 1985 his doctor told him not to perform as his throat was so bad, but freddie did not want to let the people down and performed.

gerry wrote: [...]In the 70s Freddies falsetto voice was amazing, check out "In the lap of the gods" (revisited) on the hammersmith 1975 show.

Chief Mouse wrote:

Riku M wrote: So the reason he didn't use it more is probably because it didn't suit his singing style/image which at the time was very macho and he liked to belt out the songs with his raw chestpower.

Yeah, but he hardly used it live ever since 1976. But he still did in studio obviously, It's A Hard Life for example.

gerry wrote: Nitroboy: Laryngitis can be caused from a number of reasons but chances are in Freddies case it was caused through singing too hard and loud, which inflames the voice box. This happened a lot of times and cancelled gigs happened now and again.

gerry wrote: Mooghead: This thread is titled :" Freddies live falsetto" not high notes like you said! We all know what falsetto is as freddie was the expert at doing this in Queen.

gerry wrote:Nitroboy: It does no matter how long a rest you have in between singing because even half an hours heavy singing could cause bad inflammation to anyones vocal chords.  I think at the live aid rehearsals freddie could have over done it.

Oscar J wrote: This is getting ridiculous. Freddie Mercury used a lot of falsetto in the mid eighties, and if you claim anything else, you simply don't know your stuff. Back to school!

Nitroboy wrote:

Oscar J wrote: This is getting ridiculous. Freddie Mercury used a lot of falsetto in the mid eighties, and if you claim anything else, you simply don't know your stuff. Back to school!

Bingo. And saying that smoking killed his voice... That never happened!

Gregsynth wrote:

Nitroboy wrote:

Oscar J wrote: This is getting ridiculous. Freddie Mercury used a lot of falsetto in the mid eighties, and if you claim anything else, you simply don't know your stuff. Back to school!

Bingo. And saying that smoking killed his voice... That never happened!

Absolutely true on that - a good listen to those South American gigs from 1981 and Live Aid are key examples. It's true that the smoking had an effect on vocal stamina and recovery - but it didn't affect his tone or anything. Freddie voice/tone was changing throughout the 70s as well (and that's before he smoked)!

Nitroboy wrote:

Gregsynth wrote:

Nitroboy wrote:

Oscar J wrote: This is getting ridiculous. Freddie Mercury used a lot of falsetto in the mid eighties, and if you claim anything else, you simply don't know your stuff. Back to school!

Bingo. And saying that smoking killed his voice... That never happened!

Absolutely true on that - a good listen to those South American gigs from 1981 and Live Aid are key examples. It's true that the smoking had an effect on vocal stamina and recovery - but it didn't affect his tone or anything. Freddie voice/tone was changing throughout the 70s as well (and that's before he smoked)!

You want to use the South American shows as a good example of his 80's voice? HAH!

Gregsynth wrote:

Nitroboy wrote:

Gregsynth wrote:

Nitroboy wrote:

Oscar J wrote: This is getting ridiculous. Freddie Mercury used a lot of falsetto in the mid eighties, and if you claim anything else, you simply don't know your stuff. Back to school!

Bingo. And saying that smoking killed his voice... That never happened!

Absolutely true on that - a good listen to those South American gigs from 1981 and Live Aid are key examples. It's true that the smoking had an effect on vocal stamina and recovery - but it didn't affect his tone or anything. Freddie voice/tone was changing throughout the 70s as well (and that's before he smoked)!

You want to use the South American shows as a good example of his 80's voice? HAH!

Why not? He sounds awesome at Buenos Aires, Sao Paulo, etc! The Puebla and Monterrey gigs also have him sounding fantastic!

Bruno P. wrote: It makes me sad that by mid 80's his full voice range was limited - his mid range was extremely powerful and his falsetto well developed. Those early 80's shows are truly awesome! I'm listening to several shows uploaded by Greg... it's a shame we dont have more soundboard (or A audience recordings) recordings :(

Nitroboy wrote:

Bruno P. wrote: It makes me sad that by mid 80's his full voice range was limited - his mid range was extremely powerful and his falsetto well developed. Those early 80's shows are truly awesome! I'm listening to several shows uploaded by Greg... it's a shame we dont have more soundboard (or A audience recordings) recordings :(

His high register was still awesome by the Magic Tour, even the latter half of it.

Bruno P. wrote:

Nitroboy wrote:

Bruno P. wrote: It makes me sad that by mid 80's his full voice range was limited - his mid range was extremely powerful and his falsetto well developed. Those early 80's shows are truly awesome! I'm listening to several shows uploaded by Greg... it's a shame we dont have more soundboard (or A audience recordings) recordings :(

His high register was still awesome by the Magic Tour, even the latter half of it.

But he wouldn't even try the high notes in Who Wants To Live Forever and I think he would nail those by the early 80's, for instance. Under Pressure - he would go higher on those screams in 81 or 82.

tomchristie22 wrote: You can't really say Freddie's or Roger's is superior - Freddie used his beautifully for more tender stuff, while Roger had unmatched power in those high screams night after night on Lap of the Gods. Completely different styles of singing.

Nitroboy wrote: He was just warming up! :P ... He hits the D5 at 2nd Wembley... ;)